As many will suspect from a previous post, I whole-heartedly support the recent surge in popularity of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy. However, as with all great series, The Hunger Games eventually ends, leaving many readers still craving the feelings of excitement, empathy, and rebellion that Collins’ work instills. For those attracted to these tales of Dystopia, survival and insurrection; here is Part One of my picks for the best novels to chase Hunger Games’ fire.
When Todd’s predecessors came to the new planet, they didn’t know it would happen; that some strange environmental factor would mean the thoughts of all the animals and all the men would be heard by those around them. Now the thoughts broadcast so loudly they are referred to simply as Noise. Todd is the last remaining ‘boy’ in his all-male town and the women’s disappearance is seldom discussed. When Todd discovers a girl his own age in the wilderness, he begins to understand the crux of the conflict. She has no Noise. For the first time in his life Todd can’t tell what someone else is thinking and, somehow, he knows he has to protect her quiet.
Patrick Ness’ Chaos Walking trilogy, of which The Knife of Never Letting Go is Book One, contains possibly the best tale of friendship since A Bridge to Terabithia. While this would be enough to warrant reading the series, the trilogy also raises many political, moral and personal discussions; from colonization (including treatment of indigenous species and cultures) and the ethics of warfare to how we distinguish our actions from our definition of self, particularly when the two are at odds. When compared with The Hunger Games, Ness’ trilogy is less a call to arms social commentary and more of a philosophical exploration, though similarly garbed in an action-filled Sci-Fi Dystopia package. The series has garnered multiple book award nominations and wins as well as widespread critical acclaim. Personally, I’d call it the best YA series of the last five years.
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