This book addresses Suzanne Collins's work from a number of literary and cultural perspectives in an effort to better understand both its significance and its appeal. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to the trilogy, drawing from literary studies, psychology, gender studies, media studies, philosophy, and cultural studies. An analytical rather than evaluative work, it dispenses with extended theoretical discussions, academic jargon, and even footnotes. Assuming that readers are familiar with all three volumes of The Hunger Games, the book also avoids plot summary and character analysis, instead focusing on the significance of the story and its characters. It includes a biographical essay, glossaries, questions for further study, and an extensive bibliography.

William Gibson, a founding father of cyberpunk, is one today's most popular science fiction writers. This companion is meant both for general readers and for scholars interested in Gibson's oeuvre. It provides literary and cultural context for works ranging from Gibson's first short story, "Fragments of a Hologram Rose" (1977), to his seminal cyberpunk classic Neuromancer (1984), to his best-selling novel Zero History (2010), and includes commentary on Gibson's subjects, themes, and approaches. Existing scholarship on Gibson is surveyed, and is accessible to and useful for fans and scholars alike. An extensive bibliography is included to facilitate further study of William Gibson's writing, influence, and place in the history of science fiction and in literature as a whole.