We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (1920)
232 pages
Main Characters: D-503, I-330, O
Plot Synopsis: In the One State of the great Benefactor, there are no individuals, only numbers. Life is an ongoing process of mathematical precision, a perfectly balanced equation. Primitive passions and instincts have been subdued. Even nature has been defeated, banished behind the Green Wall. But one frontier remains: outer space. Now, with the creation of the spaceship Integral, that frontier — and whatever alien species are to be found there — will be subjugated to the beneficent yoke of reason. One number, D-503, chief architect of the Integral, decides to record his thoughts in the final days before the launch for the benefit of less advanced societies. But a chance meeting with the beautiful 1-330 results in an unexpected discovery that threatens everything D-503 believes about himself and the One State. The discovery — or rediscovery — ofinner space…and that disease the ancients called the soul.
Setting: Unknown/the One State
This book tells the story of a futuristic civilization where people are referred to as numbers and only have a letter and number as identification instead of a name. They are ruled by the great Benefactor and individuality as well as privacy has been banished. It is believed that lack of freedom will bring happiness and every activity of the day is planned out to the minute.
The hero/narrator is D-503 and he buys into this strict ideology until he meets a beautiful woman (I-330) and begins to question everything. At first he thinks he’s gone mad and has a sickness but then things begin making sense.
Written in journal entries as a way to educate others about their life, each chapter has several topics which the entries often only touch on briefly. I would have liked more information about the structure of the world they were living in but of course it’s unnatural for someone to write about their life and explain everything along the way.
As the book progressed I found myself getting more and more involved in the characters and hoping they wouldn’t be found out. The ending wasn’t at all what I was expecting and it absolutely blew my mind and definitely worked despite being a surprise. Highly recommended by anyone who likes science fiction or dystopian literature.
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Book Nympho 
Orwell’s ‘1984’ lifted the entire plot — this is one of the MAIN progenitors of the entire dystopian lit movement — in part because this was never published in Russia but Zamyatin fled to England in 1922 where it was published (Orwell and Huxley had read it). So, considering its historical important your rating seems unduly harsh (especially since the ending “absolutely blew [your] mind” i.e. very reminiscent to the ending of ‘1984’)
I haven’t read 1984 and didn’t know of this historical significance until after I read the book. I rated it based on how much I enjoyed reading it (versus historical significance) and it did leave me with a sense of something missing. I wanted to know more about the world and I was hoping for a different ending (it shocked me but I wasn’t necessarily happy with it), plus the writing style was a bit disjointed and hard to follow at times but this could just have been the translation. Now I wonder if I should even bother with 1984 since I know the plot already? Thanks for commenting; I’m happy I found your blog as I’m looking to get into more science fiction reading and am still a bit unsure where to start so I’ll be checking your site out.
1984 is definitely worth reading. It’s one of the classics of English literature without question… Along with Brave New World (Orwell hilariously accused Huxley of copying We — the similarities are minute in comparison to Orwell’s copying of We in ‘1984’).
My site is generally geared towards the more esoteric sci-fi 😉 However, if you need a short list I can give you the canonical places to start 🙂
Do you like Social sci-fi, Hard sci-fi (of which I know little but the basics), space opera (i.e. Star Wars-like sci-fi?
Social science fiction is my thing — the social ramifications impact of future technology, contact with aliens, overpopulation….
Here’s a standard best of list…. (well, through my eyes)
1. The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula Le Guin
2. Dune, Frank Herbert
3. The Dispossessed, Ursula Le Guin
4. Downbellow Station, C. J. Cherryh (more political sci-fi but she’s a great writer)
5. Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner (I probably shouldn’t suggest this since it’s a difficult novel to read — lengthy and complex and darn good — but it’s my fav sci-fi novel of all time — the future project earth where overpopulation has drastically changed the society)
Wow, thanks for the list! I had to look up what hard and soft sci-fi were and I definitely lead toward soft as well as social, like you. Also I started The Left Hand of Darkness but abandoned it because I got so lost. Any advice for tackling/understanding it as it’s your #1 so I must be missing something.
Of course, check the Hugo Award list (best sci-fi award) — some fantasy mixed in. Start probably in the 60s….
Some other great reads — Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Philip K. Dick), Ubik (Philip K. Dick), Man in a High Castle (Philip K. Dick)
But the Hugo list is a great place to start….
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award_for_Best_Novel
I’ll definitely check out this list. I know of Philip K. Dick but wasn’t sure where to start with his books.
I have a best science fiction list (of what I have read SINCE I started my blog — so many of the greats aren’t listed since I read those a while back)… Oh, and the Hugo list is a great way to find new authors — so if you read a winner of theirs you liked check out some of their lesser known works.
http://sciencefictionruminations.wordpress.com/science-fiction-book-reviews-by-author/my-top-rated-sci-fi-books/
This is exactly what I was looking for on your blog! Thanks for the link. I love discovering lesser known authors and prefer reading things that are high quality but not really hyped up.
Yeah, all the links are on the right site — I have multiple different pages….
Oh, I didn’t find The Left Hand of Darkness confusing at all…. really? I thought it was straightforward: a man in conflict with a different social system (in this case, a strangely androgynous race). As always, there’s a revelation moment where he comes to appreciate “the other.”