Battle Royale – Koushun Takami

The Hunger Games trilogy was definitely taken from this novel. The story basically follows the same lines as The Hunger Games: forty-two high school students are taken to a deserted island and armed with weapons. They each choose a bag which contains a weapon and a few supplies. It might be something as simple as a knife, or it might be a gun. Then, they are ordered to kill one another until there is only one person left alive. If they don’t, they will be killed when the time runs out. If they try to leave the island, they will be shot. If they stay in one place too long, they’ll be killed. Basically, there is no way to avoid killing one another. They all knew about such things having happened in the past, as it is covered in school textbooks starting in the fourth grade. Called ‘the Program’, the books say it is a battle simulation program conducted by the nation’s defense forces for ‘security reasons’.

I just finished my last book not long ago, and just started on this one. So far, people seem to be dropping off like flies. The protagonist, Shuya Nanahara, teams up with one of his classmates, Noriko Nakagawa, who clearly likes him from the very start of the book. Not giving spoilers, as usual! The students all have numbers, and are often referred to as ‘male or female number __’. Everything seems to happen quickly even though the book is a longer novel. I’m going to assume that as it progresses, things slow down as the number of students decreases. Likely it will become a guessing game of who survives until last. I don’t believe both Noriko and Shuya will survive, but given how Hunger Games ended–I have seen the first movie only, and not read the books–I might be wrong.

It has an abrupt way of just having the students die in different ways so far. I have found it to be slightly interesting thus far, but not quite hooked on it or anything. I’m not far enough along in it to formulate an opinion of it. It was originally written in Japanese and translated into English by Yuji Oniki, whom I feel did a very good job. It reads nicely enough, and I like the writing style for what it is. I found it interesting that when the book was first published in Japan it was highly criticized as a ‘violent exploitation’. This information is taken directly from the back of the novel. It became a bestseller quickly though, and a movie was even made based on the book. I haven’t seen the movie, but may after I complete the novel. It has been compared to Lord of the Flies, which I also haven’t read, but intend to.

Even from the little I have read so far, this is like a hardcore version of The Hunger Games. It is more violent, and has a more abrupt, ‘harder’ feel to it. So far I’m undecided on my opinion of it, as I’m barely into it, as I mentioned. Yet I will definitely update this after I have completed it, and feel free to tell me what you thought of the novel in the comments, but no spoilers please!

Yours truly,

Tales of Souls