Definition of Dystopian Fiction

Dystopian Fiction is science fiction that deals with an undesirable futuristic world for human beings. A Dystopia is a society characterized by extreme human misery, squalor, oppression, disease, and/or overcrowding. Post apocalyptic wastelands, viral and bacterial pandemic, zombies, and totalitarian regimes are recurring themes in dystopian science fiction. The Dark Future Fiction blog is a comprehensive directory that offers reviews of all media of a dystopian science fiction nature; it includes novels, films, and television media.

The world in which we now live is frequently marred by some aspects of a dystopian society, such as violence, pollution, war, and/or harsh political regimes, but it is not so devastating that normal everyday life is completely stifled - at least not in the Western world. More often than not, dystopian works are a reflection of some new trend that is going on in the world at the time of its creation; the work serves as both a form of entertainment and a warning of continued reliance upon the new trend.

Real Life Dystopian Societies

Dystopian works are of a fictional nature, but history reflects that many human beings have been subject to living in very near dystopian societies. Real life victims of extreme poverty, war torn countries, genocide, slavery, and totalitarian regimes often live in nightmarish conditions which cause similar human suffering experienced by fictional characters in dystopian works.