Anything else like The Hunger Games?

Apsilon

I found the latter 3 books frustrating and almost stopped reading them. You'll know what I mean if you're on the 5th. The ridiculous breaks the bad guys get in some of the battles with Sam etc, just contradict everything that has gone before. I'll spoiler what I found annoying:


That said. Overall they were pretty good. However, if the rest of his books are as frustrating to read as his Gone series, I'm not sure I'd like to take a chance on them.Sam and his crew don't hesitate or struggle to finish off people in battles of no consequence but when clear and easy chances to end situations against some of the big boys arise (and there are loads of them), then  totally against their capabilities and actions up to that point they all inexplicably develop an overwhelming dumb and dumber syndrome, procrastinate and allow the bad guy to escape......again and again and again and again. I can accept these instances once or twice to keep the story on edge. When it's several times per book it's getting ridiculous and really starts to grate because it completely flies in the face of what has gone before it and it annoying almost to the point of flinging the book away.

Now I know Michael Grant had to keep the reader hooked and drag out this 'war' over 6 books but, for crying out loud, just for once had he done the sensible thing and written out a main character in one of those battles to keep it consistent rather than having him/her somehow managing to escape yet another impossible situation again and again and against all the odds, I would have rated the series much higher.

JUS

X2 on this recommendation. I remember we were on holiday in Florida and my mrs was shattered...asked her why she was so tired and she said she spend the previous night in the bathroom reading the books til 4am   she just couldn't put them down.

richardb70

Just spotted this and knew there was an AVF thread :

Top ten books to read now you've finished The Hunger Games | Children's books | theguardian.com

FruitBat

The Status Civilization by Robert Sheckley.

One of my favourite authors, but his books tend to be out of print.
A quick google reveals this book on Project Gutenberg (The Status Civilization by Robert Sheckley - Free Ebook)

I haven't read The Hunger Games, but I gave The Status Civilization to my daughter to read and she said it was a bit like The Hunger Games.

KyleS1

Thanks, will check that too. Got about 50 books waiting to be read now!

everett_psycho

Great thread folks, working on the final hunger games now and was curious as what to go to next so will take a look at some of these.  Not read much in a long time and the hunger games was a nice level to get back in to reading, glad I'm not the only one enjoying them that isn't a 12 year old girl, at least on a kindle people can't judge you from the cover of it

tazmago

Have a look at the Wool trilogy of books as well by Hugh Howey.  The series explores some of the same themes as the hunger games and is a cracking read IMO