Will make you view the world in a different way forever. - Rated 
The Guardians, by John Christopher...
The book is set in England, with a few extreme differences and some more subtle changes to the world we know. The country is divided into two main parts- the County, and the Conurb. The Conurb is a city-like scene: bustling and loud, lots of people and buildings. One of the first things that is noticed as a considerable change is the fact that there are hardly any libraries. Instead of newish books, they are all 40 years old or more. There are a lot of changes like this in the book, and some are very interesting.
The County is a completely different picture all together. The gentry live there, surrounded by nice things and tradition. They have servants who are content, but what is underneath this neat and tidy exterior? The County is like a time warp set just before World War1. Apart from the odd modern thing, they live just as people did pre-war.
The book has a main character, Mike. After mike's father dies, he is sent to a state boarding school('living hell'). He hates it so much, he decides to run away. He knows an extremely small amount about the place where he is going- the County. All that he is sure about is this... there is a fence seperating the end of the conurb(no-mans land) and the county. Mike has a series of adventures and close calls before he gets to the fence, but once he is there, not all the danger is gone. Mike travels across fields until he is spotted. The adventures experienced before will be nothing compared to what he will put up with in the rest of the story...
A gripping and chilling vision of the future - Rated 
I first read this as a 10 year old, and have never forgotten it - or any of Christopher's fiction, more of which should be reprinted (especially The Lotus Caves and the Prince in Waiting trilogy). The hero escapes a hideous city, in which the poor are kept as mindless and coarse as possible, and finds his way to the countryside. Here, everything is a dream of upper class delights. Because he is befriended by the son of an aristocratic family, he is adopted, and all seems well. Gradually, however, it becomes clear that his father (murdered in the struggle against the Guardians) was right and that this idyllic life is maintained by lobotomising anyone who dares stand up against it. This is the darkest and most chilling novel Christopher wrote, but one that makes you think, as all his books do, about what makes a good and just society. It is tremendously exciting, and the friendship between the two boys is vivid and believeable. I think it's as good as famous novels about dystopia, such as 1984, but it's never had the readership it deserves.
Fabulous story, wonderful idea. - Rated
Read this as an adult contemplating reading it with 13 year olds in school. I loved it, they didn't. I found it exciting, believable and possible; they found it too involved. I read it in one go; we gave up on it in school. The language is perhaps a bit formal for today's children, but for adults it's terrific!
This anti-utopia presents a broken world of seperation. - Rated 
A very interesting idea of the social life in the near future. People's behaviour is not quite different as that of poeple of our present world, though. The author wants to warn people not to destroy their minds by seperating the community into two parts. We have to prevent that a special group, like the Guardians, take control of everybody and pull the reins from the background. But have a look at the book yourself.
An excellent read - Rated
This book was sooo good!! I couldn't believe how wonderful and powerful it was as it progressed! I loved the way the author thought there was going to be 'two worlds' in the futre! Sutible for anyone
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