Are you a fan of dystopian books, where the future is bleak and infinitely dangerous and if you're gonna survive, you better check your morals at the door? With reality TV everywhere we look these days, and the UFC a mainstream pastime, it's easy to imagine a Survivor where tribe members voted out don't go home, but are executed instead. I figure society's perpetual bloodlust is never as deeply buried as we think (and hope).
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167 books · 285 voters · list created February 1st, 2010 by Trudi (votes) .
66 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


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Comments Showing 1-19 of 19 (19 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Bettie (new)

Bettie Does any one remember rollerball - was it a book first?


message 2: by Gerd (last edited Feb 17, 2010 10:56AM) (new)

Gerd It's been short story first called "Rollerball Murder" by William Harrison, which came out in '73 two years before the movie.


message 3: by Chris (last edited May 25, 2011 10:20AM) (new)

Chris Nice list, but there has to be a few more that have been over looked. I added Zombies and Shit, because it is very much in the death game genre, may be a little far out there for some people, but the tag line of 'Battle Royale meets Return of the Living Dead' is very accurate. As I come across more books I'll add them to this list, there's a new one I have a lead on. This is my favorite genre of all, and am always looking for new stuff.
* I read Inside Out because of this list, not even close to being in the genre. I have added High Rise in protest, still no game, but it is way closer to the genre.


message 4: by Chris (new)

Chris Added Murder Genes, neat splatterpunk about a city full of murders that are all involved in playing a death game. Rules, teams, all the good parts!


message 5: by Trudi (new)

Trudi Chris wrote: "Nice list, but there has to be a few more that have been over looked. ..."

That's my hope too Chris! Such a "deadly" sub-genre of dystopian fiction there's just gotta be more! I started this list for completely selfish reasons because it's what I want to read :) Your additions are much appreciated!!!


message 6: by Kenneth (new)

Kenneth Kao nice list


message 7: by Sandpiper (new)

Sandpiper There's a short story by Walter F. Moudy called "The Survivor". If you like books about deadly games it's worth a read. It was written in 1965, but predicts reality-TV among other things.


message 8: by Chris (last edited Jul 25, 2011 09:07PM) (new)

Chris I have a copy of Battlefields Beyond Tomorrow: Science Fiction War Stories that has that story in it. It is actually a very good story, and does fall into the genre. The collection focuses on military sci-fi, and is rather good. It does have the short version of Enders Game, which is also a border-liner of the genre. I would have to say that it is up to Trudi if it should go up on the list, I had actually considered voting it up at one point. I only didn't because most of the book is about war, and they are also short stories.


message 9: by Trudi (new)

Trudi Sandpiper wrote: "There's a short story by Walter F. Moudy called "The Survivor". If you like books about deadly games it's worth a read. It was written in 1965, but predicts reality-TV among other things."

This sounds awesome! I will definitely try and track this down.


message 10: by Trudi (new)

Trudi Chris wrote: "I have a copy of Battlefields Beyond Tomorrow: Science Fiction War Stories that has that story in it. It is actually a very good story, and does fall into the genre. The collection f..."

Thanks so much for this and add away please! ... I started this list for my own selfish enjoyment, but it's definitely meant for anyone who also shares a passion for these types of books :D


message 11: by Chris (last edited Aug 05, 2011 12:41PM) (new)

Chris Good to know, I would say that the story 'The Survivor' is of decent length and should be included. Some of the other stories in Battle Fields Beyond Tomorrow that are also worth taking a look at as well, and run parallel of share similarities with the death game genre. A couple have also been expanded into novels by the authors. I know I have come across a few stories here and there, and am always searching for rumors of more books. I'll keep this appropriately updated as I go along.
Good lookin on Sandpiper's par for pointing out The Survivor!


message 12: by Chris (new)

Chris Added Kung Fu High School - A great book about gang life gone terribly wrong in a school. One of my personal favorites, this one falls well into the genre with the way that their lives must play out within a certain rule set. Hyper-violent, a little taboo, and very over the top.


message 13: by Chris (last edited Oct 24, 2011 10:11AM) (new)

Chris Huge update this time with The Crimson Labyrinth, full fledged death games, forced to play against each other in a check point rally through a natural labyrinth of chasms with rules firmly in place. This has a large emphasis on survival, as well as some really interesting twists to encourage some savage competition against each other. I have no clue how any of us missed this one! Highly suggested, true gaming fun, up there with the best.
Even if it is firmly rooted in the crime thriller genre, I am adding Severance Package. When your job goes belly up and the boss tells you in a Saturday meeting that not only are you being let go, you are not going to make it off of the floor alive, things turn ugly fast. Small cast, but action packed! A little over the top and non-stop, this was a blast to read. Some times you just need to find a pick-up game to play for an afternoon of fun.
Edit: Booo to The Death Cure (Maze Runners #3) not being in the death game genre!


message 14: by Trudi (new)

Trudi Chris wrote: "Huge update this time with The Crimson Labyrinth..."

Thanks for adding these Chris, they look awesome. And I agree. The Maze Runner trilogy is awesome. I am looking forward to reading Death Cure, and I will definitely add it to this list!


message 15: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell I love these kinds of books!

Also: I added Heir Apparent and Killobyte. Both are about people trapped in virtual reality, and who must complete the game - or die.


message 16: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell Added Hunted Past Reason, Light, The Damnation Game, and Rite of Passage!


message 17: by Andy (last edited Jul 04, 2013 09:43AM) (new)

Andy I got three books for you! The first and last I loved when I was a kid.

Goosebumps #43 The Beast of the East by R.L. Stine: Ginger Wald and her identical twin brothers, Nat and Pat, are lost in the woods. Then Ginger and her brothers meet the beasts. They're big blue furry creatures. And they want to play a game. The winners get to live. The losers get eaten. . . .

Senseless by Stona Fitch: Eliot Gast is kidnapped in Brussels by a group of international terrorists. He is held captive in a white room. Black wires that hang from the wall and ceiling broadcast his plight worldwide via the Internet. Millions of people are watching as they remove his senses one by one.

Everest (trilogy) by Gordon Korman: A number of kids are televised on a reality tv show, competing to be the youngest person to ever reach the top of Mt. Everest.

I love your list!! So glad to see my favorite titles in there, and I will check out the other ones!


message 18: by Vane (new)

Vane No sé que hace Divergente ahí....


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