Battle Royale

A future, dystopian Japan holds an annual national game in which an entire middle school class is placed on an island, given a variety of weapons, and instructed to kill one another. The last one standing will be the winner. Mark Dacascos's young-sounding voice captures the na•veté of the kids as they're cast into extreme circumstances and forced to confront not only one another but also their own fundamental emotions of trust and fear. This young adult novel will remind listeners of THE LORD OF THE FLIES or THE HUNGER GAMES wherein preteens are forced into choices most adults couldn't abide. Dacascos's characterizations dramatize the characters' anxieties and underscore the dark side of humankind. F.T. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine