The Hunger Games


 * This article is about the book, The Hunger Games. For the yearly event, see The Games.

thumb|300px|right|The Hunger Games book trailer.

The Hunger Games is a young-adult science-fiction novel written by Suzanne Collins. It was originally published on September 14, 2008. The book is the first in The Hunger Games trilogy and is followed by Catching Fire. In the novel, the Hunger Games are an annual televised event where the ruthless Capitol randomly selects one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts, and pits them against each other in a game of survival where they are forced to kill until only one remains.

Characters

 * Katniss Everdeen – Our story's narrator, a strong-willed teenager trying to survive in the Games. She'll do whatever she has to to win the games.


 * Peeta Mellark – The second District 12 tribute, a baker's son. He is loyal and brave, and will do whatever he needs to for Katniss to survive.


 * Cinna – Katniss's stylist. A sly and witty man, Cinna is clever with his fingers and even smarter in his mind.


 * Rue – The tribute from District 11. Small and meek, you wouldn't assume that she could last long- but her knowledge of trees and how to hide keeps her alive.


 * Cato – District 2 tribute. Described as a "ruthless killing machine", he is extremely strong and the most likely choice of a winner.


 * Foxface – Known by no other name, this red-head from District 5 is hard to catch. Though she doesn't have brute strength or knowledge of weapons, she can outsmart everyone in the arena.


 * Thresh – The male tribute from District 11 keeps to himself. He disappeared during the first part of the game- having no contact with anyone. This made him even more dangerous.


 * Haymitch - Katniss and Peeta's mentor. Dangerous and cunning, Haymitch was mostly drunk, with a glass in one hand and knife in the other.
 * Gale - The best friend of Katniss, often compared to Peeta. Gale hunts with Katniss in the forest and Gale calls Katniss "Katnip."
 * Primrose Everdeen - The female sibling of Katniss Everdeen whom owns a goat, and a cat named Buttercup. Very much unlike her older sibling, Prim has a heart full of compassion and for healing.

Plot overview


Each year, for 73 years, the Hunger Games have taken place, forcing 24 children between the ages of 12-18 to kill each year. This year seems no different for Katniss Everdeen, until she takes her sister's place as Tribute.

Katniss will do anything to survive, even if she may possibly have to go against her own morals. But when a fellow tribute reveals his affection for her, and yet another is like her sister, it becomes harder and harder to figure out how to survive without killing those closest to her.

Part one
The Games have not taken place in this time, instead, this part of The Hunger Games is mostly about the preparation for the Games and delving into the characters.
 * "The Tributes"

The book opens up on the day of The Reaping, with Gale Hawthorne and Katniss slipping away into the woods, which is the only place where they feel safe enough to discuss The Capitol and other problems. Being poachers, they catch their loot of the day and go out to sell it, bumping into the Mayor's daughter, Madge Undersee. After a petty argument between Gale and Madge, Katniss returns home to get ready for the reaping, in which Katniss's and her sister, Primrose Everdeen, relationship is revealed.

At the reaping, Primrose is chosen as the girl tribute for District 12. Katniss, devastated and shocked, immediately volunteers for her twelve year old sister. As the rest of the District stares in shocked silence, Katniss becomes the girl tribute for her district. Then, the next tribute, Peeta Mellark, is chosen.

Katniss and Peeta are then taken into custody, being guarded so they do not escape. Katniss and Peeta are permitted visitors, and Katniss has four- Her mother and Primrose, which to whom she promises that she will win the game, then the baker, Peeta's father, promising to take care of Primrose. Her last visitor, Madge, is full of urgency and passion as she begs Katniss to take her mockingjay pin as her Tribute Token. Katniss hesitantly agrees.

The rest takes place in the Capitol, where she and Peeta both are "trained", tested, and pampered for their arena days.

In the following interviews, she is shocked and appalled when Peeta declares his love for her.

Part two
This part of the Hunger Games mostly focuses on the actual game. The death, destruction, and chaos that surrounds the game is described within these chapters. The Games begin with 11 of the 24 tributes dying in the first day, while Katniss relies on her well-practiced hunting and outdoors skills to survive. As the Games continue, the tribute death toll increases, but both Katniss and Peeta are able to evade death.
 * "The Games"

Part three
After it's announced two tributes from the same discrict can win, Katniss finds Peeta and heals him. Eventually, all the other tributes die, leaving Cato, Katniss, and Peeta. After Cato is attacked by the muttations, and Katniss shoots him, mainly out of pity. The Gamemaker then accounces that there can only be one victor, but Katniss and Peeta threaten suicide, in hopes that the Capitol would rather have 2 victors than none. It works, and they are declared the winners.
 * "The Victor"
 * The conclusion of the Hunger Games. This part mainly focuses on the end of The 74th Hunger Games and the aftermath leading up to the events in Catching Fire.

Sequels
The Hunger Games is the first book of The Hunger Games trilogy. Followed by Catching Fire, the series follows Katniss Everdeen and her friend Peeta Mellark as they try to survive in and out of the deadly Hunger Games. The third and final book in The Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay, will be released August 24, 2010.

Sales
After writing the novel, Collins signed a six-figure deal for three books with Scholastic in 2006.The first book originally had a 50,000 first printing which was then bumped up twice to 200,000 copies. As of February 11, 2010, The Hunger Games has sold 800,000 copies undefined and 26 foreign editions; rights to the novel have been sold in 38 territories.

Film adaptation
Lionsgate Entertainment has acquired worldwide distribution rights to a film adaptation of The Hunger Games, which will be produced by Nina Jacobson's Color Force production company. Suzanne Collins will adapt the novel for film herself.