The 75th Annual Hunger Games
I just finished reading this book, and it was really GOOD. I haven't watched the movie but I will when I'm in the mood. Today I will talk about the book.
Panem is the country in which the games take place, for those who don't know. After the apocalypse, the sea level rose drastically, then the world was ruined, and then Panem arose, a country stretched across what was the USA, a little of Canada, and Mexico. How the world ended and society collapsed isn't important though. It's what happened AFTERWARDS.
Panem rose somewhere around 500-800 years after the world broke down. The North American continent had changed a lot, sea level had risen, cities were destroyed, and wars had raged. Panem was a happy kingdom except it wasn't :p. A big, full scale rebellion began after Panem settled. After the rebellion the districts of Panem (13 in total) were isolated from each other, and district 13, which produced nuclear power and weapons, was bombed to oblivion by the capitol because of the huge threat they posed.
After the rebellion of the districts was defeated, a series of annual tournaments named The Hunger Games were established by the capitol. Each district would have to offer 2 teens (13-19), one female and one male, to send to the games. In the games they would be thrown into a landscape sealed off by a giant dome force field. The tributes (as the players are called) must fight to the death. Only one tribute will survive. That tribute's district is then showered with gifts and wealth for one year. And the victor would become quite wealthy and be assured peace and protection for the rest of their life. Every 25 years there would be a quarter quell. On each quarter quell there would be a special rule for that year's Hunger Games. For example, on the 50th Hunger Games, there was double the amount of tributes, and on the 75th Games the tributes were chosen from the existing pool of previous victors. (Spoiler alert)
Roughly 800 years from now technology will have changed a lot, right? Well, in Panem it definitely did. They have force fields, hovercrafts, holograms, and all sorts of weapons and gadgets. But, for whatever reason, they stick to guns. During the training before the hunger games the tributes practice on holograms so they are prepared to fight.
Panem's anthem sounds totally out of place. It sounds 'happy' yet people are locked in a dome killing each other for the ruler's entertainment. Yeah, not so 'happy'
Here's the national seal:
(It doesn't let me insert the anthem)
The rules in the Hunger Games are as follows:
You may not step off the launchpad before the games start.
You may not eat anyone (a tribute called Titus once tried).
Stay alive.
I will try not to say very much about the actual story because, of course, maybe you will want to read it. I can just say that it is very exciting, and near the end many characters you don't think will die, do. The story is gory and kind of sad. The first book makes the most sense. The second book gets a little more war-like and less about the actual hunger games, and the third has left and forgotten about the games completely. the book should have been called Panem instead of The Hunger Games.
I am really into Dungeons and Dragons (which is also called D&D for short), and after I read good books or see good movies I incorporate them into D&D, for example: Dungeons & Zombies, Dungeons & Bone*, and Dungeons & Star Wars, you get the idea.
THE HUNGER GAMES:
RPG** in Panem
The rules are pretty much like D&D except you are a tribute in The Hunger Games. There are no magic things, goblins, elves, or any of that stuff, and it is fully PVP (Player Versus Player).
So for those wanting to compete in an imaginary world:
LET THE 75th ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!
"May the odds be EVER in your favor!"
~Effie Trinket
*A really good comic series by Jeff Smith. Read it, its really good.
**Role Playing Game
Oh, and also, heres a pic I made (using 'mac keynote') of the weapons commonly used in the Games:
