Yevgeny Zamyatin
We: what to read next?
Books close in genre, era, author or reading level, to read in bilingual editions.
Mary ShelleyFrankensteinVictor Frankenstein, a brilliant young scientist, succeeds in creating life from dead matter, but immediately rejects his creature, horrified by its appearance. Left to itself, the being develops consciousness and emotions, but faces rejection and solitude. Its search for…Same genre
George OrwellNineteen Eighty-FourIn the superstate of Oceania, Winston Smith rewrites the past for the Ministry of Truth while Big Brother watches every screen and every face. He begins to keep a diary, then falls in love with Julia, two acts that the Party counts as crimes. Their secret leads them towards a…Same genreSame era
H. G. WellsThe Island of Doctor MoreauWashed up after a shipwreck, Edward Prendick is put ashore on a remote Pacific island inhabited by an exiled scientist and his assistant. The islanders, unsettling in their features, recite a Law like a prayer, and cries come at night from the laboratory. Prendick discovers the…Same genreSame era
H. P. LovecraftAt the Mountains of MadnessA group of scientific explorers travels to Antarctica and discovers ancient remains buried under the ice. As they advance, they realize these structures belong to a forgotten civilization far older than humanity. The expedition turns into growing dread in the face of…Same genreSame era
Joseph ConradHeart of DarknessMarlow, an experienced sailor, travels up an African river in search of Kurtz, a mysterious agent of a trading company. As the journey progresses, he discovers a world marked by violence, exploitation, and moral ambiguity. The figure of Kurtz, both fascinating and disturbing,…Same genreSame era
Franz KafkaThe TrialOne morning Josef K., a senior clerk at a bank, is arrested in his lodgings by two warders who tell him nothing of the charge and leave him free to go to work. The case proceeds without being explained to him, in the attic of a suburban tenement where a court sits among piles…Same genreSame era
H. G. WellsThe War of the WorldsA London narrator sees his daily life overturned when cylinders from Mars crash onto Earth. Alien machines quickly emerge and begin to destroy everything in their path, far exceeding human capabilities. Faced with this unexpected threat, panic spreads and survival becomes the…Same genreSame era
Virginia WoolfMrs DallowayClarissa Dalloway, a woman of London high society, prepares a party while revisiting her memories and life choices. Over the course of the day, her thoughts intertwine with those of other characters, including Septimus, a former soldier scarred by the war. Their parallel yet…Same genreSame era
John Stuart MillOn LibertyThe author examines the foundations of individual freedom in relation to the power of society and the state. He defends the idea that each person must be able to think, speak, and act freely as long as it does not harm others. Through clear and structured reasoning, he warns…Same genre
Robert CromieThe Crack of DoomA speculative novel narrated by Arthur Marcel, a well-off Englishman returning from three years of travel. On the liner bringing him back from New York, he meets Herbert Brande, a brilliant scientist who believes the universe is a mistake, and his sister Natalie, who fascinates…Same genreSame era
Herman MelvilleMoby-DickIshmael, a sailor with no ties on land, signs on at Nantucket aboard the Pequod, a whaler under Captain Ahab. Maimed years earlier by a white sperm whale, Ahab has turned the hunt into an obsession to which he bends his whole crew. The ship works its way down the oceans,…Same genre
Emma GoldmanAnarchism and Other EssaysEmma Goldman, a committed activist, develops a radical reflection on individual freedom, society, and power structures. Through her essays, she critiques political, economic, and social institutions, proposing an alternative vision based on autonomy and justice. Her ideas…Same genreSame era