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Quick answer: If you loved V for Vendetta, read Alan Moore's Watchmen, then Nineteen Eighty-Four, Fahrenheit 451, The Handmaid's Tale and A Clockwork Orange. All are fierce dystopian stories about masks, rebellion and the cost of freedom.
Alan Moore and David Lloyd's graphic novel, first serialised in the 1980s, follows V, a masked anarchist, and Evey, a young woman he rescues, in a near-future Britain ruled by a fascist government. It is dark, literary and influential. The books below offer similar dystopian settings, graphic novels and stories about resistance.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watchmen | Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons | Adult | landmark graphic novel |
| Nineteen Eighty-Four | George Orwell | Adult | surveillance state |
| Fahrenheit 451 | Ray Bradbury | Adult | burning books |
| The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood | Adult | oppressive society |
| A Clockwork Orange | Anthony Burgess | Adult | violence and free will |
| Brave New World | Aldous Huxley | Adult | pleasure as control |
| We | Yevgeny Zamyatin | Adult | the original dystopia |
| The Dark Knight Returns | Frank Miller | Adult | graphic novel |
| Persepolis | Marjane Satrapi | Adult | graphic memoir |
| Maus | Art Spiegelman | Adult | graphic memoir |
| The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins | Teen | survival |
| Little Brother | Cory Doctorow | Teen | hacker teens |
| It Can't Happen Here | Sinclair Lewis | Adult | American fascism |
| Darkness at Noon | Arthur Koestler | Adult | trial and truth |
| Animal Farm | George Orwell | Adult | political fable |
1. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Retired superheroes investigate a murder in an alternate 1985. Complex and brilliant.
Best for: landmark graphic novel.
2. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Winston Smith rebels against Big Brother. Bleak and influential.
Best for: surveillance state.
3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
A fireman starts to question his job. Short and lyrical.
Best for: burning books.
4. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
A woman lives under a theocratic regime. Chilling and unforgettable.
Best for: oppressive society.
5. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A young thug is conditioned by the state. Inventive, violent and daring.
Best for: violence and free will.
6. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
A society engineered for happiness shows its dark side. A classic of the genre.
Best for: pleasure as control.
7. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
A mathematician in a glass city questions his society. The book that inspired Orwell and Huxley.
Best for: the original dystopia.
8. The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
An older Batman returns to a bleak Gotham. Gritty and influential.
Best for: graphic novel.
9. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
A girl grows up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Funny, sad and brilliant.
Best for: graphic memoir.
10. Maus by Art Spiegelman
Spiegelman tells his father's survival story with animals as characters. A landmark of comics.
Best for: graphic memoir.
11. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss volunteers for a televised fight to the death. The classic young-adult dystopia.
Best for: survival.
12. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
A teenage hacker fights a surveillance state. Clever and political.
Best for: hacker teens.
13. It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis
A demagogue becomes president and builds a dictatorship. Satirical and prescient.
Best for: American fascism.
14. Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler
An old revolutionary is imprisoned by his own party. Chilling and short.
Best for: trial and truth.
15. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Farm animals rebel and face a new tyranny. Short and sharp.
Best for: political fable.
How to Choose
For more Moore read Watchmen. For graphic novels choose Persepolis, Maus or The Dark Knight Returns. For classic dystopias pick Nineteen Eighty-Four, Brave New World or Fahrenheit 451. For modern resistance read The Handmaid's Tale or Little Brother. V for Vendetta is political, so these picks suit readers who like stories that argue. V's Guy Fawkes mask became a symbol of protest worldwide, and the graphic novel differs from the 2005 film in tone and politics. Moore asked that his name be removed from adaptations, so the original comic stands on its own.
Related: 15 Books Like Wings of Fire Kids Will Love: Dragons, Quests and Animal Adventures · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
What is V for Vendetta about?
A masked anarchist fights a fascist government in a future Britain.
Who wrote it?
Alan Moore, illustrated by David Lloyd.
When was it published?
Serialised from 1982, collected in 1988-89.
Is it different from the film?
Yes, in plot and politics.
Is it a graphic novel?
Yes.
Is it violent?
Yes, with dark themes.
What does the mask represent?
The mask depicts Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up Parliament in 1605.
What should I read next?
Try Watchmen or Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Which book here is best for oppressive society?
Try The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, which is a good fit if you want oppressive society.
Which book here is best for the original dystopia?
Try We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, which is a good fit if you want the original dystopia.
Which book here is best for graphic memoir?
Try Maus by Art Spiegelman, which is a good fit if you want graphic memoir.
Which book here is best for American fascism?
Try It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis, which is a good fit if you want American fascism.
Which book here is best for surveillance state?
Try Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, which is a good fit if you want surveillance state.
Which book here is best for violence and free will?
Try A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, which is a good fit if you want violence and free will.