The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins - Review

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - another review in the Eclectic Readers Challenge 2012

I was loaned these books from a friend - The wife saw the movie recently and wanted to check out the series that inspired it and I needed a book for the Eclectic Readers Challenge - Young Adult.

This genre is one that I like - Susan Cooper, Cory Doctorow, Scott Westerfeld among others are hiding out on my book shelves. I like the easy readability of these books as well as the adventure and feel that most young adult books have. If you haven't read one of these since teenage-hood I highly recommend you jump back in - and abandon yourself to the story.

Back to the review... many may be aware of the series from either the books or the major movie - so I will keep this first part fairly short.

Story
This is set in the future after some catastrophe has turned North America into mostly a wasteland with humanity held up in 12 districts which support the Capitol, in a quasi-salve state.  Many years earlier a 13th district existed but after a failed attempt to seek independence from the Capitol it was bombed and in retaliation the Hunger Games started as a way to remind the remaining districts that the Capitol rules. The Hunger Games require each district to send 2 tributes (aged between 12-18) to fight it out - with only 1 winner allowed - the rest must die. The series follows Katniss, Peeta and Gale (the teenage triangle often found in the young adult genre - just get with the program!) as their world is turned apart and seemingly innocent actions cause the whole world to start to change.

This immediately made me think of the Japanese film Battle Royale (and I am not the only one... however, I am not going to enter that debate.) I am happy to believe that the author really didn't see the movie before writing this - and after all it is a very different story with only slight similarities. Here endth the debate.

I have also chosen to review the whole series of three books - not to make out that I am some genius at reading but that fact remains with large font and spacing these books might be 400 pages each but probably contain less words then one George RR Martin !!! Man that guy can write!

Review
So what did I think of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay? I think firstly it is well written - the target audience will be able to read this easily - it deals with some difficult issues, death, family, separation and acceptance of your role in the world. The main characters, while being flawed, show strength that comes from something real - by this I mean they are not glowing vampires or love struck werewolves but normal (ish) teenagers who are made to extraordinary things in dangerous times. Worlds are turned upside down, loyalties are questioned and in the end a choice must be made.

I understand why this series is well liked and would encourage any read or any age to read this as it is a great story with good characters, action, love and all the other good bits... without being too graphic or "grown-up" (with that I mean no sex and remorse over the violence).

Suzanne has done a sterling job with this series, so often young adult books can feel 'dumbed' down, Suzanne has managed to keep the heavy subject matter true to younger readers while still being enjoyed by the umm older/mature/experienced readers like myself.

I will give this series 4/5

Avengers (2012) - Review

Really enjoyed the movie. I saw the midnight screening in 3D (should have gone 2D but friends... you know how it goes..)

Now I am a bit of a Marvel fan - I collect Iron Man comics and have dabbled in Avengers and Captain America as well as some of the 'events' like Fear Itself, Civil War and the new Avengers Versus X-Men. I have enjoyed all the Marvel movies starting with Spiderman through the lead up films to Avengers - Ironman 1 and 2, Captain America, Thor although I missed the re-launched Hulk (must watch that sometime). So in summation I really wanted Avengers to be good, great even. After all I have invested time, money and emotional energy into this world.

Look at the above image and please tell me why is Nathan Fillion on this poster? hahaha! Oh and Don Cheadle...WTF? Click image for where I found the image...

I was NOT disappointed - from the start they got it right... they got Joss Wheadon to not only write it by direct the movie as well. He has that special ability to keep the raw fanboy correctness of the Marvel Universe but temper that with great story writing and film techniques. Each of the main characters has enough screen time to tell their story - they are all equally important to the whole while also being true to themselves.

The action was well done - not too much fast edits (which I hate) - I could follow the flow of the fights (even with those stupid 3D glasses that I cannot wear my glasses underneath - yeah 3D with built in blur). The script had humour and realism (well as real as you can be with a giant green man, a couple of Norse Gods, billionaire in a suit of armour, a man out of time and black widows arse).

I guess I could be described as a fan of Marvel and as such should by view be seen as a true reflection of the movie - am I too blinkered by the glow of my minds wish for it to be great? Maybe. But somehow I think not. For me the Avengers was everything I love about comics and comic based movies while at the same time being just a brilliant piece of film entertainment. 5/5

Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

Third in the Eclectic Readers Challenge 2012

Third up in the Challenge is Romance... I put off just re-reading Time Enough For Love by Robert A. Heinlein oh it would be so easy to just stick with my favourite genre(s) of Fantasy and Science Fiction... but I must NOT!!! So instead I asked the wife... what romance book should I read... I expected something from Jilly Cooper - the horse porn lady (note: not porn with horses but soft porn involving people who also have horses... no bestiality at least that's what she tells me...)

No instead she handed me Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. This book has special meaning to us as it was the reason we went to Japan for our honeymoon - wife's choice after she feel in love with the Kyoto world of pre and post WWII through this book.

At first I was intrigued by the writing style - this book is written from the POV of the Geisha growing up with poor, loosing mother, father, sister, being sold into a world that is alien to most European background people (isn't the Sex trade?? - I realise it can be more than that but you can bid to take a girl's virginity...). All these feelings and insight are written by an American man... and it was so well written I had to keep reminding myself that this was not an autobiography but a work of fiction - it just felt so real.

I think it also helped having been to Kyoto, having had a brief encounter with a Maiko (trainee Geisha), walked the street and stood in front of famous tea houses... I could almost taste again the wonderful ramen soups and hear the click clack of the wooden shod Geisha walking past us... 

Memoirs is not a true romance novel, or at least not the way I see them in my head (I'm thinking Clan of the Cave Bear here...) no this is a much more subtle book. Sayuri's is often a sad one - torn from her family into a "better life" she takes the challenges on and shows her true potential becoming a phenomenal Geisha in a time when the world almost lost them forever.

Japan's rich culture, which is often harsh to western eyes, has some many levels and is full of grace and depth. I enjoyed reading this book equally for the trip down memory lane and the story itself - yes a romance kept me interested and wanting to read more to find out what happens to Sayuri, while yearning that she finally gets the love she both wants and deserves.

I can't say much more then read this - go to Japan then read it again... well worth it.

4.5/5

Killing Floor - Lee Child - Review

Another review in the Eclectic Reading Challenge 2012 - Crime / Mystery Fiction

Lee Child's Killing Floor is the first of the Jack Reacher novels, which are international best sellers and very popular novels...

I've never read anything by Lee Child and thought that I should start at the begin - the first Jack Reacher novel. I have dabbled in this genre before which some of the well know authors like Flemming, King (a lot of his are mystery's and not just horror), Conan Doyle... etc. I also like Crime fiction even the ones writing by fictional authors like Castle... So I was not going into Killing Floor without some fore knowledge of the genre.

First thoughts of the book was - I know why people enjoy reading Child's work, it was easy to read, fast paced with action and relationships. It was not high prose or complex characters this was a great read that let you enjoy the story (I think this is where I am suppose to write Journey - but I'm not on a reality TV show so I wont).

Basically if you are up for a quick read without too much thought or complex story lines to keep track of, this Child is an author you can go with.

I will be looking up more Jack Reacher novels as I think I could get to like this no nonsense, ex-marine, crime/mystery man... and I hope he one day gets to find someone to love...

3.5/5

Bio of a Space Tyrant - Piers Anthony - Part 1

This is a six part series that follows the Tyrant of Jupiter, Hope Hubris. The first five are written as journals by Hope each detailing an important part of this life. Each of these introductions and conclusions by Hope's daughter. The sixth book details a story line from Hope's sister Spirit and covers details when the siblings were apart.

Refugee - Begins with the Hubris poor family and there conditions on Callisto and follows their escape to Jupiter. The group is attached several times and most of the adults are either raped or killed by pirate raiders. The children are left to fend for themselves and try to survive.

Piers has created a mirror to the world of the mid 1980's in space. Many of the planets, moons, asteroid belts and locations represent different parts of the world (in the then) today. Wikipedia has a full listing of the locations and there worldly counter parts. He deals with many of the issues that are prevalent in the world, poverty, rich versus poor and even the Cold War.

In this first book we find our protagonist caught up between the rich and poor of the moon Callisto. His family are forced to move to the working dome after Hope and his sister Spirit defend there older sister Faith from the unwanted advances of a rich son. Choosing to escape to the prosperous Jupiter (based on North America) the family go on a daring trip across space in an over crowded bubble.

This journey is reminiscent of the current trips refugees take to get to Australian shore and probably more dangerous in the cold vacuum of space.

Piers details a new (to me) propulsion device a gravity drive - not great on the science but basically a field is created around the bubble giving that mass it's own gravity apart and separate from the gravity around it. Thus the bubble can be propelled through space using only a small amount of energy (thrust) from a simple drive. The bubble also spins which is important for some of the action in this book and boy is there action.

For those weak of stomach or not into violence then maybe skip some parts of this book - however in it's defence the violence and rape is about overcoming adversity and how the human condition can cope with tragedy and pain. It is about survival and the sacrifices people will make for family and friends in order for some to survive.

This book is well written and you move through it quickly, well paced scenes and insight into the mind of the boy who will become the Tyrant.

One thing you don;t have the any knowledge of the Tyrant and what he will become as these notes are written from the perspective of the boy at the conclusion of this book not from some faraway grandfatherly figure. At the end I wanted to know more about how this boy/man a refugee from the outer limits becomes the Tyrant of Jupiter.

Great read 4/5
I read the Kindle version available at time of writing for $2.99

Passwords and Children

A recent post on Boing Boing regarding teenagers sharing passwords with friends and significant other has raised some questions with me - mostly based around my daughter and the world she will grow up in.

Now I regard myself as someone who at least is aware of most of the technology and the advances that it offers to our lives - I advocate for the use of new tech at work and I am always looking at ways to improve what we do. I love the fact that for Christmas using a Smart Phone, Skype and WiFi Daughter was able to show Nanny all her new presents and talk to Nanny's face... this is now simple tech - available to everyone with a broadband connection and a few cheap devices.

But what about the future? What will my daughter grow up with and what will count as 'normal' or 'expected' in her life. Maybe it is my recent read of 1984 that has raised this, but what will be safe for her? I read alot about internet security and identity safety - do the current generation of young adult really understand that what is on Social Media sites is owned by the site? So they realise that Big Brother (the corporate world) is watching everything they do and say. Targeted Marketing is nothing new but so much more powerful with the use of Social Media and information data warehouses that are built from them.

Even this humble blog is not safe from it. The Google ads that are on this site are targeted to the posts that I write... If I write about my guitar lessons you see self help guitar ads, or guitar sales. This is what Google does best by the way and not necessarily a bad thing - but when does it become too much and what do we need to do about saving the future so that our children grow up safe...

I boil it down to trust. Like the article quoted in the Boing Boing post parents need to develop ways to create trust with their children... and so should these super corps with their customers and clients... Remember there are always alternatives and sometimes we just have to walk away...

There are different ways that parents address the password issue, but they almost always build on the narrative of trust. - The NYTimes

Another articled linked from Boing Boing details how parents can normalise password sharing. So will we require daughter to share her passwords with us? Not sure... will we want to be 'friends' or part of her social media networks? At this stage Yes! I am part of my nephews and nieces networks and even though I don't interfere I can see what they are doing and sometimes pass on private messages when I think it is appropriate. But will I need to access their private accounts? I don't think so - that is a trust issue and while privately they could be sending messages or doing things - that should remain their business...

My wife and I have separate bank accounts and a joint account for the normal life expenses - we have separate passwords and access to these. I don't have or want her passwords for her Social Media pages and sites and she likewise - the trust we have in each other is formed by that. I don't feel I need to have that part of her. That is her private business - If I need to post something about us or her I have my own accounts to do that.

We will need to be aware of these challenges as Daughter grows up... and I hope we do the right thing by her - but I am prepared to fail at some of it and hit the mark with others... That my friends is LIFE.

The full New York Times article

Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell

This is the first of my 2012 reader challenges, Literary Fiction - which Wikipedia defines as

The term is principally used to distinguish "serious fiction" which is a work that claims to hold literary merit, in comparison from genre fiction and popular fiction (i.e., paraliterature). In broad terms, literary fiction focuses more upon style, psychological depth, and character. This is in contrast to Mainstream commercial fiction, which focuses more on narrative and plot. Literary fiction may also be characterized as lasting fiction — literature which continues to be read and in-demand many decades and perhaps centuries after the author has died.

Under this definition I chose to read Nineteen Eight-Four by George Orwell... which (surprise to some) I have never read.

I'm not going to compete with the great reviews of this book, I am no Isaac Asimov - instead I am going to focus no how I felt when reading this book and what my life, the media and other influences have affected my reading.

So I assume you have followed the link to Isaac Asimov's review or at least you know some the history to this classic book - quick summary. Following on from Animal Farm 1984 is the continuation of the Soviet theme of a world controlled by 3 super countries, strict controls govern everything and the party is all powerful. Big Brother is always watching...

The thing I had to get over when reading this was that to the audience in 1948 this was all new. This was horrifying and totally unheard of. For me this was a great story a great idea but one I have been introduced to many times before. Brazil is one of my all time favourite movies and yet it borrows so much from Orwell - much I have never even knew about. I knew what Big Brother was (not the TV show) but the idea of the Government watching you. Cory Doctorow's Little Brother again uses this theme (download for free) instead for a younger audience - highly recommend this.

Needless to say 1984 did not cause me to have sleepless nights - unless you count the fact I HAD to force myself to put it down to sleep! The fear did not build inside of me - I am used to the idea of Government complete control... not in the way that I am happy for it - far from it. But the idea is not new.

So the constant reminder that this was so new and different, say to my parents generation, kept me thinking. What if I read this first, before seeing the popular culture references, before film and television... Maybe it would have been harder for me to understand the world - maybe it was a better (easier) experience for me.

I understood the concepts Orwell writes about, the Government control, the fear-control, the restrictions, the small rooms (almost communal living), the telescreen for a wall (some people have them already with the large TV's). This was not at all unfamilar and I was therefore able to slip into the story. Into the world of Winston Smith.

Enough I have written that part to death... on to the book itself.

As afore mentioned I read this fairly quickly, having to stop to eat, sleep and that dreaded work... me thinks if all those other things had less importance it may have been read in one sitting - I think that qualifies that I liked the book.

Orwell's style is very easy, third person but only following Winston and his sad existence within the tight confines of control. Orwell has not just placed his story in a different or potential world, he had created this universe - an alternative reality. The Appendix on "The Principals of Newspeak" is akin to Tolkien's Elvish language (a stretch I know but it has a similar vein). In other words he didn't just plonk the characters into the world they are the world and the world is them...

But this world is our world - or at least the potential world from the view of 1948, and it is the familiar things that makes the difference. The pub on the corner, the artefacts Winston 'finds' and the country side all let the reader know that Airstrip One is England.

The way this modern (for the books release) world is hinted at make 1984 more real and less of a fantasy. I can see that Orwell really wanted to stop the tide of the Socialist and the evil he saw it represent.

Unfortunately in this current world the opposite side is almost making Airstrip One a reality. Big Brother has started to watch us, the media spreads the fear through shows like Today Tonight and A Current Affair. Is text speak Newspeak? Corporations and not Government have much of the control over the world. We might not see it as clearly in Australia as in some other countries - however the way the mining companies are working to create fear over things like the mining tax show that they have some power...

I believe that reading 1984 was a MUST, however I would not change the timing - I think I got more out of it because I knew and understood the world Orwell writes about. I didn't have to waste time getting my head around the concepts. 1984 is a world I want to avoid and I hope you do too, but one I like to read about... if for no other reason then to remind myself what I want to avoid.