Notices

Creative Writing and Books This area is for members' stories and poetry. Also a forum for book reviews and discussion.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 20-06-2020, 04:32 PM #1
Smithy's Avatar
Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
Smithy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Default The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (Hunger Games Prequel)

Has anyone read this yet?

I’m about 200 pages in so far and I’m enjoying it, it’s interesting to see how the games developed from what they were then to what they are when Katniss enters them.
Smithy is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 20-06-2020, 05:34 PM #2
Mokka's Avatar
Mokka Mokka is offline
Mokka
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 10,037

Favourites (more):
BB19: Tomasz
CBB22: Kirstie Alley


Mokka Mokka is offline
Mokka
Mokka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 10,037

Favourites (more):
BB19: Tomasz
CBB22: Kirstie Alley


Default

Well now I need to but it and read it. I heard there was a movie coming but I assumed it was just a screenplay and not a book
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toy Soldier View Post
You've entered the post apocalyptic ruins of a site about a dead show, where every battle imaginable has already been fought a hundred times over. A cynical world of hardened arseholes where the mods have stopped caring, and the administrator is watching Tetris championships while the rest of us bicker in here.
Mokka is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 20-06-2020, 05:48 PM #3
Marsh. Marsh. is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 79,984


Marsh. Marsh. is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 79,984


Default

Is it written better than the Hunger Games first book?
Marsh. is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 20-06-2020, 05:50 PM #4
Mokka's Avatar
Mokka Mokka is offline
Mokka
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 10,037

Favourites (more):
BB19: Tomasz
CBB22: Kirstie Alley


Mokka Mokka is offline
Mokka
Mokka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 10,037

Favourites (more):
BB19: Tomasz
CBB22: Kirstie Alley


Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marsh. View Post
Is it written better than the Hunger Games first book?
Are you saying the first book was badly written??

I enjoyed the trilogy
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toy Soldier View Post
You've entered the post apocalyptic ruins of a site about a dead show, where every battle imaginable has already been fought a hundred times over. A cynical world of hardened arseholes where the mods have stopped caring, and the administrator is watching Tetris championships while the rest of us bicker in here.
Mokka is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 20-06-2020, 06:29 PM #5
Marsh. Marsh. is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 79,984


Marsh. Marsh. is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 79,984


Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mokka View Post
Are you saying the first book was badly written??

I enjoyed the trilogy
Yes I am.

The story was good but I thought the writing was off putting.
Marsh. is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 20-06-2020, 06:31 PM #6
Smithy's Avatar
Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
Smithy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mokka View Post
Well now I need to but it and read it. I heard there was a movie coming but I assumed it was just a screenplay and not a book
A film is being made yes, but based on the book
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marsh. View Post
Is it written better than the Hunger Games first book?
I’m enjoying it and I didn’t think THG was badly written
Smithy is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 20-06-2020, 06:59 PM #7
Smithy's Avatar
Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
Smithy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Default

Small spoilers so far (nothing re the plot but just how the hunger games were back then)

Spoiler:

Tributes were shipped in animal crates to the capital and aren’t pampered like they were in the later books - they’re not even fed

This is the first time tributes are paired with mentors who are students at the Academy in the Capitol

This is the first time they’re given sponsors and gambling is introduced

Snow and Tigres are cousins

The arena is the old ampitheatre in the capitol, they dumb the tributes in there and leave them to fight, they just remove the bodies after it’s done there’s no clean up
Smithy is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 20-06-2020, 07:47 PM #8
Black Dagger's Avatar
Black Dagger Black Dagger is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Stockport, England
Posts: 44,537

Favourites (more):
BB2023: Trish
RPDR UK 2: Bimini Bon Boulash


Black Dagger Black Dagger is offline
Senior Member
Black Dagger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Stockport, England
Posts: 44,537

Favourites (more):
BB2023: Trish
RPDR UK 2: Bimini Bon Boulash


Default

I am about 140 pages in myself and loving it!
Black Dagger is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 20-06-2020, 08:21 PM #9
Mokka's Avatar
Mokka Mokka is offline
Mokka
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 10,037

Favourites (more):
BB19: Tomasz
CBB22: Kirstie Alley


Mokka Mokka is offline
Mokka
Mokka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 10,037

Favourites (more):
BB19: Tomasz
CBB22: Kirstie Alley


Default

I'm very strongly considering buying on kindle this afternoon because of this thread
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toy Soldier View Post
You've entered the post apocalyptic ruins of a site about a dead show, where every battle imaginable has already been fought a hundred times over. A cynical world of hardened arseholes where the mods have stopped caring, and the administrator is watching Tetris championships while the rest of us bicker in here.
Mokka is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 20-06-2020, 08:28 PM #10
Smithy's Avatar
Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
Smithy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Default

Go for it loov! Treat yourself!
Smithy is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 23-06-2020, 03:27 PM #11
Smithy's Avatar
Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
Smithy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Default

The way Lucy Grey is described/how she sings makes her voice like Lurleen Lumpkin from the Simpson’s in my head
Smithy is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 27-06-2020, 06:19 PM #12
Smithy's Avatar
Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
Smithy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Default

Got about 20 pages left but it feels like there’s too much left to happen to wrap it up so quickly
__________________

The scars on my mind are on replay

Last edited by Smithy; 27-06-2020 at 06:29 PM.
Smithy is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 27-06-2020, 07:14 PM #13
Smithy's Avatar
Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
Smithy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Default

Well

__________________

The scars on my mind are on replay
Smithy is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 27-06-2020, 07:29 PM #14
Smithy's Avatar
Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Smithy Smithy is offline
Skinny Legend
Smithy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 55,533


Default

Right I’ll just do thoughts as they come to me, I’m not one for writing a proper review

Spoiler:

I really enjoyed it but the last 20 pages... wtf?! Once Lucy won the games I thought that she’d end up being killed by the Capitol or perhaps even in district 12 which would harden Snow and make him the person you see in THG, but no??

He’s kind and caring throughout the whole thing and then the last 20 pages, for absolutely no reason turns on the woman he loves (who also for no reason turns on him, DISAPPEARS and then you don’t even find out what happens to her either?!?!) he tries to kill her and then returns to the peacekeepers.

It’s just ugh, it’s so frustrating because it could have been done well, but it’s just makes no sense, it’s literally serving Daenerys Mad Queen.

Also if he was going to return to the peacekeepers so easily (because he finds and destroys the weapons) surely his motivation for running away with Lucy isn’t that strong anyway? I just don’t get it Also would have liked to have had more of an epilogue to see what happened between him and Tigris for her to end up where she does and clearly so distant from him.
__________________

The scars on my mind are on replay

Last edited by Smithy; 27-06-2020 at 07:29 PM.
Smithy is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 11-08-2020, 11:36 PM #15
Mokka's Avatar
Mokka Mokka is offline
Mokka
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 10,037

Favourites (more):
BB19: Tomasz
CBB22: Kirstie Alley


Mokka Mokka is offline
Mokka
Mokka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 10,037

Favourites (more):
BB19: Tomasz
CBB22: Kirstie Alley


Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Smithy View Post
Right I’ll just do thoughts as they come to me, I’m not one for writing a proper review

Spoiler:

I really enjoyed it but the last 20 pages... wtf?! Once Lucy won the games I thought that she’d end up being killed by the Capitol or perhaps even in district 12 which would harden Snow and make him the person you see in THG, but no??

He’s kind and caring throughout the whole thing and then the last 20 pages, for absolutely no reason turns on the woman he loves (who also for no reason turns on him, DISAPPEARS and then you don’t even find out what happens to her either?!?!) he tries to kill her and then returns to the peacekeepers.

It’s just ugh, it’s so frustrating because it could have been done well, but it’s just makes no sense, it’s literally serving Daenerys Mad Queen.

Also if he was going to return to the peacekeepers so easily (because he finds and destroys the weapons) surely his motivation for running away with Lucy isn’t that strong anyway? I just don’t get it Also would have liked to have had more of an epilogue to see what happened between him and Tigris for her to end up where she does and clearly so distant from him.
Read this on my holiday while laying at the beach last week. My thoughts as they relate to yours...

Spoiler:

I thought it was pretty evident that he was conflicted about his humanity and self preservation/self promotion. The author did a decent job of making the reader feel conflicted about this seemingly lovely young man's ideology leading him astray. It really speaks to the logic of capitalism over socialism in a way. How the justification for the Capitol, which all the followers of the trilogy see as evil, is indoctrinated in their youth. It's amplified by Snow's relationship with the Plinth boy and his own conflict over district and capitol. But we see Snow's decline down the "wrong" path as he he provides friendship only to the extent that it serves his own purpose.


Over all a very interesting read. Well written? Idk. It was simplistically written but that is due to it being written for young adults... which is why it was readable in just a few days.

I wonder how much of Snow's backstory was planned prior to the writing of the trilogy. Or, did the author take the loose strings and tie them up so efficiently after the fact. It makes me curious
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toy Soldier View Post
You've entered the post apocalyptic ruins of a site about a dead show, where every battle imaginable has already been fought a hundred times over. A cynical world of hardened arseholes where the mods have stopped caring, and the administrator is watching Tetris championships while the rest of us bicker in here.
Mokka is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Reply

Bookmark/share this topic

Tags
ballad, games, hunger, prequel, snaked, snakes, songbirds

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 08:08 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
 

About Us ThisisBigBrother.com

"Big Brother and UK Television Forum. Est. 2001"

 

© 2023
no new posts