4 Books To Read If You Miss The 100

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Post-apocalyptic television shows rarely fail to disappoint, and "The 100" was one of the more riveting examples out there. Full of drama, suspense, and seriously impressive world-building, the series centered around a group of teenage hoodlums who were sent to Earth after a devastating nuclear apocalypse. As guinea pigs, their goal was to determine if the land was habitable. As some viewers may recall, luckily, most of the characters survived using their wits, but not without having to deal with some unhappy dwellers who somehow survived all the radiation.

If that premise sounds intriguing, that's because it was, and the show entertained fans for seven seasons before ending in 2020. Since then, there hasn't been a series quite like "The 100," and if you need a good dose of action-packed adventure, you can satisfy that desire with some novels that touch on similar themes. There's no shortage of end-of-the-world fiction, and we rounded up four popular reads that'll take you back to the world of Arkadia.

If you love reading sci-fi books that smash the male-driven genre, you'll need to get your hands on "Partials." Written by Dan Wells, the story follows a 16-year-old girl named Kira Walker, who lives in a dystopian world where babies can't survive for more than a few hours because of a plague. Because of this genetic disease and a previous war with a group called the Partials, the population is dwindling. As a young medic, it's up to Kira to save the dwindling human race before the world dies out.

Wells is a fan-fave of science-fiction lovers, and many raved about "Partials" after having read his previous books. One shared on Amazon, "I love dystopians and so does my husband, which means he promptly stole this book from me as soon as I finished reading it. Both of us have agreed that this book MUST be read, and we encourage everyone to pick it up as soon as it is released!" Wells' novel ends with a cliffhanger, but fans will be happy to know that there is a sequel, "Fragments," followed by the third and final book, called "Ruins." So, if you're in need of a binge-reading session, start with the first one and work your way through this gripping apocalyptic series that'll make you forget you were ever sad about "The 100" ending.

A deadly plague and a genius teen's race to save humanity? That's definitely the makings of a great dystopian novel, which is what "Illuminae" by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff is based on. That's not all, however. The 2015 book takes place in various spaceships, one of which the protagonist, Kady, has to hack into to find out how the Copernicus shuttle blew up. "Illuminae" isn't written in the traditional way, but is rather told through interview transcripts and snippets of diary logs, so readers who love a visual book will have fun piecing together the story. And, because it's so immersive, "Illuminae" is a Booktok favorite that needs a movie adaptation, ASAP.

After you've finished reading "Illuminae," you must listen to the audiobook. Fans revealed that it takes the book to another level, with one writing on Reddit, "Full cast, sound effects, incidental music, just a great job all around. It was a wonderful audio experience. Possibly my favourite audiobook experience. I think reading them would also be lots of fun, and so I say yes, I really liked them, and you probably will too." Another promised, "It's amazing explosions rattle the car."  We can't think of a better way to 

You may be taken in by the gorgeous cover art of "Watch Me," but once you delve into the pages, the story will have you hooked. Just like in "The 100," Tahereh Mafi's latest "Shatter Me" installment is rife with a will-they-won't-they chemistry between the two protagonists, Rosabelle and James. As an assassin for The Reestablishment, Rosabelle is ordered to kill James, who comes from a family that rules the New Republic. When the two come face-to-face, their attraction to each other is palpable, but Rosabelle does what she's told. What she doesn't know is that James has the ability to heal himself, so he escapes her deadly attempt and ultimately comes to her aid later on, not knowing what her true motives are.

"Watch Me" is one of the best picks from the Good Morning America book club for your next read, with over four stars on Goodreads. One fan of Mafi's previous books shared, "James, are you kidding me, OMG. He's the perfect combo of Kenji and Warner, and I'm unwell. But 'Watch Me' completely exceeded my expectations. It's a brand new story set in the same universe, yet it had everything I loved about the other books." With James being 10 in the "Shatter Me" series and 21 years old in "Watch Me," readers will enjoy seeing his evolution from a boy to an important part of the New Republic world as an adult man.

A mix of "The 100" and "The Hunger Games," Pierce Brown's 2014 novel "Red Rising" is packed full of action, espionage, and battles of wit. Set on Mars sometime in the distant future, 16-year-old Darrow is tasked to infiltrate the Society after his wife was killed for singing a rebellious song. Once inside, he and the other houses must fight for their lives in a game of Capture the Flag in order to gain control of the power.

When asked how the idea of "Red Rising" came to him, Brown told Goodreads, "I was hiking in the Cascade Mountain Range, and I'd been rereading the Greek play 'Antigone.' I was struck by the contrast in the story, the dichotomy of the forces represented, a young disenfranchised girl who stands up to cold power, and I thought what a beautiful thing it was that such a fragile character could be a seed of destruction." And, while many compare his debut book to "The Hunger Games," Brown drew inspiration from more classic authors. "I've always felt Red Rising's soul is much more in line with Alexander Dumas and Frank Herbert. Those guys are classics, and I'm not comparing myself to them, but that's where I got a lot of the inspiration," he shared.

"The 100" is not just about a bunch of displaced teens being forced to fend for themselves on an unknown planet, but the series also follows the adults trying to make it in space while trying to keep the population alive. The show is jam-packed with hostile Grounders, violent sandstorms, and futuristic AI, so we made sure to find books with similar themes. As with most dystopian sci-fi, our picks are heavily focused on action and suspense, which left many readers hooked until the end. Reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and Reddit were also taken into play, and we made sure the books got high remarks from readers. All of them are also a part of a series, so if you loved how "The 100" played out over the years, we're sure you'll also appreciate getting over your book hangover with the next installment, no matter which one you choose from our list.