Katniss Everdeen is in a bit of a bind. See...

1. She's stuck in the top of a tree.
2. With severe burns from a little bombing incident earlier.
3. She's got a group of vicious enemies down below.
4. Waiting to kill her.
5. And the dreamy baker's son from her hometown.
6. Not that she's sure how she feels about him, but...
7. Did we mention the the mildly creepy 12 year-old in the tree next door?
8. Friend or foe?
9. Doesn't really matter, because she's pointing at a nest of genetically mutated wasps called "tracker jackers."
10. That leave possibly fatal stings the size of softballs.

Because she's sort of in the midst of a to-the-death arena survival match. No biggie.

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Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games occur in a dystopian future where The Capital rules over 12 surrounding districts in a nation now known as Panem. Well, it used to be North America. And there used to be 13 districts...

See, the citizens of Panem once rebelled against their Draconian leaders, only to be quickly silenced. District 13 and its inhabitants are wiped out. As a cruel little reminder regarding the futility of such rebellion, The Capital begins an annual competition/reality show known as "The Hunger Games." One boy and one girl, ranging in age from 12 to 18, are chosen at random from each district. Unfortunately, it's Katniss' younger sister, Prim, that's initially chosen as "tribute" for her district. Thus, Katniss volunteers herself instead.

It's a little complicated, and that's the beauty of Collins' book. Although this story has been told before through the earliest legends of civilization and the glossy world of Japanese cinema, it remains fresh. The immediacy of Katniss' first-person perspective brings about continual palm-sweating for the reader. Traditional gender roles are tossed out the window, as Katniss exhibits fierce hunting skillz and survival tactics that would make
Bear Grylls blush. And she still has time for a decent make-out session here and there to boot. And seriously fierce outfits (on fire!).

So, I'm pretty happy this is the beginning of a trilogy. If you like fast-paced adventure, enjoy a little heartbreak, and geek out on Orwell, then the odds are forever in your favor on this one.

Publisher info (including the first chapter) here.

Stephen King's review of the book here. <-- A wee bit better than mine.

Get bonus points from your peers at parties: Casually mention that the fictional nation of Panem likely refers to the Latin phrase "panem et circenses" or "bread and circuses." If you win any bets from this, I expect a share of the winnings. Or: don't kill me if we end up in a to-the-death arena match.

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