Hooked

A map of the fictional nation of Panem from Su...

A map of the fictional nation of Panem from Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games." (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That’s it, now I have to read book three. Suzanne Collins has ensnared me with the Hunger Games Trilogy. The first was absolutely spell binding. The second a little less so but the plot kept evolving with hints of the future secreting themselves into the fray throughout.

I thought Catching Fire was bit less exciting than Hunger Games, but that is because Catching Fire involves the same characters repeating their participation in a new set of games. The winners from previous games were supposedly exempt from being chosen for new games, but the dictatorial President of Panem decided to show his government  has the power, and control to do anything they want to the citizenry.

The arena games are more contrived and mechanical. The characters are less savage and the gamekeepers are the villains this time. They invented some horrendous ways to kill off the characters who formed alliances and spent a good part of their time avoiding gamekeeper traps.

The hook comes in the final few pages of the story. A surprise occurs and the story reveals a new trap. The trap is set for the reader who now must go to book three to learn the outcome.