Five memorable dystopias in fiction

Lawrence Norfolk is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Lemprière’s Dictionary, The Pope’s Rhinoceros, In the Shape of a Boar, and John Saturnall's Feast. He lives in London.

One of five memorable dystopias in fiction Norfolk tagged for the Daily Telegraph:

Neal Stephenson’s Anathem (2008) details the adventures of a young monk-scholar who exchanges monastic seclusion to plumb the mysteries of his thrice-devastated world. The denouement is an outrageous piece of plot-trickery but Stephenson pulls it off.

Read about the other books on Norfolk's list.

Anathem made Annalee Newitz's list of ten top works of science fiction that are really fantasy.

Also see Annalee Newitz's list of ten great American dystopias, Robert Collins' top ten list of dystopian novels, and Gemma Malley's top 10 list of dystopian novels for teenagers.

--Marshal Zeringue