The 100 trilogy

The 100 trilogy is a young adult science fiction trilogy by Kass Morgan. The first book in the series, The 100, was published on September 3, 2013, by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.^[1] Day 21, the sequel, was released on September 25, 2014,^[2] and Homecoming was released on February 26, 2015, completing the trilogy.^[3]

Prior to the publication of the first book, television producer Jason Rothenberg became interested in adapting the story for the screen. The television series premiered on March 19, 2014, on The CW Network and starred Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley as Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake, respectively.^[4]

Plot

A complete set of The 100 trilogy

The 100

The trilogy is set three centuries after a thermonuclear apocalypse, where the only known survivors of the human race live in a space colony consisting of spaceships joined together in orbit around the Earth, governed by The Chancellor, who leads its legislative council. Resources are so scarce that all crimes, no matter how small, are punishable by death, unless the perpetrator is under 18 years of age.

The 100 begins with Clarke Griffin, a former medical student, being arrested for a crime committed by her parents: conducting illegal experiments on children under threat of the corrupt Vice Chancellor Rhodes. Clarke confides in her boyfriend Wells Jaha, who is the chancellor's son. Despite swearing secrecy to Clarke, Wells tells his father, hoping to save the Griffins from Rhodes. His plan backfires, the Griffins are arrested, and his relationship with Clarke disintegrates. Two years later, the Colony decides to send one hundred of its teenage prisoners to investigate whether Earth is habitable. Among the one hundred are Clarke, Wells, Octavia Blake, her older brother Bellamy Blake, and Clarke's friend, Thalia.

The group crashes somewhere on the East Coast in the former United States. Once there, the 100 struggle to survive in a world very different from the past Earth. Clarke tends to the wounded, and Bellamy gradually develops a romantic interest in her. It is revealed that Octavia had become a drug addict while in prison. A few days later, someone sets fire to the camp, killing Thalia. As the survivors investigate, they discover a farm not too far from the site, leading them to the realization that they are not alone.

The 100: Day 21

Twenty-one days after they land on Earth, the 100 continue to face recurring attacks from an unknown enemy. Octavia has been missing since the fire. Wells tries to maintain morale, while Bellamy tries to find his sister. The 100 find an Earthborn girl, Sasha Walgrove, and hold her hostage. Sasha tells them that they have landed in the former state of Virginia, and that there are people from the Colony who arrived before the 100. Bellamy believes that Sasha's people are responsible for Octavia's disappearance and demands Sasha reveal her location. Wells and Sasha bond and Sasha helps Wells to find food for the surviving colonists.

In space, the people of the Colony fight to get into their drop ships as the space station's life support begins to fail; Clarke and Wells' friends, Glass and Luke, are among the people desperately trying to get to Earth. However, they find themselves at the mercy of Vice Chancellor Rhodes, who is willing to kill to get into one of the drop ships.

Sasha leads Clarke and Bellamy to a colony underneath the ruins of Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center. There, they meet her father, Max Walgrove, who is the leader of the colony. Octavia is at Mount Weather, having been rescued by Max and his people from a group of renegades. These renegades are responsible for the attacks towards the 100. Max and his people promise that they will continue helping the 100, and will provide further support once the rest of the Colony arrives. At this point, they find drop ships from the Colony falling from the sky.

Wells eventually realizes that there is something familiar about Bellamy and Octavia; ultimately, he discovers that their mother was Melinda Blake, the woman his father had loved before he married his mother for the sake of his career.

The 100: Homecoming

After the drop ship's crash, Clarke, Bellamy and Wells lead a rescue party to the crash site, allowing Clarke and Wells to reunite with Glass and Luke. Clarke ponders leaving the camp to search for her parents. The Chancellor remains trapped in the Colony above Earth. Vice Chancellor Rhodes attempts to take control over the community on Earth, planning to force Luke to execute Bellamy, as a warning to anyone attempting to challenge him.

With Sasha's help, Clarke and Wells escape with wounded Bellamy. In addition, Glass and Luke flee the camp to escape Vice Chancellor Rhodes. One of Rhodes' men kills Sasha when she tries to help Octavia. Rhodes plans to attack Mount Weather to recapture Bellamy, Clarke and Wells, in addition to raiding their supplies. As Mount Weather prepares for Rhodes' attack, some of the Colonists revolt and join their benefactors against Rhodes. Clarke, Bellamy and Wells are captured during the initial exchange, but their allies defeat and capture Rhodes before he can execute the trio. More drop ships arrive, and one of the arrivals informs Wells that his father is dead. Both Wells and Bellamy inherit their father's position as Chancellors of the Colony.

During Sasha's funeral, Clarke reunites with her parents at Mount Weather after they arrive to attend. She reconciles with Wells, but will not resume their past relationship because she is romantically involved with Bellamy, with whom she hopes to spend the rest of her life.

Reception

Publisher Weekly commented that Morgan's flair for the dramatic in The 100 "can be forced, but it's easy to be drawn in".^[5] In addition, Booklist calls The 100 "dark and riveting", blending "science fiction, romance, and characters' shadow sides with a mostly engrossing plotline.^[6] The 100 has made into #13 on The New York Times' Young Adult Best Seller List.^[7]

Kirkus Reviews commented Day 21 is "faster paced than" its predecessor.^[8]

Television adaptation

On May 9, 2013, The CW Television Network announced that the pilot was officially ordered to series for the 2013–14 American television season. The series was developed by Jason Rothenberg and premiered on March 19, 2014. On May 8, 2014, The CW renewed The 100 for a second season; it premiered on October 22, 2014.^[9] On January 11, 2015, The CW renewed the series for a third season, which premiered on January 21, 2016.^[10]

References

External links

• Official Tumblr

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