Back in the arena

? Welcome to the 50th annual hunger games — the odds will definitely not be in your favor. Author Suzanne Collins makes a triumphant and timely return with the fifth installment — and the first novel in five years — in the The Hunger Games (THG) franchise. Sunrise on the Reaping (SOTR) may be a prequel to the main franchise, but not all is what it seems to be.

Writing between the lines. In a past interview with her publisher and editor David Leviathan for Scholastic, Collins noted that her writing exists to serve a certain purpose beyond mere fiction — to explore war theory, further emphasizing that she does not return to a story unless she has something new to say. In SOTR, Collins’ return to THG does not owe itself to fans’ incessant pleas for another prequel, but rather Collins’ desire to provide political commentary by way of fiction.

This isn’t Haymitch’s story — it’s a cautionary tale of what it means to not question the system. SOTR takes place 24 years before the events of the main trilogy, recounting the traumatic experience of Haymitch Abernathy — played by Woody Harrelson in the original film adaptation — as a tribute, and later on, victor — of the 50th hunger games, a special quarter quell where twice as many tributes were sent to fight to the death in the arena. As the pages turn, readers will be quick to realize that the events of SOTR do not entirely match what they’re told in the original trilogy, and that’s exactly what Collins intended.

When we say “propa-” you say “-ganda.” Sunrise on the Reaping shows the lengths a totalitarian regime will go to preserve its carefully-concocted image. Media manipulation only scratches the surface — and even the looming dangers of AI get a shoutout from Collins. While we cannot reveal any further information without spoilers, let’s just say you’ll want to re-read the original trilogy with a new perspective following your read of SOTR.

The novel moves fast, but its impact lingers. SOTR is quick-paced, first-person narrated, and to put it simply, a page-turner. Yet the underlying messages are ones that invite you to ponder and question much that you think you know. Whether you’re a devoted Hunger Games fan or simply looking for your next fictional literary adventure, Sunrise on the Reaping delivers more than what it promises to.

WHERE TO GET IT- You can find Sunrise on the Reaping at Diwan and The Bookspot, or you can purchase the ebook through Amazon.