I didn't read it as the author stressing Katniss's motivations as completely selfless, but who knows? I actually read it as the complete opposite- that Katniss was primarily self-motivated up until one final moment toward the end. Katniss wasn't the shining selfless hero the Mockingjay was portrayed as, which I thought was part of the point the author was making about the power of media. What I did think the author stressed again and again was how Katniss is like Haymitch, and Haymitch was far from selfless.

Katniss did offer herself, and, yes, she wanted her sister to live, but I also think she did this because she couldn't bear to lose Prim. Her actions are motivated by her own feelings and how much their loss would affect her. Completely understandable, definitely, but not exactly selfless.

Only read the first book so far. Was at a friends house over the weekend and the first book was sitting on his coffee table. I read the first two chapters and then had to set it down, but I was hooked. Ordered a copy off Amazon and read the book straight through in one sitting (I guess you could call it a real page turner?).

From the looks of the trailer, the movie will mostly cover the first book. There is a to much going on to cover all three in one shot. Wither the make any sequels will depend upon how well this one does.

Referencing "The Golden Compass" nothing is certain.

I heard they were hoping to make four movies, but that will depend on the success of the first movie.

Well, It looks like I'm going to have to go against the grain here, sorry guys but this series was the most God-awful series I've ever read, I don't think "The Road" was as depressing as these books were. The thing that bothered me the most was how easy it was for the author to just dismiss over 200 years of freedom and Democracy with a wave of her hand. What you're talking about here is a Government turning on it's own people, more or less enslaving them and forcing them to sacrifice their children to the God of entertainment, gladiators in a new Rome as it were. Except for the "revolution" in the end there never seems to be any outrage that this behavior is allowed to continue the author claims she wanted to show young people and their involvement in war, I can certainly think of a lot of actual situations then something as contrived as this. When Kat confronts one of the rebels concerning the coming revolution they tell her "If our ancestors could do it so can we" but I got the feeling that if things didn't go well "No big Thing" I believe they still wanted to have the stupid games even after they won. I don't know, but after reading this series I "smelled" an agenda, sacrificing children to public entertainment indicates a deviant society, a society that wouldn't have any problems "using" these kids in other ways besides watching them try and kill each other. In the end though I can't see a lot of teens really reading this series, especially girls (they all seem to be caught up in the vampire thing) The movie will be the thing though, all the stories about it I've seen in the "fan" mags film books etc. really downplay the story and just focus on all the teen "heartthrobs" that have been cast into this thing.

It's really too bad, when there's just so much better out there.

I bought the book before I saw this thread. I ran into a girl reading it at a local market and I said I have seen the book a the book stores and asked how it is. She said it was good and I was like okay amazon.com has it for $5.95 so I grouped it in some other things I was ordering and got it with free shipping. I cant wait to read it.

If anyone cant get into a book because its a female lead I have to ask why? We all have to have something to let our minds go and enjoy the books for what they are.

Well, call me crazy, but I still think Collins is working some sort of angle, and these books sugarcoat life in a degenerate and morally bankrupt society, a very strange subject for teens.

I think the tyranny of the government was slowly revealed in the second and third books, it wasn't sugarcoated at all. The reader is getting the same perspective as the people in District 12, they can be in denial but are forced out of it (or die).

As for the games continuing, doubtful. But I thought it was pretty clear message about how all the governments will be the same, the revolution usually just puts a new group of assholes in power.

I really liked Tam's summary: http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2012/03/nobodys-skin-sparkles-either.html

I just finished book one. I read it over the course of a day and I am happy with it. It was certainly a better use of my time than sitting in front of the tv all night.

Read the first one when I was on vacation a couple weeks ago. Finished it in 1 day. Bought all 3 for my Kindle, about half through the second one. They're entertaining for an easy to read book.

I finished it and now I need to get the other two in the series. I liked it and took it for what it was meant to be. I myself being a writer enjoy reading other peoples works and seeing what their minds and produce. I think we could in time to come see some kind of game played out in our lives in some way shape or form to the Hunger games.

I really need to other two books, if anyone has them and wants to get rid of them let me know.

Going to see 'The Hunger Games' wais the first date my significant other and I have enjoyed since adopting our baby boy a few months ago. I don't know if it was the small reprieve from first time parenting or actually being able to sit for longer than thirty minutes that did it, but we walked out of the theater blown away. I tend to enjoy dystopian tales as I view them as a survival guide (just kidding. mostly.). This one went beyond anything I've read or seen. I think it really did a great job of showcasing how reality television tends to be (and in Panem it was a million times worse). It is raunchy and deplorable at times and has no problem exposing the worst of the human stain for ratings. It's a network's dream, I believe, when something huge happens on their show and they milk it for all it is worth.

Back to the movie/film ... I think more than anything the actors involved really sold it. Great cast. Jennifer Lawrence has already gotten an Oscar nomination for her work in 'Winter's Bone'. I can see her becoming the next Streep. Her range is incredible. And she's hot to boot.