Shipbreaker is a young adult dystopian novel written by Paulo Bacigalupi. His collection of short stories (for adults) titled Pump Six is the best science fiction I've read in a decade.
So what about Shipbreaker? It's better than Hunger Games. There, I said it.
Hunger Games is overrated.
There, I said another thing.
Hunger Games is derivative, recycled, imitative. If you're a fan of dystopian sci-fi, which I am (I've got anthologies), Hunger Games is a tired and entirely underwhelming book.
So why do people like it so much? Because most people don't read dystopian books, or sci-fi for that matter.
Let's say there's someone who has NEVER eaten candy. Then one day you give them a 3 Musketeers bar. They eat it and say "This is amazing! It's so sweet! A blast of sugary, delicious flavors . . . I love it!"
3 Musketeers is NOT a great candy bar. It's hardly in anyone's top 10. But if you've never had candy, you might really like it.
Or let's say there's someone who has NEVER heard rock and roll. Then this someone hears a song by a second-rate hack band like Third Eye Blind. The first-time listener might say "This is amazing! The guitars are distorted! There's so much energy and noise. I love it!"
No, you do not love Third Eye Blind. Their song is tired, derivative, recycled. You love the idea, promise, and possibility of rock and roll.
So I ask you, fans of Hunger Games, did you really love that book, or did you the idea, promise, and possibility of dystopian science fiction?
(If you want, you can also take everything I've written above and replace "Hunger Games" with "Harry Potter," and "science fiction" with "fantasy." Enjoy.)
I predict Harry Potter will stand the test of time, Steve Dave. Don't be such a hipster.
ReplyDeleteShipbreaker *is* a lot better than Hunger Games. Bacigalupi is more literary and thoughtful (in that topics of science and ecology move him deeply--his research informs his writing). But I read Hunger Games etc. when it/and the sequels came out a few years ago(thanks to some totally rad librarians at my school) and I enjoyed it for what it was--a page turner on dystopian themes (I too love dystopian fiction and have since I read Handmaid's Tale in 1 night as a 19 year old!). Hunger Games is so hyped now that it seems impossible to read it with an untainted eye.
ReplyDeleteYour criticisms of it can be true, but what I also love about it is that all of my freshmen have read it and come in already knowing what "dystopian" means. What makes Harry Potter great (even though I only read the first book and was unmoved) is that it got kids massively reading massive books--and paved the way for a YA revolution. Perhaps I set the bar too low--but I'm really happy when students love reading--it can be any book. I didn't love literature in high school (it took college for me to mature intellectually)--but reading begets reading, and there is something for everyone. I guess I am low brow that way. I take my children to the park in the morning, and there are always tons of park and rec kids there before us. Amidst the balls, swinging, digging and running, there are always at least 3 10 year olds who are buried in a book--and I can see books in the backpacks of others.
Kids having fun (while getting exercise) and kids reading for pleasure: now that is good.
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DeleteI fucking love 3 Musketeers bars.
ReplyDelete