More like The Engineer
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- Stranger in a Strange Land
Robert A. Heinleinstandalone novel1961
similar bysatirenear future
Stranger in a Strange Land is a 1961 science fiction novel by the American author Robert A. Heinlein. It tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human who comes to Earth in early adulthood after being born on the planet Mars and raised by Martians, and explores his interaction with and eventual transformation of Terran culture.
- Player Piano
Kurt Vonnegut & Jr.standalone novel1952
similar bysatirenear future
In the near future, when cybernetic automation has effectively separated people into two castes, the "engineers and managers", and the remainder of the population who can find work only in "recycling and reclamation" or the largely useless military, an underground movement arises with the intention of rolling back those changes and giving the masses the dignity of owning their own, productive, work once more.
- Space Merchants
series2 books1953
completed
similar bynear future+1 more
The Space Merchants (1953) is a satirical science fiction novel by Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth that follows an advertising executive navigating a future where aggressive consumer capitalism has swallowed politics and daily life. The authors reunited three decades later for a direct sequel, The Merchants' War (1984), returning to the same satirical world. Together the two books form a compact bookend pair rather than an ongoing series.
- The Napoleon of Notting Hill
G. K. Chestertonstandalone novel1904
similar bysatirenear future
The Napoleon of Notting Hill is a novel written by G. K. Chesterton in 1904, set in a nearly unchanged London in 1984.
- The Flying Inn
G. K. Chestertonstandalone novel1914
similar bysatirenear future
The Flying Inn is a 1914 novel by English writer G. K. Chesterton. It is set in a future England where the temperance movement has allowed a bizarre form of Progressive Islam to dominate the political and social life of the country. Because of this, alcohol sales to the poor are effectively prohibited, while the rich can get alcoholic drinks "under a medical certificate". The plot centres on the adventures of Humphrey Pump and Captain Patrick Dalroy, who roam the country in their cart with a barrel of rum in an attempt to evade prohibition, exploiting loopholes in the law to temporarily prevent the police taking action against them. Eventually the heroes and their followers foil an attempted coup by an Islamic military force.
- The Zap Gun
Philip K. Dickstandalone novel1967
similar bysatirenear future
The Zap Gun is a 1967 science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. It was first published as the two-part serial Project Plowshare in Worlds of Tomorrow in 1965 and 1966, before Pyramid Books issued it in paperback under its present title. The novel originated in a title-first commission devised by Pyramid editor Don Bensen and was written in 1964 during a period of rapid production in Dick's career.
- Gladiator-at-Law
C. M. Kornbluth & Frederik Pohlstandalone novel1955
similar bysatirenear future
Gladiator-At-Law is a satirical science fiction novel by American writers Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth. It was first published in 1955 by Ballantine Books and republished in 1986 by Baen Books.
- Feed
M. T. Andersonstandalone novel2002
similar bysatirenear future
Feed (2002) is a cyberpunk, satirical, dystopian, young-adult novel by M. T. Anderson, focusing on issues such as American hegemony, corporate power, consumerism, information technology, data mining, and environmental decline, with a sometimes sardonic, sometimes somber tone. From the first-person perspective of a teenaged boy, the book takes place in a near-futuristic American culture completely dominated by advertising and corporate exploitation, corresponding to the enormous popularity of internetworking brain implants called feeds.
- For Us, the Living: A Comedy of Customs
Robert A. Heinleinstandalone novel2004
similar bysatirenear future
For Us, the Living: A Comedy of Customs is a science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. It was written in 1938 and published for the first time in 2003. Heinlein admirer and science fiction author Spider Robinson titled his introductory essay "RAH DNA", as he believes this first, unpublished novel formed the DNA of Heinlein's later works.
- The Wanting Seed
Anthony Burgessstandalone novel1962
similar bysatirenear future
The Wanting Seed is a dystopian novel by the English author Anthony Burgess, written in 1962.
- The Fixed Period
Anthony Trollopestandalone novel1882
similar bysatirenear future
The Fixed Period (1882) is a satirical dystopian novel by Anthony Trollope.
- Venomous Lumpsucker
Ned Beaumanstandalone novel2022
similar bysatirenear future
She is studying the venomous lumpsucker. It might be intelligent. It might also be threatened by extinction. He has invested in extinction credits. It would cost money if an intelligent species went extinct because of him and his company.
- The Man Who Japed
Philip K. Dickstandalone novel1956
similar bysatirenear future
The Man Who Japed is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick, first published in 1956. Although one of Dick's lesser-known novels, it features several of the ideas and themes that recur throughout his later works. The "jape[s]" or practical jokes of the novel begin with a statue's unconventional decapitation.
- On Wings of Song
Thomas M. Dischstandalone novel1979
similar bysatirenear future
On Wings of Song is a 1979 science fiction novel by American writer Thomas M. Disch. It was first published as a serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction in three installments in February to April 1979. Like Disch's previous novel 334, it is a bitter satire that depicts a near-future America falling into worsening economic and social crisis. It was critically well received and is often considered Disch's best work. It was, however, a commercial failure.
- Mania
Lionel Shriverstandalone novel2024
similar bysatirenear future
Mania is a satirical dystopian novel by Lionel Shriver, published in 2024 by HarperCollins. The story imagines a social campaign seeking to eliminate the prejudice against low intelligence. It follows the lives of the main character and her best friend as they take opposing views on the issues surrounding the disruptive movement—which allows the author to depict different viewpoints across the political spectrum.
- Super Sad True Love Story
Gary Shteyngartstandalone novel2010
similar bysatirenear future
Super Sad True Love Story is the third novel by American writer Gary Shteyngart, and was published in 2010. The novel takes place in a near-future dystopian New York where life is dominated by media and retail.
- Jennifer Government
Max Barrystandalone novel2003
similar bysatirenear future
In the near future, where most of the English-speaking world is part of the United States, whose government has become vestigial, police departments are for hire, and corporations and their customer loyalty alliances possess almost unlimited power; a sundry cast of characters are caught up in various levels of a power struggle.
- The Passion of New Eve
Angela Carterstandalone novel1977
similar bysatirenear future
The Passion of New Eve is a novel by Angela Carter, first published in 1977. The book is set in a dystopian United States where civil war has broken out between different political, racial and gendered groups. A dark satire, the book parodies primitive notions of gender, sexual difference and identity from a post-feminist perspective. Other major themes include sadomasochism and the politics of power. Carter described the book as feminist black comedy.
- Tik-Tok
John Sladekstandalone novel1983
similar bysatirenear future
From the back cover DAW paperback: ""A robot shall not injure a human being or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm." - Asimov's First Law of Robotics. Tik-Tok was one of the finest domestic robots ever made, but his asimov circuits were defective. He could injure people as much as he pleased - and he pleased to do it often! But the life of a robot (if that isn't a contradiction) is still all service and unpaid labor. Tik Tok served many masters, all of whom came to a bad end. Happily he went on gathering steam with a trail of catastrophes getting bigger and bigger, destined to culminate with his campaign for the vice-presidency of the United States! Science Fiction Review calls John Sladek "one of the true and original lunatics of science fiction... one of the funniest writers in the field." Now read the hilarious autobiography of Sladek's asimovian scofflaw!"
- Love in the Ruins
Walker Percystandalone novel1971
similar bysatirenear future
Love in the Ruins is a novel of speculative or science fiction by author Walker Percy from 1971. It follows its main character, Dr Thomas More, namesake and descendant of Sir Thomas More, a psychiatrist in a small town in Louisiana called Paradise.
