It’s Independence Day! 8 Revolutionary Sci-Fi & Fantasy Novels

Dune, by Frank Herbert
Although far too focused on aristocratic families to align with the American revolutionary ideal, Dune’s story of betrayal and a son’s revenge upon the emperor who stole his legacy and killed most of his family is driven by a keen sense of justice. Following Paul Atreides from his youth through his many trials, until he reclaims the spice planet Arrakis, deposes a despot, and sees his enemies laid low, is a thrilling ride, one that Herbert makes more visceral by insisting that nothing be easy: Paul’s revenge takes years and requires him to risk everything.

The Mars trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson
The revolution described in Robinson’s classic late-’90s novels is fascinating for the depth of research on display. Across three lengthy novels, Robinson imagines plausible ways Mars might be terraformed to support human life—the length of time required for the processes to take root, as well as the potential unexpected events that might affect it. As Mars goes from a weak planet whose initial settlers cannot defend when they revolt against the increasingly corporation-dominated Earth, to a lush near-utopia with the upper hand, the trilogy demonstrates that revolution isn’t always sudden, nor initially successful, and often requires time for the long tail to swing around.

Schismatrix, by Bruce Sterling
Sterling’s cyberpunk masterpiece offers up a universe simultaneously a bit old-fashioned in its Cold War mechanics, and startlingly original in just about every other way. Imagining a universe divided between Shapers, who use genetic engineering and mental training to adjust their physical bodies, and the Mechs, who rely on cybernetic and technological augmentations, Sterling follows the adventures of a master diplomat, Abelard Lindsay, who begins his long life as a revolutionary of one sort, trying to undermine society, and ends it as a revolutionary of another sort, trying to start a whole new ecosystem. Weird, dense, and eccentric, Schismatrix is a must-read for anyone looking for revolutionary ideas.

The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. Le Guin
The two societies presented in The Dispossessed are born from a revolution that occurred two centuries earlier, when home planet Urras sent anarchist revolutionaries to the moon Anarres with a promise of non-interference. As time goes by, the anarchist utopia of Anarres slowly begins to devolve, taking on power structures that previously didn’t exist, and after two centuries of separation, the two societies grow to distrust one another. Le Guin’s genius is suggesting not only that powerful ideas can sour over time, but that in order to advance, those ideas must be exchanged and allowed to cross-pollinate with those of disparate societies—sadly a revolutionary notion even today.

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
By now, everyone is familiar with The Hunger Games, and the dystopian postwar world it describes. While the basic concept of an oppressive central government wielding technological dominion over a more populous, less powerful citizenry is hardly new, but Collins tells the story with verve and surprising plot twists, leading up to one of the smartest climaxes in the revolt-against-dytopia tradition, as Katniss rejects the obvious victory—simply replacing one tyranny with another—and sacrifices everything she has left to give true freedom a chance. It’s an emotional gut-punch of an ending that elevates the story to a whole new level, reminding us that revolution has a cost.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, by Robert A. Heinlein
The Moon declares independence on July 4, 2076, officially freeing itself from the Earth’s vampiric clutches before it runs out of food, which the Earth has been forcibly importing with little regard for the wellbeing of the lunar population, mostly made up of criminals and exiles and their descendants. Brilliant, dated, and still an incredibly fun read, this book is slightly bonkers, but explores the exhilarating idea of revolution for the most basic reasons of all: the right of self-determination, for better or worse.

A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin
Although only a portion of this epic fantasy involves a revolution, the conflicts drives the early narrative and is the inciting event for so much of the  ugliness that follows. The War of the Five Kings is a rebellion against the Iron Throne, with Robb Stark declaring himself King in the North (and Balon Greyjoy declaring himself the slightly-less-impressive King of the Iron Islands), breaking free of the crown and demanding independence. While we all know Robb’s rebellion ended in tragedy, for a while, A Song of Ice and Fire is a thrilling political and military ride. It seems just possible the Seven Kingdoms will break apart—fans might imagine a fun alternate history of Westeros in which Robb’s rebellion succeeds, and the North is a strong, organized kingdom readying itself for winter.

To Reign in Hell, by Steven Brust
Heavily inspired by Milton’s Paradise Lost, Brust recreates the story of Satan’s revolt in heaven with a reimagining that casts Yahweh as merely the greatest among equals who have created a fortress of order against chaos—known as Heaven. Heaven is not impervious, however, and is destroyed several times, prompting Yahweh, who declares himself god, to propose the creation of a second stronghold: Earth. Satan, tasked with compelling angels to sacrifice themselves in order to bring Yahweh’s vision to fruition, doubts the new deity’s right to demand so much from other angels, and slowly moves towards open rebellion. For his trouble, he is cast out, forming his own third fortress against chaos: Hell.