The 100

Gr 9 Up—In this debut sci-fi action adventure, humans inhabit the Moon after migrating over a century ago to escape radiation poisoning on Earth. After evaluating the diminishing resources as well as the population explosion, the government decides that the time is ripe for recolonizing Earth-starting with a secret mission involving 100 teenage criminals shipped off to battle for survival. Morgan recounts the experience through a key group of Confined. Glass Sorenson is the only one to escape the ship before it blasts off; her narrative offers insight into both the wealthy and poor districts of the space colony, in addition to the terrors of living in a deteriorating atmosphere. Clarke Griffin, friend of Glass and medical student Confined as an accessory to her parents' crimes, is dispatched to Earth along with the 100 and followed there by her ex-boyfriend, Wells. Wells is the antihero, his character driven by radical love for Clarke, an obsession with keeping her safe (especially at the expense of those she cares about), and determination to establish a civilized colony. The novel's political message noticeably emulates the ancient debate over the ability to lead vs. the predetermined right to lead. The 100 is a mash-up of the hit TV reality show Survivor and traditional science fiction such Arthur C. Clarke's "Space Odyssey" series and H.G. Wells's An Experiment in Prophecy, down to the names. Overall, Morgan's weave of pop-culture elements and politics make for a gripping read.—Jamie-Lee Schombs, Loyola School, New York City