15+ Classic Works of Freedom Fiction You Should Read This Year
We are losing our freedom.
Don't believe me? Data published by the Cato Institute suggests that 74% of Americans are concerned they could lose freedoms.
But what do we really mean by 'freedom'?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘freedom’ as follows: the condition or right of being able or allowed to do, say, think, etc. whatever you want to, without being controlled or limited.
Despite this clear definition, freedom means different things to different people: it might also refer to freedom of movement, private property rights, free markets, and freedom from violence.
Freedom fiction (also known as Libertarian fiction) denotes fictional stories intrinsically linked to these ideas or, more likely, the sometimes vain pursuit of this idea.
If dystopian fiction is overly bleak, perfectly captured by the image of a boot on the reader's neck, libertarian stories should offer just a glimmer of hope.
What is freedom fiction?
If dystopia, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror are genres, i.e., styles of fiction that must encompass certain tropes, freedom fiction could more generally be considered a category that explores freedom as a theme, without necessarily being part of a specific genre.
Freedom fiction primarily concerns itself with the overarching topics of individual liberty and sovereignty, conflict with authoritarian or surveillance states, and the restoration or preservation of rights that citizens of the Western world have come to expect: privacy, freedom of speech, the right to private property, and freedom to transact and form contracts.
Though enjoying something of a resurgence in recent decades and especially post Covid, freedom fiction is not new, and famous/infamous novels throughout the centuries could be retroactively categorised as freedom fiction.
Think of The Epic of Gilgamesh (2000BC), Greek tragedies (500BC), Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1852), which helped fuel the anti-slavery movement, or We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, written over 100 years ago.
Today, freedom fiction is an emerging category that includes the revival of the cypherpunk movement, as privacy technologies such as Bitcoin seek to remove the reliance on the banking system, which has become an effective method of control for the establishment.
Why read freedom fiction?
Storytelling is a tradition as old as humanity itself, created to share the joy and wonder of imagined worlds. Fiction can also serve as a warning of what might come, and playing out “what if?” scenarios in our minds can help us in the real world, too.
Any individual interested in escaping the modern debt-slavery rat race we’ve found ourselves forced into can enjoy freedom stories with a greater and deeper understanding of just how real this “fiction” could be in the future.
Spiking interest
Data from Google Trends shows that in the United Kingdom — a nation increasingly concerned with policing speech, surveillance and other dystopic methods — interest in freedom has been spiking in the past five years, centred in England.
Source: Google Trends
Now let’s take a look at the data for the United States:
Despite a lower interest overall, the spike in 2023 mirrors that of the UK. Perhaps this was due to an event featured in the news or even a brand name or TikTok trend.
It is interesting to note that although a great number of Amercians fear losing their freedoms, fewer are searching how to protect them.
One reason for the rise in freedom fiction could be that Libertarian thinkers, praxeologists, and freedom maximalists seek to alert the populace through emotive stories. Few, it seems, are awakened when presented with legacy media propaganda and government messages.
The benefits & outcomes of reading freedom fiction
Once a human mind has acquired a taste for freedom fiction, there are numerous benefits and likely outcomes that will arise as a result:
Benefits:
Broadened perspective and understanding of historical issues
Increased empathy and social understanding
Inspiration, motivation & empowerment
Critical thinking skills & awareness
Emotional connection
Once the reader has enjoyed these benefits, it is likely they will put their newfound understanding to action, bringing about outcomes like these.
Outcomes:
Appreciation of and gratitude for freedom
Informed civic engagement
Agency for social change
Personal growth
It would appear, then, that at some point, freedom fiction will have a transformative impact on the social demographics of the civilised world. As popular Netflix shows like Black Mirror highlight our reliance and overreliance on digital media, and governments continue to censor user-generated content posted socially, we must ask ourselves, when exactly will we wake up to what is happening?
We are more connected, but more controlled, than ever. How can we use the tools that enslave us to liberate us? Perhaps through sharing stories.
Aspects of freedom, genres, and time periods
Freedom fiction is a broad spectrum, encompassing various aspects, genres and time periods.
Aspects — privacy, freedom of speech, wrongful imprisonment, oppression, discrimination, government overreach, surveilance, debanking, censorship, confiscation, forced separation and more.
Genres — horror, sci-fi, fantasy, thriller and even young adult romance stories can contribute to the growing canon of libertarian-themed fiction.
Time periods — slavery in the past, alien invasions in the future, totalitarian governments in the present. Freedom fiction can relate to any time period.
15+ Classic Freedom-themed Books
In no particular order, here are 15 of the greatest examples of freedom stories from modern times:
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (1949): A dystopian classic where the Party controls every aspect of people's lives, and Winston Smith rebels against the oppressive regime.
Reason to read: Offers a chilling and thought-provoking exploration of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and the importance of individual thought and truth.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985): In a totalitarian regime where women are stripped of their rights, Offred fights for survival and a chance to regain her freedom.
Reason to read: A haunting story that explores themes of feminism, oppression, and resistance, with a timely warning about the dangers of religious extremism and the fragility of women's rights.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932): A satirical look at a future society where people are genetically engineered and conditioned to conform, and a "savage" challenges their way of life.
Reason to read: Provides an unsettling vision of a future where happiness is manufactured at the cost of individuality, freedom, and genuine human connection.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953): In a world where books are banned, Guy Montag, a fireman, discovers the power of knowledge and fights for intellectual freedom.
Reason to read: A passionate defense of the importance of books, ideas, and intellectual freedom, and a warning against censorship.
The Giver by Lois Lowry (1993): A young boy named Jonas discovers the dark secrets of his seemingly Utopian society, where there is no pain, sadness, or freedom of choice.
Reason to read: A thought-provoking exploration of utopia, dystopia, and the importance of memory, emotion, and individual choice in a truly human life.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey (1962): Randle McMurphy challenges the authority of a mental institution, becoming a symbol of rebellion and the fight for individual freedom.
Reason to read: A powerful and moving story about the struggle against forced conformity and the importance of individuality, even in the face of oppressive systems.
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (2008): This contemporary science fiction novel explores themes of government surveillance, digital rights, and the power of decentralized networks in challenging authority.
Reason to read: a timely exploration of digital surveillance, government overreach, and the power of youthful activism in defending civil liberties in the modern age.
Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987): Set after the American Civil War, this novel explores the psychological and emotional scars of slavery and the struggle for freedom and identity.
Reason to read: A masterpiece that delves into the legacy of slavery and its enduring impact on identity, memory, and the quest for freedom.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005): In Nazi Germany, a young girl named Liesel Meminger finds solace in stolen books and discovers the power of words to resist oppression and find freedom.
Reason to read: A beautifully written story about the power of words to nourish the soul, resist oppression, and find hope and freedom in the darkest of times.
Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945): An allegorical novella about a revolution on a farm that turns into a totalitarian dictatorship, highlighting the dangers of unchecked power, Communism, and the loss of freedom.
Reason to read: A timeless allegory that exposes the corruption of revolutions, the fragility of freedom, and the importance of resistance against tyranny.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (2007): This novel tells the story of two Afghan women whose lives intersect under the oppressive Taliban regime, and their fight for survival and freedom.
Reason to read: An eye-opening portrayal of the resilience and strength of women in the face of oppression, and a powerful story about the universal desire for dignity.
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016): A unique novel that reimagines the Underground Railroad as a literal railroad, and follows a slave's journey.
Reason to read: A compelling blend of historical fiction and magical realism that offers a fresh perspective on the history of slavery and the enduring quest for freedom.
Anthem by Ayn Rand (1938): A novella set in a collectivist future where the concept of "I" has been eradicated. It follows one man's rediscovery of individualism and his rebellion against the oppressive society.
Reason to read: a novella that champions radical individualism against the suffocating conformity of collectivist ideology.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1844-46): Edmond Dantès is wrongly imprisoned and seeks revenge and freedom after years of captivity.
Reason to read: An exciting tale of betrayal, revenge, and ultimate triumph, with a focus on themes of justice, freedom, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Snow Crash (1992) and Cryptonomicon (1999) by Neal Stephenson: While not strictly libertarian manifestos, these novels explore themes of individual freedom, the power of information, decentralized systems, and critiques of centralized authority in engaging and complex ways.
Reason to read: these books are considered modern cypherpunk classics. They are rich in detail and the perfect starting place to learn more about the genre and why it is important for freedom.
Lesser-known Freedom Books
Here are 15 lesser-known, more modern books that also explore the theme of freedom:
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (2017): This novel uses magical realism to depict refugees fleeing a war-torn country and seeking freedom and safety in an uncertain world.
A Lodging of Wayfaring Men by Paul Rosenberg (2007): a libertarian novel based on real events that explores themes of individual sovereignty and free markets.
The Probability Broach by L. Neil Smith (1979): An alternate history novel where a slight change in the Declaration of Independence leads to a libertarian society in North America. It's the first in Smith's "North American Confederacy" series.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri (2019): This tells the story of beekeepers forced to flee Syria and their struggle to find freedom and rebuild their lives in a new country.
Alongside Night by J. Neil Schulman (1979): A dystopian thriller depicting the collapse of the US government and the rise of a libertarian underground.
Freehold by Michael Z. Williamson (2004): A military science fiction series that portrays a future where individuals have seceded from Earth's controlling government to establish independent, more libertarian colonies.
No Truce with Kings by Poul Anderson (1963): A novella that won the Hugo Award, depicting a future where scientific progress has led to a world of isolated, self-sufficient individuals, challenging traditional notions of society and government.
A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam (2021): This Booker Prize-nominated novel explores the aftermath of the Sri Lankan Civil War and the complexities of memory, trauma, and the search for inner freedom.
Kings of the High Frontier by Victor Koman (1996): A hard science fiction novel exploring themes of entrepreneurship and individual liberty in space.
This Perfect Day by Ira Levin (1970): A dystopian novel where a seemingly Utopian global society controls every aspect of individual life, raising questions about freedom versus engineered happiness.
Wasp by Eric Frank Russell (1957): A story containing acts of terrorism against oppressive aliens. A notable example of a single individual disrupting a larger, controlling power.
The Peace War by Vernor Vinge (1984): A ruthless organization, the Peace Authority, uses impenetrable force fields to end war but suppresses technology and individual liberty, leading a group of rebels to fight for the freedom to advance and determine their own future.
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein (1959): Heinlein was a prolific science fiction writer whose works frequently touch upon libertarian themes. Starship Troopers explores the ideas of civic virtue and individual responsibility.
Live Free or Die by John Ringo (2010) follows Tyler Vernon, a fiercely independent and resourceful entrepreneur who stands up against alien oppressors and Earth's own bureaucratic tendencies to forge a path to true liberty and self-determination for humanity.
Darkship Thieves by Sarah Hoyt (2010): Winner of the Prometheus Award for Best Libertarian SF Novel. This book follows Athena Hera Sinistra, a genetically engineered woman who escapes a tyrannical Earth to a freer society in space.
Freedom Publishers
In addition to the many works of libertarian fiction, a number of publishers are beginning to focus on stories which promote freedom.
Liberty Island: This publisher focuses on science fiction and fantasy with libertarian and individualist themes.
Fox News Books: While a mainstream publisher, it has been known to publish fiction with libertarian themes or by authors who are considered libertarian.
Defiance Press & Publishing: This independent publisher openly states its commitment to publishing conservative and libertarian authors across fiction and non-fiction genres.
Konsensus Network: A publisher that specifically promotes libertarian themes and bitcoin authors.
All Seasons Press: Founded by former executives from Simon & Schuster and Hachette, this independent press aims to be a home for conservative voices.
Baen Books: This is a well-known publisher, particularly in science fiction and fantasy, that often features authors and stories exploring themes of individual liberty, self-reliance, and limited government.
Morlock Publishing: This small press specializes in science fiction with themes often including aspects of anarcho-capitalism and libertarian rebellion.
Heresy Press (now an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing): While broader in its scope, Heresy Press aimed to publish "uncensored, outspoken, and free-spirited books" which can include libertarian viewpoints in fiction.
Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS) (indirectly): While not a traditional publisher, the LFS sponsors the Prometheus Award and promotes libertarian science fiction. Their website and related platforms can be resources for finding authors and works, which are then published by various houses.
Recent Trends in Libertarian Fiction:
Konsensus Network’s new imprint, 21 Futures, is building a movement centred on freedom fiction, a movement in which emerging and established writers can contribute their storytelling media to anthologies and blogs, as well as publish their own individual works.
To date, two short story anthologies are available from 21 Futures:
Tales from the Timechain: the world’s first Bitcoin-fiction anthology.
21 writers examine how the hardest sound money ever created can restore freedom and liberty to mankind.
Financial Fallout: in this recently-released anthology, 21 writers weave financial dystopia from across a broader spectrum of freedom fiction, sewing seeds of eventual hope.
In addition to 21 Futures, a host of self-published and even best-selling fiction on the theme of bitcoin is now available. The Rapid Rise of Bitcoin Fiction documents the history and current trends in this genre.
What happens next?
As governments tighten their grip on our data and our freedoms erode, we expect that freedom fiction will become a wider phenomenon. It is our hope and belief that Konsensus Network and 21 Futures will help drive growth in the genre and better understanding of how to protect individual freedom through our multimedia publications.
Follow our socials to keep up to date on future releases.
