The Hunger Games

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Can anyone please tell me what this series is about? I wouldn't mind taking a crack at reading it but so far I know utterly nothing about it and I kinda don't want to waste the money on it if it doesn't click with me.

I ask because as much as I like my 40K stories it doesn't hurt to branch out.

Setting: Post-apocalyptic America (set 70-some years after the fact), a new country with a dystopian government arises. So the civilazation is split into Districts, and every year the districts must contribute two teens to duke it out, gladiator-style, in an event called the Hunger Games to get their starving district food. Last one standing of the original twenty-four win.

Main character gets chosen to go to games, yadda yadda.

 

[dalek sec]

Can anyone please tell me what this series is about? I wouldn't mind taking a crack at reading it but so far I know utterly nothing about it and I kinda don't want to waste the money on it if it doesn't click with me.

I ask because as much as I like my 40K stories it doesn't hurt to branch out.

Apocalypses have happened. Now, North America is controlled by an authority which forces each community to send two children (aged between 12 and 18) to fight to the death on national television.

OT: I thought it was fairly solid. I bought all three books after reading the first, and they're OK, if strangely written.

So what's exactly the point of making them fight to the death? Sorry it's just in 40K if only only a handfull of people die in a day is a freaking miracle considering the utterly brutal nature of The Imperium of Man.

 

[dalek sec]

Can anyone please tell me what this series is about? I wouldn't mind taking a crack at reading it but so far I know utterly nothing about it and I kinda don't want to waste the money on it if it doesn't click with me.

I ask because as much as I like my 40K stories it doesn't hurt to branch out.

Setting: Post-apocalyptic America (set 70-some years after the fact), a new country with a dystopian government arises. So the civilazation is split into Districts, and every year the districts must contribute two teens to duke it out, gladiator-style, in an event called the Hunger Games to get their starving district food. Last one standing of the original twenty-four win.

Main character gets chosen to go to games, yadda yadda.

Oh, well atleast I finally got a straight answer about this series. Kinda figured food would be in there considering the title of the book. I don't know... just after the utter cruelity the Imperium pulls on a hourly basis as it struggles to survive that sounds kinda tame.

Please don't think I'm some smug git, just a wacko with a equaly wacked brain.

 

[Dandark]

I have heard of this but it didn't look that great. It looked ok I suppose but I wasn't a fan of the idea.

 

[Jakub324]

Can anyone please tell me what this series is about? I wouldn't mind taking a crack at reading it but so far I know utterly nothing about it and I kinda don't want to waste the money on it if it doesn't click with me.

I ask because as much as I like my 40K stories it doesn't hurt to branch out.

Apocalypses have happened. Now, North America is controlled by an authority which forces each community to send two children (aged between 12 and 18) to fight to the death on national television.

OT: I thought it was fairly solid. I bought all three books after reading the first, and they're OK, if strangely written.

So what's exactly the point of making them fight to the death? Sorry it's just in 40K if only only a handfull of people die in a day is a freaking miracle considering the utterly brutal nature of The Imperium of Man.

It's to remind the people that they are completely at the mercy of those in charge. I should add that the story concerns one of the contestants.

 

[Nimcha]

I'm interested in the movie and the premise sounds somewhat interesting. I also like the fact it has a female protagonist, for a mainstream fantasy that seems quite rare (or maybe I just don't look good enough, could also be it).

Think I'm gonna skip the book and watch the film.

 

[Auron225]

The first one is freaking awesome =) Other two aren't quite as good but still great I think. All in all its an awesome story.

 

[C2Ultima]

The first book is great, and the second is good as well. The third is okay for the most part, but basically completely falls apart towards the end.

I'm excited for the movie, and it really has the potential to be great, but I won't make any judgements until I watch it.

In terms of hype and popularity, I'd rather just completely forget about all of it and just watch the film, hoping it'll be good.

 

[Marxaeus]

I got these books for Christmas, and instead of passing them off to a book shop (as I'm inclined to do when I usually am given books as presents. Seriously, I'm not interested in getting this years Guinness book of records to see who has the worlds biggest nostrils) I decided to give them a read.

The setting was interesting, though I was disappointed that we didn't get a more in depth look at the other districts and their people. But overall I enjoyed them, not to the level of pushing them into other peoples faces and demanding they read it or they will lose their souls, but enough that if someone asks me about it I'll tell them that I thought it was good, and if they're into those sort of stories then maybe they should give it a try.

 

[Dead Seerius]

Read the first one and I completely agree that the series is over-hyped as hell. It was a good book but I have read many that are better (and I only read about 6 books a year). Angels and Demons, Eragon, and the Pendragon books are all better in my opinion. Of course, everyone is allowed their own preferences.
I did hear that The Hunger Games ripped off a book called Battle Royale though. Not sure if it's true.

 

[Pipotchi]

I read about half of the first book and stopped as I just realised I didnt care about any of the characters, the plot was boring and the writing style was described to me as "teen American" which based on my observations, seems to be about European pre-teen.

That said I'm a thirty year old man so I'm not really its target audience.

Also at the same time I was re-reading Catch 22 and was constantly reminded of how good a proper book can be so I gave up on it

Read the first one and I completely agree that the series is over-hyped as hell. It was a good book but I have read many that are better (and I only read about 6 books a year). Angels and Demons, Eragon, and the Pendragon books are all better in my opinion. Of course, everyone is allowed their own preferences.
I did hear that The Hunger Games ripped off a book called Battle Royale though. Not sure if it's true.

The author of Hunger games has said that she has never read/watched/heard of Battle Royale so she's either a liar or has been living under some kind of rock for the last decade. There are definately similarities between the two but having people kill each other in gladitorial combat is not a New premise by any stretch. Battle Royale is the most obvious comparison

 

[nobodysomebody]

I read the first one, after lots of people informed me it was the greatest book ever written, I really don't agree. Honestly, it was okay. It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible. It was relatively fast paced after the first half, so I guess that's good, but I really don't see why it's so popular.

 

[Magnicon]

Its a mediocre story at best, being hyped by the same people who hype stuff like Twilight. I'm so tired of people hyping like this that it completely kills my interest in even checking the movie out.

Statistically, the stuff these people hype like this is complete garbage, so why gamble my money?

 

[Pipotchi]

I read the first one, after lots of people informed me it was the greatest book ever written, I really don't agree. Honestly, it was okay. It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible. It was relatively fast paced after the first half, so I guess that's good, but I really don't see why it's so popular.

I find it odd that being paced at Breakneck speed has become a plus point. I heard the same kind of thing about Dan Brown's books but that doesnt make them good. I hate to be a literary snob but I'd rather you just wrote a short book than a long book that just ploughs through the less interesting parts like a screenplay.

Examples Slaughterhouse 5 and Brave New World, both fairly short both widely considered as classic, measured pace is not a negative, its a positive (generally)

 

[The Funslinger]

Meh, the book was OK. However, I can't stand female protagonists being the lead character. In this day-and-age anymore. All female characters all have the same cookie-cutter fears and phobias about them.

Sorry if you feel i'm being sexist. Says more about you then it does me.

I kind of agree with you, though I find Katniss slightly more tolerable.

I've read the first two books, having got them in a double pack when I saw them. Stephanie Meyer's recommendation on the front nearly made me put them back, but John Green claims to have enjoyed them, so I persevered.

 

[Kenbo Slice]

I read the first one a few months ago, it was good. It wasn't anything truly great. I have the second book on my shelf but I haven't got around to reading it. I heard it's a bit slow for the first hundred pages or so. Is that true?

 

[nobodysomebody]

I read the first one, after lots of people informed me it was the greatest book ever written, I really don't agree. Honestly, it was okay. It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible. It was relatively fast paced after the first half, so I guess that's good, but I really don't see why it's so popular.

I find it odd that being paced at Breakneck speed has become a plus point. I heard the same kind of thing about Dan Brown's books but that doesnt make them good. I hate to be a literary snob but I'd rather you just wrote a short book than a long book that just ploughs through the less interesting parts like a screenplay.

Examples Slaughterhouse 5 and Brave New World, both fairly short both widely considered as classic, measured pace is not a negative, its a positive (generally)

I agree though, I prefer a moderately paced book, its just that this particular book would of been boring if it continued with the same speed of the first half, which was incredibly slow. It was a bit jarring, but the change in pace made the book more easier to stick with, and actually feel some sort of need to continue reading. It didn't make it any better really, but the action made it a bit more interesting. I think that without the inclusion of a faster pace, there would be few redeeming qualities about the book at all, so I felt it could count as a plus.
I do see where you are coming from though.