Waiting for the Barbarians by J M Coetzee
The novel is set in a small frontier town of an unnamed empire, where the magistrate lives a life of civil service and relative peace. His world is disrupted when the Empire declares a state of emergency due to rumors of barbarian uprising. The magistrate becomes a critic of the Empire's brutal and inhumane methods of dealing with the perceived threat, which leads to his arrest and torture. As he tries to understand his role in the vast political machinery, he also grapples with questions of power, justice, and humanity.
The 416th greatest book of all time
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This book is on the following lists:
- 84th on The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List (The Observer)
- 92nd on 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction (Larry McCaffery)
- 1087th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 48 Good Books (University of Buffalo)
- The 100 Best Books in the World (AbeBooks.de (in German))
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- James Tait Black Memorial Prize: Fiction (James Tait Black Memorial Prize)
- A Hundred Novels to Change Your Life (The Daily Mail)
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)
- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books (Jeff O'Neal at Bookriot.com)