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Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
As you all know I fancy myself somewhat of a philosopher, and as such I must remain well-read in all manner of books in order to compare and contrast them with the Bible.
Well I am here today to offer you my review on the latest blockbuster book that has been sweeping the nation like a firestorm: The Hunger Games.
Set in a future version of the United States (called Panem, for legal reasons, presumably), our country has descended into a highly segregated nation with 13 "areas": a Capital, and 12 so-called Districts, each specialized in a certain field. The Capital takes care of the managerial work (they are the job creators), and each of the 12 Districts are in charge of various blue-collar work (mining, growing crops, etc). In exchange for their labors, each worker is rewarded with a generous helping of food and protection.
However, due to a lack of professional sports teams, the Job Creators in the Capital sponsor a yearly event called The Hunger Games. These games are an event where two contestants from each District, a boy and a girl, are chosen to compete in an arena, fighting to the death. The final winner is rewarded by a year's supply of extra food for him and his or her entire district.
Well our story follows the young, fatherless 16-year old girl named Katniss Everdeen. When her younger sister Prim is chosen to be a combatant in the Games, Everdeen selfishly takes her spot in a blatant attempt to steal the glory that comes by winning the Games. We follow her as she trains for the games, using skills developed during her childhood's criminal activities.
In preparation for the Games, the Capital provides her with generous helpings of food, training in various weapons and even allows her to solicit for donations that will help her to win the Games! Throughout her training, however, Katniss continues to sulk about how she simply wants to go home, and to constantly whine about how much she hates the Job Creators and their glamorous lifestyles.
As the Hunger Games begin, we immediately see Katniss' strategy unfold: she feigns interest in the other contestant from her District: the hunky Peeta. Since the Games are televised throughout the Districts and the Capital, she hopes to solicit donations from star-struck fans by, ahem, giving them a show, sucking face (and possibly other things) with Peeta at every opportunity that she gets.
We follow her as she cunningly follows Peeta around like a helpless kitten, letting him do all the dirty work. As one-by-one the contestants from the other districts slowly start dying, it becomes evident that Katniss' true talent is sitting idly by while waiting for her man to do something.
Finally the Hunger Games are almost over. There remain only 2 contestants: Peeta and Katniss. I won't spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that the Capital comes out the hero in the end through a magnanimous showing of gratitude and charitable deed to avert a major disaster typical of a female's idea!
SUMMARY
All in all, I thought that this book was entertaining. However, the vicious streak of anti-Capitalist thinking is just under the surface, painting well-to-do Job Creators as villainous and callous while the "Joe Six-Pack" was really the hero. That part was almost impossible to get past.
However, there is plenty of gratuitous violence, and with a mind like mine I was able to conjure up all sorts of gruesome scenes! Sadly, though, the violence was offset by a frightening amount of love-innuendo that I must warn you about. True to form, Katniss used her body at every turn for an advantage, lavishing upon the unprepared Peeta many kisses and probably other things as well.
And finally, and most disappointingly there are exactly zero (0) references to our Lord and Savior in this book. Initially I had hopes that this book would be both a good read and serve as a witness for our Faith, but alas that did not pan out. Not once does the young tramp or any of her peers fall on her knees to beg God for forgiveness for her many transgressions, nor to help her to solve her many problems.
FINAL GRADE: B
I have heard that there are other books in the series, so there may be another review or two coming your way!.
As you all know I fancy myself somewhat of a philosopher, and as such I must remain well-read in all manner of books in order to compare and contrast them with the Bible.
Well I am here today to offer you my review on the latest blockbuster book that has been sweeping the nation like a firestorm: The Hunger Games.
Set in a future version of the United States (called Panem, for legal reasons, presumably), our country has descended into a highly segregated nation with 13 "areas": a Capital, and 12 so-called Districts, each specialized in a certain field. The Capital takes care of the managerial work (they are the job creators), and each of the 12 Districts are in charge of various blue-collar work (mining, growing crops, etc). In exchange for their labors, each worker is rewarded with a generous helping of food and protection.
However, due to a lack of professional sports teams, the Job Creators in the Capital sponsor a yearly event called The Hunger Games. These games are an event where two contestants from each District, a boy and a girl, are chosen to compete in an arena, fighting to the death. The final winner is rewarded by a year's supply of extra food for him and his or her entire district.
Well our story follows the young, fatherless 16-year old girl named Katniss Everdeen. When her younger sister Prim is chosen to be a combatant in the Games, Everdeen selfishly takes her spot in a blatant attempt to steal the glory that comes by winning the Games. We follow her as she trains for the games, using skills developed during her childhood's criminal activities.
In preparation for the Games, the Capital provides her with generous helpings of food, training in various weapons and even allows her to solicit for donations that will help her to win the Games! Throughout her training, however, Katniss continues to sulk about how she simply wants to go home, and to constantly whine about how much she hates the Job Creators and their glamorous lifestyles.
As the Hunger Games begin, we immediately see Katniss' strategy unfold: she feigns interest in the other contestant from her District: the hunky Peeta. Since the Games are televised throughout the Districts and the Capital, she hopes to solicit donations from star-struck fans by, ahem, giving them a show, sucking face (and possibly other things) with Peeta at every opportunity that she gets.
We follow her as she cunningly follows Peeta around like a helpless kitten, letting him do all the dirty work. As one-by-one the contestants from the other districts slowly start dying, it becomes evident that Katniss' true talent is sitting idly by while waiting for her man to do something.
Finally the Hunger Games are almost over. There remain only 2 contestants: Peeta and Katniss. I won't spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that the Capital comes out the hero in the end through a magnanimous showing of gratitude and charitable deed to avert a major disaster typical of a female's idea!
SUMMARY
All in all, I thought that this book was entertaining. However, the vicious streak of anti-Capitalist thinking is just under the surface, painting well-to-do Job Creators as villainous and callous while the "Joe Six-Pack" was really the hero. That part was almost impossible to get past.
However, there is plenty of gratuitous violence, and with a mind like mine I was able to conjure up all sorts of gruesome scenes! Sadly, though, the violence was offset by a frightening amount of love-innuendo that I must warn you about. True to form, Katniss used her body at every turn for an advantage, lavishing upon the unprepared Peeta many kisses and probably other things as well.
And finally, and most disappointingly there are exactly zero (0) references to our Lord and Savior in this book. Initially I had hopes that this book would be both a good read and serve as a witness for our Faith, but alas that did not pan out. Not once does the young tramp or any of her peers fall on her knees to beg God for forgiveness for her many transgressions, nor to help her to solve her many problems.
FINAL GRADE: B
I have heard that there are other books in the series, so there may be another review or two coming your way!.
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