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David McK (3600 KP) rated Catching Fire in Books

Jan 28, 2019

Catching Fire

Suzanne Collins | 2012 | Young Adult (YA)

8.2

(179 Ratings)

Book Rating

The second book in Suzanne Collins' <i>The Hunger Games</i> trilogy, this is a true sequel to the first in the sense that it shares the same characters and refers to the same events as the original (as opposed to 'only' being set in the same universe).

At the start of the novel, and having survived <i>The Hunger Games</i>, Katniss is back in District 12 in the company of her mother, sister, and Peeta. Things aren't entirely all rosy, however, as her stunt with the berries has enraged President Snow (and the Capitol), who is now looking for ways to further punish her, leading to her heading back into the arena ...

I have to say, the parallels between the Capitol and ancient Rome are even more pronounced this time round than previously, especially in an early(ish) scene where Katniss and Peeta attend a banquet in the Capitol: a banquet that provides it's guests with the means to be sick so they can eat more more, while those in the districts starve (the myth of the Roman Vomitorium, anyone?). Once again, this is told in the immediate first-person sense, with the novel also ending in a definite cliff-hanger for the final part of the trilogy.

Kudos

David McK (3600 KP) rated The Blood Crows (Eagle, #12) in Books

Jan 30, 2019

Book number 12 in Simon Scarrow's (what was originally called) Eagle series (before the 'Eagle' moniker was dropped with the publication of [b:Centurion|2993197|Centurion|L.D. Alford|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347251292s/2993197.jpg|3023669]), with this one seeing the return of Roman soldiers Macro and Cato back to the scene of the first novels: back to the still-untamed Britain.

The newly promoted Prefect Cato (who has thus overtaken his old mentor and friend Macro - now a Centurion - in rank), as well as Centurion Macro, are given the task of taking command of a military outpost on the borders of the empire: a military outpost in which the previous Prefect has been killed in mysterious circumstances, and in which (it proves) the current Commander and his Blood Wolves are carrying out a policy of total war against the inhabitants of the valley in which the fort is situated.

It's not long before Cato has to assert his own authority, as well as finding ways to deal with hordes of vengeful natives on his doorstep ...

As before in the series, I found this to be an enjoyable read: it will also be interesting to see where the series goes next! :)