Best dystopian books

Reading lists

The best dystopian books of all time

Shift

NOW THE NO.1 DRAMA IN THE HISTORY OF APPLE TV+ 
 
The much anticipated prequel to bestseller Wool that takes us back to the beginnings of the silo. 
 
In a future less than fifty years away, the world is still as we know it. Time continues to tick by. The truth is that it is ticking away. 
 
A powerful few know what lies ahead. They are preparing for it. They are trying to protect us. 
 
They are setting us on a path from which we can never return. 
 
A path that will lead to destruction; a path that will take us below ground. 
 
The history of the silo is about to be written. 
 
Our future is about to begin. 
________________ 
 
 
'We have been mesmerised with Hugh Howey's silo stories since we first laid eyes on book one in the trilogy...' Grazia Daily 
 
'An epic feat of imagination. You will live in this world.' Justin Cronin

Hugh Howey spent eight years living on boats and working as a yacht captain for the rich and famous. It wasn't until the love of his life carried him away from these vagabond ways that he began to pursue literary adventures, rather than literal ones. 
 
 Hugh wrote and self-published the Wool trilogy, which won rave reviews and praise from readers, and whose three books have gone on to become international bestsellers.

NOW THE NO.1 DRAMA IN THE HISTORY OF APPLE TV+ 
 
The much anticipated prequel to bestseller Wool that takes us back to the beginnings of the silo. 
 
In a future less than fifty years away, the world is still as we know it. Time continues to tick by. The truth is that it is ticking away. 
 
A powerful few know what lies ahead. They are preparing for it. They are trying to protect us. 
 
They are setting us on a path from which we can never return. 
 
A path that will lead to destruction; a path that will take us below ground. 
 
The history of the silo is about to be written. 
 
Our future is about to begin. 
________________ 
 
'We have been mesmerised with Hugh Howey's silo stories since we first laid eyes on book one in the trilogy...' Grazia Daily 
 
'An epic feat of imagination. You will live in this world.' Justin Cronin

Wool

NOW THE NO.1 DRAMA IN THE HISTORY OF AppleTV+, SILO. 
 
An epic story of survival at all odds and one of the most anticipated books of the year, soon to also be a major Apple TV series. 
 
'Thrilling, thought-provoking and memorable ... one of dystopian fiction's masterpieces alongside the likes of 1984 and Brave New World.' DAILY EXPRESS 
_____________ 
 
In a ruined and hostile landscape, in a future few have been unlucky enough to survive, a community exists in a giant underground silo. 
 
Inside, men and women live an enclosed life full of rules and regulations, of secrets and lies. 
 
To live, you must follow the rules. But some don't. These are the dangerous ones; these are the people who dare to hope and dream, and who infect others with their optimism. 
 
Their punishment is simple and deadly. They are allowed outside. 
 
Jules is one of these people. She may well be the last. 
_____________ 
 
'The next Hunger Games' SUNDAY TIMES 
 
'Well written, tense, and immensely satisfying, Wool will be considered a classic for many years in the future.' WIRED 
 
'Howey's Wool is an epic feat of imagination. You will live in this world.' JUSTIN CRONIN 
 
'Wool is frightening, fascinating, and addictive. In one word, terrific.' KATHY REICHS 
 
 
 
 
Silo, No.1 drama in the history of Apple TV as of May 2023.

Exhilarating, intense, addictive. A novel you will never forget.

Thrilling, thought-provoking and memorable . . . one of dystopian fiction's masterpieces alongside the likes of 1984 and Brave New World.

Well written, tense, and immensely satisfying, Wool will be considered a classic for many years in the future.

Wool is frightening, fascinating, and addictive. In one word, terrific.

A thrilling sci-fi novel, equally adept at world-building, pulling the rug out from under its readers, and commenting in classic sci-fi fashion on our own present day.

Brilliantly written . . . Howey creates a starkly believable and terrifying apocalypse.

Wool is incredible . . . the best science fiction series I've read in years.

Claustrophobic and, at times, genuinely terrifying.

Hugh Howey spent eight years living on boats and working as a yacht captain for the rich and famous. It wasn't until the love of his life carried him away from these vagabond ways that he began to pursue literary adventures, rather than literal ones. 
 
Hugh wrote and self-published the Wool trilogy, which won rave reviews and praise from readers, and whose three books have gone on to become international bestsellers.

NOW THE NO.1 DRAMA IN THE HISTORY OF AppleTV+, SILO. 
 
In a ruined and hostile landscape, in a future few have been unlucky enough to survive, a community exists in a giant underground silo. 
 
Inside, men and women live an enclosed life full of rules and regulations, of secrets and lies. 
 
To live, you must follow the rules. But some don't. These are the dangerous ones; these are the people who dare to hope and dream, and who infect others with their optimism. 
 
Their punishment is simple and deadly. They are allowed outside. 
 
Jules is one of these people. She may well be the last. 
_________________ 
 
'The next Hunger Games' SUNDAY TIMES 
 
'Well written, tense, and immensely satisfying, Wool will be considered a classic for many years in the future.' WIRED 
 
'Howey's Wool is an epic feat of imagination. You will live in this world.' JUSTIN CRONIN 
 
'Wool is frightening, fascinating, and addictive. In one word, terrific.' KATHY REICHS 
 
'Thrilling, thought-provoking and memorable ... one of dystopian fiction's masterpieces alongside the likes of 1984 and Brave New World.' DAILY EXPRESS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Silo, No.1 drama in the history of Apple TV as of May 2023.

Dust

The much-anticipated final instalment of the Wool trilogy. 
 
'The next Hunger Games.' The Sunday Times 
'Thrilling, thought-provoking and memorable ... one of dystopian fiction's masterpieces alongside the likes of 1984 and Brave New World.' Daily Express 
________________ 
 
In the aftermath of the uprising, the people of Silo 18 are coming to terms with a new order. 
 
Some embrace the change, others fear the unknown; none have control of their fate. 
 
The Silo is still in danger. 
 
There are those set on its destruction. 
 
Jules knows they must be stopped. 
 
The battle has been won. 
 
The war is just beginning.

The much-anticipated final instalment of the Wool trilogy. 
 
In the aftermath of the uprising, the people of Silo 18 are coming to terms with a new order. 
 
Some embrace the change, others fear the unknown; none have control of their fate. 
 
The Silo is still in danger. 
 
There are those set on its destruction. 
 
Jules knows they must be stopped. 
 
The battle has been won. 
 
The war is just beginning. 
______________ 
 
'The next Hunger Games' The Sunday Times 
'Thrilling, thought-provoking and memorable ... one of dystopian fiction's masterpieces alongside the likes of 1984 and Brave New World.' Daily Express

Sand

Omnibus Edition

A powerful post-apocalyptic thriller from the internationally bestselling author of the Silo trilogy.

Sand immerses you in its grubby post-apocalyptic world … Howey conjures a credible, brutal future.

In short, Sand will earn Mr Howey another well-deserved million or more.

This terrifically fresh and well-realised setting provides the background for a richly emotional story about families and communities.

Sand shows the success of Howey’s Wool Trilogy was no fluke. This is a superior SF thriller, both slick and gritty.

It’s all too easy to get so wrapped up in spaceships that you forget what original sci-fi ideas are like … But it’s the horror quality of the sand-diving that stays with you – described so hauntingly that you can almost taste the grit.

A powerful post-apocalyptic thriller from the internationally bestselling author of the Silo trilogy. 
 
The old world is buried. A new one has been forged atop the shifting dunes. Here in this land of howling wind and infernal sand, four siblings find themselves scattered and lost. 
 
Palmer has never been the same since his father walked out twelve years ago. His elder sister, Vic, is trying to run away from the past; his younger brothers, Connor and Rob, are risking their lives to embrace it. His mother, left with nothing but anger, is just trying to forget. 
 
Palmer wants to prove his worth, not only to his family, but to himself. And in the barren, dune-covered landscape of his home, there is only one way to earn respect: sand-diving. Plunging deep below the desert floor in search of relics and scraps of the old world. He is about to embark on the most dangerous dive of his young life, aiming to become the first to discover the rumoured city below. 
 
Deep within the sand lies the key to bringing his family together - and tearing their world apart.

Sand Part 1: The Belt of the Buried Gods

The wind blows from east to west. It brings with it the sand, deposited in dunes, to bury and torment the unfortunate souls who live here. Life on the sand is miserable. Life below it is even worse. From the New York Times bestselling author of Wool

Hugh Howey spent eight years living on boats and working as a yacht captain for the rich and famous. It wasn't until the love of his life carried him away from these vagabond ways that he began to pursue literary adventures, rather than literal ones. 
 
Hugh wrote and self-published the Wool trilogy, which won rave reviews and praise from readers, and whose three books have gone on to become international bestsellers. 
 
He lives in Jupiter, Florida, with his wife Amber and their dog Bella.

Sand Part 2: Out of No Man’s Land

The new novel from the international bestselling author of the Wool trilogy. 
 
Part two of Sand by Hugh Howey. 
 
The old world is buried. A new one has been forged atop the shifting dunes. Here in this land of howling wind and infernal sand, four siblings find themselves scattered and lost.

Hugh Howey

Now a major TV series!

NOW THE NO.1 DRAMA IN THE HISTORY OF AppleTV+ 
 
In a ruined and hostile landscape, in a future few have been unlucky enough to survive, a community exists in a giant underground silo. 
 
Inside, men and women live an enclosed life full of rules and regulations, of secrets and lies. 
 
To live, you must follow the rules. But some don't. These are the dangerous ones; these are the people who dare to hope and dream, and who infect others with their optimism. 
 
Their punishment is simple and deadly. They are allowed outside. 
 
Jules is one of these people. She may well be the last. 
_________________ 
 
'The next Hunger Games' SUNDAY TIMES 
 
'Well written, tense, and immensely satisfying, Wool will be considered a classic for many years in the future.' WIRED 
 
'Howey's Wool is an epic feat of imagination. You will live in this world.' JUSTIN CRONIN 
 
'Wool is frightening, fascinating, and addictive. In one word, terrific.' KATHY REICHS 
 
'Thrilling, thought-provoking and memorable...one of dystopian fiction's masterpieces alongside the likes of 1984 and Brave New World.' DAILY EXPRESS 
 
 
Silo, No.1 drama in the history of Apple TV as of May 2023. Originally published as Wool.

Silo

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In a ruined and hostile landscape, in a future few have been unlucky enough to survive, a community exists in a giant underground silo. Inside, men and women live an enclosed life full of rules and regulations, of secrets and lies. To live, you must follow the rules. But some don't.

Hugh Howey

Praise for Silo

Exhilarating, intense, addictive. A novel you will never forget.

Thrilling, thought-provoking and memorable . . . one of dystopian fiction's masterpieces alongside the likes of 1984 and Brave New World.

Well written, tense, and immensely satisfying, Wool will be considered a classic for many years in the future.

Exhilarating, intense, addictive. A novel you will never forget.

Thrilling, thought-provoking and memorable . . . one of dystopian fiction's masterpieces alongside the likes of 1984 and Brave New World.

Well written, tense, and immensely satisfying, Wool will be considered a classic for many years in the future.

Exhilarating, intense, addictive. A novel you will never forget.

Thrilling, thought-provoking and memorable . . . one of dystopian fiction's masterpieces alongside the likes of 1984 and Brave New World.

Well written, tense, and immensely satisfying, Wool will be considered a classic for many years in the future.

Books by Hugh Howey

Series by Hugh Howey

Wool Trilogy

Articles featuring Hugh Howey

The best dystopian books of all time

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