ENDER'S GAME - Trailer Announcement & Preview
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Okay, finished "Ender's Game" yesterday after raking leaves. Maybe because everyone was making such a big deal about the "shocking surprise" that I had turned my Plot RADAR to "high" so when I finished, everything had played out pretty much the way I expected.
Part of the problem was coming in on this franchise this long after it was first published meant that I knew the second book title ("Speaker for the Dead"). Gee, I wonder who that could be/might refer to?
I enjoyed reading this book, but I guess I feel that Ender's story is complete. I am not so compelled with the characters as to feel I must read the rest of the "Ender" series.
Regarding the movie (since this is the movie thread, after all,) I might go see it to see how Graff is played by Ford. But before I pay full price (or matinee), please promise me it doesn't have the usual Hollywood-obligated "room full of applauding bystanders" when the climatic scene plays out. I'll wait for it on Netflix in that case.
Part of the problem was coming in on this franchise this long after it was first published meant that I knew the second book title ("Speaker for the Dead"). Gee, I wonder who that could be/might refer to?
I enjoyed reading this book, but I guess I feel that Ender's story is complete. I am not so compelled with the characters as to feel I must read the rest of the "Ender" series.
Regarding the movie (since this is the movie thread, after all,) I might go see it to see how Graff is played by Ford. But before I pay full price (or matinee), please promise me it doesn't have the usual Hollywood-obligated "room full of applauding bystanders" when the climatic scene plays out. I'll wait for it on Netflix in that case.
Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide are actually really good books; very different. Ender is a 3,000 year old 35 year man.
Unfortunately, the conclusion to the speaker trilogy, Children of the Mind, is really bad. really, really bad. A shame actually, since Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide are both award-winning novels. They take a while to get used to all the Portuguese names though. And Card's understanding of roman catholicism has a strange almost pre-vatican two take. Ender's Shadow, a parallel telling of Ender's Game from the perspective of Bean is actually very good, and quite creative. The rest of the Shadow series, IMHO, have way too much 20th-century-like politics, and nowhere near enough science fiction. And just aren't that enjoyable. Ender in Exile, on the other hand, which picks up Ender's Game from right after the last battle, and goes through his discovery of the hive queen, is not bad. It isn't necessary, but for the most part is a good read.
The movie's celebration scene is pretty much like in the book. It isn't reason to skip the film. What comes after it, however... lame-o.
When I first read Ender's Game, I knew nothing of the sequels, and knew nothing of the novel, so I didn't catch all the clues that are in it about the end. Plus, I was listening to the audio book. Stefan Rudnicki does a wonderful job with the story, and Gabrielle de Cuir's Valentine is excellent too.
I did like the BattleRoom concept but thought that the other armies showed practically no indication of the Program that Ender was the penultimate product of. No wonder Graff had to do what he did to Ender, no one else had proven worthy, and he was desperate.
While I was reading, I couldn't help but compare this to "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein. Obviously the heroes are nothing alike, but you could argue Heinlein's Bug War was an inspiration for the Buggers. But, then, I guess other Sci-Fi writers have been using insects for Alien Invaders long before either story was written.
Also, I should have skipped the Introduction from the Kindle edition. When a Sci-Fi author wants to compare themselves to Asimov and the Foundation series, they better deliver. He also printed letters he had received from fans. After a while, I had to swipe forward to the actual book as I was getting turned off by my perceived boasting.
While I was reading, I couldn't help but compare this to "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein. Obviously the heroes are nothing alike, but you could argue Heinlein's Bug War was an inspiration for the Buggers. But, then, I guess other Sci-Fi writers have been using insects for Alien Invaders long before either story was written.
Also, I should have skipped the Introduction from the Kindle edition. When a Sci-Fi author wants to compare themselves to Asimov and the Foundation series, they better deliver. He also printed letters he had received from fans. After a while, I had to swipe forward to the actual book as I was getting turned off by my perceived boasting.
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Funny. I had not thought about the new preface. I have read that, and yeah, he has an ego. I hate that he now calls the buggers , formics.
It was not necessary.
I suspect HE was influenced by Heinlen's bug wars with the title. Then again, Terry Brooks' Sword of Shannara (one of my favorites growing up) is clearly mimicking much of LOTR. I can live with that.
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