foundation definitely deserves a higher rating

The Color Purple? Not utopian, dystopian or other worldly.

Great list. I have gleaned a few books for my TBR. Although, The Color Purple does not belong at all and I'm not sure I understand why L'Engle and Tolkein are on here.

How are Tolkien's books utopian or dystopian??

how is it that not one phillip k. dick novel made it to this list?

Why clutter this list with the 'other world' fiction class? "Best" Utopia/Dystopia is a good enough rumble without muddying the waters so much.
Also, who the heck put 'The Color Purple', 'Lemony Snicket', and the L'Engle stuff on here? Seems to be the wrong group for them.

Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings do not belong on this list.

I highly recommend Land under England to anyone who has not yet read it. Amazing utopian/dystopian novel...my favorite in fact.

I think one of L'Engle's books belongs on there, least A Wrinkle in Time, with the whole planet (Camatroz? something like that) where they're ruled and controlled by It - definitely dystopia.

Steffi wrote: "How are Tolkien's books utopian or dystopian??"

i guess they are under the other worldy heading...

Summer wrote: "Great list. I have gleaned a few books for my TBR. Although, The Color Purple does not belong at all and I'm not sure I understand why L'Engle and Tolkein are on here.
"

"Utopia, dystopia, other world, sci-fi, etc. What drops you off into another world?"

I guess the phrase "what drops you off into another world?" can be very broad as far as fiction goes

Genericusername wrote: "how is it that not one phillip k. dick novel made it to this list?"

Add it~!

I recomend the book Ender's Game for those who have not read it. Its a book must read because it shows it doesnt matter smart you are but if you have the skills to play the game right.

A Gift Upon the Shore

How is "gormeghast" not up there?

I think its funny that people are asking why Harry Potter and LOTR are up there, and not asking why Twilight is up there...

It says Utopian, dystopian or "other worldly." I tried to stick to other versions of this world, but that can be interpreted many ways.

since when are twilight and harry potter utopia or dystopia?

the giver, the city of ember, the hunger games, uglies..... um.. the last dog on earth, gethering blue, messenger,and running out of time

and trials of death, lion witch and the wardrobe and unwind

add to Best Utopia,etc list: Swastika Night Katharine Burdekin (Murray Constantine)

How is Twilight a utopia or a dystopia???

Do people just not know what a Utopia and a Dystopia are?

Oryx and Crake should be close to the top. Outstanding Book.

The Wanting Seed

I'd recommend the book 'The Goodness Gene' by Sonia Levitin for the list.

So how is it books like twilight and the color purple are on here? I know it said other worldly but those are in our world... they just have supernatural elements... I think of other worldly as Narnia or Middle Earth or like Hitchhikers guide... those make more sense... Take out the other worldly stuff... someone should make a new list

I'm confused. Why are books like Breaking Dawn on here???

Chanel wrote: "The Color Purple? Not utopian, dystopian or other worldly."

I agree, wholeheartedly.

How is one hundred years of solitude Utopian, Dystopian or other worldly?
I wish someone could illuminate me.

How is Harry Potter a world function book?
Or twilight?

Sara wrote: "How is one hundred years of solitude Utopian, Dystopian or other worldly?
I wish someone could illuminate me."

Because of its surreal elements and the way in which it does bend the bonds of reality, I would consider it otherworldly, becasue it is a sort of alternative reality.

The Twilight series is not in any way, shape, or form dystopian or utopian. They are fantasy.

My interpretation of "other world" was that it was a way our world could exist, like the Utopian or dystopian society. I don't see another way of describing "other world" that would fit this book list.

And with that said there a several books on this list that I would not categorize here.. Harry Potter, Series of Unfortunate Events, Twilight...

I agree with a lot of these comments- Harry Potter's a great, great, (amazing) series, but it's certainly not about a utopian or dystopian world- and neither is Twilight!

This list makes very little sense... The most striking mistake being Twilight.....

Heather wrote: "Do people just not know what a Utopia and a Dystopia are?"

no

The Color Purple doesn't belong here... and while we're at it, Twilight doesn't really either...

Summer wrote: "Great list. I have gleaned a few books for my TBR. Although, The Color Purple does not belong at all and I'm not sure I understand why L'Engle and Tolkein are on here.
"

L'engle technicly counts (in my opinion)

love these books

Uh, Twilight? Really? Does not compute. I think this list would have been better as just Best Utopian/Dystopian, but nice list none the less.

Twilight?

Adam The Awesome, Extremly Good Looking and Humble wrote: "since when are twilight and harry potter utopia or dystopia?"

Since people decided to vote for them on any list they could find =P

"This Perfect Day" by Ira Levin isn't here? It should be in the top five!

NOTHING by Stephenie Meyer should be here!

Agreed, I don't know how some of these books have anything with the utopian or dystopian genre. I suppose if you twisted things around enough and put your glasses on backwards, maybe. But otherwise, pretty okay list.

I think the definition of Utopia/Dystopia needs to be altered for this list. Some of these books do build interesting worlds, but are not Utopian/dystopian fiction. Let's just compare 2 novels on the first page. 1984 belongs on this list, The Lion, The witch and the wardrobe does not. The plot of 1984 is completely inseparable from the dystopia described in the book. If you tried to describe the setting of 1984, you'd probably talk about big brother, telescreens, the party or the thought police. These things are completely inseparable from the story of 1984. Now if you describe Narnia's setting, you'd probably talk about the talking animals, the magical forest, the mansion and all that shit. The fact is, Narnia's setting isn't that important to the plot, it just happens to be the place the author chose to set the story. A lot of these fantasy stories really need to be removed for the same reason. The only Harry Potter book that could make this list is possibly the last one,and if it did it shouldn't be ranked high. Also, The Host at #15? THERE IS NOTHING ORIGINAL ABOUT THAT NOVEL! All you can take from it is that Stephanie Meyer has probably seen invasion of the body snatchers (or more likely animorphs). Twilight has already been brought up, it should not appear on a list with the word "best" in the title.

You guys remember the end of the Princess Bride, when Inigo dies of his wounds, Fezzik turns Westley in to the secret police, and Buttercup kills herself after discovering that she's pregnant with Humperdinck's baby and realizes that she can never escape?

Me neither.

Cameron wrote: "Twilight has already been brought up, it should not appear on a list with the word "best" in the title. "

amen

Harry Potter I can see, the chaos of the evil wizards trying to take over would lead to dystopian society, LotR as well. Twilight I'm having slight issues with, but I can kind of see it, more to the point that the evil Vampires are causing turmoil in the world of the main characters. Though, I have to say, my favorites are the His Dark Material series by Philip Pulman, Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, and Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. Though, once again, I see an issue there. The only element is of Fallen Angels and the chaos between friends, family, and the Nephilim causing it to be dystopian. A lot of these I haven't read, but I've heard about them, and agree that they are listed there.

Wait...why is The Notebook on here?