Book Review - Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Wow. . .great book for sci-fi fans!  My first taste of the wonders of science-fiction came when I saw Star Wars as a kid.  I went to see it when it first came out camped in the back of my parents van at the drive-in.  Since those days, I have enjoyed the occasional sci-fi book, television show or movie but don’t usually seek them out.  I plan to read this entire series.

I actually had this book setting around on a shelf for just as bit, as it came when I was in the middle of about 3 other books.  Since I was already reading other books, I recommended this to DS who needed something to read in his 4 hour detention, and he read it all in a day.  Not only did he read it in a day, but he immediately asked for the next book in the series.

I would bet that if you enjoyed the Matrix, Star Wars, or either Battlestar Galactica series, you will enjoy this very easy to read book.  Ender is one of the youngest heros I have read, but he is interesting and very engaging.  I found myself sucked in and invested in the characters and the games they played.

Although it can be read on a very surface level, this is also a very smart book.  I found myself really amazed at the depth of deception of the adults in this book and started thinking about all the ways the tactics described in the book may be used on people.  And for a sci-fi book, I was amazed at the depth of feeling I experienced while reading.  My emotions went from deep sadness over Ender having to leave his family to intense outrage over the war situation.

This is one award winning book (1986 Hugo Award and the 1985 Nebula Award) that I highly recommend to readers young and old.

Review of The Historian

 I finally finished The Historian, and I think this is the first book that I have read for pleasure that took me so long to finish.  

I liked this book overall, and I certainly liked the idea of the book, but I think the thing is that the action never really took off and made this book one I couldn’t put down.  There were many details about monks and monistaries and not enough character development I think.  This book read more like a history book than most historical fiction novels I have read.  Unfortunately, I loved Dan Brown’s Davinci Code.  That historical novel had detail, but it had enough non-stop action to keep the reader involved and interested.  His characters we more believable I suppose. 

Even the love stories in this book, and I believe there are two, were weak and not well devoleped.  There is little passion in this book at all, except perhaps the auther has for the old monistaries.  I just kept feeling like something was missing.  I was able to finish the book, but I won’t really be adding it to any of my Christmas lists this year.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond Review

I just finished listening to The Witch of Blackbird Pond.  Mary Beth Hurt is the Narrator on my version, and I found her voice to be very easy to listen to.

I LOVE listening to good books on the way to and from work. I find that if I am concentrating on a good story, I am happy, the time flies by, AND it keeps Road Rage from sneaking up on me. All around, a win/win situation.

I was very afraid at the beginning of this book that I was going to have to stop listening, what with all of the male dominance being portrayed. I kept listening though and found that as the story progressed, I got into it and realized that like it or not, it has taken us a long time to realize that all people are created equal.

I need to reflect for a couple more days on the theme and the main points of the book, but overall this is an enjoyable book, and does shed light on just how the witch trials may have gone. More importantly, it gives a very clear picture of why we MUST get to know people before we pass our petty judgements on their character. When we reach out to people, meet them where they are, and share ourselves with them we can find deep and lasting happiness.

Review of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

I finished my first book for the Book Awards Challenge. I thought I would start with an easier one. I did not choose well.

I know the vast majority of people liked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon but I did not. I do think it was interesting how he used a handicapped boy as the narrator, but after the first chapter, I was annoyed with this and with the boy and his parents. I don’t want to spoil the book, but the whole deal with the parents, come on, who does that?

I understand that good literature should take a look at society and capitalize on a problem or issue there and really encourage good debate. I am sure that this book will indeed do that, but I still didn’t enjoy reading it. I enjoyed Anna Karenina, I enjoyed A Tale of Two Cities, The Scarlet Letter, To Kill a Mockingbird, not to mention Call of the Wild and so many other great pieces of literature. I did not enjoy reading this book.

I also got this book thinking I would perhaps share it with my children, but with the language and adult situations, it seems inappropriate. This book reminded me why I often stray away from books on award lists and go by good reviews and intuition instead.

Here’s hoping the next choice will be more enjoyable!

Book Awards Challenge Reading List

I signed up for the Book Awards Reading Challenge and here is what I plan to read:

Possession: A Romance by A. S. Byatt
Bag of Bones by Stephen King
The Curios Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
Bones by Jan Burke
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Alternates
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Hours, by Michael Cunningham