The Hunger Games (Book 1)

by Suzanne Collins

Book Overview

This description may be from another edition of this product. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were...

Customer Reviews

My Favorite Series

The Hunger Games was really popular when I was in middle school but I was really bad at reading and had no interest in doing so. I'm glad I waited however! I'm 19 and this is my first read through of the series and my goodness! I love it! Suzanne Collins character development and world building is unmatched, the way she describes the arena and the Capitol makes you feel like you are there and it is truly amazing. I can't stop talking about these books now.

Couldn't put it down!

borrowed it from the library first to make sure it was worth having, couldn't put it down and ordered it after reading the series in 3 days. recommend 10/10

Dang

Came in perfect condition (like new) But this story! How does somebody have the strength to put it down!

Great book!

I remember myself very impressed reading this, was so nice to meet The Hunger games.

Great

Great condition for a preowned book.

Wow I'm speechless about this book!!

This book has mad my heart pound as these people risk their lives for their country in a some what war-ish type "festival" that they partake in.. You have to read this book OMG!!

One of the most epic books I have ever read

Riveting post-apocalyptic tale

The Hunger Games is an amazing post-apocalyptic/dystopian novel set in Panem, the former USA. This nation is ruled by The Capitol and surrounded by the 12 districts. In an effort to wield control over the Districts an annual competition called The Hunger Games is held, in which one girl and one boy from each District competes in a fight to the death, which is televised night and day during the competition. When 16 year old Katniss Everdeen's little sister is chosen for the games she steps forward to take her place; Katniss does this knowing that she is probably going to die. This is a concept that has been explored in many different novels over the years. It's a bit of 1984 with a dash of The Running Man and a heaping serving of Survivor. What really sells this book though is Katniss. She is a fighter long before she is chosen for the games. She is the sole means of food for her family, hunting against the rules, dealing in the black market, a strong female protagonist who is not going down without a fight. By using her survival skills and forming an alliance with Peeta, the other contestant from her district, Katniss becomes a challenger in the games. Along the way she is also confronted with her feelings for Peeta as well as those of the boy she left behind at home. I love that this book is written for Young Adults in a way that is exciting and engaging, while at the same time opening their eyes to injustice without it seeming like a history lesson. So many topics are touched upon; a nation filled with so many poor and a handful of very rich, the use of fear to govern, Big Brother watching every move, even the issue of our addiction to `reality tv' and questioning how real it is. To have a female character that uses her brains to survive, without losing her humanity, is a great achievement, although the games and deaths are very, very brutal. The burgeoning love story between Katniss and Peeta is handled well, with just enough romance to not be mawkish and the book doesn't wrap everything up completely, since the last line is: END OF BOOK ONE. The tiniest of complaints is at times some of the writing feels a little repetitious, but that is a small criticism for a truly riveting story. Now I need to get Catching Fire, book 2.

Chilling, Compelling, Best of 2008

When Katniss Everdeen finds herself a contestant in the annual Hunger Games, she considers herself a goner. Out of 24 teenaged contestants chosen from the 12 districts of Panem, only 1 will emerge victorious. The rest will be slaughtered. By each other. And the entire event will be televised from the Capitol for the entire nation to watch. If you had described the basic plot of the Hunger Games to me and told me that it was going to be THE book to read in 2008, I probably would have raised an eyebrow. Futuristic? And dystopian? AND gladiatorial? Despite the seemingly disparate elements, Suzanne Collins somehow managed to hit upon the perfect combination in this thrilling story about a girl who lives in a nation obsessed with violence and reality television. There is action, romance, deception, humans hunting humans (Most Dangerous Game, anyone?) surgically altered stylists (reminiscent of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies), genetically enhanced mutants, a cruel totalitarian government, and a unspoken mandatory creed to treat the entire event as if it were a holiday. I read Hunger Games from start to finish in a day while I was supposed to be studying for finals. I meant to read a chapter or two and then go back to work, but I just could not put it down. Hunger Games is the kind of book that continues to haunt you days and weeks after you've turned the final page. I absolutely recommend it to everyone, with the one caveat that it does feature brutal violence between children and is perhaps not for the faint of heart. The next book can't come fast enough! In the mean time, I'm going to go learn how to shoot a bow, you never know when you're going to need to know how!

Could not put it down.

The 74th Annual Hunger Games are soon to begin. The Hunger Games are a fight to the death. In the new country of Panem, in the ruins of North America, each year as punishment for a rebellion and as a control mechanism, the Capitol forces each of the 12 provinces to draw names of a male and female tribute. The tributes are drawn from all people between the ages of 12 and 18. They receive training, are assessed by the game masters and then the betting begins. The games will be televised and are required viewing for the whole nation. The draws are not exactly even though. You can choose to enter your name extra times, for yourself and for family members to receive a terse, a grain and oil supplement from the government. Thus enters our heroine Katniss Everdeen. She is entered this year 20 times as she is 16 and taken the terse every year, for herself, her sister and her mother. Her close friend Gale has his name in 42 times, but this is the last year he is eligible. Then Katniss has the worst fear hit - her younger sister Prim (short for Primrose) is drawn with her 1st and only ballot. Katniss then does the unthinkable; she volunteers to take Prim's place. Katniss Everdeen knows that she has at least some chance of survival in the games. She has been secretly hunting in the woods and feeding her family since her father died years earlier. She hunts and gathers what she can with her friend and hunting partner Gale, in the woods beyond the fenced border of District 12. Yet even so, most believe she has just given up her life for her sisters. Katniss and Peeta Mellark are the tributes from District 12 for the 74th annual hunger games. As they travel to the capitol they have two mentors - Haymitch Abernathy the only surviving Hunger Games winner from the district and Effie Trinket the Capitol's representative in the district. They will each in their own way try to help them to survive both the Capitol, to win favor with the citizens who can sponsor them in the games, and then the games themselves. This book is very well written, the scenes sharp and crisp, the world believable and detailed. The characters become real as you read. You reach the end and are left hungry for more, which is what you will get as this is book one in a trilogy. The only drawback in my opinion is the lack of a map. I keep hoping for a map of Panem, with the 12 districts, the mysterious destroyed 13th district and the wilderness area's between them. Maybe it is just a guy thing, but I wanted a map. In this book Twenty-four are forced to enter the game zone but only the winner survives. You get a sample online. You can read chapter 1 online but it will only whet your appetite for more. There is also a video trailer for the book you can find online. This is a great Sci-fi book and would make an excellent movie.

Hungry for the next book!!

I read this book upon the recommendation of Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series of books even though this isn't the kind of book I typically would seek out at the library. THANK YOU MS. MEYER! The Hunger Games had me engrossed from the first page. I was very intrigued with the characters, especially Katniss, however, the development of all the characters was impressive. The complexity of each character was described so well that there really weren't any that I didn't love and hate at the same time. The story itself is scary...to think that such a concept could be born and carried out is unsettling, but, unfortuantely believable. I'm not a person who likes blood and gore and this book is sometimes violent and gory, however, not to the point that I was too grossed out to read on. The romance added just enough additional struggle to keep me addicted. I would classify The Hunger Games writing as excellent. As you read you can easily visualize the characters and what's taking place. I am sooooo looking forward to the second book.

The Hunger Games - Definitely worth reading!

It took me a while to get to this book because I never saw it out of my two daughters' hands. They devoured it! Once I read it, I understood. This is the second book I have reviewed this month that had a powerful female protagonist (other being 'Graceling'). I found the book to be well written with a fantastic pacing. Their is violence in there, but not so over the top as to be distracting. Intimate scenes are sparingly written so as not to be too embarassing (something I greatly appreciated as a dad!!) The rage against the system theme is prevalent enough to notice, but not as overbearing as say.... Ayn Rand or Terry Pratchett. All in all, I highly recommend this book for kids from 12 up. The ending leads me to believe that this will be a series. I imagine I will be pre-ordering as soon as it's available. Congratulation Ms. Collins!! All the best, Jay