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Battle Royale
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
The cult Japanese bestselling phenomenon!Koushun Takami's notorious high-octane thriller is based on an irresistible premise: a class of 42 junior high school students are taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are electronically collared, provided with weapons of varying potency, and sent out onto the island. If they are in the wrong part of the island at the wrong time, their collars will explode. If they band together to save themselves a collar will explode at random. If they try to escape from the island, they will be blown up. Their only chance for survival lies in killing their classmates. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan - where it then proceeded to become a runaway bestseller - BATTLE ROYALE is a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, and a potent story of politics and survival in a dog-eat-dog world. Made into a controversial hit movie of the same name, BATTLE ROYALE is already a contemporary Japanese pulp classic, and is now available for the first time to the UK mainstream.
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candc320
Battle Royale: Remastered | Koushun Takami
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The books I got during the Amazon Black Friday and Buy 2 Get 1 deals already came in! I couldn‘t resist even though I have no idea when I‘ll actually get to these…I feel like I‘ve got piles all over the house 🤣.

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kelli7990
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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Bailedbailed

Here‘s my review for a book I bailed on.

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kelli7990
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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I don‘t know what to think about this book. I‘m not sure whether I want to DNF this book or not. Sometimes, I get bored when reading this book and I feel like going to sleep and then something interesting happens and suddenly, I want to keep reading. It‘s been a weird reading experience for me. I had to put this book down earlier after reading it because I started feeling bored with what was happening in the story and I felt like going to sleep.

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kelli7990
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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I just found the audiobook for Battle Royale on Scribd. I picked up where I left off in the physical copy and now, I‘m going to listen to the rest of the book instead of physically reading it. This is a different translation from my physical copy but this will help me get through it faster. If I had known that there was an audiobook, I wouldn‘t have read my physical copy.

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kelli7990
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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kelli7990
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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I decided to start this book. I‘ve had this book sitting on my bookshelf for awhile but I wasn‘t sure when I wanted to read it. This book has been compared to the Hunger Games series. I liked the Hunger Games series so I‘m interested to see if I will like this book. The storyline is similar to the Hunger Games but it‘s set in Japan.

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 20:
"The sun will rise every day, blessing every one of us with joy."

29 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 19:
"Look, there's no need to understand. What it comes down to is this. Once your opponent attacks you with a weapon, you don't hesitate. Otherwise you'll die. You can't afford to think about it."

29 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 18:
It was dangerous for her to run so recklessly, but she had to escape. That was her priority.

29 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 17:
With an explosive pop, the gun set off a small flame. Something hot grazed the top of his head. Of course he might have just imagined it. Anyway, the bullet missed him.

29 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 16:
Then his feet feel funny.
He suddenly recalled how there was a steep slope toward the field with the shrine.
I'm falling!

30 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 15:
"Let's see, you, and also you. And you. What's your coffin size? It's a tight fit, but we can offer our popular No. 8 model to you at a specially reduced price."

31 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 14:
Who was still normal and who wasn't anymore? But - maybe we're the ones who aren't being normal anymore? Maybe we're insane?
He felt like he was going crazy.

31 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 13:
The slashing sound Megumi heard sounded like a lemon being cut. It was a nice sound. The knife must have been really sharp and the lemon fresh, the way they were on television cooking shows, as in, "Today, we'll be cooking lemon salmon."
It took her a few seconds to realize what had occurred.

31 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 12:
They heard a rustling sound. They sensed someone in the bushes behind them. That was their signal: all aboard. The train is departing, so you better get on board.

32 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 11:
Fighting was the best way he could prove himself. Strength was the only standard he had, and he never felt short of it.

34 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 10:
Noriko broke into a slight grin. Shuya did his best to return the smile. They were in a horrible situation, but he felt slight relief in forming a smile.

38 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 9:
Kazushi did his best to overcome his panic. The first thing was to get out of here. That was the priority.

38 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 8:
And so his choice to reduce the numbers of "the enemy" as efficiently as possible wasn't motivated by rational thoughts but instead by a deeper, primal fear of death. There was no need to discern your allies from your enemies. Everyone had to be an enemy.

38 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 7:
Shuya licked his lips and decided it was best for him to move away from the door. He looked outside again.
That was when he noticed it.
He didn't see it the last time because he was too preoccupied with the overall view, but this time he saw something that looked like a garbage bag lying at his feet.

39 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 6:
He stood at the open door and faced the darkness. He looked back at everyone with a terrified face, but then a moment later he vanished beyond the door. Two or three footsteps turned into the pounding sound of his running, which then faded away. It sounded like he fell once, but then it sounded like he dashed off again.

40 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 5:
The motto here is. 'I'm just like the others and the others are like me.' There is nothing to be afraid of.

40 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 4:
Rage tore through his entire body so powerfully that it almost made him shake. His feelings, which had been muted by the initial shock, were beginning to surface.

40 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 3:
It was the most terrifying version of musical chairs imaginable.
But it was impossible to oppose the Program. It was impossible to protest anything the Republic of Greater East Asia did.

42 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 2:
Sakamochi continued smiling and resumed, "Your class has been elected for this year's 'Program.'"
Someone shrieked.

42 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 1:
As soon as everyone seemed awake, the man spoke up in a cheerful voice, "All right, everyone awake? I hope you all slept well!"
No one replied. Even the class clowns, Yutaka Seto and Yuka Nakagawa were speechless.

42 STUDENTS REMAINING

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jinnocentia
Battle Royale: The Novel | Koushun Takami

Chapter 0:
Decadent music is strictly prohibited.

42 STUDENTS REMAINING

review
Nessavamusic
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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Pickpick

This was action packed, violent thriller about a group of 9th graders forced to kill each other off. This modern classic has influenced so many things including Hunger Games and Squid Game. Definitely worth the read, though this is very violent, so beware. 5⭐️ #bodycountbingo - bingo! #bookspinbingo #Spookathon #Scarathlon2022 #TeamMonsterMash #31in31 #trappedonanisland

TheSpineView Fantastic 1y
PuddleJumper Looking good! 1y
38 likes2 comments
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shadowspeak17
Battle Royale: Remastered | Koushun Takami
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I meant to post this last month, but apparently I forgot. Whoops!
I finished my 2021 #friendrecchallenge! I ended up liking all of the books this time, but Battle Royale was my favorite of the bunch. Kind of funny because that one was recommended with the least amount of confidence. My bf was completely unsure whether I‘d like it or not.
I‘m looking forward to seeing what my friends pick for me for 2022! 😄

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shadowspeak17
Battle Royale: Remastered | Koushun Takami
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#AugustWrapUp
Battle Royale, which I read for my friend rec challenge (3 books down, only 1 to go 😄), was my favorite this month and left me with a #bookhangover. How the Word is Passed was also great.

Total: 6
Print: 3
Ebook: 1
Audio: 2
Fiction: 3
Nonfiction: 3

#lmpbc: 1
#booked2021: 0
#friendrecchallenge: 1

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shadowspeak17
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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My friends have spoken. These are their picks for my #friendrecchallenge this year. 😄 The goal of this challenge is to get me to read more of the books that my friends recommend for me, since I‘m usually not very good about doing that. So I let each of my friends pick one book for me that they‘ve read before and would recommend, and I have to read and review it before the end of the year.

TrishB Good plan 👍🏻 3y
bthegood I love this idea👍 3y
36 likes2 comments
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JessTedrick
Battle Royale: Remastered | Koushun Takami
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Which should I start first?

TheNeverendingTBR I recently picked up this exact copy of Battle Royale, looking forward to reading it for the first time! 👌 3y
JessTedrick Nice! @TheNeverendingTBR I‘ve heard so much about it but I‘ve gotta say, it‘s 48% rating on here makes me a bit weary. 3y
5 likes2 comments
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MidnightBookGirl
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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#3Books Made into Film @OriginalCyn620 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

1. Battle Royale- the only one on the list where I watched the movie first, but led to me binge reading Japanese Horror.
2. IT- I'll always be an honorary member of the Loser's Club.
3. John Dies at the End- I love the books, but the movie was pretty good too!

OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚🎬 4y
Wordsling I want to read IT. Saw the movie, didn't like it one bit though. 4y
58 likes2 comments
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living.dead.ghoul.writes
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami

“By then she was dead. In fact, she may have been dead a while ago. Physically, several seconds ago, mentally, ages ago.”

phantomx I love Battle Royale! It had me on the edge of my seat, the story is amazing. The author created a variety of characters and the background stories are mind blowing. 4y
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AutumnRLS
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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This book is pretty chunky and a translation. May take me awhile, but I was told it fits somewhere between Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games. I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty good to me. Bonus, every Japanese translation I've read I've really enjoyed.

16 likes1 stack add
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Conservio
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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I‘ve always enjoyed “man hunting man for sport” type of books. I‘ve read The Hunger Games several times so I thought I‘d try Battle Royals. It was published in 1999. I thought it was much older. #battleroyale #murder

9 likes1 stack add
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chapters-and-pages
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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“loving someone always requires you to not love others.“

review
WhatWouldJaneDo
Battle Royale: Remastered | Koushun Takami
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Mehso-so

Pretty much everything you'd expect: chosen for the "program," a 9th grade class of 42 students is placed on an isolated island and told to fight to the death, with only one left. It's a lot of students to keep track of but it's handled and paced pretty well, although the battle scenes started to drag for me towards the end. I enjoyed the dystopian world building although at times I felt the writing wasn't great (pos b/c of the translation).

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WhatWouldJaneDo
Battle Royale: Remastered | Koushun Takami
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Tempting fate tonight trying to read this doorstop in the bathtub. #bookandbubbles

marleed This photo is everything! 5y
36 likes1 stack add1 comment
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MidnightBookGirl
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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Spent the day brunching with my friends and playing Pokemon Go with my family, but I got several hours of Battle Royale listened to as well!

wtimblin Sounds like an awesome day by my standards! 5y
45 likes1 comment
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Eggbeater
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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Pickpick

This book was written before The Hunger Games and I wonder how much was influenced by it. It wasn't really a YA novel, it was Stephen King level gory in some sections and there were adult topics. The action and suspense were epic and you never knew who to trust. The characters were dynamic and interesting, though hard to keep track of at first. Takako was my favorite bad ass character and you'll see why.

TobeyTheScavengerMonk Yeah, when when Hunger Games blew up all I could think of it how this did it first. The Battle Royale movie is pretty good too. 5y
MidnightBookGirl I'm so glad you liked it! 5y
Zelma It looks like a chunkster but is such a quick read. I couldn‘t put it down. 5y
59 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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MidnightBookGirl
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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I'm currently listening to On The Come Up (which is amazing) but Battle Royale is next up on deck. I'm slowly rereading my physical copy but I have a lot of other books I have to read this month and wanted to make sure I have time. Anyone else read this?

37 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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Closing out the first day of the #24B4Monday #readathon having read 8 hours and 42 minutes. I am right on track and enjoying ignoring my shitty life! Trying to keep track of all of the characters in Battle Royale for book club.

@TheReadingMermaid @Andrew65

sudi nice picture 💖 5y
Naj Lovely pic 💜 Love your hair! 5y
Andrew65 Fantastic first day. 👏🙌👍 5y
See All 6 Comments
Trashcanman That's a lovely photo. 😊 5y
Eggbeater @Trashcanman Thank you! Hi George! 😄 5y
Trashcanman @Eggbeater Hi Lili, I hope today is kind to you. 5y
64 likes6 comments
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visz
Battle Royale: Remastered | Koushun Takami
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¡Dioh mío! This one has become a total challenge. So many Japanese characters and names to remember. Tantos nombre para darle sentido a la historia... Snif snif

Butterfinger Welcome!! 5y
visz @Butterfinger thanks!!!!!!! 😁 5y
CoffeeNBooks Welcome to Litsy! 📚 5y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 📖💙 5y
AlwaysForeverReading Welcome to Litsy!!📚📖💜💛💙 5y
5 likes5 comments
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RJHowe
Battle Royale: Remastered | Koushun Takami
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Mehso-so

On the plus side it is tense, fast paced and very tightly plotted for a 600 page book. There are a number of well thought out and well executed twists.

On the minus the gore is overdone and loses its impact. The characters are unrealistic and there is zero character development. For a book that is supposed to comment on human nature it fails.

Read it for great suspense and quality plotting, or to be able to talk about it, but nothing more.

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BookishRedhead
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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Takako Chigusa needs more love as a character.
In both the book and movie she's badass.
She's not in it much but when she is, my god, the girl doesn't take shit from anyone.

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BookwormAHN
Battle Royale | Koushun Takami
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Thank you so much @bullbunny I've never heard of Battle Royale but I'm looking forward to diving in. The premise sounds similar to The Long Walk, which I loved. I haven't read Storm of the Century but I saw the miniseries years ago. I love the Funkos. I didn't have the original Pennywise or Georgie.
🎬🧡🎈🎬🧡🎈🎬
#ReadtheMoviesSwap @DoonTheGoon

RavenLovelyReads There‘s a Battle Royale Japanese movie! I recommend it- maybe after you read the book? 5y
BookwormAHN @RavenLovelyReads Oh yes, book first. 5y
bullbunny @RavenLovelyReads yeah that's the movie I gave her lol 5y
See All 9 Comments
bullbunny @BookwormAHN So glad things got to you! Happy you like everything! I was surprised to find that there is another movie! Hope it's a great read! I for the longest time thought the movie I saw was the mist but turns out it was storm of the century XD 5y
RavenLovelyReads @bullbunny I totally missed that! 😂😂 i was so excited to see the book! 🤣 5y
bullbunny @RavenLovelyReads yeah the book is massive! 5y
DoonTheGoon Yay! 🎬😀🎥🍿 5y
teebe Battle Royale is great, it‘s like a gritty predecessor of the Hunger Games. Hope you enjoy it! 5y
BookishTrish Battle Royale is super intense and good 5y
95 likes9 comments
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Utopiyll
Battle Royale: Remastered | Koushun Takami
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The original Hunger Games!

This whooper of a book is over 600 pages long and while I'm only 400 in the tension has yet to let up.

This novel tackles human psyche like no other as it follows 40 classmates who are forced to kill eachother. It's heart-wrenching, gorey and traumatic and I have to commend the new translater for envisioning the true uncomfortable prose and voice of Koushun Takami.
Have you littens read this cult classic? 😍

CoffeeCatsBooks I tried reading this because I love the movie, but so many character names! 6y
Utopiyll @CoffeeCatsBooks it was really hard for me as well 😭 as it goes on it gets easier because you can discern who is important to remember and who not, but jeez it was a big learning curve to begin with! 6y
RaimeyGallant No, but it sounds interesting. 5y
18 likes2 stack adds3 comments