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I've just been given a book voucher and need to decide on 2 books out of the following:
Hart's Hope Enchantment Sarah Pastwatch The Memory of Earth Xenocide Children of the Mind Homesbody
I'm veering towards something out of the first 4, but I'd really like some recommendations from people who know OSC's work best!
If I helps to get an idea of what I like, Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead are my favourite books and I also enjoyed the shadow series but was a bit disappointed by Wyrms, Folk of the Fringe and the Worthing Saga.
Posts: 77 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I would have to say enchanment and xenocide or chilren of the mind. If you liked Speaker for the dead you will like xenocide and children of the mind. Enchanment is also a great story.
Posts: 52 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Well, you seem to not like a lot of his earlier stuff besides EG and SftD. Hart's Hope, while I think is wonderful, to me has a similar flavor to books like Wyrms and the Worthing books. Enough so that if you can only read one book, I would go against that.
I never liked Xenocide and CotM as much as others do.
The Memory of Earth series -- the first time I read it, I loved it. I then read it a few years later, and I was underwhelmed. I then read it just a couple of years ago, and I loved it. I think the story and writing is as good as any of the other series that Card has written, but there is a certain amout of cognitive dissonance in the LDS mind when reading about Nephi and Laman (eseentially) in space.
I personally enjoy his stand-alone books much more than his series books. Pastwatch is one of the best. Homebody, Treasure Box, and Enchantment are lovely contemporary fantasies that make me excited for Magic Street coming out this summer.
If I were to choose a second, for you, it would be Enchantment.
BTW, I'm interested in hearing what you decide, and your reactions to the book.
Posts: 1002 | Registered: Feb 2005
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If you like Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead, then I'd say that Children of the Mind and Xenocide are natural choices. I enjoyed them along with the rest of that series and the Shadow series.
Sarah and the Women of Genesis books have a different flavor to them, in my opinion, as kind of Biblical historical fiction, and I haven't been as interested in them as I have in the Ender books.
The other books on your list that I can speak about are Memory of Earth, Pastwatch, and Enchantment. Memory of Earth I found very enjoyable, but unless you're prepared to buy the rest of the series in rapid succession, I'd suggest you stay away from it until you have a way to get your hands on all five of them.
Pastwatch and Enchantment both stand on their own, and I enjoyed both of them a lot. Pastwatch is a mix of sci-fi and historical fiction, and I liked it a lot. I also enjoyed Enchantment, which is more fantasy thatn sci-fi, and has more of a romance flavor to it, since it is based on a love story. It also has some fairy tale flavor to it.
If I were in your position, I'd probably get CotM and Xenocide, or Pastwatch and Enchantment. Having said that, Hart's Hope is one of the next ones on my list of OSC books to read/buy, and I've heard really good things about it too.
Posts: 52 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Well, if you liked Speaker for the Dead it seems natural to get Xenocide and Children of the Mind to continue that story. I don't think everyone that liked Ender's Game would necessarily like those 3 books, but if you enjoyed SftD you should like the next two.
Posts: 61 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Based on my own likes/dislikes, I'd reccomend Pastwatch and Xenocide out of that list. But with your list, I'd switch Enchantment in for Xenocide. Then again, it would be a shame not to finish the Ender series. *shrug*
Posts: 2149 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I would have to go with Xenocide and COTM. Since you liked SOTD you should enjoy these two as well. Pastwatch is definitely a great read but don't start the homecoming series if you can't finish it.
Posts: 74 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I think it is unfair. The only books by OSC that you relatively easily can get your hands on in Sweden is the Alvin-series and the Ender-series. Not bad, but I would love to read the others too. *muttering swedish curses under breath*
Posts: 132 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Is there some reason why it HAS to be a book of mine? Is the voucher an osc-only thing? Because if you haven't read Dave Wolverton's Golden Queen or Robin Hobbs's Ships books ...
Or maybe Ann Tyler's brilliant "Back When We Were Grownups" or Richard Russo's "Nobody's Fool" ...
Or books by dead people. Pride and Prejudice? I, Claudius and Claudius the God? Ben-Hur?
Just kidding. My books are definitely the only ones to choose from.
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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So, what is your recommendation? Yap, I am asking someone to choose which child is his favorite. Posts: 333 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Let's see ... should I recommend the one that sells the least, to try for just a few more cents on the next royalty check?
Or recommend the "surefire hit" so this reader will be suckered into trying more of my works, even the losers?
Or should I just admit, after all these years, that I also write under the pseudonym "Terry Pratchett" and that's where I do my best work.
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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Jane, you would have to have a list of some of the very best OSC has to offer... Just pick two and then beg for a discount on the rest...
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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mmm, Forget children (or ir name in english) is a very good book and on books that you writted... finish ender
Posts: 111 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I enjoyed Lost Boys but don't think it's OSC's best. Jane and Frangy, welcome! Jane, from your list I would have picked Hart's Hope or Pastwatch, though I haven't read Enchantment which is popular. But since you didn't like Wyrms that much (I did like it a lot, need a copy) I would go with Pastwatch, then finish the Ender Saga.
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Yes, it often seems to be the case that my book vouchers turn into OSC-only vouchers, so that really leaves me with little other choice
Btw, you still didn't state your recommendation Mr. Card!
Thanks for the advice everyone! I've heard such contrasting opinions about Xenocide and Children of the Mind. Did people who have disliked them like Speaker for the Dead?
I realise my question should have been 'which books should I get first', not 'which should I get. OSC could publish a series on talking bidets and I'd still have to get it eventually! It's just a matter of prioritising.
Anyway, I chose Pastwatch and Hart's Hope, and I bought Enchantment with my own hard-earned cash (I thought I might as well save on postage, y'know). I'll let you know how I get on with them.
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Are there two Pastwatches? I've only seen Pastwatch:The Redemption of Christopher Colombus.......
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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One Pastwatch has been written: Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. Two Pastwatches have yet to be written. The second book will be about the Flood (as in Noah), and the third will be about the Garden of Eden.
Posts: 2149 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Steve, I was joking. Pastwatch is about Columbus. The link is to Amazon, who is trying to sell Pastwatch: the flood, even though it hasn't been written. I wonder what you would get if you ordered it?? There was a thread about it a few months ago.
Posts: 6316 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Jane_Lane, I don't think people who aren't as fond of Xenocide and CotM don't necessarily dislike Speaker, it's just that those two books are more indepth science fiction book and deal with different issues with lots of new characters than EG and Speaker do.
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Jane, from your list I would have picked Hart's Hope or Pastwatch, though I haven't read Enchantment which is popular. But since you didn't like Wyrms that much (I did like it a lot, need a copy) I would go with Pastwatch, then finish the Ender Saga. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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