[ovenco]

Pretty tame childish crap really, but then that was the target audience after all.

Battle Royale, which this clearly rips off, pisses all over it!

[AutocadOemM]

Anyone else think that the government in the world of The Hunger Games, would be a one percenter's wet dream come true?

No. One percenters don't want gladiatorial combat or anything, they just want to hold onto some of the money they earn.

[Nosmas]

That article illustrates my point perfectly

[Faumpiggueria]

I could see how someone could interpret the movie as the big bad big government oppressing the little people. The inhabitants of "Central District" live lives of luxury with technology near the level of Star Trek, the other 12 districts which produce goods and materials live in environs reminiscent of the Great Depression. I thought it was a little weird that people capable of building something similar to a Star trek holosuite would still be using coal as a power source.
Bill O'Reiily ripped into it because he thought it was a protrayal of a future dysfunctional America and also because it centered around violence to children. I didn't see anything in the movie that really made me think that it was a protrayal of America's future. As far as violence towards children, 90% of horror films do also. Jason never invades a nursing home, Freddie doesn't terrorize Senior Citizen's centers.

[Nurba]

It's actually not capitalist, at least outside the Capitol. Actually, the whole economics of the book make no coherent sense, so it's not worth dwelling on. But observe that they have to have a black market in the districts.

[Âåðåùàãèí]

Could any real country have an economy like Panem’s? Actually, yes.

Regarding whether electronics could be produced in an "extractive" economy, remember that most of the parts of your computer are now being produced in realtively poor parts of Asia. The wealth is accrued in the countries of the parent corporations.

[DexOnenlyCymn]

I liked it. Not super-awesome, but fun.

That was my take too. I recently read all three books and thought the first one was fun but the second one less so while the third one got kind of dumb. Still, they were quick and easy reads with each book taking about a day to a day and a half.

One thing that did bug me though was that California (highest point ~14,000 ft) supposedly was flooded or fell into the ocean where as most of the midwest was still there (average elevation less than 2,000 ft) and I giggled at that assertion.

[shinesw]

Read the first book. The premise/setting is interesting, but the author wouldn't know subtlety if it...did something that wasn't very subtle. In which case, I guess it wouldn't be subtle anymore and she shouldn't be expected to recognize it. Touche, Ms. Collins, touche.