Today's Read Contributor Fans of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series have something to look forward to, as the author announces the release of her fifth book, Sunrise on the Reaping, slated for publication on March 18, 2025. This novel promises to bring readers back to the dystopian world of Panem, but with a fresh perspective, taking place twenty-four years before Katniss Everdeen’s story.
Sunrise on the Reaping explores the turbulent period of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. The story is set in a time when the brutal games are already a deeply ingrained tradition, yet the power dynamics between the Capitol and the districts are still in the process of shaping the future we saw in the earlier books. It provides a unique opportunity to examine the origins of the Capitol’s control over the districts and the ways in which the Hunger Games become a central tool for maintaining that power.
The novel promises to dive into the complexities of propaganda, exploring how the Capitol manipulates narratives to keep its citizens in check. Drawing inspiration from philosopher David Hume’s concept of implicit submission, Collins highlights the psychological underpinnings of control and submission within the context of the games. The theme of narrative control is central to the novel, as it uncovers how the Capitol uses storytelling to manipulate public perception and solidify its dominance.
This book is the first new addition to the series since The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which was published in 2020. That prequel, focusing on the young Coriolanus Snow, offered readers an intimate look at the beginnings of the notorious Capitol leader. Sunrise on the Reaping promises to expand on the history of Panem even further, providing a fresh layer to the complex political and social landscape that defines the series.
Sunrise on the Reaping will be available in multiple formats—print, digital, and audio—in countries worldwide. The highly anticipated release is expected to attract readers both new and old, eager to return to the world that Collins created over a decade ago. With its timely themes of power, manipulation, and rebellion, Sunrise on the Reaping seems poised to resonate with a modern audience, while also offering the thrilling and thought-provoking narrative that fans have come to expect from Collins.
