Top 16 Books Like The 100 Updated 04 /2024

Do yourself a favor and watch The 100 right now if you're a fan of dystopian/science-fiction stories. You won't be sorry, I can assure you!

The CW's The 100, based on Kass Morgan's book series of the same name, is a show set in the far future. A nuclear apocalypse decimated the Earth almost 100 years prior to the events in the book, leaving only a few thousand people to survive in a space station called the Ark. As time passes, the Ark's leaders decide to test the viability of Earth's re-inhabitability by sending 100 young lawbreakers. The one hundred's ability to communicate with those in orbit has been disrupted due to a rocky landing. Because of this, these teenagers are on their own in this new environment... and it's possible they're not the only ones living there.

These are some of the reasons why this show is so great: it features interesting characters with ambiguous motives and a fascinating setting (there are new landscapes to explore, new languages to learn, distinct cultures to experience, the works!). It also features compelling conflict and tension, and it does so while posing important philosophical questions about things like morality and tradition.

The show's sixth season just concluded, and not only will the seventh season not air for some time, but it will be the show's final season (insert extremely sad face). If you're anything like me, and you're already pining for it, here are some suggestions for books to tide you over until next time (hopefully, until the next season begins). Young adult books are the focus of this list because that's what the show is about. However, you don't have to be a teenager to enjoy these books or the show.

Sanctuary by Caryn Lix

Earth and the space station both feature prominently in The 100's plot. Sanctuary is a sci-fi novel if you're a fan of the genre. In addition to that, it features a group of imprisoned teenagers, just like The 100. (though in this case, they also have superpowers). As a prison guard trainee on the space station/prison Sanctuary, Kenzie is a citizen of Omnistellar Concepts, one of the most powerful corporations in our solar system. Those magically gifted teenagers deemed too dangerous to house on Earth are transported to Sanctuary, a space station/prison in outer space. The inmates kidnap Kenzie after a routine drill goes horribly wrong. When mysterious creatures attack the prison, she'll have to learn to work with them and uncover the truth about Omnistellar.

Children of Eden by Joey Graceffa

Rowan, the protagonist of Children of Eden, is a second-child. As a result, she is unable to leave the confines of her home and is required to remain unnoticed at all times. Why? For the sake of maintaining population control, she lives in Eden, a society that allows only one child per family. In the long ago of mankind's creation, the majority of the earth's surface was poisoned and destroyed outside of Eden. This would not have happened if it weren't for a scientist who came up with the EcoPanopticon, a computer program that used global technology to save humanity. Now that Rowan has had enough of being hidden for sixteen years, she decides to take a risk and run away for the night. The unfortunate thing for her is that everything goes horribly wrong and she ends up having a lot more fun than she expected. The 100 has a character whose very existence is illegal due to her being a second child, similar to Rowan. A man-made disaster decimated most of the planet, and humanity is only surviving thanks to technology. With climate change ravaging the planet, this topic is more relevant than ever (and the Amazon forest burning for weeks at this point).

Gone by Michael Grant

The fact that you're watching a group of teenagers attempt to navigate a functioning society, even on a small scale, is part of what makes The 100 so compelling. In Michael Grant's Gone, a similar theme is explored. In this story, all of the adults vanish in an instant, leaving the children and teenagers to wonder what happened to them. And it appears that there are no phones, televisions, or the internet left in the world today. Bullies are in charge, animals are mutating, hunger is on the rise, and teens are developing dangerous abilities. Then there's the fact that each one has to worry about disappearing on their birthdays, too. When you watch Gone or The 100, you'll ponder how you'd react if something like that happened to you, as well as what rules and values you believe are necessary for a healthy society.

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

The 100 will make you reevaluate what it means to be human, what constitutes right and wrong in terms of morality and ethics, and much more. You'll enjoy Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman if you enjoy that aspect of the show or pondering philosophical concepts in general. This book is no exception to Shusterman's ability to craft stories that revolve around moral and/or philosophical themes. A cloud database known as the Thunderhead governs society in a future where humanity has conquered natural death, necessitating the use of scythes (a.k.a. approved killers) to control population growth. As the world they've known begins to crumble, the story switches between the perspectives of several characters. If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to be both morally good and a killer, then this book is for you.

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff

There's something inherently fascinating and tense about trying to get people with vastly divergent—and frequently conflicting—personalities to work together. The 100 doesn't let you down in this department. Aurora Rising might be worth a look if you're a fan of the supernatural thriller subgenre like I am. In the year 2380, Tyler Jones, a star student at Aurora Academy, is graduating and looking forward to putting together his dream team of space marines. Because of his own mistakes, he is forced to work with the people no one else wanted to. Oooh, and Auri, the girl he rescues from cryo-sleep after two centuries (this concept may or may not also come up in The 100...), may be the cause of a war that has been in the works for millions of years. Ty and his mismatched crew may be the only ones who can save the galaxy. This isn't supposed to be post-grad life, is it?

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