Exploring Dystopia: Links

LINKS


I have choosen most of the links on this page because I gladly pay them a visit myself, and because they serve as good introductions to different subjects. Quite a few of these sites are good jumping-points as well, i.e. they offer extensive link pages. Unfortunately, most dystopias — and most dystopian issues, for that matter! — still lack proper sites. Hopefully, I will get the time to expand the amount of links dramatically in a not so distant future. Consider it a prototype... DYSTOPIAN FICTION GENERAL SOURCES Dystopias An extract from Grolier's The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: definition, history, titles, authors, themes. A concise, but comprehensive text. Indespensable for the aficionado of dystopian fiction. Wikipedia: Dystopia A surprisingly good encyclopedia concerning dystopian issues! The definition of Dystopia is the best I have found on the web, and there are brief, but perfect descriptions of many dystopias. Recommended. GENERAL ANALYSIS Utopian/Dystopian Fantasies This site offers a small, but interesting collection of short, but innovative texts on different dystopian representations. There is an interesting link collection as well, but many of the links are dead. Well worth a visit. DYSTOPIAS NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR The Complete Newspeak Dictionary A thorough introduction to Big Brother's Oceania, a kind of Nineteen Eighty-four encyclopedia, including pictures and sounds from the latest movie adaptation. Perhaps I should warn you that the web administrator has politicised the site: he agitates very fervently for Libertarian ideas and ideals. Nevertheless, it's a rich source of information. George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and its sources This site approaches Orwell's masterpiece from an interesting angle, with in-depth analyses, comparative studies, early script outlines etc. A work in progress — it's been a long time since the last update — but well worth a visit. The Literature Network: 1984 A searchable on-line version of the novel. Exceptionally useful when conducting a detailed analysis. BLADE RUNNER BRmovie.com Home of the newsgroup alt.fan.blade-runner and the most comprehensive Blade Runner FAQ, as well as a Blade Runner encyclopaedia by yours truly, among many other things. Probably the best Blade Runner resource on the web. BladeZone A large Blade Runner site which has become something of an institution throughout the years. Extensive download sections, interviews with the Blade Runner cast and crew, and a well frequented forum, among many other things. Blade Runner Insight An excellent analysis site, with a large collection of quality essays, a more or less well frequented forum and a few other interesting things. An example of elegant and smooth web page programming and design as well. NEUROMANCER Study Guide to William Gibson: Neuromancer An excellent study guide, well worth a read even if you are not a student: background, influences, connections, observations etc. Recommended. BRAVE NEW WORLD The Life and Works of Aldous Huxley This site offers a quality selection of links concerning Brave New World and related issues. A good starting-point if you want to explore the depths of this dystopia, and an excellent resource if you want to write a paper or an essay about the novel. Brave New World? A Defence of Paradise-Engingeering This site offers a thorough and unconventional analysis of Huxley's novel, and some interesting links as well. A word of warning: the writer expresses ideas which can be described as drug liberal. Nevertheless, an original analysis, well worth a read. The Literature Network: Brave New World A searchable on-line version of the novel. Exceptionally useful when conducting a detailed analysis. THE HANDMAID'S TALE Study Guide to Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid's Tale A quite good study guide, albeit rather strictly oriented towards academic studies; interesting observations, especially concerning religious themes. THE SLEEPER AWAKES The Sleeper Awakes Take the opportunity to read an on-line version of H.G. Wells pioneer dystopian depiction from 1899. A good initiative that deserves encouragement. A CLOKWORK ORANGE A Clockwork Orange A straightforward site that covers both the novel and the movie; quotes, pictures, sound files etc. Small, but good. DARK CITY Dark City - An Unofficial Fan Page A good introduction to the movie; quite atmospherically designed as well. Offers basic facts, different multimedia, good links etc. MATRIX What is the Matrix? The official site. Quite fancy and somewhat unpractical, but offers much information and captures the tone in the movies. Google Directory: the Matrix Series A multitude of Matrix sites. Why not make your own selection? ROBOCOP RoboCop Archive Probably the best RoboCop site on the web. News coverage, forum, quality picture galleries, movie trivia etc. Offers very little analysis, like most RoboCop sites. Futuristic design. TERMINATOR The Terminator Saga A good introduction to the Terminator movies: plot, story, cut scenes, trivia, scripts etc. Offers very little analysis, like most Terminator sites. TerminatorFans.com A fandom-oriented site with news, forum, multimedia, interviews, fan art etc. Not much analysis on this site either. Futuristic design. DYSTOPIAN GENRES CYBERPUNK The Cyberpunk Information Database An incredible database, covering every thinkable and unthinkable aspect of cyberpunk, including books, movies, concepts, theories and so on and so forth. This site was, by the way, an important source of inspiration when I created Exploring Dystopia. It is, in my opinion, one of the absolutely best dystopian sites on the whole web. Highly recommended for the die-hard cyberpunk fan. The Official Cyberpunk Home Page A versatile site with information about cyberpunk books, movies, games, zines etc. Indeed a good introduction to the phenomenon cyberpunk. Balaan An ambitious and versatile project to reboot cyberpunk fandom. Covers both cyberpunk fiction and hacker culture. Classical cyberpunk design. Neometropolis Now, this is interesting: A new on-line magazine with original cyberpunk fiction. Also offers an introduction to the genre and a message board. Mirrorshades Postmodern Archive An interesting portal to various expressions of the cyberpunk movement. A die-hard cyberpunk fan — such as myself! — might find it fascinating. The iconic cyberpunk author Bruce Sterling is, by the way, one of the hosts. UCHRONIAS Uchronia: The Alternate History List Uchronian stories are alternative histories, "What if?" stories. Although the uchronian genre isn't dystopian by definition, quite a few uchronias are truly dystopian by nature. DYSTOPIAN THEMES PROBABILITY World Bank: World Development Report 2003 This is something unusual: the World Bank warns in its annual report that the current world order must be changed, or we will have to face the "risk of severe damage to the environment and profound social unrest". Make Room! Make Room! was evidently not so speculative after all... HYPER-TECHNOLOGY Futurist movies A site which discusses the probability and plausibility of different issues in futuristic movies, including many dystopian movies. The site is mainly concerned with technical issues, more seldom societal issues. Recommended. KurzweilAI.net A kind of intellectual forum for advanced discussions about future hyper-technology, most notably artificial intelligence and related issues. Quite complex, but recommended. Plausible Futures Newsletter An advanced site which covers a multitude of futuristic scenarios, with a focus on hyper-technology. Quite complex, but recommended. DISTORTED REALITIES The Simulation Argument Might we in fact live in a simulated reality as suggested in the Matrix movies? This site explores this argument logically in a disturbingly convincing way. It might trigger your paranoia... NUCLEAR WEAPONS Nuclear Forces Guide A comprehensive list of countries which have or might have nuclear weapons, as well as biological and chemical weapons. It's not complete, but offers a good picture of the current situation. DYSTOPIAN AUTHORS GEORGE ORWELL George Orwell A good introduction to George Orwell. The site offers a biography, a bibliography, a picture gallery, a discussion board and, of course, a multitude of essays. If you want to explore the phenomenon George Orwell, this is probably one of the best starting-points on the web. Political Writings of George Orwell A number of political texts by George Orwell, some of them quite rare; an interesting background to especially his later novels. Recommended. PHILIP K DICK philipkdick.com The only PKD resource you need to know. This is a large site which covers everything — everything! — concerning the author and his works; contains an impressive amount of information, actually. If you still don't find what you are looking for, the link collection is, to say the least, extensive. It is now also the official PKD site, a well deserved honour. Highly recommended to the die-hard PKD fan. WILLIAM GIBSON William Gibson Evidently some kind of official site. Offers basic information about Gibson's works, personal blogs by the man himself, interesting links, an active forum etc. William Gibson aleph Most probably the best fan page on the whole web. A quality information collection about William Gibson's work and various adaptations, including extensive picture galleries. Highly recommended to the die-hard William Gibson fan. ALDOUS HUXLEY The Life and Works of Aldous Huxley Most probably the best Aldous Huxley resource on the web. Offers a thorough biography, a variety of links concerning the author and various of his works, as well as a forum. DYSTOPIAN EXPRESSIONS FICTION Mindjacker This young man offers something quite rare: good on-line amateur fiction. I highly recommend you to read his well crafted short stories, as well as a novel in progress, which are original, dramatic and atmospheric. It should be noted that this site is a work in progress. The site administrator is, by the way, the author of the Gattaca analysis on Exploring Dystopia. Remember that you heard of him here first... ART Dystopia + Identity in the Age of Global Communication An on-line exhibition of dystopian art, including a few essays. A bit too esoteric for my taste, but you might enjoy it more than I do. HUMOUR Students for an Orwellian Society Very clever political satire in George Orwell's spirit; both entertaining and horrifying. Why not join the movement? ROLE-PLAYING paranoia-live.net If there is such a thing as dystopian crazy humour, it can be found in the role-playing game Paranoia. Here you have a chance to explore this bizarre and lethal future through on-line playing. Newbies are most welcome. COMMUNITIES FORUMS BladeZone Off-World Forums A Blade Runner forum; very active, rather friendly, good moderators. Many experts which can answer your questions and discuss the movie forever... The BR-Insight Forum Another Blade Runner forum; rather active, very friendly, good moderators. Many experts and die-hard fans here too. A Clockwork Orange Message Board A forum about the movie, the novel, and the fandom; very active, not necessarily friendly, somewhat chaotic... The Matrix Community Message Board A forum concerning the Matrix universe; very active, evidently good moderators and friendly members. NEWSGROUPS alt.cyberpunk Die-hard cyberpunk fans. A word of warning: The bullshit tolerance threshold is rather low. alt.fan.blade-runner Die-hard Blade Runner fans. A quite active group and possibly one of the most friendly USENET groups, knock on wood. alt.books.george-orwell Not as focused on Nineteen Eighty-four as one might wish. Quite political and intellectual, for better or worse. alt.books.phil-k-dick Explorations of Philip K Dick, his imagination and his works. Very versatile, but somewhat esoteric. SCIENCE FICTION ACADEMIC Course Materials for the Study of Science Fiction If you are a student writing a paper or essay on science fiction, this site is an excellent resource: extensive, serious and versatile. Highly recommended to students, especially university students. CINEMA SciFlicks Probably the most extensive on-line multimedia database for science fiction cinema. Covers several science fiction movies, including some dystopian movies, and offers pictures, sound clips, forums and much more. Recommended. PORTALS Desert Realm A good portal to science fiction and fantasy: through the search engines you may find interesting and unusual sources and resources. This is an initiative that definitely deserves to be encouraged. LINK COLLECTIONS 100 Top SciFi Sites As the name suggests, this is a sci-fi site ranking list; the quality of the sites is varying, to say the least. Still, quite good odds to find something interesting if you are a science fiction fan. RELATED FILM NOIR Noir Cinema An excellent introduction to film noir: definitions, timeline, movie list, picture gallery, trivia, links etc. Interestingly enough, the site mentions dystopian movies like Blade Runner and Dark City. If you are curious about this genre, which has influenced and inspired dystopian fiction in many ways, this is probably the best starting-point on the web. Recommended. Classic Noir OnLine A general film noir site, which perhaps can serve as an introduction to the genre; forum, extensive movie list. A most pleasant browse. DARK ROMANTICISM Obscure Wonders A site which explores the depths of dark romanticism, from Edgar Allan Poe to Nick Cave, from occult symbolism to whiskey culture. Might seem like an odd choise for this link page, but we actually share quite a few visitors; evidently, those who dare to explore mankind's darker depths have a wide range of interests. The site administrator is, by the way, my brother. POLITICS SATIRE The Onion A slightly insane mix of absurd humour and political satire. The site is American and deals almost exculsively with American issues, but still quite entertaining for a non-American — such as myself! Bushflash.com Here's a man that clearly don't like the current American president. Mean, but honest satire. ENTERTAINMENT HUMOUR The Origami Boulder It's almost impossible to make this site justice by describing it. An incredibly intelligent and hillarious project. Highly recommended.