The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

First Two Books of Exciting Young Adult Sci-Fi Series

Sep 23, 2009

This gripping sci-fi trilogy offers teen and adult readers a story that is an enthralling combination of action, personality, drama, politics and suspense.

With the release of Catching Fire (Scholastic, 2009), the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy, author Suzanne Collins has readers eagerly awaiting the conclusion to this compelling account of a possible future dystopian society.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

The Hunger Games (Scholastic, 2008) and Catching Fire have introduced readers to Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl drawn into a national drama as she is forced to take part in a televised fight to the death.

In Panem, a country located in modern-day North America, the rulers in the Capital ensure that the outlying districts never forget who is in charge and where the power lies. Each year, every district must send two teenagers to compete in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death orchestrated and controlled by the power brokers of the Capital.

Katniss finds herself trapped in the arena, forced into a situation where she must kill or be killed. As she struggles to maintain her integrity and survive on her own terms, she angers those in authority and discovers that the danger of the Hunger Games is only the beginning.

Science Fiction That Appeals to All Ages

Marketed as a YA series, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire appeal to a much broader audience than young teens with an interest in science fiction. The plot moves quickly, keeping readers turning pages and drawing them along with the suspense of the story. The central characters are well developed – flawed yet likeable, determined, resourceful, intelligent and passionate.

The deeper themes ensure that older readers and teens looking for more substance will find plenty to sink their teeth into. The Hunger Games and Catching Fire offer numerous opportunities to consider the influence of propaganda and political manipulation, the complex nature of trust and loyalty and the limits of human endurance (physical, emotional and mental) in a manner reminiscent of George Orwell's classic 1984.

There are elements of violence, as can hardly be surprising when the first novel is a description of a gladiator-like battle between children between the aged of 12 and 18. While descriptions of violent acts are never graphic, the underlying menace and brutality of The Hunger Games themselves has a significant emotional impact and will perhaps make these stories unsuitable for sensitive readers or those under the age of 13.

The science fiction aspects of the novels are evident in the futuristic setting and some technological advancement, but the characters could easily have been set in a more familiar modern setting and those readers who usually avoid science fiction should find the sci-fi aspects of these novels reasonably unobtrusive.

An Examination of Human Nature Hidden Masked with Suspense and Drama

The themes of political manipulation, the exploitation of power and the examination of human nature may be lost on younger readers, but will offer more discerning or experienced readers an opportunity to enjoy these novels on both an entertainment and analytical level.

For those more interested in character than suspense, Collins also offers some wonderful characterisation of the contradictory nature of teen love with Katniss, her fellow Hunger Games contestant Peeta and her best (male) friend Gale featuring in a love triangle of sorts. Katniss’ relationship with her younger sister Prim, mother and various other characters ensures that those who prefer to read about characters and their relationships and interactions with each other will find plenty to enjoy.

Hunger Games Movie and Book Three

In early 2009 Lionsgate Films acquired rights to a film version of The Hunger Games, which has now entered production. The movie is expected to be released in 2011.

Updates on the release date for the third and final book in the series can be found at The Hunger Games website.

Highly Recommended Young Adult Series

The Hunger Games and Catching Fire indicate that Suzanne Collins is a writing talent to watch in the future. Katniss Everdeen is a fascinating heroine and with the numerous twists, turns and shifts in power already revealed in the first two books, readers can await the final book of the The Hunger Games series anticipating a thrilling conclusion to this fantastic drama.

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