1984 Meets LOTR, Последний кольценосец

     Has anyone ever read a totalitarian fantasy novel? I can't help but think that might be an incredibly interesting premise for a story, something along the lines of 1984 or Brave New World, but with illithids disguised as Elves ruling over mankind or something. There are hints of totalitarianism in much of fantasy literature, but they are only used to make the bad guys seem more evil with the THREAT of totalitarianism, but like Voldemort, Sauron, they always fail. Also, themes of dictatorship are sprinkled throughout fantasy literature, like Thranduil in 'The Hobbit 2.'

But it's okay because he's pretty.

     The only out and out 'Totalitarian Fantasy' novel I can think of is 'The Last Ringbearer,' a novel that has had trouble getting published in English-speaking countries because it is an unapologetic rip-off of LOTR. The short of it, is that the novel, originally written in Russia as Последний кольценосец, retells the story of LOTR except that Morder is a peaceful Eastern civilization while the Western nations of Gondor and Rohan are war-mongering empires. It might be more interesting if it weren't so depressing and also such a flagrant and heavy-handed attack on the West by a Russian/pro-orc author.

     Totalitarian stories are so common in sci-fi, but practically non-existent in fantasy. Perhaps because people buy fantasy looking for what they wish the world was, while people buy sci-fi novels to read about their worst fears of our world coming true.