Winter's End, by Jean-Claude Mourlevat

In a bleak oppressive society four desperate teenagers escape their prison-like boarding schools and try to make their way to join the underground rebellion to strike a blow against their government! Only one is recaptured, and is forced to fight in barbaric one-on-one fights to the death for the amusement of his captors. Can he be rescued in time?

Winter's End is an award winning book in France, and only recently translated into English.