Reading has been part of my son’s life since well before he could actually ready. Diane and I have always read to him, and even at age 14, he still enjoys his dad reading to him before he goes to bed, and his mom in the morning before the bus comes.

He has also been an avid reader himself, catching the bug around age 10. Since then, he has devoured too many books to count, including series like Harry Potter, Twilight, Percy Jackson, etc.

One of his more recent quests was The Hunger Games triology, which he talked about a lot (more like nonstop) in the midst of reading it. I really didn’t think anything more about it, until his enthusiasm was rekindled as he discovered that a Hunger Games movie was forthcoming. About the same time, someone gave my brother-in-law a copy of the book, which sparked the idea in my brain, that this might be a series that an adult would like. Since the movie release was a couple of months away, I decided I would give the first book a try.

I’ll have to admit that the first part of the book was a bit slow, as the author sets the stage and introduces the characters. Even as the tributes are chosen and make their way to the Capitol for training and preparation for the Games, things were still moving along rather lethargically. As a result, my reading of the first section of the book was a bit come and go.

As the Games begin in section two, however, I could myself starting to get locked in. the more I read, the harder it was to put it down. Writing in first person, author Suzanne Collins does such a great job keeping the reader engaged with Katniss. There is just the right mixture of suspense, disappointment, adventure, conflict and victory.

As I finished book one in marathon fashion, I was left wanting more, which is what a good story should do. So, I am on to book 2, Catching Fire. Thanks, Grant!