Priming up for a libertarian dystopian fiction onslaught with these 7 books

The Libertarian Book Reviewer’s mission is simple: To bring libertarian fiction to the forefront, and to do that, I’d like to share a few works I’m burning on.

Most libertarians are well aware of the staples, like Nineteen Eighty-Four, Brave New World, Atlas Shrugged, Fahrenheit 451, and similar reads that are currently slipping my mind. But if you’re libertarian-minded or you’re looking to dive deeper into the philosophy, there are a few works you may have missed simply because you don’t know they exist. 

Libertarian fiction is strange, and often, we’re left picking for such themes in works like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. While libertarianism certainly wasn’t the first thing on J.K. Rowling’s and Suzanne Collins’ minds, if you read the respective series, you’ll find quite a few themes, such as smear campaigns from the legacy media (Harry Potter) and a strong, central authority using death matches involving kids for entertainment (Hunger Games).

I once watched a YouTuber from I want to say Europe tour North Korea, and the nation strongly reminded me of Panem, with its vibrant capital city. Problem was, the rest of the country looked like something out of the early-to-mid 20th century, also not unlike Panem.

Anyway, let’s cut the chatter and get into seven books I’m priming to read, or reread, that you’ll want to add to your TBR list.

1 - Counteract by Tracy Lawson

Since Tracy Lawson’s work is the theme this week, thanks to her magnificent historical fiction work, I thought I’d start with Counteract. This book is truly underrated, but wow, you’re going to make a lot of comparisons to the COVID crisis in this one if you dare to pick it up.

And yeah, before you ask, its primary antagonist reminds me of a particular COVID tyrant from back in the day. Alright, I don’t think I need to start referring to 2020 as ‘back in the day’ yet. Give it another six years, and maybe I’ll change my mind. 

2 - Beyond the Wall by Kate L. Mary

Okay, if you take certain elements from Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four, you’ll end up with Beyond the Wall. This one might be a turnoff to some readers because of its romantic elements, especially in Book III of the trilogy, but trust me, Book I is more than worth your time. 

I’m currently writing this article less than two weeks from the spookiest day of the year, which also happens to be my favorite holiday, and if you want a true horror story of what a “perfect” centrally planned society could look like, this is a work for you. 

But just because I use the adjective “perfect” here to describe the Society, it’s nothing more than a mass surveillance state. And one that our protagonist has a very, very tough time accepting. 

3 - The Text by Julane Fisher

While I placed Counteract atop this list thanks to the theme this week, The Text by Julane Fisher is my next fiction read, alongside a nonfiction read called PsyWar by Drs. Robert and Jill Malone. Which, by the way, if you’re into real-life horror, you might just like PsyWar.

Anyway, med tyranny is a major theme in this one, or at least that appears to be the case judging from the work’s back copy. Either way, it enticed me enough to give it a whirl, and you will see a full review sooner than you think. 

4 - Erik Blair Diaries by John W. Whitehead

This is a book that’s been on my TBR list for a while, but when I was freelance writing and working toward a specific goal in another area of my life, I was forced to sacrifice reading. That said, I kept myself immersed in John W. Whitehead’s work anytime it was reprinted at the Ron Paul Institute.

What got me interested in this one was a quote like this:

“Life is good in America for the privileged few, but as I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, it’s getting worse by the day for the rest of us.”

And yeah, you can bet that I’ll be reading Battlefield America at some point, too. 

5 - The Flight of the Barbarous Relic by George Ford Smith

George Ford Smith is another one whose work I’ve read often, but over at the Mises Institute. I crossed The Flight of the Barbarous Relic when one of his articles, entitled Let’s Have State Appreciation Day, enticed me enough to click through and read his bio. 

That’s when I discovered the work, one that was published all the way back in 2008 (is it okay if I say back in the day now?). Nevertheless, it’s these older, hidden gems that interest me more than anything else. And since it involves a protagonist set on putting an end to Our Enemy, The Fed, oh, it didn’t take long for me to make the easy decision here. 

Oh, and of all the books I have listed here, The Flight of the Barbarous Relic is by far my favorite when it comes to titling a book.

6 - The Giver by Lois Lowry

I read Number the Stars back when I was in fifth grade and loved it—reading novels like this was about the only thing I had to look forward to way, way back in the day during the 2001-02 school year. Oh, and by the way, sorry in advance if I’m referring to 2001-02 as such, especially since I’m an upstart 33-year-old. 

Anyway, Lowry also wrote a book called The Giver, whose society strongly resembles the one seen in Beyond the Wall. This one involves a younger protagonist, and it’s great for readers who are between the ages of 10 and 13, though adults can enjoy and pick up a lot in this one, too. 

What jumped out at me was just how numb everyone was emotionally, except Jonas, of course. That said, some of what we’d refer to as barbaric here in the real world was perfectly normal in Jonas’ world. Why? Because the state made it seem like it was normal. 

7 - The Fate of Crowns by Rebecca L. Garcia

I wouldn’t call this one your traditional dystopian fiction, as it’s more of an old-world fantasy read with some fae involved. That said, when your protagonist is a princess whose father only cares about expanding his sphere of influence, I’m calling it dystopian fiction, especially since it qualifies as a dark fantasy.

This is another one that I’ll be rereading and reviewing, and while I did not enjoy the main character so much since her indecisiveness was way overdone, she was also one of those I couldn’t help rooting for. That said, I remember giving this book a five-star rating, and I actually can’t wait to dive deeper into why that was. 

With winter right around the corner, it also makes for a great season to read old-world fantasy, so I might just pick up a copy then.

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