“Show us something real and free and beautiful. You couldn’t. It’ll break us.”
If you’re still haunted by the mind-bending twists and tech-fuelled nightmares of Black Mirror, you’re certainly not alone. The series’ eerie blend of dystopian fiction, speculative storytelling, and scathing social commentary leaves you craving more stories that explore the darker sides of technology and human nature. Thankfully, there are plenty of books like Black Mirror that deliver the same unsettling thrills, thought-provoking questions, and near-future scenarios that linger with you long after you’ve turned the final page. Whether you’re pulled to stories about AI gone rogue, surveillance-heavy societies, or psychological sci-fi thrillers with Black Mirror vibes, this list of must-read novels will satisfy that craving for chilling, tech-dystopian tales. From mind-bending plots to stories that feel like forgotten Black Mirror episodes, join us at What We Reading for the best books that dive into unsettling futures where technology – and humanity – go too far.
Klara And The Sun – Kazuo Ishiguro
First up on our list of books like Black Mirror is Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, a haunting, beautifully restrained exploration of artificial intelligence, loneliness, and what it means to love. Set in a quiet dystopian future, the novel centres around Klara, an Artificial Friend (AF) designed to keep lonely children company. From behind a shop window, she observes the world with childlike wonder and intense curiosity – until she’s picked out by a sickly child named Josie. As Klara attempts to understand human emotions and sacrifice, the story quietly unfolds into something deeply philosophical and emotionally resonant.
Fans of Black Mirror’s more reflective, heart-tugging episodes like Be Right Back will find a familiar tone here. It’s not about big tech conspiracies or violent dystopias but about the intimate, human cost of technological advancement. With themes of AI ethics, social stratification, and emotional simulation, this novel is perfect for readers craving the quieter, more introspective side of speculative fiction.
Check Out The Best Books Like Klara And The Sun
The Circle – Dave Eggers
When Mae Holland bags a job working at the Circle – a massive social media and tech conglomerate – she’s swept up in its utopian promises: connection, safety, and access to endless information. But, as the company pushes its agenda of “sharing is caring” and “privacy is theft”, Mae begins to lose touch with what it means to be truly free.
This book is an absolute staple for any fans of Black Mirror episodes like Nosedive and Hated in the Nation. It dives deep into the consequences of constant online validation, cancel culture, and surveillance disguised as progress. With its dark social commentaries and near-future plausibility, The Circle captures the same unease that defines so many Black Mirror stories. If you’re looking for books like Black Mirror that critique big tech, social media addiction, and privacy erosion, this novel is sure to strike a chord.
Feed – M.T. Anderson
Feed by M.T. Anderson is a dystopian young adult novel that feels disturbingly relevant. In a future where the majority of people have internet-like “feeds” directly implanted into their brains, it explores what happens when consumerism, social media, and corporate control become inseparable. Titus, an average teen plugged into the feed, meets Violet, someone who questions the system. As their relationship develops, so too does a sharp critique of society numbed by constant connectivity and digital noise.
Fans of Black Mirror episodes like Fifteen Million Merits or Men Against Fire will instantly feel at home in Anderson’s world. The feed tracks everything, advertises relentlessly, and erodes individual thought, making this novel a stunningly scathing social commentary disguised as a coming-of-age tale. If you’re looking for books like Black Mirror that combine tech dystopia, corporate influence, and thought-provoking meditations on identity and autonomy, Feed is a powerful, unsettling read.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing – Hank Green
Hank Green’s debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, is a sharp, quick-witted exploration of fame, identity, and the power of social media in the digital age. The story begins with April May, a twenty-three-year-old artist, stumbling upon a giant robot statue in New York City. What seems a quirky discovery quickly goes viral, propelling her into the global spotlight. As April navigates the whirlwind of fame and public scrutiny, the novel raises profound questions about influence, responsibility, and the ways technology moulds our perception of reality.
If you loved the critiques of modern culture, where digital fame and anonymity intersect, in episodes like Nosedive or Shut Up and Dance, you’ll love the messages in Green’s work. It’s a fast-paced, satirical look at how the internet and social media amplify both the best and worst aspects of human nature.
Machines Like Me – Ian McEwan
When Charlie buys one of the first synthetic humans, Adam, what starts out as curiosity soon turns into a deep ethical dilemma. As Adam, an artificial human, develops opinions, emotions, and an unsettling sense of morality, Ian McEwan’s Machines Like Me immerses readers in questions about free will, consciousness, and what it is that makes us human.
If you were captivated by Black Mirror’s Be Right Back or White Christmas, this book delivers a similar unease. It blurs the lines between real and artificial intimacy while forcing readers to grapple with uncomfortable truths about morality in a tech-driven world. Machines Like Me is a must-read for fans of books like Black Mirror – philosophical, chilling, and eerily plausible in its depiction of AI and emotional complexity.
Little Eyes – Samantha Schweblin
Samantha Schweblin’s Little Eyes is a brilliantly unnerving novel about a new tech fad – kentukis – cute, furry robot-like devices that connect strangers around the globe. One person owns a kentuki, while the other “inhabits” it remotely, seeing and hearing everything through its eyes. What begins as a harmless trend slowly reveals a darker, voyeuristic side, as people use the kentukis to spy, manipulate, and form disturbing connections with total strangers.
If Black Mirror’s The Entire History of You or White Bear left you shaken, Little Eyes will tap into that same sense of surveillance horror and power imbalance. Told through interconnected global stories, the novel explores isolation and loneliness, control, and the ethical grey areas of remote access and digital intimacy. For fans of books similar to Black Mirror, this is a tense, thought-provoking read that will have you side-eyeing your smart devices for days.
The Test – Sylvain Neuvel
The Test by Sylvain Neuvel is a short but razor-sharp speculative thriller that reads like a self-contained Black Mirror episode. Set in the UK, it follows Idir, a kind and thoughtful man taking a citizenship test to secure a future for his family. But what begins as a bog-standard multiple-choice quiz suddenly becomes a harrowing moral trial, one that blends psychological manipulation with AI oversight, and the stakes are life or death.
If you loved Black Mirror episodes like White Bear or Shut Up and Dance, The Test delivers the same gut punch. It explores free will, the illusion of choice, state control, and the terrifying implications of algorithmic judgment. This is one of those books like Black Mirror that lingers long after you’ve finished it – compact, intense, and deeply unsettling in all the best ways.
We Are Satellites – Sarah Pinsker
Sarah Pinsker’s We Are Satellites is a thought-provoking speculative novel set in a near-future society where brain implants, known as “pilots”, enhance cognitive abilities and productivity. The story follows multiple characters wrestling with the societal pressures to adapt to this new technology. As the benefits of the implants become clear, the ethical dilemmas and unintended consequences begin to unfold, impacting families, relationships, and even the very essence of human connection.
For anyone who loved episodes like Nosedive or Hated in the Nation, We Are Satellites will resonate with its exploration of how technology reshapes our lives. It deftly examines themes of control, ambition, and the desire for constant improvement in a world where the lines between enhancement and exploitation are blurred. If you’re looking for another read similar to Black Mirror that delves into the future of tech and its effects on society, We Are Satellites needs to be on your TBR pile.
The God Game – Danny Tobey
The God Game by Danny Tobey is another high-stakes psychological thriller that feels like a Black Mirror episode coming to life. The novel orbits around a group of high school students who are invited to play an exclusive online game where an AI calling itself “G.O.D.” offers them the ultimate thrill: the chance to control reality. But the game quickly takes a dark turn as the stakes are amped up, forcing the players to make increasingly dangerous decisions in the real world.
If you loved Black Mirror episodes like Shut Up and Dance, Playtest or White Christmas, The God Game delivers an eerie exploration of power, manipulation, and the consequences of technology that appears to know more about us than we do ourselves. This is a fast-paced, morally complex tale about how far we’ll go for control, thrill, and validation – and the terrifying consequences when it all goes horribly wrong.
They Both Die At The End – Adam Silvera
Adam Silvera’s They Both Die at the End is a poignant, near-future YA novel set in a world where a service called Death-Cast notifies people on the day they’re going to die. When teenagers Mateo and Rufus get the call, they meet through an app designed to connect “Deckers” for one last day of meaningful experiences. What follows is a heart-wrenching, life-affirming journey through love, loss, and the urgency of truly living.
Think Black Mirror’s Hang the DJ crossed with the moral complexity of Metalhead. While there’s no malevolence at play, the tech that predicts death certainly raises haunting questions: Would knowing change how you live, or how others treat you? If you love books like Black that explore futuristic concepts with emotional depth and philosophical undertones, this one’s for you. It’s tender, devastating, and speculative in a way that hits straight at the heart.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
