We changed our format a bit starting with this episode. Instead of The Story, we just have The Setting - we fill in the setting for people who don't know it, freeform. The Story segment was starting to feel like a chore to record, and more importantly, to listen to. I think it's zippier this way (yo...

Guess what we just recorded folks! Yep, it's Steelheart!! This book is awesome.

The title never fails to put the MC Paul Barman line in my head: "Feel smart, steal hearts and start meals with chocolates / I drop gems like I got holes in my pockets..."

Six foot turkey replied to this before I could post this, anyway: The big difference is that the Hunger Games are deeply woven into the society, and have been for the last 75 years. Everyone knows exactly what to expect. There's just the career tributes, and then dead meat. And the career tributes h...

Thanks a lot for these suggestions, @LadyRhian, @DaMage, and @shamanarza!

Thanks for these thoughts, especially @SoSo_Tsundere's awesome description of the more complete picture of the world in the book! Once again I wish we had the time to always do both the book and the movie. But I think the movie stands well on its own, even if it makes not a lot of literal sense. @7S...

Googling the phrases totally works. Even from the only one *not* from a YA dystopia - exactly one hit! D'oh!

Sounds cool, @hascow! Thanks!

@zaz I also think it's awesome! It's not just shorter - there are some other subtle differences. Holy cow did Bradley Rains do an amazing job of making music from my vague descriptions! ("more urgent, and doomed") @ritchards I think I cut that bit out, but middle Pretties get some of their...

Heads up, the next episode is Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, if you want to start reading. Coming this monday!

It's somewhat to her credit as a human being, I would say, that she's not great at designing death traps for teenagers or twisted dilemmas that make them do horrible things to each other. I read about the Saw movies on wikipedia (too scared to see 'em) and I find the kind of nerdy detachment from ac...

@DaMage Good to get your perspective, and in general to hear about someone who cares about these stories. We too nitpick because we care! I'm a fan of the character interactions (I also think what she does with the love triangle is pretty fresh), and of the overall story arc and its resonance. It's ...

@DaMage Thanks for the feedback! Do keep in mind that some people (including me) are very fond of the movie, and that movies aren't books and have to be very selective in the information they include. And lots is always cut out at the last minute, making for loose ends. Plot holes are not that big o...

@mutant_pie That is amazing! I just watched Mr. Peabody and Sherman, so I can picture it. "Now pay attention Albert, you're about to meet one of the greatest minds in history." " Aw hell, Blood, I don't care about any Leonardo Da Vinci! Find me a woman!"

@SixFootTurkey I've heard very good things about this series!

Thanks for all these clarifications, @SixFootTurkey, @DaMage, and @ritchards! So what did y'all think of the episode?

Thanks you guys for all the perspective on American law and culture! We were aware that we were well over our heads - given that instead of learning about history or politics, I, for example, spent my teenage years watching Gamera vs Guiron, Mystery Science Theatre 3000. So we're glad you're filling...

Another tremendous contribution, thanks @LadyRhian! We have got to do Mortal Instruments soon - it sounds so fucking wild.

Youtube link to this ep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAJWie9vXGA NEXT WEEK: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire! @Psithief How dare you call us a troll sir! @Zyme you have solved Ian's dilemma - he need simply find a bunch of sawdust! Some interesting bits of info in the youtube comments: - "th...

Whoa, thanks again @LadyRhian! Really appreciate the trouble - you can be in our Faction any time! @Master Gunner Great out-of-the-box suggestion - going on the list! I haven't read it, and I'd like to - the author of Maze Runner said his book was specifically a response to that one. So I'm interest...

@DaMage "How do we know the lab people are dead?" Wow, great point! (among several great points) It makes no sense that they would be really dead when the leader isn't (unless she was faking her death partly to escape the real soldiers, and counting on them not checking her pulse...) Now I...

Youtube comment by a Chris Procter that I'd rather respond to on here: "Interesting to hear a review of the movie - the book reminded me that despite the lower target, it's totally possible to write bad Young Adult fiction. The author conflates withholding information with building mystery and ...

Thanks Booster! Much appreciated.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nZZzIVjn6Y
Podcast link: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/fig ... 85349?mt=2

Next episode: Little Brother by Cory Doctorow!

Whoa, cool! Thanks for putting the time in, @SixFootTurkey, this is handy!

Not sure why we're talking about this here rather than on the poor neglected hunger games thread, but I think the series gets way better after the first book - the whole time I was like, this is just a game show. It's going to get interesting when she gets out of the arena and takes on the Capital. ...

@Oli and @SixFootTurkey, then we've done our work!