The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Audiobook Review)

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Title: The Hunger Games
Series: Hunger Games, book 1
Author: Suzanne Collins
Narrator: Carolyn McCormick
Publisher: Scholastic Audiobooks
Duration: 11 hours, 10 minutes
Copyright: 2008
Genres: science fiction, dystopia, post apocolypse
Filed in: Audiobook reviews
Review copy provided by Kearney Public Library.

THE GIST: Far in our own future, there is a terrible calamity that leaves the entire world ravaged and decimated. From the ashes of that destruction rose a grand and shining city called Panam, in what used to be North America. Surrounding the city of Panam were thirteen outlying districts whose sole purpose was to work. Year after year, the poor people of the districts worked so that the citizens of Panam could enjoy easy and lavish lifestyles.
Eventually, the districts grew tired of that arrangement and rebelled, but they were no match for the technology of Panam. Armies of Peacekeepers from the city ravaged the first twelve districts, leaving them even poorer and more bedraggled than before. As an example to the others, District Thirteen was completely destroyed, leaving nothing but a barren wasteland where it once stood.
To make sure the remaining districts never forgot their place, the rulers of Panam created the Hunger Games. Once each year, one boy, and one girl, between the ages of twelve and eighteen, were chosen randomly from each district, in a ceremony called the Reaping. The twenty-four “contestants” were thrown together into a tremendous arena. The miles-wide playing field contained all types of terrain: forest, grassland, lakes, and rivers. The object of the games was to survive, and to do so the players had to battle not only the elements, but also each other, all for the amusement of the citizens of Panam who watched the event on television.
This year marks the 74th annual Hunger Games, and 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen of District 12 steps forward to take her little sister’s place, in accordance with the rules of the game. District 12 is the poorest of all and has had only one champion in living memory so no one expects much, but Katniss is going to give them a show they will never forget. Katniss learned survival at an early age when her father died and it was up to her to hunt and gather food for her family. She will learn, however, that survival will mean more than just shooting straight with her bow and arrow; she will have to win over the ever-watching citizens of Panam. Unfortunately, she will also learn that becoming a hero makes her a threat to the rulers of the Capital City, and they have a harsh way of dealing with threats.

MY TAKE ON IT: Suzanne Collins really did a nice job of creating a world and giving it a plausible history. The idea of a game show where the contestants fight for their very lives reminded me a lot of Richard Bachman’s “The Running Man”, where political prisoners were forced to battle it out on live television.
Katniss Everdeen is a very likeable heroine. She found herself thrust into extreme circumstances, but she never gives up. Her supporting cast are all believable characters as well. Suzanne Collins does a good job of introducing the characters, and making them behave in a realistic fashion.

NARRATOR: Carolyn McCormick did a decent job of narrating “The Hunger Games.” I can’t say that there was anything special about her narration, but I don’t have any complaints either. Come to think of it, she reminds me a little of Carine Montbertrand who narrated Scott Westerfeld’s “Uglies” audiobooks.

FINAL WORD: “The Hunger Games” is the best audiobook I’ve read in a while. Good story, good character development, it’s all here. Suzanne Collins proves to be a fairly inventive writer, and I like her vision of a post-apocalyptic world.

FILM ADAPTATION: Suzanne Collins has personally adapted “The Hunger Games” for film, and distribution rights have been purchased by Lion’s Gate Entertainment. Several young actresses have expressed an interest in playing Katniss Everdeen, but to date a cast has not been selected. It is reported that the film will have a budget of $60 million, a pretty hefty price, but no filming schedule has been announced.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Audiobook Review)
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Audiobook Review)
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins(Audiobook Review)

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This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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