As you probably know, one of the most popular book series out right now is The
Hunger Games. While I'm not a huge fan of The Hunger Games (kind
of like Harry Potter - tried to read the books, watched the movies, still a
little bored), I do enjoy the dystopian genre so when I heard that there was a
book similar to The Hunger Games I thought, "What the hell? I'll
give it a shot." So here's the book that I've been meaning to blog about
for two or so months now...
Battle Royale
Summary: A class of Japanese students is taken to a deserted island where the government is forcing them to fight to the death. Each student is provided with a weapon and some rations. The students are forced to kill one another until there is only one left. And if no one dies within 24 hours? Every student is killed. Now the students have to decide whether they are going to play the sick game or if they are going to fight back - even if fighting back means certain death. Who will have to strength to survive? And does anyone truly win in Battle Royale?
What I thought of the book:
I honestly don't think I can put into words how much I loved this book. Heart-breaking, thrilling, suspenseful, and full-on creepy, this book rocks. There are great plot-twists and not to mention some amazing characters. The author did a great job with the bad guys especially - they're the kind of people you love to hate but at the same time feel a little bit sorry for. Seriously, probably one of my favorite books of all time (which is saying a lot, seeing as my own mother called me a "book snob").
When I describe the book to my friends they're always like, "So it's a Japanese Hunger Games." NO. If anything, The Hunger Games is actually an American Battle Royale. You know why? Because Battle Royale came out in 199-freaking-9 and the first Hunger Games book came out in 2008. Nine years, Battle Royale was out before The Hunger Games.
Now, I'm not saying the two books aren't similar. In fact, they are suspiciously similar. Am I saying that Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games, copied Battle Royale? Um, hell yeah. At first I didn't think so - I just thought they had a similar idea going on and I was totally fine with that. It happens all the time in the world of writing. But then I found more and more and more little details that happened to be the same in both books. Let me give you a list of a few of them:
Battle Royale
Summary: A class of Japanese students is taken to a deserted island where the government is forcing them to fight to the death. Each student is provided with a weapon and some rations. The students are forced to kill one another until there is only one left. And if no one dies within 24 hours? Every student is killed. Now the students have to decide whether they are going to play the sick game or if they are going to fight back - even if fighting back means certain death. Who will have to strength to survive? And does anyone truly win in Battle Royale?
What I thought of the book:
I honestly don't think I can put into words how much I loved this book. Heart-breaking, thrilling, suspenseful, and full-on creepy, this book rocks. There are great plot-twists and not to mention some amazing characters. The author did a great job with the bad guys especially - they're the kind of people you love to hate but at the same time feel a little bit sorry for. Seriously, probably one of my favorite books of all time (which is saying a lot, seeing as my own mother called me a "book snob").
When I describe the book to my friends they're always like, "So it's a Japanese Hunger Games." NO. If anything, The Hunger Games is actually an American Battle Royale. You know why? Because Battle Royale came out in 199-freaking-9 and the first Hunger Games book came out in 2008. Nine years, Battle Royale was out before The Hunger Games.
Now, I'm not saying the two books aren't similar. In fact, they are suspiciously similar. Am I saying that Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games, copied Battle Royale? Um, hell yeah. At first I didn't think so - I just thought they had a similar idea going on and I was totally fine with that. It happens all the time in the world of writing. But then I found more and more and more little details that happened to be the same in both books. Let me give you a list of a few of them:
1.
They use bird calls and fires to
communicate.
2.
Someone who is a small hero (not
necessarily a main character, but someone you wanted to live) dies while using
said bird calls and fires to communicate.
3.
The really pretty people are the
most cruel and the most willing to kill/start killing first.
4.
A boy and a girl who sort of knew
each other before being forced to kill each other (but not really) team up.
5.
A best friend dies.
6.
Said boy and girl develop romance.
7.
Said boy gets a leg injury.
8.
Said boy and girl are given help
from a person who has "won" the games before.
9.
Two people survive. Guess who they
are.
10. There is an even ratio of boys to girls.
So yes, I think Suzanne Collins
copied a great amount of ideas from Battle Royale. This is greatly
disappointing to me because I absolutely love her other series The
Underlander Chronicles. But now all I can do is wonder what book those
ideas came from. *shakes head in utter disapproval*
There are some differences though. Battle
Royale is set in a more modern-day Japan (though the technology is much
cool than the stuff in The Hunger Games). Also, Battle Royale is
way more violent and heart-wrenching than The Hunger Games. And the
point of view is different (Hunger Games is first person while Battle
Royale is third).
I guess what I'm trying to say here
is that before you start declaring that The Hunger Games is the best
goddamn book in the whole entire universe, just give Battle Royale a
try. You might actually like it better. I sure did (if you couldn't tell).
Later, Sarcastic Chick
PS Battle Royale was made into several comic books
and also into a movie in 2000.
