“Better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb than in the middle of some ladder you don’t, right?”
In an age dominated by technology, social media, and constant surveillance, dystopian novels that explore these themes have never felt more timely. If you were hooked by Dave Eggers’ The Circle, with its chilling depiction of corporate control and the darker side of digital life, you’re not alone. Many readers are on the hunt for dystopian books like The Circle that blend gripping storytelling with thought-provoking commentary on privacy, technology, and society. From novels that imagine a near-future dominated by powerful tech companies to stories that examine the human cost of surveillance and social conformity, these books push the boundaries of modern dystopian fiction. Today at What We Reading, we’re curating books similar to The Circle that are perfect for anyone eager to dive deeper into tech-driven worlds where control, connection, and consequences collide.
The Circle Summary
When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels like she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, she’s thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. She can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in the world – even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public.
The Circle is one of the most pioneering science fiction dystopian stories of modern times. What starts out as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-pounding novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge.
Feed – M.T. Anderson
Kicking off our list of books like The Circle, Feed is set in a near-future United States where the majority of the population has a brain implant, called the “feed,” that connects them directly to the internet, streaming advertisements, media, and social networks into their minds. The story orbits around Titus, a typical teen who enjoys mindless entertainment, shopping, and socialising through the feed.
During a trip to the moon with his friends, he meets Violet, a smart and socially conscious girl who starts questioning the feed and the corporatised world around them. As Titus and Violet grow closer, Violet’s critical perspective exposes the dangers of living under constant corporate surveillance and the erosion of independent thought. When Violet’s own feed is damaged during a hack, the consequences will force Titus to grapple with his own reliance on technology.
The Warehouse – Rob Hart
Cloud isn’t just a place to work. It’s a place to live. Paxton never thought he’d be working for Cloud, the giant tech company that’s eaten much of the American economy. Much less that he would be moving into one of the company’s sprawling live-work facilities. But, compared to what’s outside, Cloud’s bland chainstore life of gleaming entertainment halls, open-plan offices, and vast warehouses doesn’t seem too bad.
Zinnia never thought she’d be infiltrating Cloud. But now she’s undercover, inside the walls, risking it all to ferret out the company’s darkest secrets. As the truth about Cloud unfolds, Zinnia must gamble everything on a desperate scheme – one that risks both hers and Paxton’s lives. Similar to The Circle, The Warehouse is a book about what happens when Big Brother meets Big Business – and who will pay the ultimate price.
Company Town – Madeline Ashby
Meet Hwa. One of the few in her community to forego bio-engineered enhancements, she’s the last truly organic person left on the rig. But she’s an expert in the arts of self-defence, and she’s been charged with training the Family’s youngest, who has been receiving death threats – seemingly from another timeline.
Meanwhile, a series of interconnected murders threatens the city’s stability – serial killer? Or something much, much more grizzly?
Machinehood – S.B. Divya
Welga Ramirez, executive bodyguard and ex-special forces, is about to retire early when her client is killed in front of her. It’s 2095, and people don’t typically die from violence. Humanity is entirely dependent on pills that not only help keep them alive but also allow them to compete with artificial intelligence in an increasingly competitive gig economy. All that changes, however, when Welga’s client is killed by The Machinehood, a new and mysterious terrorist group that has attacked several pill funders.
Global panic ensues as pill production slows and many become ill. Welga, determined to take down the Machinehood, is hauled back into intelligence work by the government that betrayed her. But who are the Machinehood, and what do they really want? Another dystopian book like The Circle, Machinehood asks: if we won’t see machines as human, will we instead see humans as machines?
Little Brother – Cory Doctorow
Marcus, aka. “W1n5t0n,” is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works – and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his school’s intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems. Yet, his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco.
In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison where they’re mercilessly interrogated for days. When the DHS finally releases them, his injured best friend Darryl does not come out. With the city becoming a police state, he knows no one will believe his story. Which leaves only one option: “M1k3y” will take down the DHS himself.
Vox – Christina Dalcher
Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, Vox is a timely dystopian tale of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter. On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed to speak more than one hundred words per day, Dr Jean McClellan is in denial – this can’t happen here. Not in America. Not to her.
Soon, women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard. Yet, for herself, her daughter, and for every other woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.
The Power – Naomi Alderman
In The Power, the world is a recognisable place: There’s a rich Nigerian boy who lounges around the family pool; a foster kid whose religious parents hide their true nature; an ambitious American politician; and a tough London girl from a tricky family.
But then a virtual new force takes root and flourishes, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power. They cause agonising pain and even death. With this small twist of nature, the world is drastically upended in this gripping feminist dystopian read by Naomi Alderman.
Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
One of the most timeless and iconic dystopian novels of all time, Brave New World grounds us in a futuristic society where humans have become engineered and conditioned for specific roles, and individuality has become suppressed in the name of order. Natural reproduction is replaced by artificial gestation, and people are split into strict castes, from intelligent Alphas to menial Espilons.
The population is pacified through a concoction of consumerism, endless entertainment, and a mood-altering drug called som, ensuring conformity and preventing any sense of dissatisfaction. Bernard Marx is an Alpha who feels disillusioned thanks to his unconventional thinking. John “the Savage” is a man raised outside the controlled society. When John is pulled into the World State, his natural instincts and values collide with the manufactured ideals of the society, highlighting the cost of sacrificing freedom, emotion, and authenticity for stability and technological control in a way that anyone who loved The Circle is sure to recognise.
Check Out These Compelling And Creative Dystopian Story Ideas
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).
