Today, we’re switching things up just a little bit. Rather than review a film or TV show for you, this time I’m going to discuss a book.
Intrigued? I know I was.
New York Times best-selling author Suzanne Collins wrote “The Hunger Games.” The young-adult dystopian novel is the first book in an exciting trilogy.
The setting of the story is Panem. That’s what we’ve come to call America in the future after a second Civil War.
The Capitol was the victor of the war.
The rest of the former U.S. territory has been divided into 12 separate districts. Each district specializes in something that benefits the Capitol.
For instance, District 11 is the agriculture district. More importantly, District 12, the coal-mining district, is where 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen is from.
People in the Capitol are fancy-free while citizens in the districts starve. Capitol dwellers enjoy all sorts of entertainment and cool technology.
Speaking of entertainment, to remind the 12 districts, enslaved by the Capitol’s regime, of their loss in the war, a televised gladiatorial event is held every year.
And get this: The participants, forced to fight to death in the arena for the delight of the Capitol, are children.
Every year, chosen via lottery, one girl and one boy from each district must fight in The Hunger Games.
At the opening of the novel, we meet Katniss, a tough teen whose father has been killed in the mines. She takes care of her mother and little sister by illegally poaching in the woods with her best friend, Gale. (He’s a guy.)
When she hears the name of her 12-year-old sister being called as this year’s tribute to compete in The Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place.
Then a boy’s name is called to join Katniss. His name is Peeta. He’s the son of the local baker, and a very long time ago, he saved Katniss’ life. It’s too bad she’ll have to kill him. That is, if the other tributes don’t kill her first.
I really could go on and on about this book. “The Hunger Games” is among the most original novels I’ve ever read.
Even Stephen King is a fan. He calls it “a speed-rap of a novel that generates nearly constant suspense.”
Even more exciting is news that a film adaptation currently is in the works.
Actress Jennifer Lawrence from “Winter’s Bone,” who also is in “X-Men: First Class,” which debuts June 3, will play the role of Katniss. She is on the cover of this week’s Entertainment Weekly in costume.
The first “Hunger Games” film will hit theaters next year in March, just in time for my birthday. I can’t wait …
Because I’m a fan! Can you tell?