I love *the Hunger Games* but am confused why no one ever discusses her other series *The Underland Chronicles*. It is technically for children, but I have always found it just as compelling. It came out in 2003 and was completed shortly before *the Hunger Games* was released. I am rereading it now for the 6th+ time and I know that the *Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie* is coming out so THG is in people’s minds these days. Has anyone else read it or heard of it?
edit: grammar!
by benvclios
28 Comments
I read those back when they came out and I loved them!!!!!
BROOO absolutely underrated GEMS! i read them at the literal beginning of this year and when im telling you those books aimed at sixth graders had a literal 20 year old putting off uni work because it was literally impossible to put them down!!! My favorite part about reading them as someone who had already read THG is that it was pretty fun to point out all the characters that suzanne without a doubt would later rework for the hunger games haha (grumpy uncle figure that teaches MC everything they know: Haymitch and Ripred, bossy old morally grey woman with a thirst for power: Solovet and Coin, etc etc) I’m honestly baffled that with all of Suzanne’s connections to Hollywood and with the absolute absurd success that THG had no one ever even dared to try to adapt her other work as well 🙁 I understand it’s difficult to adapt because its aimed at kids yet so graphic, but if you age up Gregor a little bit (which imo Suzanne should have done hahah, this kid was going to war at 11) you could get an amazing show out of it just like they’re doing now with PJO. I absolutely agree OP, it baffles me just how underrated those books are, Suzanne is amazing at crafting thrilling and addictive stories that just have you hooked, i wish more people knew about them
There are a lot of book reports done on this series
Underlander is a great read at any age
Oh my gosh. I’m a teacher and I just read the first in the Overlander series a month ago because I’m trying to read more books geared toward the age of the students I teach, and I was hooked. I’m on book 4 now!
I read most of them when I was in high school and really liked them.
My wife loves them
It’s on my daughter’s booklist this year and I told her I’d read it along with her. I’m even more interested after seeing this!
Wow I read this as a kid and never made a connection to her and the hunger games later, this is kinda cool! I remember it being a fun series
Those books (Gregor the Overlander) are SO GOOD. We read them aloud to our kids and were just as enthralled as they were. Seriously, better than they have any right being.
I’ve had the Prophecy of Bane (the prophecy itself not the book) memorized for the last 18 years, lol.
My sister read it at some point(still hasn’t read THG…), but it didn’t seem that interesting when she described it, and I don’t think it left a significant impact on her either.
And! The narrator is so good! Paul Boehmer, has quite a portfolio.
I read them as a kid and didn’t realize The Hunger Games was the same writer until I was in high school!
I read those around when they came out, they’re incredible. Makes you look at cockroaches a bit differently! I was not surprised when the hunger games was her next series, a lot of the same themes.
I read those after my kids were grown. Enjoyed them very much.
I love Gregor! This sentence always makes me tear up!
>!”Shh,” said Boots, patting him. “Shh. The mouses are sleeping.”!<
Is that the story where a character wears his watch on his ankle?
I’m in my 30s and first read the series a decade ago. I love the Underland Chronicles.
My third grade teacher read the first of the series to my class, and I absolutely loved it and read the rest of the series independently. My brother and I destroyed a few copies of those books from reading them so often and taking them everywhere we went 🫣
They are amazing books. Maybe it’s time for a reread!
The series was AMAZING, to this day it’s ine of my favorites. Literally cured my fear of cockroaches too.
Aghh, I had to read the Underland Chronicles for my battle of the books! I loved that series, but I never completed it I don’t think.
The Underland Chronicles rewired my brain as a kid and I still adore them. I think they’re my most reread books of all time!
Goated series, the last book’s ending still makes me emotional just thinking about it
I love this series! I still have a box set and I’m sad I hardly ever see anyone talk about it. I should give it a reread. The theme of war and it’s casualties, especially PTSD were really interesting and I still think about it to this day. Really mature themes for a middle grade series and yet I remember it being really well done and age appropriate.
I looove that series. I think I personally prefer it to the Hunger Games.
It is on my tbr for 2024! Just finishing re-reading The Hunger Games. I’m excited to read more of Suzanne Collins.
The ending to the fifth book was the first thing I can remember reading that made me cry. You’re right, they are absolutely underrated.