Stand on Zanzibar is a dystopian New Wave science fiction novel written by John Brunner and first published in 1968. The book won a Hugo Award for Best Novel at the 27th World Science Fiction Convention in 1969, as well as the 1969 BSFA Award and the 1973 Prix Tour-Apollo Award.
The novel is about overpopulation and its projected consequences. The story is set in 2010, mostly in the United States. The narrative follows the lives of a large cast of characters, chosen to give a broad cross-section of the future world. Some of these interact directly with the central narrative, while others add depth to Brunner's world. Brunner appropriated this narrative technique from the USA Trilogy, by John Dos Passos.
The main story is about two New York men, Donald Hogan and Norman Niblock House, who share an apartment. House is a rising executive at General Technics, one of the powerful corporations. Using his "Afram" (African American) heritage to advance his position, he has risen to vice-president at age twenty-six.
The two plots concern the fictional African state of Beninia making a deal with General Technics to take over the management of their country, to speed up development from third world to first world status. A second plot is a break-through in genetic engineering in the fictional South East Asian nation of Yatakang (an island nation and a former Dutch colony, like Indonesia), to which Hogan is soon sent by the US Government to investigate. The two plots cross, bringing potential implications for the world.
Norman Niblock House, VP of HR at General Technics
Donald Hogan, "synthesist" and spy
Georgette Tallon Buckfast, “Old GT,” founder of General Technics, 91 years old, but looking 60, her body containing many artificial parts.
Zadkiel F. Obomi, President of Beninia
Elihu Rodan Masters, US Ambassador to Beninia
Professor Doctor Sugaiguntung, university department head in Yatakang
Stallion “Stal” Lucas, a yonderboy
Olive Almeiro, baby farmer in Puerto Rico
Jeff Young, vendor of explosives and sabotage equipment
Henry Butcher
Chad C.