Hunger Games series

[Calcium Deposit]

This is my short little review on the Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay books by Suzanne Collins.

Don't worry, no spoilers.

The story is fairly solid all the way through, but I definitely like the first book best. The ending is bittersweet, but definitely provides closure and doesn't leave me wondering too much. Personally I always enjoy stories that end with certain finality, even if it's not always a happy ending.

I was at first mildly put off that the story was told from first person perspective of a teenage girl (I was worried I would be reading something like Twilight), but it does in a way kind of give some insight to the way women think and feel. It really did explain some of my own personal dealings with women. And the girl Katniss Everdeen herself wasn't pathetic or useless (like the chick from Twilight) but indeed a very strong character so I didn't mind seeing the dangerous and dystopian world presented in the story through her eyes.

My main gripe about the books are the names given to the characters.
Some are just so weird and not very memorable, even verging on just plain stupid. I often found my self forgetting some random character's name and would lose association to any significance that character might have had on the development of the story.

Basically I found myself often seeing some random name getting brought up in a reference or some flashback and I would be like "okay who the **** was that" and felt like I was missing out on some key detail.

Overall, I completely recommend this series if you enjoyed the movie.
Or if you like sci-fi and don't mind a little drama.

I'm not going to give this a rating because my preferences are usually pretty black and white, I either like it or I don't so any rating from me would be arbitrary at best.

[slipknot_6969]

I haven't read them but watched the movie the other day. It was interesting.. I guess lol

[Ohaider]

Over rated movie, working on book(s) and much better

[Cold Kitten]

The movie was, in my honest opinion, horrible.

I guess if I hadn't read the books first, the movie would've seemed amazing. However, seeing as I DID read the books first, the movie was nothing like what I was hoping.

[cedolad]

Well since I enjoyed the movie enough, I guess I should be reading the books considering I'm missing out.

Just curious, can anyone come up with a non-spoiling synopsis of the next book? Catching Fire?

[Xiz]

books are way better. But then again, the movie was pretty damn impressive.

[MikeShinoda12345]

Originally Posted by Calcium Deposit

My main gripe about the books are the names given to the characters.

president coin

[Cold Kitten]

I DID always managed to forget her name... xD

[brothaice]

Originally Posted by cedolad

Well since I enjoyed the movie enough, I guess I should be reading the books considering I'm missing out.

Just curious, can anyone come up with a non-spoiling synopsis of the next book? Catching Fire?

The short answer is no. But I can tell you this: it's worth reading. If nothing else just to get to Mockingjay, which to me is the best of the series.

Some of the names are silly but it's not too easy just to fabricate names that are supposed to be futuristic and noone will think are stupid.

I think the author does a great job. My only problem with it is that it was written so teenagers could read it, although it is still done very well.

[smartdude1212]

I probably haven't said this yet, but jesus ****ing christ it's brothaice.

I have the boxed set of this trilogy sitting on my bookshelf but I will get to them once I've caught up with ASOIAF... unless I marathon through them this weekend.

[Cavernio]

Odd names are par for the course if you read ANY fantasy or sci-fi. These names are, imo, good. They're pronouceable.
Any insight into the way 'women' think or feel is retarded. It's the setting that defines the character, not her gender. They could have made her a male character (and any other love interests female) and the story would not have changed significantly, or much at all.
Also the ending is by far the worst part of the first book (the only one in the series I read). It moves from sci-fi to retarded and finally ends up being a cop-out.

[smartdude1212]

Flew through the first two books this weekend and goddammit even though I've been able to predict nearly everything thus far, the ending of book two, though foreshadowed well enough, completely blindsided me.

Also the ending is by far the worst part of the first book (the only one in the series I read). It moves from sci-fi to retarded and finally ends up being a cop-out.

I thought this at first too, but in hindsight realized how well it sets up the rest of the trilogy for what really happens. Since it's the only one you've read, I figure if you at least read book two you will perhaps understand (though not necessarily agree with) the path Collins took.

I'm currently near the beginning of book three but I'll be damned if I don't finish it in two days (and completely ignore schoolwork in the process).

[Reincarnate]

I hate the entire series. Mediocre writing and an incredibly predictable plot. I had Book 1 completely predicted after a few pages + invoking knowledge of the similar story Battle Royale + a realistic application of the relevant tropes, and Books 2 and 3 predicted shortly into Book 2 (including the ending to Book 2 itself) -- it follows so many tropes to the letter such that it's agonizing.

And I agree, the whole "well, it's a dystopia, but hey let's toss some sci-fi in here, wait j/k let's go all-out and really push clarke's third law aggressively" thing was a turnoff.

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

I hate the entire series. Mediocre writing and an incredibly predictable plot. I had Book 1 completely predicted after a few pages + invoking knowledge of the similar story Battle Royale + a realistic application of the relevant tropes, and Books 2 and 3 predicted shortly into Book 2 (including the ending to Book 2 itself) -- it follows so many tropes to the letter such that it's agonizing.

And I agree, the whole "well, it's a dystopia, but hey let's toss some sci-fi in here, wait j/k let's go all-out and really push clarke's third law aggressively" thing was a turnoff.

Still a better love story than twilight.

[Reincarnate]

Almost everything is a better love story than Twilight

[cedolad]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

I hate the entire series. Mediocre writing and an incredibly predictable plot. I had Book 1 completely predicted after a few pages + invoking knowledge of the similar story Battle Royale + a realistic application of the relevant tropes, and Books 2 and 3 predicted shortly into Book 2 (including the ending to Book 2 itself) -- it follows so many tropes to the letter such that it's agonizing.

And I agree, the whole "well, it's a dystopia, but hey let's toss some sci-fi in here, wait j/k let's go all-out and really push clarke's third law aggressively" thing was a turnoff.

Knowledge may be a virtue, but can be a curse. Ignorance is bliss my man.

[DarknessXoXLight]

Liked the first two, hated the third. Worst ending ever.

[Cavernio]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

I hate the entire series.

I don't remember the last time I finished a book that I hated or simply didn't like. Why'd you finish the series if you didn't like the first book?????
In defense of the quality of writing, it's catered towards a younger audience. I used to read a lot when I was a kid and young teenager, and my tastes have changed a lot. I read fiction now that I tried and didn't like when I was younger and one of the reasons is that I'm pretty sure I like a 'higher calibre' of writing now.
As to being predictable, it was obviously designed that way. By like page 3 the entirety of the first book is set up. I'd wager a large sum of money that that was done very purposefully.
Obviously not all pieces of fiction's purpose is to spin a good, exciting tale. That this has a story imbedded in a dystopian future I think is again a sign that it's geared towards a younger audience. The ideas and impact of this vastly different, yet plausible future society, would probably be lost on many younger readers had it not been dressed it up as an action-packed story that follows the standard rising action, climax, and denoument. (How many kids enjoy classic sci-fi?)
Unfortunately for mature readers, this mash-up of styles/purposes along with the easy-reading doesn't really bring either the societal or the adventure impact as much as they might crave. That's at least how it felt for me. Read some Margaret Atwood for good dystopian sci-fi. Read the Wheel of Time series for good adventure.
As to the fact that it mimics other works and ideas, everything does. Again, young readers, they aren't exposed to the vastness of previous cultural works.

I was thinking about the ending of the first in the series again, and you're right, it's not that bad of a cop out. Maybe I do kinda like it. I'd like it a lot more especially if there's societal backlash to it that gets explored in the future books, rather than having it simply explore the relationship aspect of the people involved. If it's just the latter then I still don't like the ending to the first book:-p

[Calcium Deposit]

I predicted that rubix would hate this series

[popsicle_3000]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

Mediocre writing

This is pop fiction at its finest. Unlike series like Harry Potter, or even (dare I say) Eragon, I found the writing to be very poorly done. Like a lousy writer had an idea for a best-selling plot, and just wrote it up quick as can be.

Originally Posted by Cavernio

I don't remember the last time I finished a book that I hated

I always finish a book that i've started. I don't know why, I just feel wrong otherwise

Originally Posted by Calcium Deposit

My main gripe about the books are the names given to the characters.

OH MY GOSH did i ever find the names annoying as heck. Katniss Everdeen. Sure fantasy/Sci-fi books have weird made up names. but these names just irritate... K A T N I S S. ugh...

Yeah, overall, very unmemorable series. The only part of the whole series I thought was well done was the part in book 1 where the little girl dies, and Katniss does her eulogy or whatever.