The latest installment inThe Hunger Gamesfranchise,Sunrise on the Reaping, tackles the background and story of Haymitch and his Hunger Games. The gruff mentor who Katniss comes to love– or at least respect– in the original trilogy is made even more vivid and richly complex inSunrise on the Reapingand is a testament to the expansive work that Suzanne Collins created.Within the dystopian genre,The Hunger Gamesbooks are some of the most popular today,but there are many other works that scratch the same itch.
TheSunrise on the Reapingmovie will expandThe Hunger Gamesfranchise and has created exciting new avenues for the dystopian universe to explore. Whileit will be agony to wait forSunrise on the Reapingto be adapted into a movie,these titles are perfect to pick up after tearing through the book. With similar settings and themes that touch upon terrifying sci-fi and fantasy worlds and complex characters fighting to survive, there’s something for everyone within the dystopian genre.
101984 (1949)
Written by George Orwell
Perhaps the definitive work of dystopian fiction, George Orwell’s1984, has been read and taught relentlessly since it was published, and for good reason. It’s safe to say thatSunrise on the ReapingandThe Hunger Gamesas a whole wouldn’t exist without1984. Orwell helped the dystopian genre evolve through his work.His uncanny ability to imagine– or predict– the dark future of1984through his understanding of the pastis a testament to the importance of history in writing, especially within the genre.
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There are plenty of movies like The Hunger Games out there, and they’re not all based on YA books.
Though it’s been many decades since1984was published, the book has lost none of its potency. If anything,1984is even more sinister and timely when read today.Many of thepopular YA fantasy book seriesand their sci-fi counterparts are inherently in conversation with1984. To better engage with and understandSunrise on the Reapingand the characters we follow into the revolution, it’s vital to pick up1984.
9The Circle (2013)
Written by Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers’s dystopia has become more relevant and closer to realitywith each passing year. Following the young Mae as she begins working for a sprawling tech company with similarities to major corporations like Apple, Meta, and Amazon, the Circle takes the trajectory of existing technologies and pushes them to their limit. Even revisitingThe Circletoday, it’s shocking to see how right Eggers was when he imagined a world where there is no privacy. The book sees people’s lives distilled into pure data and spectacle.
Though Eggers initially rose to prominence for his work in the nonfiction sphere, he blends these skills with fiction and dystopia to create a sharp critique of modern society. The way Mae slowly loses her ability to do anything but perform for the benefit of her audience makes iteasy to see the parallels betweenThe Circleand contemporary social media.While Mae doesn’t have to fight to the death in an arena, she’s just as exposed and exploited as the characters inThe Hunger Gamesuniverse.
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2021
8Ender’s Game (1985)
Written by Orson Scott Card
The 1980s were a great decade for sci-fi, both in literature and media, and Orson Scott Card’sEnder’s Gamehas stood the test of time in the years since its release. Eventually adapted into a movie in 2013, theEnder’s Gamebook is far more vivid and able to capture the depth and breadth of Card’s universe. ThoughEnder’s Gameis more science-oriented thanThe Hunger Games,it still has strong ties to the dystopian genre and tackles the exploitation of children.
Growing up, Ender is sharpened into a tool for the military to use against the alien invasion; he was created to be the perfect war machine.
Like Haymitch, Katniss, and all the other tributes throughoutThe Hunger Gamesbooks, the protagonist ofEnder’s Game, Ender, is never allowed a childhood. Growing up, Ender is sharpened into a tool for the military to use against the alien invasion; he was created to be the perfect war machine. The book touches upon not only Ender’s experience but the political subtleties of a world constantly on the brink of destruction that’s become defined by its success in a never-ending conflict.
1985
Speaker for the Dead
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Children of the Mind
1996
2008
7The Selection (2012)
Written by Kiera Cass
ThoughThe Selectionseries utilizes many of the familiar tropes and formulas of the YA genre,it rises above them and tackles deeper themes, similar toThe Hunger Games. The protagonist, America, is shocked to find out she’s been picked for the Selection, a competition to find the next consort for the crown prince, a chance to be raised out of the strict caste system. While this competition isn’t a fight to the death, the stakes are still high for America, and she has to be clever to make it through.
For fans ofSunrise on the ReapingandThe Hunger Games,The Selectionis a lighter, more romantic additionto the YA dystopian genre. America is torn between her love for her childhood friend and the confusing feelings she’s developing for the prince. Alongside this, America is realizing how the caste system is even crueler than she ever realized, and it isn’t something she can be part of anymore. However, she isn’t sure if the only way to convince the prince of this fact is to win his heart.
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6Never Let Me Go (2005)
Written by Kazuo Ishiguro
Kazuo Ishiguro’s tragic, romantic tale,Never Let Me Go, explores the very nature of humanityand is largely considered a modern classic. Also known forThe Remains of the DayandKlara and the Sun, Ishiguro finds the heart and lightness in the darkest and most alienating aspects of the human experience. InNever Let Me Go, the author follows a group of young students who discover that they’re clones who have been raised to be organ donors for the people allowed to live their lives normally in the outside world.
Thoughthe characters inNever Let Me Godon’t fight against their circumstances like those inThe Hunger Games, this gives readers another perspective on dystopian themes.
Never Let Me Gois asci-fi book that’s more fiction than science, as the issue of cloning serves as a way for Ishiguro to demonstrate that the emotions, experiences, and lives of the characters are just as real and fulfilling as anyone else’s. This connects to larger themes of prejudice and discrimination in the real world, as well as influxes of new technologies. Thoughthe characters inNever Let Me Godon’t fight against their circumstances like those inThe Hunger Games, this gives readers another perspective on dystopian themes.
5Parable Of The Sower (1993)
Written by Octavia E. Butler
Octavia E. Butler, the mind behindParable of the Sowerand many other unforgettable titles, is widely regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi authors in history. Her work was timely and relevant when it was first published in the 20th century, butParable of the Sower, in particular, has only become more relevant and indicativeof the pitfalls of humanity. The near future in which Butler sets the story has already started to become reality, but Butler’s words remind us not to be complacent as we look the end of the world in the face.
The protagonist ofParable of the Sower, Lauren, sees her enclave of safety ripped awayfrom her because of natural disasters made worse by humans and must survive the harsh world she’s thrown into. It’s a dark book full of complexity and unflinching explorations of the world, and likeThe Hunger Games, Lauren’s world isn’t hard to imagine. Without works likeParable of the Sowerand Butler’s contributions to the genre, works likeSunrise on the Reapingwouldn’t exist.
Parable of the Sower
1993
Parable of the Talents
1998
4Red Rising (2014)
Written by Pierce Brown
Red Risingis the first in Pierce Brown’s epic dystopian saga that has evolved into an unforgettable addition to the genre. Following the story of Darrow, a member of the oppressed class of Reds who toil below the surface of the planet for their entire lives,Red Risingsees Darrow refuse to accept this cruelty. After discovering the extent of their subjugation and suffering the deaths of those he holds dear, Darrow embarks on a journey to destroy the system from the inside.
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However, Darrow has to prove his worth and fight his way to the top if he’s going to achieve his goal and bring justice to his people.The competition that Darrow has to take part in is frequently compared toThe Hunger Games,but Darrow is an even more active protagonist because he intends to start the revolution with his actions. While Haymitch and Katniss are concerned with survival first and foremost, Darrow sees himself as part of a larger movement from the beginning.
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3Severance (2018)
Written by Ling Ma
Though Ling Ma’sSeverancemight share a title with the hit sci-fi TV show, the post-apocalyptic world of the book will appeal to fans ofThe Hunger Games. We meet the characters inThe Hunger Gameslong after the world-ending events have taken place, whereaswe see the apocalypse unfold in real time through the eyes of Candace,the protagonist ofSeverance. In the wake of society’s collapse, Candace has to develop survival skills in ways that parallel Haymitch’s experience.
The issues and terror of the flu that slowly engulf the world take center stage inSeverance, but the novel and Candace’s experiences serve as a wider exploration of deeper themes. These include the over-consumption and pitfalls of capitalism, which the novels withinThe Hunger Gamesalso skewer. However,inSeverance, it isn’t just the hyper-wealthy and elite who are destroying the world.Ma’s world-building, imaginative storytelling, and empathetic but unflinching take on the apocalypse setSeveranceapart.
2Chain-Gang All-Stars (2023)
Written by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
A searing critique of the prison-industrial complex and insight into the inner workings of a movement,Chain-Gang All-Starsis set in a world where incarcerated people literally fight for their freedom for the profit of private prisons. One of the most engaging and chilling aspects ofChain-Gang All-Starsis how similar the story’s world is to our own, even if it’s set in a science-fiction future. Focusing primarily on two women, Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker,Chain-Gang All-Starsis a relevant and immersive addition to the genre.
The concept of fighting for the entertainment and profit of the ruling class is a piece of the story thatChain-Gang All-StarsandThe Hunger Gamesfranchise have in common.
The concept of fighting for the entertainment and profit of the ruling class is a piece of the story thatChain-Gang All-StarsandThe Hunger Gamesfranchise have in common. However,Chain-Gang All-Starsis even more vividly realized because of how close it comes to our reality and its deeper explorations between the intersections of race and class. The love story between Loretta and Hamara is just one part ofChain-Gang All-Starsthat encourages the audience to understand and deeply connect with the characters.
1Artemis (2017)
Written By Andy Weir
Andy Weir, the acclaimed author of sci-fi novels likeThe Martian, penned the dystopianArtemisin 2017, which chronicles the life of the protagonist, Jazzy, as she grapples with class in the future.Artemisgets its title from the name of the city where the story is set: the first city settled on the Moon.Though this settlement isn’t on Earth, that doesn’t mean the problems of humanity haven’t followed the residentsto their new world or that life has become anything close to a utopia.
Jazzy is a smuggler and does whatever it takes to survive in Artemis, not unlike Haymitch and Katniss, two of the sharp, capable protagonists ofThe Hunger GamesandSunrise on the Reaping. As Jazzy becomes involved in a large conspiracy to change the way Artemis runs, which could upend the existing social and economic power structures, she sees an opportunity and embarks on the adventure. The futuristic setting and advanced technology that’s reserved for the privileged few connect stories likeArtemisto the larger world of dystopian fiction.
