10 similar dystopian books you should read
“The Hunger Games.” “Different.” “The Maze Runner.”
The dystopian craze of the 2010s inspired a wave of screen adaptations and new book releases. Suddenly, everywhere on the page and the silver screen, young people were fighting for their lives in apocalyptic conditions.
“Hunger Games” weddings may return decades later with the release of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” a prequel film. Author Suzanne Collins is also releasing the fifth book in the series to accompany the live-action film, set 24 years before the plot of “The Hunger Games.”
Books like ‘The Hunger Games’
If you finished “The Hunger Games,” you have three more books in the series – “Catching Fire,” “Mockingjay” and the prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” Collins also released a new illustrated version of the first book earlier this month.
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But if you’ve devoured the entire series and can’t wait for Haymitch’s story in “Awakening on Harvest Day” in March 2025, try one of these similar dystopian stories.
‘All Stars Chain-Groups’ by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
In this fun, gritty, dystopian work, two women imprisoned by warriors and their peers must fight to the death for their freedom. Thurwar and Staxx, the show’s main protagonists, are lovers and collaborators in a system that allows the execution of Black prisoners as “tough games.” With intertwined details, near-future technology and moving prose, “Chain-Gang All-Stars” is a chilling look at a broken justice system.
“The Grace Year” by Kim Liggett
In this dystopian young adult book, when the girls turn 16, they are banished to the woods for a year. They have been told all their lives that they are dangerous to men and that their bodies naturally inspire lust and envy. Just a year in the forest will clear them up for adulthood and marriage. What lies underground is even more brutal – poachers in the forests, men waiting to sell women on the black market. Not everyone will survive.
“Battle Royale” by Koushun Takami
“Battle Royale” is like a more elaborate “Hunger Games” mixed with “Lord of the Flies”. This 1999 Japanese cult thriller follows a group of high school students who are dropped on a deserted island, given weapons and told to kill each other until only one student remains. Director Quentin Tarantino once suggested that “The Hunger Games” be “ripped off.”
‘I Never Knew Men’ by Jacqueline Harper
“I Never Knew Men” has dystopian elements and mysteries from “The Hunger Games” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.” In this mysterious world, 39 women and one girl are kept in an underground room guarded by armed men. This girl does not remember her name or her past. Older women have strange memories of how they ended up in this place, where intimacy is forbidden and time is meaningless. But one day, when everything changes, women must reinvent themselves as they face the unknown.
‘The Blood Trials’ by NE Davenport
In this young adult, sci-fi fantasy novel, a young black woman must survive deadly, racist and evil trials to become a great warrior. After his grandfather is killed, young Ikenna realizes the only way to find out if the Imperial Guard ordered him to be killed is to get out from behind enemy lines – a strive to become an Imperial Guard. But only a quarter of those who enter the trial will survive.
Books like ‘Harry Potter’:Some magical stories for children and adults
‘Trial of the Sun Queen’ by Nisha J. Tuli
“Trial of the Sun Queen” follows the protagonist Lor, who must compete with nine other women to become the Sun King’s queen. After being freed from twelve brutal years of torture under a rival king, Aurora, becoming the wife of the Sun King will find freedom and revenge. But unlike his competitors, he is not a resident of the Sun King’s court, which puts a target on his back. If Lor does not win the trials of the Queen of the Sun, she may face death or return to the evil Lord of Aurora.
“The New Wilderness” by Diane Cook
The “New Desert” is covered by climate change and population expansion, where all people behave in villages. The story follows Bea and her five-year-old daughter, Agnes, whose lungs are suffering from pollution. Desperate to save her daughter, Bea goes on a voluntary mission to survive as a hunter in the Wilderness. The two daughter couples must start over in this dangerous and wild place controlled by tough Rangers.
‘Hell Follow Us’ by Andrew Joseph White
In this young adult, dystopian fantasy, Benji, a teenager transitioning to adolescence, has escaped the fundamentalist religion that raised him and wiped out the world’s population. He was rescued by a group of young people from a local LGBTQ+ center who provide him with shelter and community. But he has hidden a dark secret from his new family – he is slowly being transformed into a biological tool designed to wipe out the human race worldwide.
‘The Atlas Six’ by Olivia Blake
Six talented magicians must fight to survive a deadly operation to start the famous Alexandria guild. This secret society houses the guardians of lost knowledge and brings with it riches, power and notoriety. But not everyone has enough strength to enter. Only five of the six candidates will qualify at the end.
‘Red Rising’ by Pierce Brown
The first of the saga, this young channel, centers on dystopian ideas in a society with a diverse population. Darrow and the other members of the lowest class, the Reds, work all day to make Mars livable for future generations. But when a shocking discovery reveals that humanity has peaked generations ago, the Reds realize that their work has been in vain. They only work to be kept under the thumb of the ruling class. Hell-bent on seeking justice for his peers, Darrow will sacrifice everything to join the Golden Circle, fighting for his life to bring down his enemies.
Still looking for the right book?
Taste does matter, and we have some brands to recommend. If dragons are your thing, check out the books we recommend reading after “The Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros. If you like domestic mysteries, try these titles similar to “Verity” by Colleen Hoover. Or if you’re looking for something with understated characters and likable characters, see if a “sweet mystery” or “sweet fantasy” book is for you.
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