# I finished the Hunger Games; what should I read next? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670 "2012-01-16T04:57:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/1 "2012-01-16T04:57:27Z")
Let me get something out of the way. I strongly dislike reading. Most books, to me, are paced poorly, take too long to get through, and are so bogged down in details (such as how something looks) that my eyes just gloss over. However, I just finished The Hunger Games trilogy and I loved them. I thought they were paced extremely well and had an interesting premise. It’s also the first time I’ve finished a novel in 10 years (though Iv’e tried others, but I usually burn out about half way). Are there any books similar in pacing/writing style that I might like? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/2 "2012-01-16T05:17:27Z")
Ooh, I know the answer… call on me! _ **The Knife of Never Letting Go** _ [(amazon link)](http://www.amazon.com/Knife-Never-Letting-Go-Walking/dp/0763645761/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326690870&sr=1-1) First book of a trilogy (that is as good or better than HG). AND has the best opening dialog of any book I’ve read. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/3 "2012-01-16T13:43:16Z")
I personally thought _Ready Player One_ by Ernest Cline was paced about as well as _The Hunger Games_, only the writing is much better. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/4 "2012-01-16T16:18:04Z")
Why not try more YA novels? There’s no shame in it - many are quite popular with adults. City of Ember Ender’s Game The Forest of Teeth and Hands ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/5 "2012-01-16T16:54:01Z")
My daughter and I both enjoyed [Shatter Me](http://www.amazon.com/Shatter-Me-Tahereh-Mafi/dp/0062085484/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326732356&sr=1-1). According to [this](http://www.taherehmafi.com/) website, it’s the first of three, the next two as yet unwritten. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/6 "2012-01-16T17:26:43Z")
[Jumper](http://www.amazon.com/Jumper-Novel-Steven-Gould/dp/0765342286), by Steven Gould. Don’t see the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/7 "2012-01-16T17:58:52Z")
I just read Divergent by Veronica Roth and enjoyed it. The next installment comes out in May. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/8 "2012-01-16T20:25:49Z")
For YA stuff, [The Maze Runner](http://www.amazon.com/Maze-Runner-Trilogy-Book/dp/0385737947) might be interesting to you. I have read the first two, and am waiting for the third to be available in ebook form from the library. There is, however, a LOT of “what the fuck are they DOING to those kids and WHY???” in it. My son actually asked for the Hunger Games books for Christmas (this is a kid who does not voluntarily read anything). I’m going to have to try to swipe them from him long enough to read them :). ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/9 "2012-01-16T20:33:06Z")
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! It just occurred to me that there is another book I finished in the past couple of years…\*\*The Road \*\*(which, now that I think of it, is like a darker Hunger Games 😉 I don’t know if that helps provide recommendations, but figured I’d throw it out there. > [@digs](#): > > Ooh, I know the answer… call on me! > > _ **The Knife of Never Letting Go** _ [(amazon link)](http://www.amazon.com/Knife-Never-Letting-Go-Walking/dp/0763645761/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326690870&sr=1-1) I started reading the sample of it on my phone last night…the writing style is really bugging me. A lot of run-on sentences and some annoying word choice. I’m guessing that’s the author’s way of trying to convey what it must be like to live in a world where there’s never silence? I made it to chapter 2, but I don’t know if I can keep going…does it get substantially better? Thanks for the suggestion regardless. ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/10 "2012-01-17T13:21:24Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > I made it to chapter 2 [of **The Knife of Never Letting Go**], but I don’t know if I can keep going…does it get substantially better? Thanks for the suggestion regardless. If you can get a hold of the audiobook version (check your local library) I think you’d really get into the story - Todd’s dialog comes across much better in this format, IMHO and the “noise” is also more effective. Keep in mind that Todd is a poorly-educated country boy - Huck Finn of the stars, if you will 😃 The action picks up once you find out what the hole in the noise is, and the implications of it. The story is pretty much non-stop thru the rest of the first novel. The second book _The Ask and the Answer_ is slower, focusing more on world and character-building, but the last novel _Monsters of Men_ is a total roller-coaster ride! ---
**Author:** ![svrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@svrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svrider)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/11 "2012-01-17T14:01:07Z")
I second the audiobook version of The Knife of Never Letting Go. One of the better audiobook performances I’ve experienced. Ready player one, is quite excellent also. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/12 "2012-01-17T17:00:45Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I personally thought _Ready Player One_ by Ernest Cline was paced about as well as _The Hunger Games_, only the writing is much better. Bingo! We have a winner. ---
**Author:** ![enigmatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@enigmatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enigmatic)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/13 "2012-01-17T17:16:42Z")
> [@](#): > > I personally thought Ready Player One by Ernest Cline was paced about as well as The Hunger Games, only the writing is much better. I couldn’t make my mind up about that one. It felt it was pushing the wish fulfillment, power fantasy angle a bit too strongly. Everything kind of falls neatly into place for the protagonist, regardless of whether it made sense or not. Sorta _Twilight_ for geeks. I enjoyed the first half, but by the end I was getting a bit sick of, “here’s a problem, but not really, cause I’m awesome and special” It’s well written, and if you’re even slightly geeky you’ll enjoy all the references. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/14 "2012-01-18T17:05:23Z")
> [@enigmatic](#): > > I couldn’t make my mind up about that one. It felt it was pushing the wish fulfillment, power fantasy angle a bit too strongly. > > Everything kind of falls neatly into place for the protagonist, regardless of whether it made sense or not. Sorta _Twilight_ for geeks. I enjoyed the first half, but by the end I was getting a bit sick of, “here’s a problem, but not really, cause I’m awesome and special” > > It’s well written, and if you’re even slightly geeky you’ll enjoy all the references. Based on your spoiler, I assume you either have not read or did not like the Hunger Games trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/15 "2012-01-18T17:25:11Z")
You MUST read “Matched.” ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/16 "2012-01-18T18:22:12Z")
> [@svrider](#): > > I second the audiobook version of The Knife of Never Letting Go. One of the better audiobook performances I’ve experienced. > > Ready player one, is quite excellent also. Yep and yep. You also may like [Before I Fall](http://www.amazon.com/Before-I-Fall-Lauren-Oliver/dp/006172680X), which has a Groundhog Day sort of premise; or [Never After](http://www.amazon.com/Never-After-Dan-Elconin/dp/1416979670/ref=tmm_pap_title_0), a twist on the story of Peter Pan. Both of these were very engrossing and had fast-moving plots. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-the-hunger-games-what-should-i-read-next/609670/17 "2012-01-18T18:30:13Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > Thanks for the suggestions everyone! It just occurred to me that there is another book I finished in the past couple of years…\*\*The Road \*\*(which, now that I think of it, is like a darker Hunger Games 😉 I don’t know if that helps provide recommendations, but figured I’d throw it out there. > > I started reading the sample of it on my phone last night…the writing style is really bugging me. A lot of run-on sentences and some annoying word choice. I’m guessing that’s the author’s way of trying to convey what it must be like to live in a world where there’s never silence? I really disliked this series. Maybe I’d have liked it more if I had the audiobooks, but having read the print series, I disliked it enough that I won’t even consider them again. _Ready Player One_ was awesome. So was _Divergent_. \*Ashes, Ashes \* by Jo Treggiari is another one I read recently, along with \*Legend \* by Marie Lu and _When She Woke_ by Hillary Jordan.