Jack London

Luke Hartwell

The Iron Heel has been hailed by some critics as the greatest of all dystopian novels. Published in 1908, the novel is a prophetic warning of the dangers of capitalist excess. The Oligarchy, a monopoly trust, has gained control and is in the process of squeezing out and shutting down small to midsize businesses and making farmers subservient to their wishes. They are opposed by the Brotherhood of Man, a group that embraces London's idea of a socialist collective. London employs the ruse of having his manuscript not only written by someone else, Ernest Everhard, but discovered by a third party, Anthony Meredith, who offers commentary throughout. London finds time to praise Oscar Wilde, who was still regarded by most of the public as a demonic corruptor of youth, while providing a prophetic vision of the rise of fascism.

The Iron Heel

Robert Hugh Benson

This is the dystopian novel that Pope Francis has twice urged Catholics to read (in 2013 and again in 2015), calling it "prophetic." Before Huxley, before Orwell, and long before Fahrenheit 451, A Clockwork Orange, Blade Runner, and The Hunger Games, Robert Hugh Benson wrote a story of the coming of the Anti-Christ that today is considered one of the first modern dystopian novels. Lord of the World, published in 1907, presents a world controlled by Freemasonry, with only a small Catholic minority bravely opposing them. Benson's portrayal of the Freemasons as dominated by Marxism and Humanism made the novel a counterpoint to the socialist-themed dystopias written at the same time by H. G. Wells (The Sleeper Awakes) and Jack London (The Iron Heel). Introduced and edited by Luke Hartwell, author of Atom Heart John Beloved.

Lord of the World

Atom Heart John Beloved chronicles the lives of two boys who become friends at age thirteen. The story is told by eighteen-year-old John, who quietly whispers to his best friend one night in bed, "Do me." This novel is a breathtaking love story and an intense coming of age story that resembles no other book. John's narrative voice is one of the most unique in gay literature. Atom Heart John Beloved is literate, intimate, erotic, and delightful, delivering unexpected moments of grace."This novel is good . . . disturbingly good." - Elisa Rolle, Elisa Reviews "A refreshing novel that makes one feel alive again." - Rainbow Awards "A brilliant, funny and disturbingly honest look at teen sexuality, sensibilities, and fantasies." - The Wilde Writers Collective

Atom Heart John Beloved

H. G. Wells

*Contains Jack London's The Iron Heel, H.G. Wells' The Sleeper Awakes, and Robert Hugh Benson's Lord of the World, three dystopian novels that were published within ten years of each other and ushered in the genre. *Contains an introduction by Luke Hartwell *A perfect gift for yourself or your friends who enjoy sci-fi. Before Huxley, before Orwell, and long before Fahrenheit 451, A Clockwork Orange, Blade Runner, and The Hunger Games, a trio of authors wrote what today are considered the first dystopian novels. Jack London's The Iron Heel has been hailed by some critics as the greatest of all dystopian novels. Published in 1908, the novel is a prophetic warning of the dangers of capitalist excess. Read together, the three novels provide an interesting testament to how three novelists writing during the same time period had a foreboding of bad things to come and how they envisioned the horrors playing out. Considering the evils of fascism, communism, and corporatism that followed, all three novels were on target in one way or another. Like Brave New World, 1984, and Fahrenheit 451, the novels provide entertaining, provocative reading. Even contemporary fans of The Hunger Games should find much to like in these early precursors of the genre. This collection is introduced and edited by Luke Hartwell, author of Atom Heart John Beloved.

Three Early Dystopian Novels by H. G. Wells Jack London and Robert Hugh Benson H. G. Wells: The Sleeper Awakes Jack London: The Iron Heel Robert Hugh Benson: Lord of the World

Luke Hartwell

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