Book Club

[lmt]

New book cover and title for 'The Hunger Games' prequel 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' is unveiled ahead of May 19 release

Details of the prequel to 'The Hunger Games' has been revealed including the new book's title and cover art. The cover art features a golden 'mockingjay' bird and snake on an encircling branch.

'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' will be Suzanne Collins' fourth book in the series and is due for release on May 19.

Scholastic made the announcement Friday, which featured artwork of the now famous mockingjay symbol along with a snake rested on circle-shaped branch.

Collins announced earlier this year that she was revisiting the world of Panem with a new book set before the days of Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence in the film franchise.

The new installment of 'The Hunger Games' is a prequel set 64 years in the past, during what Collins describes as the Reconstruction period after the war on the morning of the 10th Hunger Games competition.

'The Hunger Games' was the first of a trilogy of best-selling books. It led to four blockbuster movies starring Jennifer Lawrence.

Suzanne Collins said: 'With this book, I wanted to explore the state of nature, who we are, and what we perceive is required for our survival.

'The reconstruction period 10 years after the war, commonly referred to as the Dark Days—as the country of Panem struggles back to its feet—provides fertile ground for characters to grapple with these questions and thereby define their views of humanity.'

The post-apocalyptic series is set in a North American country with one wealthy Capitol and 12 impoverished states.

Each year two children (one male, one female) from every district are selected at random to participate in The Hunger Games - a battle royale that sees each 'tribute' fight to the death.

The trilogy was translated into more than 50 languages and sold over 100 million copies.

The initial three books were - The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

David Levithan, VP, Publisher, and Editorial Director of Scholastic, felt that the prequel raises important questions about 'authority, the use of violence, and the truth of human nature.'

He said: 'This cover does an extraordinary job of capturing the conflict—both inner and outer—that lies at the heart of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

'The mockingjay has returned, but at a new angle . . . which is very much in line with the story that Suzanne Collins is telling.'

[Alter Ego]

I’m guessing the prequel to the prequel will be the actual war and the actual start of the games. Just need to prolong the money train. I understand the movie studio had been in contact with the author while she was writing.

Just preordered to Kindle.

[lmt]

I can't wait to read the book. I've read all the other books and have seen all the movies numerous times. I think the movies stayed pretty faithful to the books; they did leave some things out but nothing of any real importance.

I was kind of surprised when I read what this prequel book was going to be about. It centers around the 10th Hunger Games ..... wouldn't the story be the same as it was for the 74th and 75th Hunger Games? Why revisit another Hunger Games when there is so much rich source material to write about?

I would've liked to have read about the collapse of modern civilization. What happened to the country and how did Panem come about? How did they create the thirteen districts? Tell about all the restrictions that were placed on the people/districts. How did the rebellion start?

How long did the war last? Where was it fought? After the treaty was signed, who in the Capitol came up with the idea of the Hunger Games? 

Another book could've been told about the very first Hunger Games and how it affected all the districts. Personally I think telling the story of the first Hunger Games would be far more interesting than telling about the 10th.

But what do I know? 

[FindingMyJoy]

Thank you for the sharing the information. I had enjoyed the original series. I eagerly waited for the release of each book since I enjoyed the characters and storyline. Hopefully the new book will be just as enjoyable.