YA dystopian fiction: The lurking horror within YA dystopian fiction

The lurking horror within YA dystopian fiction: some top tips from ‘The YA Horror 400’ almanac

Since Katniss Everdeen first picked up her bow and arrow back in 2008 she helped hustle both the zombie and paranormal romance crazes into the literary dustbin. In the period since, dystopian fiction has reigned supreme producing a wide range of bestsellers and series which never seem to dry up. Just to illustrate this was not just a YA phenomenon, even Margaret Atwood gave us a second Handmaid’s Tale (1985 and sequel 2019). Dystopian literature often features a melting pot of genres thrown together, often with a political message which cries for freedom with elements of science fiction, fantasy and environmentalism all in a spicy mix. Horror is never far away: the loss of personal freedom and choice is common and close variations of George Orwell’s Big Brother thrive on the terror of the unknown, ranging from torture, the loss to personal freedom, limbs or the brutality of mindwiping.

Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games may well have sold multiple millions of copies and is a thrilling bombastic read, but there are many subtler examples of dystopian literature on the market (not to mention a thousand copies). This article features ten of my personal favourites which were included in my recently published almanac The YA Horror 400. I have intentionally avoided internationally bestsellers. Should you be interested in exploring YA dystopian fiction further an extensive reading list, and many more reviews, are available in the book. Praise for The YA Horror 400, which can be purchased both on Kindle and paperback from Amazon, is at the end of this article.  

YA dystopian fiction: The lurking horror within YA dystopian fiction

Melvin Burgess – The Hit (2013)

Melvin Burgess has been on the YA scene for decades but is not often thought of as a genre or horror writer, as the majority of his work deals with gritty social realism and is most famous for the multi award winning and controversial cult classic Junk (1996). Of his recent output The Hit is his title which has been most popular in my library, even if it is not one of his better-known titles. The Hit has an amazing hook: take a pill which will give you an amazing week, but at the end of it, you pay the price and die. For teenagers, even this startlingly basic concept of the book is disturbing and can lead to fascinating discussions. 

The Hit crash lands fast and keeps moving at lightning speed, involving the reader in main character Adam’s world immediately, sweeping the reader along into a world of riots, surveillance, and inequality. It is set about fifty years in a future Britain, where there are huge divides between rich and poor and many of the hallmarks of a great dystopian thriller.

As always with Burgess’s novels, there are some grim and gritty themes which he deals with through his conflicted and believable characters. His depiction of the nutter gangster Christian was very convincing and spectacularly nasty in a book loaded with darkness. Although this is a controversial subject, The Hit has a genuine pro-life message, the value of it, peer pressure, how you live it and the choices you make are truthful and hard hitting and relevant to all. This is not for the faint of heart, but powerful thought-provoking stuff earning a place in YA horror circles.

Elsie Chapman – Dualed (2013)

If you’re after an entertaining science fiction, dystopian mashup then look no further than Dualed, which has an exceptionally cool concept pumping at its core. When kids turn eighteen, they must prove their worth by defeating a duplicate version of themselves in a timed battle after being separated at birth as babies. The twist; neither of the combatants know whether they or their opponent is the ‘Alternate’ and who is the original (maybe neither, due to cloning). Get ready to meet West Grayer who has been training for years to battle her Alternate, but soon things go horribly wrong.

This very clever novel provides much to ponder, on one level it is a terrific action tale with an incredibly well-developed dystopian setting where only the fittest are meant to survive. There are many facets to this society, all leading to the moment the survivors become killers, and this main story hook should be a great selling point for young teens.

Zach Hines – Nine (2018)

Nine is set in an alternate universe, an almost identical version of our world, except for the fact that everybody has nine lives. Most people plan their own death, even making an event out of it before they return in their next incarnation. This process is incredibly well described and visualised; the government encourage their population not to spent too long on each of the nine stages (or sections) of their life before moving onto the next. In the initial stage, you are known as a ‘one’ and the next is a ‘two’ and so on. Most older teenagers are already onto ‘three’ and, when returning to your new body, you might be older, but your new ‘model’ will have lost any excess fat or other imperfections picked up in the previous life. There might also be other enhancements to the latest body. Confused yet?

The clever story revolves around teenager Julian, who is the only ‘one’ in his school; this does not bother him, but others laugh and even his family find this vaguely uncomfortable as a certain negative stigma is attached to it. The story develops into a complex mystery thriller, but also has much to say about sexuality and there are many (often funny and serious) metaphors thrown into the mix were losing your ‘two’ or ‘three’ might be compared to something very personal. This is a very easy book to sell to teenagers, which is wise, quirky and unique. 

Gregory Scott Katsoulis – All Rights Reserved (2017)

The concept behind the Word$ duology has a great hook and is undoubtedly the strongest feature of the story, set in a world where when kids turn fifteen they then have to pay for every word they speak. Everybody has a device implanted into them which records their words and different words have different prices depending on their complexity. Companies have copyrighted words and most people are in debt, and rarely speak in a grim world where talking has a monetary value. The device also records motions such as shakes of the head and shrugs, so there is no escaping the system. 

The story revolves around narrator Speth who on the day she turns fifteen, can no longer talk for free. Around the same time, a friend takes their life, leading to Speth taking a vow of silence which kick starts a movement. We find out there are others (‘Silencers’) who choose not to talk and this act of rebellion begins to have a more profound ripple effect. All Rights Reserved is a very effective, bleak dystopian drama where talk really is not cheap. 

Ben Oliver – The Loop (2020)

If you’ve seeking a cool, twisty, futuristic thriller then welcome to The Loop. Luka Kane has been imprisoned within the weirdly looped shaped prison for over two years, awaiting a death sentence. However, there is a catch; if inmates submit to medical experiments, then their execution is delayed. This frequently happens, but the experiments are unpredictable and could lead to possible amputation and replacement with an artificial limb. This was the perfect setting dystopian thriller which was dominated by technology and powerful artificial intelligence. Luka is a cool and collected character, passing time reading what to us are contemporary novels, but to him are from the past.

Information about what is going on in the real world beyond the prison is carefully dripped into the narrative, revealing the circumstances behind the third World War. The bottom line is simple: the machines are in charge. Early in proceedings, excitement builds towards a potential breakout, but this is problematic because inmates have devices attached to their hearts which will explode if they leave the prison grounds. There is much for young teenagers to enjoy in The Loop, which is a top-notch fusion of science fiction, thriller, and action.  

Laura Powell – Burn Mark (2012)

In Burn Mark, witchcraft is an accepted, but feared and frowned upon, part of modern society, in this dark dystopian thriller set in an alternative version of the UK. Witch burnings still occur and those teens who develop the ‘fae’ gift (or curse) are distrusted and must register their new power with a government department who monitor the activity. Main character Glory Starling Wilde comes from a family of witches, who are also a powerful crime family. She is desperate for her gift to develop, even if it carries the risks transitioning into a full witch (known as ‘witchkind’) has. The most dangerous criminal witches are burnt at the stake by balefire in big, televised events at London’s Trafalgar Square, which are promoted as entertainment to the non-witch population.

When Burn Mark opens, there is an unstable peace between the witchkind and the non-witches, which is led by Inquisition Department, with the second teen main character being the son of one of the most powerful inquisitors. Lucas Stearne is earmarked for a top job in the Inquisition until he begins to display fae powers himself and crosses paths with Glory shortly after. Because of complex and very detailed worldbuilding, the story takes time to develop. Mainly set in London, I enjoyed the manner in which the covens were portrayed as dangerous street gangs and that Glory is pitched as an aggressive, loud, white-trash teen, rather than a dreamer seeking her destiny, which is more traditional to this type of novel. I would not quite call Burn Mark an update of the legendary Witchfinder General for the teen generation, but it heads in that direction, with a neat dystopian twist. 

YA dystopian fiction: The lurking horror within YA dystopian fiction

Alexander Gordon Smith – Escape from Furnace: Lockdown (2009)

Sadly, these days few kids are aware of the exploits of the legendary Steve McQueen in The Great Escape and his attempts to escape from a German POW camp. However, the Escape from Furnaceseries has a teenager with an identical mindset, Alex Sawyer. The boy dreams of one day escaping from Furnace Penitentiary, which is buried over a mile underground. Convicted of a crime he did not commit, in a period kids are routinely imprisoned for minor infractions, Alex, with a bunch of other teens, vows to escape. In Furnace there are worse things than death, as others have discovered when the lights go out. The scenes when kids disappear, screaming as they are dragged from their cells are totally terrifying. Alex is a great central character and he is backed up by his relatable cellmates, Donovan and new guy, Zee. 

Alex realises the prison is a place of pure pain and intimidation, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors and everybody fears what lurks in the deeper tunnels below. The prison is portrayed as an astonishingly bleak place, which gets very dark for a YA novel, and it refuses to lighten up as the series advances. Lurking in the background towers the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a great character who dominates from the shadows and has an agenda of his own. Fusing action, thriller and an intimidating atmosphere; horror does not get more nail-biting than Furnace, which is truly a series to savour. 

Lisa Stasse – The Forsaken (2012)

When Alenna Shawcross fails a genetic Government Personality Profile Test (GPPT) which predicts she has the genetic makeup to become a violent criminal, her life changes overnight. Living in an oppressive police state, she is sent to an island called ‘The Wheel’ where those who have failed the test end up. Alenna must fight for survival (and protect her own sanity) where joining a gang is the only option and life expectancy is incredibly low, with few surviving more than two years. 

Set in the United Northern Alliance (UNA), the totalitarian super-country; which was once the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Alanna grows from an obvious victim into a character with real charisma. Terrified and confused, Alenna bands with other teen survivors battling to stay alive, including Luis, a boy who will become something special and a lifeline. Once ensconced on the island, a fascinating battle for territory, big reveals, surveillance, brainwashing, conspiracy theories and the plot to escape follow. 

YA dystopian fiction: The lurking horror within YA dystopian fiction

Amy Tintera – Reboot (2013)

Reboot features a super-smart concept; set in the future where technology has advanced significantly, but life is incredibly cheap, those who contract a virus can be brought back to life and used as ‘rebooted’ police officers retaining a certain percentage of their human emotions and personality. However, the longer they have been clinically dead, the less human feelings they have once they been rebooted. The story revolves around Wren Connolly, revived five years earlier and has since morphed into a deadly policewoman as her revival time was particularly long, at 178 minutes and she can self-heal. She is regarded as the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas.  

Wren serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation) and is deadly, in many ways barely human and others still a teenager. She is given the responsibility of training a new Reboot, Callum Reyes, who was revived after barely 22 minutes so retains most of his human characteristics. Because of this the pair clash, but also hit it off in other ways in an unlikely romance.  I don’t know how many teenagers have seen classic eighties action classic Robocop, but this book certainly has its vibe and is clever, violent and highly entertaining stuff in a well-drawn dystopian alternative reality.

S.M. Wilson – The Extinction Trials (2017)

The Extinction Trials is a highly engaging fusion of science fiction, dystopia, adventure, and dinosaur epic which youngsters should enjoy tremendously. It is set in a world dealing problems such as hunger, overcrowding and lack of healthcare. In this dystopian setting life is cheap, wealth is shared unfairly and there are dangerous contests, often involving dinosaurs, held for participants to try and win food, medicine or other essentials. 

This world is split into two continents:  humans live on one side (Earthasia), squeezed together competing for space and scant resources, the other continent has dinosaurs (Piloria), with huge potential for living areas and food supplies that could able be plundered should the creatures not be there. The winners of the competitions, which take place in the early stages, are then selected to explore and take valuable resources from Piloria, including dinosaur eggs. The novel is seen from the points of view of two characters, Lincoln and Stormchaser, who must face both the dinosaurs and those in power scheming against them. Extinction Trials is seriously good escapism and given the choice I would take my chances with the dinosaurs in Piloria!

Tony Jones

YA dystopian fiction: The lurking horror within YA dystopian fiction

Praise for the recently published YA Horror 400 almanac:

“Massive congrats to Tony Jones, his colossal almanac of teen horror is out! With a whopping 400 reviews, it’s a corker!” RL BOYLE (YA author of The Book of the Baku)

“If you’re looking for a curator for your reading journey, Tony Jones is about as excellent as you could ask for. And if you wanted that curation available in a one-stop shopping destination, he has just published an extensive almanac of young adult horror over the years. It’s available for the kindle and in print as well. I was truly honoured to see one of my books gracing its pages and there is a short piece I wrote for this project as well. Do yourself a favour – if you’ve been looking for a great reference book to grace your home, check this out!” CHAD A. CLARK (YA and adult author of The Curse of Worthwood Castle, Tracing the Trails & Winward)

“The YA Horror 400 is a spectacular resource for lovers of horror and YA fiction. It’s a comprehensive guide to the past 15+ years of YA horror with reviews and author insights on over 400 YA horror novels and books, including my ‘We Mostly Come Out at Night’. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to YA horror readers. 10/10!” ROB COSTELLO (YA author and editor of We Mostly Come Out at Night & The Dancing Bears)

Praise for the recently published YA Horror 400 almanac:

“Thanks so much to Tony Jones for featuring FOUND in his awesome ‘YA Horror 400’ almanac and for the opportunity to talk about my love of found footage horror.” ANDY CULL (Adult author, editor and filmmaker of FOUND & Remains)

“My first novel ‘Parasite Life’ gets a mention in this fabulous mega resource for all things YA. Check it out!” VICTORIA DALPE (YA and adult author of Parasite Life & Les Femmes Grotesques)

“The YA Horror 400 is such a good and constructive push for YA horror.” JEREMY DE QUIDT (YA author of The Wrong Train & The Toymaker)

“Tony Jones is a rare expert on YA horror, an influential reviewer who’s been a school librarian for 30 years. This A-Z almanac is a must own for horror fans and writers.” CAROLINE FLARITY (YA author of The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter)

“An amazing teen horror guide, with fabulous features like fear factor ratings and ‘If You Like This Try” recs. Perfect for librarians, teachers, and anyone who wants to live their best YA horror life” ANN FRAISTAT (YA author of What We Harvest & A Place for Vanishing)

“A must have for anyone looking to help connect younger readers to the best genre in the world. Expertly compiled by Tony Jones” PHIL HICKES (Middle Grade author of the Aveline Jones and Shadowhall Academy series)

“Humbled to feature in ‘The YA Horror 400’ almanac, out now from top genre librarian and reviewer Tony Jones” DAVE JEFFREY (YA and adult author of the Beatrice Beecham series & A Quiet Apocalypse series) 

Praise for the recently published YA Horror 400 almanac:

“So excited that my books have been featured here. Teachers and librarians – this is the PERFECT resource for you!” LORIEN LAWRENCE (Middle Grade author of The Stitchers series)

“If you’ve ever wished there were an easily accessible almanac of YA horror, I’ve got great news, Tony Jones, who has been reviewing and supporting my work since I first started and is one of my biggest professional cheerleaders has released his YA Horror 400 almanac! I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to contribute to it, too. What a cool project! Go Tony!” AMY LUKAVICS (YA author of Daughters Unto Devils & The Ravenous)

“This almanac is massive! Huge congratulations to Tony Jones on his new book on YA Horror! Very grateful to contribute a wee bit to it.” TIM McGREGOR (Adult author of Wasps in the Ice Cream)

“I want to alert English teachers and librarians to the most definitive resource I’ve ever seen highlighting the best YA horror novels since 2008. 400 of the best dark fiction for readers 9-15+ . Where do you go for advice yourself to know what to purchase? It’s all here. What do you give a middle-grade reader or teen with a taste for the darker side? This … and let them pick and choose their own! CLIFF McNISH (YA author of Breathe & The Hunting Ground)

Praise for the recently published YA Horror 400 almanac:

“Librarians! Bloggers! Readers! Educators! I am wildly pleased to see The Call on, and between, the covers of THE YA HORROR 400 by Tony Jones. Reviews of brilliant books, author interviews. Scares aplenty”. PEADAR Ó GUILÍN (YA horror/fantasy author of The Call duology)”

“Great news for teen horror fans! The YA Horror 400 is out! A massive horror almanac w/ fab features including fear factor ratings, articles, notes from authors and much more. Absolutely perfect for librarians, teachers and anyone who reads YA horror.” BRYONY PEARCE (YA author of Raising Hell)

“The YA Horror 400 is a fabulous resource for librarians, parents, and fans of horror kidlit.” Lora Senf (Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Blight Harbor series)

“I highly recommend the YA Horror 400: an almanac of 400 teen horror novel reviews published between 2008-2024 by Tony Jones, featuring reviews of the best YA and middle grade horror (including my own novel Channel Fear”. LISA RICHARDSON (YA author of Channel Fear)

“Teachers, librarians, readers… This brand new almanac from horror expert Tony Jones is all you need to navigate your way through YA spookiness, gore and thrills. SJ Wills (YA author of the Bite Risk series)