Thursday, January 24, 2013

Suzanne Collins' Mockingjay-The Final Chapter of the Hunger Games

Everything has led to this.
In Catching Fire, Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire, became the Mockingjay, the living breathing symbol of the Rebellion against President Snow and Panem.
In Mockingjay, Katniss, finds out that the more things change, the more things stay the same.
After doing propos for District 13's President Coin and inciting the rest of Panem to rebel, Katniss and Gale and the other victors from the Hunger Games and Quarter Quell are forged into a special unit. They are the best shots in the rebel forces, but they're relegated to being political tools for District 13's President Coin.
After a desperate warning from Peeta about an upcoming attack, Katniss pushes for his rescue. She's left behind as the mission is done and successful. Peeta being brainwashed to kill Katniss on sight dampens any triumphant feelings, though.
After successfully compromising a key Capitol stronghold in District 2, the rebels decide to take the fight to the Capitol. What follows is a harrowing journey to the heart of the Capitol where Katniss' mission is jeopardized by Peeta's presence and the sneaking suspicion that Snow isn't the only one who wants Katniss
dead.
The finale to a series carries high expectations to not only measure up the the previous chapters of the saga, but also tie up all the loose ends and answer every question. In Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins does all of that and more and makes it look effortless. There are many surprises and cliffhangers (one of them literal), but in the end it comes down to Katniss, her bow and her courage. Just as it should.



Suzanne Collins


Monday, January 21, 2013

A Warm Welcome for Jim Butcher's Cold Days

Welcome Back, Harry Dresden...and it's been a long road back.
Ever since the events in the aptly named Changes, Harry Dresden, the only openly practicing wizard in the Yellow Pages, has died, solved a case as a ghost, a la The Invisible (Ghost Story) and been resurrected by Queen Mab and the island known as Demonreach.
We pick up with Harry waking up in Arctis Tor, deep in the Winter Fae territory, to a nurse named Sarissa and physical therapy as only Mab could dream up. (According to Harry, the montage of these scenes would be set to the tune of 'Walk' by the Foo Fighters. Even musically, Harry is cool.)
From there, Harry gets a Birthday party, Winter Fae style, and eventually returns to Chicago with a highly unusual directive from Mab: Kill Maeve.
From there, the mystery deepens and the stakes reach stratospherical heights, as Harry reunites with the friends and allies he left behind and works to find out why Mab wants Maeve dead and why some mysterious otherworldly beings want what's on Demonreach. The answers will blow his mind, chill his heart and, possibly, end the world if the forces arrayed against him have their way...
But that's a normal day for Harry.
If you you're a fan, picks this one up ASAP and if you're not, read this and become one!






Jim Butcher