The New Hunger Games Prequel Book Will Finally Explore The Bloodiest Games In History

Author Suzanne Collins has announced her new book, Sunrise on the Reaping, which will finally dive into the most brutal tournament of the Hunger Games franchise. This is undoubtedly saying something since the Hunger Games featured in Collins’s books see children between the ages of 12 and 17 brutally kill each other until only one is left standing. However, the teased setting of Sunrise on the Reaping indicates that the upcoming book will follow the events of the 50th Hunger Games, which Collins’ previous novels revealed to have changed all the rules.

Sunrise on the Reaping is Collins’ second prequel to her The Hunger Games trilogy, with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes released in 2020. The author has stated that the new novel will pick up 40 years after the end of Coriolanus Snow’s prequel and begin on the morning of District 12’s reaping. She went on to explain (via Variety) that the tale was inspired by the work of Scottish philosopher David Hume and the idea of “implicit submission.” This is certainly intriguing, especially since it seems Sunrise on the Reaping will explore this through more bloodshed.

Sunrise On The Reaping Will Cover Haymitch’s Hunger Games

Haymitch Was the Victor Of The 50th Hunger Games

Though Collins’ big Hunger Games novel announcement didn’t mention Haymitch by name, the fact that the story is set 40 years after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is enough to confirm that the titular reaping will be for the 50th Hunger Games, which Haymitch Abernathy participated. This is highly exciting since Hunger Games fans have been requesting a Haymitch prequel since Catching Fire gave a sneak peek into his games.

Katniss’ mentor was an alcoholic with symptoms of trauma, and there has never been any question that this came as the result of his games. Haymitch rarely talked about his experience in the arena, but while preparing for the third Quarter Quell, Katniss and Peeta watched recordings of his reaping and tournament, hoping it would help them understand their own Quell. What they saw revealed a great deal about Haymitch’s character, as well as the cruelty of the Capitol.

Why The Second Quarter Quell Was The Bloodiest In Panem’s History

The 50th Hunger Games Changed All The Rules

Just as Katniss and Peeta’s Quarter Quell changed the rules by requiring the tributes to be selected from the existing pool of victors, Snow also made some adjustments to the second Quarter Quell. The 50th Hunger Games demanded twice as many tributes as usual—two boys and two girls from each District. Therefore, rather than 23 dead tributes at the end, the victor of the second Quarter Quell would have the corpses of 47 children on their conscience, including three from their own District.

Since the 50th Hunger Games contained twice as much bloodshed, it was easily the most brutal game in Panem’s history, and this will make the upcoming Sunrise on the Reaping even more devastating to read. What’s more, the Gamemakers of the second Quarter Quell raised the bar with the arena, whichappeared to be a colorful, tropical paradise but was instead a poisonous and deadly hellscape. Haymitch’s time in the arena should be much longer and full of even more twists, turns, and devastating murders than previous Hunger Games novels.

Sunrise On The Reaping May Be The Hunger Games’ Grand Finale

Haymitch Is The Last District 12 Victor To Get Their Own Story

A prequel featuring Haymitch’s games was heavily requested, but this wasn’t the only prominent idea from fans. Books following Finnick, Mags, or Joanna have also been begged for in recent years. However, Collins’ choices in prequels so far indicate that this might not happen. All of the author’s existing Hunger Games books feature games won by District 12 tributes. The Hunger Games saw Katniss and Peeta claim victory, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes explored Lucy Gray’s games, and now, Sunrise on the Reaping will cover the last of them, Haymitch.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes revealed that District 12 carries some painful significance with President Snow, which puts into perspective the rage he would have felt when Katniss Everdeen forced the Gamemakers’ hands with those berries. Sunrise on the Reaping will see Haymitch, the first District 12 victor since Lucy Gray, win his games in just as controversial away. As a whole, Collins’ five Hunger Games books would outline Snow’s personal war with District 12. Any other prequels (or sequels) would disrupt this rather effective formula.

Moreover, the extreme nature of Haymitch’s games makes them the perfect capper for the book franchise. The second Quarter Quell would have been Snow’s pride and joy—the greatest and most spectacular Hunger Games in Panem’s history. The fact that it was sabotaged by a District 12 tribute would have been enough to break something within the president. Like Balad of Songbirds and Snakes, the new book will provide further context for why Snow saw Katniss as such a threat. For this reason, Sunrise on the Reaping would make for a perfect full-circle ending.