Ok so this is an opinion/review of the ever so popular growing series of the hunger games. So I'll start with a little review and then will love to hear other people's opinions as well as mine.
Intro:
As you know may know my previous review was on the Percy Jackson series. I loved that series and if you're into fantasy that's a must read. This book was targeted at an older audience and I personally liked this book more. Not to say Percy Jackson wasn't for an older audience, I just think this will suit teens better than Percy did. If you're wondering whether or not you should read the series then what are you waiting for, I know I have never found a book more suspenseful or hooking as these books.Without farther interruption lets start.
Story:(if you already know don't read)
If you don't know the story already it's about a sixteen year old girl named Katniss, who lives in a place called Panem. She is part of district twelve of a total of what used to be 13. A place called the capitol is in control of pretty much everything and treat the districts almost like slaves. As a reminder to the districts of who has the real power the capitol holds the annual hunger games, in which two member from each district are sent to kill each other to the death. Really the story is A LOT better than I make it sound. I'm pretty terrible at summarizing but just look it up if you want more.
Romance?:
Well obviously every good book has got to have its romance and the hunger games is sure not to skip out that portion. Although the books focus on suspense mystery, unknown, trickery and oh so much more it is hugely based on romance as well. Normally I don't like having too many love scenes but I say this series has the perfect amount. You definitely get attached to the characters and Katniss will eventually have to choose between Gale and Peeta. Now obviously you get attached to the main character but I feel you get just as attached to Peeta even though it's through Katniss's eye's. Katniss has to figure out who she likes more but honestly to the reader you like Peeta more. The book does not focus much on Gale and so you don't get attached but seeing where they left off with the second book I think we'll be seeing a lot more of him and a lot less of Peeta. That all said you can literally come close to crying in some of the romance scene's as they can get REALLY... REEEAAALLY emotional, and that's one of the thing's that makes this so great. The story and plot and everything else is great, just as good as harry potter or Percy Jackson, but the thing that makes this greater than both of those is the mind blowing high level of emotion. I can't put it into words you just have to read the books to know what I mean.
Downside?:
Well you know I can nitpick anything just as many of you probably can, and like anything there are flaws if you look but mostly just opinion flaws. If you read my harry potter review you may know the problems I had with the last book. Mainly just the part when Harry dies and talks with dumbledore but that's another story. Now the third hasn't been released yet and so I can't make a full assessment. The only really IMPORTANT (keyword) flaw that I have is that the books are too short. Now, now, they are a reasonable amount and shouldn't be too much longer, I would say about 100 pages more. I don't know what to write in those pages but I finished the books way too fast. I know they aren't really that short but hey when you have a really good series I like to last as long as possible. Either it's all good and I'm happy for a while or I get bored and it runs too long but I prefer that over too short. I know people hate it when things go on to long but look at harry potter, I think the hunger games could have been the next huge series and could easily get the popularity for AT LEAST five books. Anyway other than that I have no BIG problems so far and love the series.
Release times??????????:
All the release dates have been right before school, What's up with that? I guess it gives me something to look forward to at the end of the summer but it still is painful. Rick Riordan was smart to release his books right before the summer. The Mokingjay comes out August 24 and I can't wait.
Movie:
I disagree with books into movies. I know a lot of people love seeing their favorite books on screen but that problem I have is when they take REALLY GOOD books and turn them into movies. I mean sure I'd love to see a movie of my favorite books but there are two problems. First of all they almost never do a good job, Look at harry potter I mean sure the first two were great, the third and fourth lacking thins, and by the fifth and sixth the series died. I could rant on and on about hoe bad the fifth and sixth movies were b8ut that's not what I'm talking mainly about right now. Anyway, second I love books because of the imagination and predicting what happens, movies take that all away and I don't like that. Plus the character descriptions are usually way off, not that that matters too much but it takes away the imaginative image. Please comment on what you think of the movie and if it should be done and if you think good books should be movies. Just one more thing, movies can COMPLETELY ruin books. I saw the Earagon movie BEFORE I read the book and the book just didn't seem as good because the imagination was gone. I am SOOOOOO glad I read the lightening thief in class before the movie. My friend saw the movie and didn't read the books and now that whole series is ruined for him.
Game?:
If there's a tie in video game I hope it's good, it could be a really awesome rpg although I disagree with movie tie-in games I prefer book video games over book movies (Normally anyway of course this varies but in this case I think it would apply). I'm not saying I WANT a video game but for gamers who don't read I think it would be a nice rpg if done right.
Cliffhangers galore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:
Like any good book these books have loads of cliff hangers almost at every chapter. I didn't stop once at a chapter it was always in the middle when I found the very least exciting part and even that was hard. I warn you to set aside hours before reading. Also the end of the books themselves don't really end. They leave you hanging. Imagine Harry getting about to confront voldemort and then ending right before, and then waiting a year to finally know what happens. Well that WILL pretty much happen with these books so if you haven't read them I suggest waiting until august 20th or so of 2010 to start that way the third will be out when you need it or close to anyway. These books have by far the best cliffhangers I've ever seen and I'm thankful I started the first as the second came out but I'd be more thankful if I had waited until the third, or maybe not. I do sort of like being forced to take a break it makes it seem longer. I don't know I seem kind of split on that decision.
opinions and thoughts:
Well the series is awesome and if you would like to chat about it with someone I'd be more than happy to My msn is Drive41@hotmail.com email me first though. Anyway I think teens and adults will love these books as most already do but as for kids... well if it's a mature kid because you need a good thought process and a high enough maturity level but I'm sure kids would enjoy them too, just not for the same reasons. The third comes out this summer and my friends and I can hardly wait. So let me know what you think and please share comments. All I can say is I hope the third is longer than the first two, in fact I'd be happy if it were as long as harry potter 5, so I hope that happens even though I doubt it will. Let me know what's up and please share information.
Intro:
As you know may know my previous review was on the Percy Jackson series. I loved that series and if you're into fantasy that's a must read. This book was targeted at an older audience and I personally liked this book more. Not to say Percy Jackson wasn't for an older audience, I just think this will suit teens better than Percy did. If you're wondering whether or not you should read the series then what are you waiting for, I know I have never found a book more suspenseful or hooking as these books.Without farther interruption lets start.
Story:(if you already know don't read)
If you don't know the story already it's about a sixteen year old girl named Katniss, who lives in a place called Panem. She is part of district twelve of a total of what used to be 13. A place called the capitol is in control of pretty much everything and treat the districts almost like slaves. As a reminder to the districts of who has the real power the capitol holds the annual hunger games, in which two member from each district are sent to kill each other to the death. Really the story is A LOT better than I make it sound. I'm pretty terrible at summarizing but just look it up if you want more.
Romance?:
Well obviously every good book has got to have its romance and the hunger games is sure not to skip out that portion. Although the books focus on suspense mystery, unknown, trickery and oh so much more it is hugely based on romance as well. Normally I don't like having too many love scenes but I say this series has the perfect amount. You definitely get attached to the characters and Katniss will eventually have to choose between Gale and Peeta. Now obviously you get attached to the main character but I feel you get just as attached to Peeta even though it's through Katniss's eye's. Katniss has to figure out who she likes more but honestly to the reader you like Peeta more. The book does not focus much on Gale and so you don't get attached but seeing where they left off with the second book I think we'll be seeing a lot more of him and a lot less of Peeta. That all said you can literally come close to crying in some of the romance scene's as they can get REALLY... REEEAAALLY emotional, and that's one of the thing's that makes this so great. The story and plot and everything else is great, just as good as harry potter or Percy Jackson, but the thing that makes this greater than both of those is the mind blowing high level of emotion. I can't put it into words you just have to read the books to know what I mean.
Downside?:
Well you know I can nitpick anything just as many of you probably can, and like anything there are flaws if you look but mostly just opinion flaws. If you read my harry potter review you may know the problems I had with the last book. Mainly just the part when Harry dies and talks with dumbledore but that's another story. Now the third hasn't been released yet and so I can't make a full assessment. The only really IMPORTANT (keyword) flaw that I have is that the books are too short. Now, now, they are a reasonable amount and shouldn't be too much longer, I would say about 100 pages more. I don't know what to write in those pages but I finished the books way too fast. I know they aren't really that short but hey when you have a really good series I like to last as long as possible. Either it's all good and I'm happy for a while or I get bored and it runs too long but I prefer that over too short. I know people hate it when things go on to long but look at harry potter, I think the hunger games could have been the next huge series and could easily get the popularity for AT LEAST five books. Anyway other than that I have no BIG problems so far and love the series.
Release times??????????:
All the release dates have been right before school, What's up with that? I guess it gives me something to look forward to at the end of the summer but it still is painful. Rick Riordan was smart to release his books right before the summer. The Mokingjay comes out August 24 and I can't wait.
Movie:
I disagree with books into movies. I know a lot of people love seeing their favorite books on screen but that problem I have is when they take REALLY GOOD books and turn them into movies. I mean sure I'd love to see a movie of my favorite books but there are two problems. First of all they almost never do a good job, Look at harry potter I mean sure the first two were great, the third and fourth lacking thins, and by the fifth and sixth the series died. I could rant on and on about hoe bad the fifth and sixth movies were b8ut that's not what I'm talking mainly about right now. Anyway, second I love books because of the imagination and predicting what happens, movies take that all away and I don't like that. Plus the character descriptions are usually way off, not that that matters too much but it takes away the imaginative image. Please comment on what you think of the movie and if it should be done and if you think good books should be movies. Just one more thing, movies can COMPLETELY ruin books. I saw the Earagon movie BEFORE I read the book and the book just didn't seem as good because the imagination was gone. I am SOOOOOO glad I read the lightening thief in class before the movie. My friend saw the movie and didn't read the books and now that whole series is ruined for him.
Game?:
If there's a tie in video game I hope it's good, it could be a really awesome rpg although I disagree with movie tie-in games I prefer book video games over book movies (Normally anyway of course this varies but in this case I think it would apply). I'm not saying I WANT a video game but for gamers who don't read I think it would be a nice rpg if done right.
Cliffhangers galore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:
Like any good book these books have loads of cliff hangers almost at every chapter. I didn't stop once at a chapter it was always in the middle when I found the very least exciting part and even that was hard. I warn you to set aside hours before reading. Also the end of the books themselves don't really end. They leave you hanging. Imagine Harry getting about to confront voldemort and then ending right before, and then waiting a year to finally know what happens. Well that WILL pretty much happen with these books so if you haven't read them I suggest waiting until august 20th or so of 2010 to start that way the third will be out when you need it or close to anyway. These books have by far the best cliffhangers I've ever seen and I'm thankful I started the first as the second came out but I'd be more thankful if I had waited until the third, or maybe not. I do sort of like being forced to take a break it makes it seem longer. I don't know I seem kind of split on that decision.
opinions and thoughts:
Well the series is awesome and if you would like to chat about it with someone I'd be more than happy to My msn is Drive41@hotmail.com email me first though. Anyway I think teens and adults will love these books as most already do but as for kids... well if it's a mature kid because you need a good thought process and a high enough maturity level but I'm sure kids would enjoy them too, just not for the same reasons. The third comes out this summer and my friends and I can hardly wait. So let me know what you think and please share comments. All I can say is I hope the third is longer than the first two, in fact I'd be happy if it were as long as harry potter 5, so I hope that happens even though I doubt it will. Let me know what's up and please share information.
