The Hunger Game by Suzanne Collins

 

The first book in a series of four (including a prequel), The Hunger Games gives us the nation of Panem. Panem is what used to be North America. Every year the twelve districts must send a boy and a girl from ages 12-18 to participate in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Primrose Everdeen is drawn as a tribute. Her sister, Katniss, volunteers to take her place. And the fact that Katniss volunteered will change the course of Panem forever. I thought this was the best book in the series. The action of Katniss trying to survive the Games was one of my favorite parts. 

Alien Nation (1989-1990)

 

Based on the movie that came out in 1988, Alien Nation is about a group of aliens that crash lands on earth and then has to assimilate to earth society. The Tenctonese were bred as slaves by a cruel overseer race. It is a police procedural where a slight racist human detective Matthew Sikes is forced to work with “newcomer” George Francisco. As their friendship grows, Sikes starts to question many of his former opinions on the newcomers. The series used the concept of the aliens to examine racism and bigotry in a way that audiences at the time would accept. It only lasted one season, but there was a series of five movies that tied up loose ends in the series. 

Restoree by Anne McCaffrey

 

Sara is abducted by the evil Mil. When she wakes up on a neighboring planet she has a new body and is the nursemaid to a seemingly imbecile named Harlan. But then she finds out that Harlan has been drugged in an order to take over his world. She knows that if they are to both survive, they need to escape and return to take back what has been taken from Harlan. One of my favorite science fiction books of all time! 

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

 

Filmed in sepia tones, Sky Captain reminds you of a classic serial movie of the 1930’s. It takes place in 1939. The titular Sky Captain is a mercenary for hire called in to help defend the world from killer robots that are capturing German scientists. He and old flame, Polly Perkins, go on a quest to find out why. They find that a Dr. Totenkopf is trying to destroy the world just like a James Bond villain. A very fun movie for anyone who likes either contemporary or vintage Science Fiction movies.