Scooter Chronicles

Another book review long overdue, this time “Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins. This is the sequel to “The Hunger Games”, being the second book of the trilogy.

For those of you that are interested in reading this series, and haven’t read the first book, my suggestion is turn away and NOT read this review. I have a description in here that gives away a key ending point of the first book and will ruin the fun for you.

Again, you should NOT GO ANY FURTHER FOR FEAR OF SPOILERS if you haven’t read the first book.

My description comes from the review under the School Library Journal via Amazon.Com:

Every year in Panem, the dystopic nation that exists where the U.S. used to be, the Capitol holds a televised tournament in which two teen “tributes” from each of the surrounding districts fight a gruesome battle to the death. In “The Hunger Games”, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the tributes from impoverished District Twelve, thwarted the Gamemakers, forcing them to let both teens survive. In this rabidly anticipated sequel, Katniss, again the narrator, returns home to find herself more the center of attention than ever. The sinister President Snow surprises her with a visit, and Katniss’s fear when Snow meets with her alone is both palpable and justified. Catching Fire is divided into three parts: Katniss and Peeta’s mandatory Victory Tour through the districts, preparations for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, and a truncated version of the Games themselves. Slower paced than its predecessor, this sequel explores the nation of Panem: its power structure, rumors of a secret district, and a spreading rebellion, ignited by Katniss and Peeta’s subversive victory. Katniss also deepens as a character.

I was worried after reading the first book, which I did really like, that there wasn’t much of anywhere to go with the second book, let alone a third. But fortunately Ms. Collins pulled a rabbit out of her hat. Or maybe, like Orson Scott Card before her, she came up with the idea for the second part (possibly being able to stretch it to two halves, or three parts), before realizing that she needed a part one. I am referring to Card’s infamous Ender series.

Like the review above states, this book really opened up more information on the new nation of Panem. Even through this though, it is not heavy handed. This is not an author that is lost in world building, but more interested in telling a great story and giving ample background. It also gave more room to explore the lead character of Katniss, but also her supporting cast.

Suzanne Collins

One thing that happens about halfway through this book I probably should have seen coming, but it set up a real interesting scenario that surprised the heck out of me. It made the book even more interesting, and it also gave more depth to the government of Panem, and especially it’s leader, President Snow. The machinations of the government are highlighted more in this book and there are hints of more to come through some foreshadowing that seemed a bit forced. But overall the product didn’t suffer from “middle-book-of-trilogy-syndrome” that many others suffer from.

This book ends more on a cliffhanger. The first book you could have almost walked away from, but there are many, many questions left unanswered in this one. But with the strength of it’s telling there is no way I can stop from buying it when the third books is released.