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I'm trying to get a hold of first meetings...is it worth it or is it really unnecessary? I'll probably find and read it eventually but I thought I might get some enlightened opinions first...although I'm sure they will be slightly skewed towards the read it side as this is an OSC fansite Posts: 46 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Well, as a devoted OSC fan (who attended EnderCon) I certainly recomend it. However, there are other OSC books that I would suggest getting first (not to preserve story line or anything, but because they are classic OSC work ). Worhting Saga, Hart's Hope and Songmaster for instance. But if you do get it, I'm sure you wont be disappointed.
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Thanx hobbes...Is there a prequel to songmaster that I should check out first? Or is it a standalone?
Posts: 46 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Hobbes -- You really think Songmaster was a great story? Of all the OSC stuff I've read, that was my least favorite, and I think I must have missed his whole point with that book. I read it and just felt kind of empty at the end, like when someone tells a joke and it goes over your head and you don't understand the punch line.
So I must be real dense -- can you tell me what YOU got from that story? I still own the book, and have thought about re-reading it to see if I understand better the second time around.
Farmgirl (who didn't start the Alvin series until joining this forum -- and just two minutes ago finished Prentice Alvin -- can't wait to start Alvin Journeyman!)
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I enjoyed Songmaster, but I agree with Farmgirl, I thought the ending was rather empty too. However, the scene where Ansett's lover dies has to be the second best death scene in OSC's work. (sorry, but Quim's death towers far above anything else)
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Hey wolvie, some people might consider that a minor spoiler, and it's in a thread that revolves around a different book, so it could be approached unknowingly and unwillingly. You might consider editing in a warning. Just a thought.
OSC has said in the past that were he to write Songmaster today, its structure would be much different. He said himself that people wonder why, when they reach what should be the end of the book, there are still fifty pages left. I'm of the group that doesn't require the climax/resolution (refrain from Onanism jokes, please) to be at the end of the story, simply because life isn't always like that. I love the story for a wealth of reasons, not the least of which is that the characters and their actions actually mean something. It's not my favorite of his books, but that's because he's written even better stuff, not because Songmaster lacked anything in my opinion.
<Glad I proofread -- I almost used the wrong homonym of "their," which would embarrass me to no end.>
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The stories in First Meetings are pretty good...I wish I would have read this book before I read Speaker for the Dead, as the story about Jane would've helped a little.
quote:is it worth it or is it really unnecessary?
...Both. You don't have to read it to get nearly everything from the Ender series, but it's still a good read if you already put it on hold.
Posts: 2292 | Registered: Aug 2003
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If you really like the Ender series and are hungering for more (like me) then read First Meetings. If you just kinda feel that it'd be nice to learn more background, but there's no real urgency, then read something else first and wait to see if First Meetings comes out in paperback or wait til you have nothing else you want to read.
Posts: 981 | Registered: Aug 2003
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After reading first meetings...I feel more then before that I would like to see or *cringes* even HEAR the story of the first and second wars. Maybe a little bit more of the political climate that lead to the shaky but majority solidarity of the first hegemony...perhaps something leading into china and russias plans for moves on their neighbors before the buggers started turning everything upside down.
There is no truth that can be told so as to be understood and not believed. -OSC
Posts: 46 | Registered: Aug 2003
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****Extremely Vague Spoilers for Songmaster in this post*****
I actually think the "structrual flaw" in Songmaster is a huge, gaping wart sticking out of the nostril of a beautiful woman.
I actually thought Songmaster was the most beautiful, powerful thing I had ever read, and was bound and determined that it was going to be my new favorite book forever, until the style, plot and tone all collapsed in on themselves as we kept stumbling around for a while.
I don't mean this to be a scathing review. The first two-thirds of it ARE the most amazing thing I think OSC has ever written--at least I connected with it incredibly; it resonated with me absolutely.
But then it collapsed into some odd political romance stuff that completely lost my rapt attention.
Consequently, I have difficulty knowing who to reccomend the book to. People who enjoy the first two-thirds will get lost in the last third, and those who would enjoy the last bit would have trouble wading through the beautiful stuff in the first part.
Posts: 1894 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Oh, and about the topic of the thread, I hesitate to tell you to buy First Meetings yet . . . because the second you buy it, you KNOW they're going to come out with a NEW version with ANOTHER STORY, and then it will be so good, you know you'll have to get that one, too.
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Honestly, I wish I had waited to buy it. I didn't feel like the 4 stories were worth my $17. But then, I'm a cheapskate. Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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I was able to read it (actually, listen to the audio version) without paying for it, and I really enjoyed it. I always love learning more about Peter's parents.
You know, I think of them as Peter's parents and not Ender's. I think that's because Peter has become a real character to me. Ender, while I liked most of his stories, never seemed completely human to me. I was always too innocent or too smart or too empathic or too good or too patient with Novinha or too good with her children or too...
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I don't think that any of the characters have ever seemed unrealistic to me. But when I read the Shadow series after the Speaker series and EG, I kind of lost track of who Ender was and knew exactly who Bean was. I was actually sad... But then I read EG and the Speaker series again and it was all peachy again!!
"Remember, the enemy's gate is down"
Posts: 667 | Registered: Aug 2003
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). Worhting Saga, Hart's Hope and Songmaster for instance. But if you do get it, I'm sure you wont be disappointed. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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You don't have to read it to get nearly everything from the Ender series, but it's still a good read if you already put it on hold.
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But then I read EG and the Speaker series again and it was all peachy again!! 
