⇒ Download Free Battle Royale The Novel Koushun Takami 9781421527727 Books

Battle Royale The Novel Koushun Takami 9781421527727 Books

Download As PDF : Battle Royale The Novel Koushun Takami 9781421527727 Books

Battle Royale The Novel Koushun Takami 9781421527727 Books

I think one thing needs to be made clear because a lot of reviews seem to be looking at this as following the dystopian trend set by The Hunger Games: Battle Royale PRECEDED The Hunger Games. So any comments about a lack of originality do not belong here.

Okay, this is a dark dystopian society in which teenagers are forced to fight to the death. This is a premise that had been used before by The Running Man and others. But Battle Royale brings something new to the table by having the fight ring participants be children and by having them face off against their friends.

Despite the similar premise, Battle Royale and The Hunger Games focus on very different aspects of the competition, and I think which book you prefer will depend largely on your personal taste.

Battle Royale focuses much more on the morality of the game, and many students didn't want to kill anyone. Many students tried to find a way to beat the system. In THG, the tributes pretty much accept that they have to kill to survive.

Battle Royale also focuses very effectively and poignantly on the prisoner's dilemma. Many students didn't want to fight, but killed because they were afraid of the others or else didn't reach out to the others because they were afraid. Like the prisoner's dilemma, the students didn't get the chance to talk to one another before being armed, so they couldn't safely get together and try to cooperate to get out of the game. This is used very well, with some very sad deaths.

Also, in Battle Royale, more of the characters fighting in the contest are fully developed. This makes their deaths more poignant. In THG, only Katniss and Peeta, and to a far lesser extent, Rue, were developed characters, and the rest of the competitors were either unlikable or faceless/nameless people whose deaths didn't really cut.

If you're interested in a story that looks at the competing bonds of friendship and survival, I think you might prefer Battle Royale. In The Hunger Games, there is more emphasis on the romantic aspect as well as a theme about what is "real" on reality tv. There is romance in Battle Royale, but it's not emphasized nearly as much as it is in THG.


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Battle Royale The Novel Koushun Takami 9781421527727 Books Reviews

Someone told me this was the basis of Hunger Games, and sure enough, it seems that way. I have enjoyed anime over the last several years, and saw quite a few of the same themes and characters of many of the greatest. Japanese culture has a way of showing strongly in these types of media. This book does not disappoint at all. I was suitably surprised by the ending, even though I had expected it from way back in the early pages of the book. If you enjoy the darker side of humanity and a culture gone to the dogs, this is the book for you.
Before that See-You-Next-Tuesday Suzanne Collins wrote hunger pangs, there was Battle Royale. The amount of plagiarism that went into hunger pangs becomes woefully evident when you read this book.
I saw the movie on Netflix before I read the book, and the movie was close but didn't do the book justice. The best way to describe it is with what I read in a review that called it a modern day Lord of the Flies. That is spot on.
But here's one reason why I prefer this book over hunger pangs. In hunger pangs, the combatants are strangers to each other and we're left focusing on katnip as the protagonist. Boring. Whereas in Battle Royale, the combatants are 40 classmates and friends. That right there adds such an amazing dynamic to the story. Shoot a stranger in the face, no problem--but how about your best friend? We even get to see events through all 40 of the kids, including a little backstory on each. And you know what? I felt invested in each and every one of those kids, and I felt it when each one died.
In contrast, I was happy when Gale moved on from katnip leaving her to settle for Peter. Peter, the spineless beta male who was happy to be her 2nd choice. Geez, I wish katnip had gotten a hatchet to the face.
This revised English translation of Koushun Takami's spectacular debut novel could not come at a better time. It has been out of print from VIZ for a few years now, but their new Haikasoru imprint is ideal for bringing it back. This "notorious, high-octane thriller," presents a gripping story that will stay with you for the rest of your life. It is a simple story. A group of 42 high-school students are taken to an evacuated island, given weapons and a time limit, and forced to kill each other until only one of them is left standing.

First off, why is this a must-buy?

1. The translation has been improved. The first edition was rife with typographical errors, and more than once a character would be addressed with another's name. I asked the Haikasoru editor personally, and he said the book received a line-by-line edit, so this improved, tidied translation is something to be excited about.

2. A 22-page afterword by author Koushun Takami! This will be "his longest published work since the novel itself," according to the Haikasoru website. His own opinion on the cult status of his own creation is something no fan should miss.

3. A new forward to the novel by Max Allan Collins. The prolific Road to Perdition writer knows a thing or two about good fiction, and there can never be too many essays about good novels by good novelists.

4. Last but not least, an interview with the director of the first Battle Royale film, Kinji Fukasaku. Unfortunately, Fukasaku died in 2003, so this will be an old interview, published in English for the first time. It will be interesting to know the opinions of this master director, who so perfectly adapted a film for a much younger generation than his own.

It is often said that the best fiction does not provide answers, but rather asks questions. That is PRECISELY what this book does. When one reads it, one inevitably asks, "What would I do in this situation?" The simple moral dilemma presented in this book will lead not just to introspection, but to some fun, speculative conversations with friends and family. I first read the book six years ago. After all this time, it still gets brought up in conversation, and it is a testament to the strength of the story that I am still so excited today for this new edition. The book doesn't just excel as a conversation-starter, however. Attached to the simple conflict of the story is a very, very gripping narrative with living, breathing characters. While the psychological examination of a few characters drives the story along the most of the way, the reader is given glimpses into the minds of all 42 students. Far from being confusing, this actually draws the reader further into the story.

New words by the author himself, an interview with the director of the film, and a forward by a modern master of fiction are three reasons that could, individually, motivate one to pick up this second edition of Battle Royale. What makes this purchase a necessity for the fan or new reader, however, is all of this packaged with a revised translation. Once again, if you are a fan of the book, the manga, or the films, this book will prove a good excuse to reacquaint yourself with the franchise.

Personally, I maintain that the novel itself is the best way to experience the story. I believe the author feels that the manga is the best way. Undoubtedly, some would side with the films. Regardless, none of them are anything less than entertaining. If you are a fan of Battle Royale, pick this up, it will be worth it.

If you aren't a fan yet, this is, in my opinion, the best place to start.
I think one thing needs to be made clear because a lot of reviews seem to be looking at this as following the dystopian trend set by The Hunger Games Battle Royale PRECEDED The Hunger Games. So any comments about a lack of originality do not belong here.

Okay, this is a dark dystopian society in which teenagers are forced to fight to the death. This is a premise that had been used before by The Running Man and others. But Battle Royale brings something new to the table by having the fight ring participants be children and by having them face off against their friends.

Despite the similar premise, Battle Royale and The Hunger Games focus on very different aspects of the competition, and I think which book you prefer will depend largely on your personal taste.

Battle Royale focuses much more on the morality of the game, and many students didn't want to kill anyone. Many students tried to find a way to beat the system. In THG, the tributes pretty much accept that they have to kill to survive.

Battle Royale also focuses very effectively and poignantly on the prisoner's dilemma. Many students didn't want to fight, but killed because they were afraid of the others or else didn't reach out to the others because they were afraid. Like the prisoner's dilemma, the students didn't get the chance to talk to one another before being armed, so they couldn't safely get together and try to cooperate to get out of the game. This is used very well, with some very sad deaths.

Also, in Battle Royale, more of the characters fighting in the contest are fully developed. This makes their deaths more poignant. In THG, only Katniss and Peeta, and to a far lesser extent, Rue, were developed characters, and the rest of the competitors were either unlikable or faceless/nameless people whose deaths didn't really cut.

If you're interested in a story that looks at the competing bonds of friendship and survival, I think you might prefer Battle Royale. In The Hunger Games, there is more emphasis on the romantic aspect as well as a theme about what is "real" on reality tv. There is romance in Battle Royale, but it's not emphasized nearly as much as it is in THG.