The Hunger Games trilogy

Written from secondary sources (reference descriptions of the series), not from the novels.

Three young-adult novels set in Panem, a future North America where a rich Capitol rules twelve poor districts. Every year, as punishment for an old rebellion, each district sends two children to a televised fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen volunteers in her sister’s place, survives, and becomes the face of a revolt she never asked to lead.

The Games are government by television: entertainment for the Capitol and a yearly reminder to the districts of who holds power. In the first book Katniss and Peeta Mellark both survive by threatening a double suicide on camera, which forces the Capitol to accept two victors. In Catching Fire that act has made her a symbol the regime tries to contain. In Mockingjay she fronts the rebellion’s propaganda, and the ending turns on what the rebels are prepared to do once they are winning.

Collins named her sources as Theseus and the Minotaur, Roman gladiators, and switching channels between reality television and coverage of the Iraq war. The premise has well-known predecessors, Battle Royale among them. The books attack violent spectacle and were sold as one, on screen especially, which is the tension most worth noticing in them.