The Hunger Games - Page 3

HarryT · 03-07-2012, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

Oh, I would also point out that I believe quite a few adults are buying and reading the books

.

Absolutely. I was simply making the point that we, as adults, are probably not in a position to pass judgement on the books, since we are not their target audience. If we want to know whether or not a book aimed at teenagers is a success (in terms of its target audience) we need to ask teenagers what their view of it is.

jhempel24 · 03-07-2012, 02:11 PM

The only problem is that the success of THESE books is largely dependent on the adult readers. These could easily be adult books with a bit more detail....which is one of the reasons I like young adult books...they just gloss over stuff that you don't absolutely "need", at least in my experience.

Dazrin · 03-07-2012, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I've always felt that "Young Adult" is a particularly meaningly phrase. If a book is aimed at 14-year-olds, then (in my view) it's a childrens' book. Let me add that I say that as a big fan of children's books. I have a large collection of turn-of-the-20th-century childrens' books: Tom Swift, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, etc.

That's the category into which I'd place "The Hunger Games"; please do correct me if you disagree.

I never am very clear on what constitutes "young adult" book, but I would not put The Hunger Games in the same category as the Hardy Boys or The Chronicles Narnia. The subject matter (and what happens to the protagonists) is much different and more "adult" in The Hunger Games. I don't think the Hunger Games is necessarily an "adult" book, but considering it a "children's" book is a stretch. It seems like there ought to be a different category for Narnia/HB/ND, etc. (Is there a "young reader" category? I thought I saw a section like that in our library.)

I know I started reading the Narnia books and Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew when I was in 2nd grade. I don't see ever letting a child that young start on the hunger games.

I tend to just categorized books by genre rather than age. So Hunger Games would be sci-fi (or post-apocolyptic/sci-fi depending on how detailed you want to get), Narnia/Hobbit are pretty clearly fantasy, Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew are mystery, etc.

Penforhire · 03-08-2012, 11:32 AM

To me the YA category allows for topics that most of us consider appropriate for tweens and not single digit ages. I'm thinking of the nuts and bolts of dating. Or a degree of hazard or violence that a younger child might find disturbing. Or drug/alcohol/smoking use, abuse, or debate.

GeckoFriend · 03-23-2012, 11:24 AM

With the current 85% off offer from Kobo I bought the first book (for $.83 it's hard to go wrong).
It sounds like most of the posters in this thread would stop there. Does the 85% off change your thinking on books 2 and 3?

jhempel24 · 03-23-2012, 11:27 AM

I thought book 2 was better especially for that price. Is the discounted anywhere else?

GeckoFriend · 03-23-2012, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhempel24

I thought book 2 was better especially for that price. Is the discounted anywhere else?

Okay, I bought book 2 and I'll blame you for that.

. I don't know of any other sites with the discount. Would Amazon price match?

Synamon · 03-23-2012, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeckoFriend

With the current 85% off offer from Kobo I bought the first book (for $.83 it's hard to go wrong).
It sounds like most of the posters in this thread would stop there. Does the 85% off change your thinking on books 2 and 3?

I just finished listening to the first book yesterday and I definitely want to go on to the second book.

bill_mchale · 03-23-2012, 01:42 PM

Well mind you, the second book ends on a more definitive cliff hanger than the first book... it might be possible to read the first book on its own and leave it at that (Though the ending is somewhat unsatisfying), but the second book will have you reaching for the third.

I for one did not think the third was a bad book. It definitely has a very different emphasis than the first two.

--
Bill

DiapDealer · 03-23-2012, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Well mind you, the second book ends on a more definitive cliff hanger than the first book... it might be possible to read the first book on its own and leave it at that (Though the ending is somewhat unsatisfying), but the second book will have you reaching for the third.

Since she had no intention of writing a second (or third) book until after the first was published, the first book sounds like the perfect jumping-off point to me. Since at one point, she fully intended that to be the end of the story.

GeckoFriend · 03-23-2012, 03:43 PM

I ended up buying all three books since they were so cheap. If I don't like them it won't be the first books I bought and didn't like.

elemenoP · 03-23-2012, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Since she had no intention of writing a second (or third) book until after the first was published, the first book sounds like the perfect jumping-off point to me. Since at one point, she fully intended that to be the end of the story.

Diap, do you have a source for that? I find it hard to believe. I mean, I totally believe that at ONE time she only planned one book, but I think her plans must have changed *before* the book was published. Because a lot of things were unresolved when the first book ended.

eP

elemenoP · 03-23-2012, 04:16 PM

Also, I just read that Hunger Games is the best-selling book on Kindle (note that Prime Lending counts as a sale, I think).

eP

JSWolf · 03-23-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elemenoP

Also, I just read that Hunger Games is the best-selling book on Kindle (note that Prime Lending counts as a sale, I think).

eP

If Prime Lending counts as a sale, then the sales figures for Amazon are not actually valid. People will borrow a book that's free and try it where the same book might not sell if it has to be bought.

rhadin · 03-23-2012, 05:59 PM

I read the books and thought they were good -- not great, but certainly enjoyable. This afternoon I saw the movie, and I thought it was very well done. Closely follows the book. Donald Sutherland plays the "dictator". The Cinna character was not nearly as well developed as in the book, which was too bad. Woody Harrelson was a disappointment as Katniss' mentor.

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03-07-2012, 02:11 PM	#32
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	The only problem is that the success of THESE books is largely dependent on the adult readers. These could easily be adult books with a bit more detail....which is one of the reasons I like young adult books...they just gloss over stuff that you don't absolutely "need", at least in my experience.

03-08-2012, 11:32 AM	#34
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	To me the YA category allows for topics that most of us consider appropriate for tweens and not single digit ages. I'm thinking of the nuts and bolts of dating. Or a degree of hazard or violence that a younger child might find disturbing. Or drug/alcohol/smoking use, abuse, or debate.

03-23-2012, 11:24 AM	#35
GeckoFriend Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 1164945 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: iPhone 7+, iPad Mini4, Kindle Voyage	With the current 85% off offer from Kobo I bought the first book (for $.83 it's hard to go wrong). It sounds like most of the posters in this thread would stop there. Does the 85% off change your thinking on books 2 and 3?

03-23-2012, 11:27 AM	#36
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	I thought book 2 was better especially for that price. Is the discounted anywhere else?

03-23-2012, 01:42 PM	#39
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Well mind you, the second book ends on a more definitive cliff hanger than the first book... it might be possible to read the first book on its own and leave it at that (Though the ending is somewhat unsatisfying), but the second book will have you reaching for the third. I for one did not think the third was a bad book. It definitely has a very different emphasis than the first two. -- Bill

03-23-2012, 03:43 PM	#41
GeckoFriend Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 1164945 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: iPhone 7+, iPad Mini4, Kindle Voyage	I ended up buying all three books since they were so cheap. If I don't like them it won't be the first books I bought and didn't like.

03-23-2012, 04:16 PM	#43
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Also, I just read that Hunger Games is the best-selling book on Kindle (note that Prime Lending counts as a sale, I think). eP

03-23-2012, 05:59 PM	#45
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 4,833 Karma: 59674358 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Nook, Nook Tablet	I read the books and thought they were good -- not great, but certainly enjoyable. This afternoon I saw the movie, and I thought it was very well done. Closely follows the book. Donald Sutherland plays the "dictator". The Cinna character was not nearly as well developed as in the book, which was too bad. Woody Harrelson was a disappointment as Katniss' mentor.