My brother gave me Ender's Game for my birthday 3 years ago and It was one of the greatest gifts I ever recieved. It was the first time I had ever heard of OSC. Now I have read several of his books and count him as one of my favorite authors.(Strange side note: I found out that my best friend's mom was in an acting class with OSC in college, what a small world!) I was just curious about what book people read that compelled them to pick up another OSC novel. Or what about his writing keeps people reading OSC.
Posted by VidRoth (Member # 986) on :
Well, obviously the extraordinary excellence of OSC's writing kept me coming back!
Seriously, though, this is a much more interesting question than I thought at first glance--no offense! Like most people, I suppose, I read EG first, but I was thinking back, and I'm not 100% sure where I went from there. It's been a while--but I didn't think it had been *that* long!
I strongly suspect I read Speaker next, but I honestly couldn't tell you what I read after that, and the list from there includes most of his library!
You've disturbed me greatly, Olhado, because now I'm looking back at other authors from whom I've read 15 or more books, and I'm having trouble reconstructing the order I discovered their books, too! Back when I liked Foster, I read "Tar-Aiym Krang" first, but I don't know where I went from there, and I have no clear memory at all of my reading order for McCaffrey or Cherryh...
Darnit, I'm NOT OLD YET!!!
Saving grace... I remember exactly the order I read Moorcock, and that's about 30 books starting when I was 11 or 12. Ha HA!
Don't scare me like that.
Posted by Ginnis (Member # 1518) on :
I initially bought "Ender's Game" because I wanted to have an open mind and give science fiction a chance. I loved it then purchased, in no discernible order:
Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind, Hart's Hope, The Memory of Earth, The Call of Earth, The Ships of Earth, Earthfall, Ender's Shadow, and Shadow of the Hegemon.
Hmm...actually I believe those are in the order in which I bought them. Nevermind then about the 'no discernible order' thing.
Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :
I read Ender's Game in 8th grade because it was summer reading for freshman honors English. I jumped right into the other Ender books, which at that time ended with Xenocide. I read Children of the Mind when it came out in paperback the summer after 9th grade. Then I didn't pick up another OSC book until the spring I was in 11th grade, when my mother randomly came home from the bookstore with Saints in her hand. I gobbled that up and moved on to Lovelock. In the nearly two years ensuing, I've read Treasure Box, Homebody, the Alvin Maker series, How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, Ender's Shadow, Enchantment, Treason, Character and Viewpoint, Hart's Hope, Magic Mirror, Sarah, Songmaster, Pastwatch, The Memory of Earth, and The Call of Earth.
Why? Because they're good...believable characters and great dialogue.
Posted by ^Saudade^ (Member # 175) on :
Ender's Game of course, I got it as a present for my 8th birthday along with Speaker of the Death. Since then I have kept comming back for more, I guess it was because I could identify quite easily with Ender's situation on the battle school.
Posted by ladyday (Member # 1069) on :
I read Monkey Sonatas first, then Flux. I read Ender's game much later than the rest of you, it seems-I think I was 15 or so. Next came the Worthing Saga, which I haven't read in ages. Even though I really enjoyed Ender's game, I wasn't really intersted in reading the Speaker trilogy until I was older-I read it during a week long stay in the hospital, along with Lovelock.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Ender's Game. My sister gave it to me as a present, along with Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide. They sat on my shelf for several years, because I was very busy and when I start reading a book or series of books, I will drop everything else until I have finished the book(s)!! I finally read the books on a train trip (pretty much ignoring my husband and kids, much to my husband's disgust ) and ran out to the bookstores on one of our trip stops to buy Children of the Mind.
Posted by urbanX (Member # 1450) on :
I read enders game in the sixth grade but I resisted readng the speaker books because at the time it didn't think they were sequals in the truest sense.So I didn't read the speakers trilogy when I was 19. At that time Enders shadow cameout because I felt it woully my memory of ender. However after reading the first five chapters of of Shadows of the hegamon I was sucked back into the enderverse and Got ES. I then waited for Shadowof the Hegamon to comeout and I readit in two days. every timeI try not to get sucked into another card title I get sucked back in
Posted by Lissande (Member # 350) on :
I read Wyrms at 12, then Ender's Game (ff) at 17. And then it all took off...
Posted by Holy Fuzz (Member # 1107) on :
I of course started with EG, at about age 10, then I read Pastwatch, followed by the rest of the Ender series and Ender's Shadow, and then Homecoming and Alvin.
And if peek-a-boo is reading this, I havn't read Shadow of the Hegamon, so it isn't all good. I have it on reserve at the library. I feel so TOTALLY left out.
Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
My first OSC book was "How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy". It was a featured selection of The Science Fiction Book Club. I flew through the book in a matter of days, shocked that a non-fiction book could be so enjoyable to read.
A month or so later I was in the library and itching to read something new, when I remembered OSC's description in "How To Write..." of how he got the idea for "Ender's Game". So I hunted down EG and brought it home and read it in two days and loved it.
Then I read "The Worthing Saga" and I liked THAT, too.
Then I think it was The Alvin series... read "Seventh Son" in hardcover from the library. I remember ordering the whole Alvin series (minus Heartfire) from amazon.com, along with Maps in a Mirror.. don't remember if it was before or after I'd read them, though.
Now I'm hopelessly hooked and anxiously awaiting the next Alvin book... it's been too long.
--xnera
Posted by ^delentye (Member # 1458) on :
you know how there are some books that you know you SHOULD read, because they're "classics" or "everyone else read them?" For me, EG was sort of like that. I actually only first read it a month ago. *dodges rotten tomatoes* I know, I know! I'm bad; but I'm now really grateful for my friend who introed me to it. Thanx, Phil!
I'd have to say that I kept coming back because I realized that the characterization in EG was possibly the best I'd ever read, and the interweaving of philosophy and depth of ideas (along with the witty, funny, dry interchanges ) didn't exist in any other authors work.
So, all! Pay homage to the great OSC and get more people to read him!
^delentye P.S.: Please excuse my rambling, I just got back from track and there's not enough oxygen in my brain yet.
Posted by Ginnis (Member # 1518) on :
Man, I really got into this OSC Fandom thing late in life. I was twenty before I ever read a Card novel. (I'm twenty-two now.) Within a month after reading Ender's Game, I'd read the rest of the Quartet, the entire Homecoming series, and Hart's Hope. But then academics got in my way, not to mention my own writing, and I had to put off reading anymore Card for a while. Posted by Ele (Member # 708) on :
Not a book. A short story. A friend of mine gave me a copy of "Unaccompanied Sonata" saying that I "just had to read this."
The first novel I read of OSC's was _Harts Hope_.
~Ele
Posted by HonoreDB (Member # 1214) on :
I started with Ender's Game, then the trilogy, then Ender's Shadow, and Pastwatch. I also have not yet gotten my hands on SH, which is making it increasingly impossible to lurk in this forum: I'm afraid of some spoiler like that "I didn't like the death of ender" post.
Odd thing, though, when a friend saw me reading EG for the first time, he said, "Oh, rereading that?" He had never read it, but he was convinced he saw me reading it the year before. It's still an unsolved mystery between us how he got that miscoception, especially since he recognized the plot when I told him.
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
I first read EG in fifth grade, but didn't read the rest of the series (except the Shadow books, they weren't out then) until seventh grade. Then I just went through most of the rest of Card's books.
~Miro
Posted by peek-a-boo (Member # 1495) on :
dude peek-a-boo
Posted by aka (Member # 139) on :
I'm nearly as old as Uncle Orson is, of course (well, 7 years younger), but I remember when the story Ender's Game first came out. I think it was in Omni. It just blew me away, of course. Then I can remember reading other stories by him. Unaccommpanied Sonata, and more. I can't remember what was the first novel but I think I didn't read the novel of Ender's Game for a long time after that. I remember when I finally read it I didn't like it as well as the short story version. But Speaker for the Dead was the greatest OSC book ever. (Still is my favorite.) After that I just started reading everything by OSC I could get my hands on.
Posted by Nato (Member # 1448) on :
Ender's Game (Novel) was the first one I read. My friend from school told me how great it was...
From there I went on te read anything of his I could find. One I haven't read is Unaccompanied Sonata. I haven't been able to find it around anywhere... (Well I've only been trying in earnest for a few weeks)
Posted by Koffeld (Member # 1423) on :
Enders Game then Worthing Saga.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Interesting, isn't it, how many people read EG first. Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
I think that's because it's both is most recognized and his most universal book.
~Miro
Posted by Urchin (Member # 1545) on :
First one was EG. It was on a recommended reading list for Marine Corps Non-Commissioned officers. It was considered appropriate reading for us 'future leaders and commanders'. Fell in love with the book!! Devoured it in a day!
Posted by Fyfe (Member # 937) on :
When I was in eighth grade, a librarian came to my school and talked about books. I think she recommended a lot of books I liked a lot, so when she mentioned EG I decided I might as well try it even though I am NOT a sci-fi person at all. So I read EG and, of course, loved it, but I had no idea there were sequels until my older sister found one of them at the bookstore and gave it to me. At that point it struck me that Orson Scott Card might have written more books than that...
Jen
Posted by the_fourth_wiggin (Member # 1542) on :
Ender's Game was on the list of books I had to read over the summer before 9th grade so I get get into honors English... But I ended up not being in honors English, because EG was the ONLY book I read the summer... hehe... Oh well... Then, I read Speaker and then Ender's Shadow and now I'm reading Shadow of the Hegemon and Xenocide at the same time.
I like OSC because he writes the truth and he writes it in a very simple style. He writes it the way I would think it and everything in real life somehow can be related back to something in Ender's Game.
Posted by stihl1 (Member # 1562) on :
I read EG because I got it for free from the bookstore I worked for. I had had my eye on it for a while, and I knew that card was a big sci fi author. After I finished the 4 enders books, I read the Maps in a Mirror anthology and I knew then that the man was a genious. Anyone that hasnt read the short stories by Card is missing out bigtime!
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
The first OSC book I read was "Folk of the Fringe". My husband picked it up at a used bookstore and I read it one a business trip. After I finished it, I picked up Seventh Son at an airport bookstore. Then I had to read the rest of the Alvin series. After that I moved on to the Ender series. And so on and so on.
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
(I've never posted before. This seems a fairly harmless beginning...) Many moons ago I read the short-story compilation "Cruel Miracles" and then, "Seventh Son". About a decade later my interest was renewed by a used copy of "Songmaster" and then a freshed-faced copy of "Enchantment" (which my sister-in-law told me that I had to read). I'm just now starting "Ender's Game", but I think I might have the entire plot just by reading these threads...
Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :
Hi Ralphie! Quick, finish EG before we spoil the whole thing for you!
Posted by Austin Ross (Member # 1439) on :
Of course EG introduced me to OSC! Posted by JanusAurora (Member # 886) on :
Probably the first book I read was Treasure Box. Then Folk of the Fringe, then I found the Ender series - backwards from Xenocide - and then Lost Boys, and I was hooked.
Posted by CKDexterHaven (Member # 1575) on :
My first OSC book was Ender's Game, which was recommended to me by some folks on a forum dedicated to Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. As soon as I finished with it, I went out and bought all the Ender and Shadow books I could find. I'll probably start on the Alvin Maker books next.
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
finished! now on to the next 30 books...
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
Seveth Son was my first OSC book. Weird, huh? I found that series especially interesting due to the region where I grew up and my Shawnee heritage (family legend says my great-great-great-great grandfather was a shaman, though I have never attempted to verify that, so it could be pure bull).
I had never read anything else by OSC when I bought Seventh Son (first hard cover edition). I only read the Ender series this past year or so.
Posted by francisberg (Member # 702) on :
i stumbled upon osc randomly in the library, having never even heard of him before. my first book was the first in the homeconming series and from then on i was hooked. i would read it even on my lunch breaks at work, and when i finished the book on a lunch break i quickly ran to the library, took out the next one, and kept reading. i have devoured all of osc's works since.
Posted by Peter Wiggin (Member # 1586) on :
I read Ender's Game 10 yrs ago when I was 16... It was, is and probably will be the best story I've ever come across in any book ever. And I guess this is strange to many, but my fav character is actually "Peter Wiggin" esp the version shown in Children of the Mind, hence my username...
Now I'm absolutely thrilled that there's an entire book devoted to him BEFORE he became the Hegemon. (I might not like him afterward though...) hahaha just a thought
Posted by dav925 (Member # 1589) on :
For me it all started with Enders Game. A friend of mine got it for me along with a french to english dictionary, the first Harry Potter book, and a copy of the Westing game. She got me hooked on Card, and since then, in this order, i have read Speaker, Xenocide, COTM, Memory Of Earth, Call of earth, Ships of earth, Earthfall, earthborn, seventh son, red prophet, prentice alvin, alvin journeyman, heartfire, pastwatch, lost boys, Enders shadow, and Shadow of the hegemon.
Posted by denisep (Member # 152) on :
"Feed the Baby of Love" in the "Bradbury Chronicles". Been hooked ever since. I, like AKA am almost as old as uncle Orson. Even closer, since I'm turning 40 really, really soon. I read Ender's Game when I was 34 and pregnant with my son.
Posted by skruesch (Member # 675) on :
I actually stumbled across "Songmaster" first and loved it. Since I am an "author" reader, I immediately tracked down every other book by OSC I could find at that time, loving every one of them. Since then, I just keep up with each new book as it comes along and fill in the time in between rereading old favorites and hoping to "stumble" across other authors that compare (I recently discovered Robin Hobbs!)
Posted by dagobah (Member # 1052) on :
Ender's Game. I picked it up in the library entirely by accident 8 years ago, and since then I've read all his books which I could borrow or buy. That's not always easy down here, because, apart from the people I have introduced to his writing, I know of no-one who has heard of him. I even have to spell his name in bookshops because of peoples' ignorance. The one exception to that is that one sci-fi outlet with the hideously inflated prices that I keep in business. And I mean hideous prices, along the lines of: it's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's the price of books at Minotaur!!! (Hope that isn't slander).
Posted by luthe (Member # 1601) on :
I first read ender's Game some years ago, at that point i was really taken with the book, although it was some years before i even knew that there were more in the universe.
the first of the homecoming series was the next that i read.
Posted by Dina (Member # 1590) on :
Seventh Son and all the alvin maker books first I did not even really like Ender's Game the first time I read it it was good but after the last battle it lost me. Then Ender's Shadow came out and I read it ended up re reading ender's game and getting hooked read the other 4 but out of order because Speaker of the Dead was stolen found Speaker of the dead re read again and was hooked
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
hey, dina don't tell people around here you didn't like eg. you may have an angry group of demon-faced villagers with pitchforks outside your window right now.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
CKDexterHaven (aka D_G ). Welcome to Hatrack! Glad you came over here. ~Ela (aka~MM~ )
Posted by CKDexterHaven (Member # 1575) on :
Thanks for the welcome Ela/MM! I'm very glad to be here!
Posted by Zannith (Member # 1614) on :
Well first book....I was havin an awful year, my parents split up, and my school was going down tha tubes....so I confronted my English teacher to just let me take a pass/fail test (note this is high school freshman in Utah) she allows me to, and give me a packet for take home, and tha book I had to read was Ender's Game. I had never been a big reader, and once I finished the book, from the library, I went out and bought the whole series...I now own ender's shadow and just need tha new shadow book. so that is how I got started. Posted by Eshe (Member # 1622) on :
I read EG in second grade, and have probly read it atleast every 2 months since then, im a Junior now. Ive read every book in the EG series atleast 6 times (Including Shadow of the hegemon). I got about 9/10 of it commited to memmory at this point. Ive havn't tried many of OSC no Eg books, are they good?
Posted by aka (Member # 139) on :
Uhhhhhh... ... ... yeah!
Read Songmaster for sure, and The Worthing Saga, and don't dare miss Wyrms or Treason. You can save the Homecoming series and the whole Alvin Maker series for after you're completely addicted.
Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :
I second Songmaster and Treason, and would also have to add Lovelocke (the book that truly hooked me ).
Posted by Eshe (Member # 1622) on :
Thanks guys, eh i already am adicted to OSC writing, just lacking the cash to read all of his stuff. So i just read what i do got (ender serious) over and over and over and...
Posted by Bealz (Member # 1638) on :
Capitol, which made me look for OSC's name on the covers of Analog, Amazing, and Isaac Asimov. Still my favorite, too.
[This message has been edited by Bealz (edited February 14, 2001).]
Posted by Frowned (Member # 1639) on :
I started with Ender's Game, in the form of an Electronic Text. Yeah, I know it's bad, it's worse than MP3's but half way through I bought the hardcopy.
From EG I went through the rest of the series... Then Homecoming... Then Ender's Shadow... Now I'm more than halfway through the Alvin Saga, I'm reading Alvin Journeyman.
It's not bad considering I only started in April!
Posted by Theca (Member # 1629) on :
I read EG the year the novel came out. I read it on vacation two or three times in a row, and just about every year since then. I have been trying for 15 years to get other people to read it, but haven't found anyone outside of this website who has. I like most of the other books, but I couldn't get through the Homecoming series. I am planning on reading the book of Mormon and trying again this summer.
Posted by ArranHandully (Member # 1635) on :
This is my first post to any Hatrack River forum, so I will relate my history of coming to appreciate OSC somewhat fully.
My first exposure to OSC was reading the novel Ender's Game in sixth grade, on the recommendation of my science teacher. I must say that unlike many young readers, I at that time found the majority of the story to be full of pretentious moralizing. The "Speaker for the Dead" chapter I found precious. I don't think I even ever puzzled out what was going on in the Locke-Demosthenes subplot. Overall, the novel left a bad taste in my mouth. (It must be remembered that at that time I thought that the Dragonlance Chronicles and Joe Dever's Lone Wolf choose-your-own-adventure RPG books were the height of speculative fiction. I have since rejected Dragonlance totally, but I am still fond of Lone Wolf as a fun and undemanding picaresque adventure series.)
For quite some time after that I had no exposure to OSC. In the summer after eleventh grade I bought a used copy of How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, because I remembered the author to be the same one who wrote Ender's Game. I thought it was an interesting behind-the-scenes look at sf and was particularly impressed by his insistence that most of the deep meaning in stories and poems is not consciously put there by the author. That previous school year I had written an English term paper (for which I got an A!) in which I had worked out an ingenious and amazingly subtle "hidden" pattern of references to solitude and society in Robert Frost's book North of Boston, which elucidated a trite theme (the two must be balanced) with the incredible delicacy of innumerable shades of meaning. (My classes had led me to believe that this was the point of all literature, so monkey see monkey do.) Thus OSC's simple and convincing arguments about the role of the unconscious in imaginative writing came as a shock, but since it came after I had bled all my enthusiasm for Frost dry while writing my paper it was a welcome shock, both for my mind and for my own poems and stories.
The shock didn't last, though. As a senior in college, internalizing the hidden assumptions of both my English professors and literary critics like Harold Bloom, I became obsessed with ranking the works of writers, determined to unlock the secret rules that would enable me to acquire an exalted consciousness and allow poems to spring from my mind at the sight of every tree and stream. As you can guess, my ambitions were frustrated, to my great sorrow. (It was this that drove me away from being an English major, though not from writing.) But at the same time our college library had a subscription to and bound copies of Analog, and remembering from HtWSF&F that OSC had written stories for Analog I looked him up in some old issues. The only story I actually read all the way through was "Lifeloop," but it made me laugh in a way that I didn't think sf could. I read it soon after at an all-night sf reading, and everybody else laughed, too. This story turned me back to thinking about OSC (which explains the origin of my user name).
Soon after, on a whim I searched for OSC on the Web and found Hatrack River. Depressed at the way my own writing career was going, I looked up his writing lessons. As I read them, I realized again how stupid I was to go along with the lifeless view of imaginative writing that my classes had implied was the way to eternal truth. Intrigued, I went back to Ender's Game. Now I realized it had much more passion than I had found (up until then) in most of the reading I had done for my classes, but also that its style would keep it from ever being accepted by the elite guard as serious work. When I went back to a new college for a master's degree (this past fall) I discovered that the college's library had a large collection of OSC. I read the hardcover Maps in a Mirror all the way through and loved it, then read Capitol and enjoyed it also. At this point I had become a fan; soon after this I read in quick succession Seventh Son, The Worthing Saga, and Treason. Most importantly, OSC has shown me that there is hope for my own writing if I am willing to work on it; but he has balanced this view by showing me through his life that writing is a profession like any other, neither more nor less noble or exalted than other callings. I'm looking forward to reading more of him.
Posted by Nato (Member # 1448) on :
Now, that's quite a history...
Posted by EvanLJones (Member # 1644) on :
Let's see, I got Ender's Game in 97. It was the best book I had ever read, literally bringing tears to my eyes. The next OSC books I read were in this order:
Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children Of The Mind, Enchantment, Memory Of Earth, (what was the second Homecoming book?) Ships Of Earth, Earthfall, Enchantment, Ender's Shadow, Future On Ice. I'm currently working on Pastwatch.
Posted by Ebony (Member # 1665) on :
I'm new to this forum, new to speculative fiction fandoms, and have only been reading Card for about a year. My first Card novel was *Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus*. Since then, I've read the Ender quartet, the Alvin Maker series, and Treasure Box. Next on my list is Enchantment--I just purchased it last week. Before I read his work, I'd read several of his books on writing. If I had one career-related wish, it would be to sit in a creative writing class that OSC is teaching. He is phenomenal--the thing that I like most about him is that he puts the heart into science fiction, a genre which (in my experience) sometimes lacks it.
Posted by trompin64 (Member # 731) on :
I read EG, then forced myself to read SFTD, couldn't finish Xenocide, so skipped Xenocide and COTM, and read Ender's Shadow, now I'm reading SOTH.
Posted by Elysium (Member # 1705) on :
Well, I started with Ender's Game (of course) after my aunt gave it to me oh, about 4 years ago (when I was 11), and of course I was hooked. OSC books are hard to come by in Singapore (where I am), so I took whatever I could find, which turned out to be The Ships of Earth. I then managed to track down some OSC books at the library, these being Pastwatch: RoCC, The Worthing Saga, Wyrms, The Changed Man and Songmaster, in that order.
Posted by Lime (Member # 1707) on :
Hehe...it seems that a lot of us have started reading OSC with Ender's Game.
I read Ender's Game when I was in 7th grade. I remember not being able to read anything for weeks. But I didn't touch any other OSC books, not even the Speaker For the Dead, despite how much I loved Ender and how I felt I identified with him (I was smart enough to avoid being tagged as "gifted" during my pre-college years, mainly because I didn't want to have to deal with the extra social pressure. Unfortuantely, I got to college and surprise! I wasn't as academically smart as I thought I was).
My real introduction to OSC's writings came in the form of a paper I had to write two weeks ago, an analytical review of "Maps in a Mirror" (HC). I ate that thing up. I love how the introductions and afterwords bring the reader to a better understanding of OSC and what he saw as important (the story! the story!), and why he wrote. I've been struggling as a writer for several years, trying to come to grips with my seemingly sporadic ability, and these books have helped me tremendously.
Lime
Btw...if you want some really good advice on writing, also try OSC's Character and Perspective.
Posted by draz (Member # 458) on :
It's amazing how many came to know OSC through "Ender's Game" - my first taste was the short story and I didn't read the novel until many years later. The first book, however, was "The Seventh Son". Some years later still, I read "Lost Boys" and have never looked back.
Posted by Child of the Mind (Member # 1740) on :
My brother first introduced me to Ender's Game by saying it was to old for me when I inquired about it, and after a while I read it anyway, loved it, and thus was introduced to OSC.
Posted by J.R.TURNER (Member # 1774) on :
First story I read by Orson Card was in in the Legend series, a short story called Grinning Man. I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. I was hooked on his witty writing. I went out and bought the whole Alvin Maker series. They were a real treat to read and I will wait patiently for the next in the series Posted by Khavanon (Member # 929) on :
I wasn't muc of a speculative fiction reader until I read LOTR. Then I jumped into several other SF&F stories, and suddenly I had the desire to write. I had not heard of OSC (since I had been in SF&F knowledge infancy) until I bought a copy of How To Write SF&F. It was just sitting there innocently on the shelf, and as I leafed through it it seemed more promising than the others (I also picked up The Craft Of Writing SF That Sells by Ben Bova, then discovered coincidentally their relationship). After having thoroughly enjoyed the reading I went straight for Ender's Game. I soon had a dozen or more Card books on my shelf.
Posted by powelkzy (Member # 1773) on :
Seventh Son. It was given to me by a friend. What a book!!!! I was enthralled. I found myself wondering. . . My baby brother (40 years old) is a seventh son. Anyway, I was hooked. I've read every book that OSC has written, except Pastwatch. I surf the bookstores, waiting for the next . . .
Posted by Wally (Member # 1770) on :
what book hooked you on the enjoyment reading?
for me, 'Friday' by Heinlein, a woman protagonist, smart, quickly paced. I read everything of his there after, hitting used bookstores as well. This was ~ 9 years ago, a late bloomer, considering that I'd just entered college.
btw, surprise, EG was my intro to OSC
[This message has been edited by Wally (edited April 04, 2001).]
Posted by Lord_J (Member # 885) on :
The story that introduced me to osc was Lost Boy when I was a freshman in high school. Man was it that long ago has time flow bye
Posted by Cedrios (Member # 1744) on :
Back in 6th grade, it was reading hour one day, and I had forgotten my book so I went over to the teacher's bookrack, and on a whim just grabbed EG to make it look like I was reading. Sometimes it scares me to think that I might have entirely missed the EG saga if I hadn't done that.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
I'm almost embarrassed to say this but the first thing i read was "How to write fantasy and science fiction" . In that book Card talks about Ender's Game and Hart's Hope. I think I read Hart's Hope first and then found the Ender's War compilation of EG and SFTD. Ate up those and from a friend found out their was a third book. Randomly just after that, not knowing there were supposed to be more books, happened upon Children of the Mind, just after it came out, in a bookstore. Haven't been able to stop since then.
Posted by kayak1000 (Member # 1836) on :
I started with the Grinning Man. I liked the style, and I've never seen anything like it, so I went on to the whole Alvin Maker series. I'm now eagerly awaiting the next book, Crystal City.
Posted by Akira Z (Member # 1841) on :
I read Ender's Game the summer going into my sophomore year of high school for summer reading, and I absolutely loved it! I just read it again a few weeks ago and I loved it even more! Unfortunately, it's the only one I've read. I really want to read the rest- I just need the time.
Posted by Malirk (Member # 1835) on :
My 9th grade teacher assigned the class to read Ender's Game; for extra credit we could read another book in the series and write a summary. I ended up reading all 4 (Children of the Mind had Just come out). Thank you Orson Scott Card for saving me from repeating 9th grade english:0>.
Posted by Turin_4 (Member # 1662) on :
Actually, thinking back, it's a strange story, my introduction to OSC.
I was in my honors chem class, 10th grade (shouldn'tve taken it...bitterly disliked the instructor as a teacher and was unwilling/unable to work enough for the mat'l.) Someone who was a better student in that class had a copy of Ender's Game (ironically, they were reading it for their AP English Language course, which I took a year later).
Being a person of incredible nerd skillz, I asked them if I could read it while I should've been taking notes. What the hell, right? It had some spiffy spaceships on it, and it didn't look very thick or complex from size and cover, y'know? Needless to say, I relearned that adage about books and their covers, and didn't get much done in school for that class or the three after it.
By next year, I had read that one over again, and had picked up copies of the next two and read them (This was before I hadda job, that gave me money to spend on things like books, so forgive the long interlude Hatrackers )
I almost broke my mouth (impossible, I know you're thinking) trying to keep my trap shut about the book, ESPECIALLY when we started covering it in class
Five years later, and there's at least a half dozen OSC books scattered in my mess of a room that I can see as I type, and more probably mixed in the flotsam and jetsam.
Turin_4
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
Ok, I could have sworn I had posted on this thread a long time ago. Apparantly not.
I read Ender's Game my sophomore year in high school because my school teaches it to all the sophomores. At first I wasn't overly excited about it because I thought I wouldn't like science fiction. Well you guessed it: once I started I couldn't stop. I read the entire book the day Chapter One was assigned.
Almost all of the class liked it, save a few complaints about the last chapter ("But I don't get it!").
When someone asked the teacher about Speaker for the Dead, he actually discouraged reading it. In fact, the teacher said he didn't like it and didn't bother reading Xenocide. Fortunately, I'm not one to take teachers' advice on reading material and read the rest of the quartet over the summer. Since then I've read (in no particular order): Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Songmaster, Homebody, The Worthing Saga, Seventh Son, The Memory of the Earth, Lost Boys, A Planet Called Treason, probably a couple more I don't recall at the moment, and numerous short stories.
Now I'm addicted to OSC and science fiction.
[This message has been edited by Jeni (edited April 21, 2001).]
Posted by Locke* (Member # 1845) on :
I read EG when I was 12 in grade 7.
It became my favorite story right away, and later when I read the rest of the series, and the homecoming series. OSC became my fav writer.
Posted by Amontillado (Member # 1926) on :
EG, and as I am an "author" reader as well, the rest of the published books got read out very quickly, and then each as it came out.
If you lack cash, the library is always an option. I got ES and SOTH from the library (my library system had 26 copies, but I was still 72 on the hold list) as well as most of the other OSC books.
Posted by Valentine (Member # 1037) on :
My first exposure to OSC was Seventh Son. My dad passed it to me when I was in college and I devoured it. After that I read Ender's Game and was hooked.
Posted by cdhegy (Member # 1989) on :
My sophomore year of college I had to write a paper on a book written by a North Carolina author. OSC was on the list. I'd never heard of OSC, so I chose him and trotted over to the library and found Ender's Game. I was completely overwhelmed by the writing and did not put the book down until I had finished it. I was so sucked in to the story I was caught off guard at the "moment of revelation" (I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read EG) that I gasped so loud my roomates wondered what had happened.
The next day I called my mother (who LOVES reading as much as I do) and made her go out and get the book so I could talk about it with someone. I have since converted at least 4 people and read a plethora of his books.
Oh, I got an A on the paper.
Posted by Doc Brown (Member # 1990) on :
New to the forum, I think my story is unusualy enough to post.
I was a tremendouc SF reader in high school, but got away from it in college. It has now been 20 years since I have considered myself a reader of science fiction.
Last year I was chatting with an old friend at a party. After one too many margaritas, I suddenly felt the urge to write my own science fiction novel, and I said so out loud. That friend, who is now a top executive in a major manufacturing corporation, recommended that before I write word one I should read Ender's Game.
Time passed. I forgot about my drunken dream of sci-fi glory, but I never forgot my friend's recommendation. Last month I happened to spot EG near the checkout at my neighborhood bookstore. I purchased it, mostly out of duty to my friend.
Naturally, EG rocked my world. I had never read anything like it.
I just finished Speaker for the Dead, only my second OSC book, and I will read Xenocide as soon as I find a copy. In many ways Speaker was superior to Ender's Game. In fact, yesterday my wife asked me whether or not Speaker for the Dead was the best book that I had ever read.
I am still considering my answer to that question.
[This message has been edited by Doc Brown (edited May 30, 2001).]
Posted by sawhizzo (Member # 1832) on :
Well, I read Ender's Game first, in....must have been 5th grade. I can remember reading about Dragon Army, when Ender was 9 and identifying, not with Ender, but with the members of Ender's Army. With the brightest but not the best. I remember worshipping Ender as one of the teachers. Still sort of do, but now the Ender of the later books is my favorite fictional hero. Tried for years to get into SFTD, but couldn't until a couple three years ago. My second Ender's game book was the redemption of pastwatch. His semi historical books, on a writing level, really capture my imagination more than the pure SF ones. But Enderverse has captured my heart.
Posted by thayn (Member # 1991) on :
A friend read one of the short stories/essays to me from “A Storyteller in Zion”. He had been telling me to read the Ender’s Series for years so I finally read Ender’s Game. I ended up reading it in less than 2 days. From there I read the rest of the series. Each time I would get one of the books I would read in a 2-3 days. I just couldn’t put them down. Now my wife is starting the series. She loves them.
Posted by JanusAurora (Member # 886) on :
That's funny, Jeni - I posted on this topic months ago and forgot all about it until I saw the post today....
Since I started, I've read nearly every novel OSC has written, including the original publishing of The Worthing Chronicle (as opposed the Saga...I know, I know, I'm a freak).... I was thrilled to find it.
My little sis, who is ten, is reading Lost Boys. And so the torch is passed....
Posted by LauraKaroline (Member # 1967) on :
The first OSC book I read was either Seventh Son or Ender's Game (I don't remember which, but I think it was probably SS). My best friend gave it to me to read while we were on tour with drum corps during the summer of '89, I believe. I was desperate for something to read and had no access to either a bookstore or a library, so was "forced" to read this book. I'm SO glad that I did, because OSC has become one of my favorite authors, and I probably wouldn't have ever read anything by him (I tend to be VERY choosy about who I read) if it hadn't been the only thing available to read at that time. I have since read everything I could find of his (some more than once) and keep looking for new books all the time. I am now trying to talk my 39 year old sister into reading OSC, but haven't succeeded yet.
Posted by DesignatedLiar (Member # 1997) on :
Now I feel old. I first read EG because it was in the same book as another sotry that I was trying to track down, Plus X by Eric Frank Russell. Yes, that was EG the short story, the book was Analog's Reader's Choice (or something like that - it was over 15 years ago!)
I read anything that OSC published, as soon as I found out about it. I remember panhandling on the community college campus because someone with incredibly poor taste had sold their copy of The Worthing Chronicles at the used book store. I've read almost everything he's published.
Unfortunately, I've had less time to read now that I have children to care for and a wife to attend to. I've sworn off unfinished series, so I haven't read the latest Alvin book, and I am leaving the lovelock series alone until they're all finished. I couldn't help myself with ES and SOTH, though - read them both as soon as my grubby mitts could cath them.
Posted by Anzha (Member # 2060) on :
I know this is kind of a dead thread, but I couldn't resist posting and telling ya'll about it. My first book was, of course Ender's Game, which was recommended to me by my father of all people- who had also read the original short story. He and my stepmother had large collection of OSCs book, and after finishing EG I quickly nicked all of them. (sorry Dad, I've still got your copies of Treason, Songmaster,The Worthing Saga and Wyrms). I then got hooked on the Alvin series from a copy of Red Prophet that I found in the school library. But my best story is this- when Prentice Alvin had just come out in paperback (I didn't even know it was out at all) there was a book signing in Bookstop by one of my other faves, Mercedes Lackey. When I arrived, the table was still empty and the signing hadn't started yet, so I snagged a copy of PA off the shelf and began reading it to while away the time. When I finally looked up, about 100 pages later, she was at the table not 10 feet away from me, with a very long line... and I hadn't noticed a thing.
Posted by Phil (Member # 2066) on :
My first was Seventh Son, that hooked me and I've read everything I could get my hands on (not easy in New Zealand - I've had to buy on the Net, while on holiday in Hawaii, in Utah, and when Borders finally opened a store down here), everything except the How To... books, and ShadHeg. BUT what scares me is everybody on this topic is a KID!!. I first read Ender's Game at about 42, 6 years ago, and still it spoke to me. AM I THE OLDEST PERSON ON THIS THREAD?
Posted by Phil (Member # 2066) on :
Not 'kid' sorry, bad choice of word. I mean younger than me, much younger, I feel old...
Posted by Hebedee (Member # 2110) on :
I read Ender's Game in sixth grade, and my dad talked about OSC when we were discussing his Mission in Sao Paulo. Apparently they were there at the same time and played in a music group together on their off days.
Posted by thayn (Member # 1991) on :
I finally talked my wife into reading EG and she read the whole thing in 2 days. Today she's starting Ender's Shadow. One more fan for the list.
Posted by Endless Dream (Member # 2105) on :
I'll give you three guesses what my first OSC book was, and the first two don't count.
I have always had a bad habit of reading during class (in fact, I still do). In my seventh-grade science class, I was really bored. So I saw this book, Ender's Game, sitting on the heater next to me. I started reading it, brought it home. I was almost in a trance when I read it. It was like nothing I'd ever read. It remained one of my favorite books for many years. (By the way, I did eventually return it). This past year, as a high school junior, I was poking around idly in the school library when I came across it again. I read it again, and it was still awesome. I gave it to my mother to read; she and I have always had similar taste in books, and we usually read series of books together, and talk about them. She loved it as much as I did, and over the course of the year, we managed to buy the whole set of Ender books. Two weeks ago, in a bookstore, I found Alvin Journeyman for $5. I finished it in two days, and my mom's in the process of reading it. I'll bet we end up collecting the whole Alvin series before the end of the year
Posted by kwsni (Member # 1831) on :
I had to read EG for my freshman english class. I was dreading reading it because usually the books that you have to read for english classes are so incredibly BORING, and because eveyone else in the class was complaining about how much they hated it. So I procrastinated till like the day before the test, and read it all that night, with out even realizing I was enjoying it.
I forgot all about OSC till I found Hart's Hope in the library, and decided to check itout, totally unaware that the guy who wrote this book wrote EG. I loved Hart's Hope, but since the library didn't have any other OSC I forgot about him again, till I read the story in Legends about the grinning man.I finally put two and two together... and ordered a whole bunch of his other books at the library.
Where are you guys finding Maps in a Mirror and Songmaster? I can't find them anywhere.
Ni!
Posted by Alex Stevens (Member # 1238) on :
It's strange for me to say that only a year ago I picked up my first Card - "Ender's Shadow" at the local library. I was hooked and my OCD kicked in. Since then I believe I've read almost every novel he's put out - I think the count was last at 28. I do have to say though, if any of his books got me hooked it was the Alvin Maker series. To this day I've never been more fascinated with a series of books then those. I desperately anticipate "The Crystal City" - If it ever makes it's debut. Either way, you can't go wrong with a Card, he is the true Taleswrapper no matter how you look at it.
Posted by Matthew (Member # 54) on :
Like most of the people who have posted, my first OSC book was Ender's Game. I was home from college one Christmas and my younger brother brought it to me from his school library. After my initial reluctance to read it (after all, it was my little brother who brought it to me...), I did. Then I went to the library, got every Card book they had (which wasn't many) and read those. Since then, I've read almost all of his books and short stories.
Posted by Lutya (Member # 1787) on :
kwsni, you can find both Maps in a Mirror and Songmaster on eBay once in awhile.
Posted by Anzha (Member # 2060) on :
Go to Half-Price Books or another used book store. I've seen copies of Songmaster there pretty recently.
Posted by skruesch (Member # 675) on :
Phil-- Don't sweat it...I'm an oldy but a goody just like you and I'm doing my best to convert more of us. I just gave EG to a co-worker and he told me this morning that it's his new favorite book, even though he's only about half-way through it. Of course, I had a moral obligation to buy the rest of them for him...I'd hate for him to give up before he's well and truly hooked!
Sharon
Posted by scion (Member # 2168) on :
My first intro into Card was TREASON...that book is pure magic. Not only that, it was my first Sci-fi book also. I don't know if I am ready to venture into other Sci-fi, but I still have a few Card's to finish up before the well runs dry. =d
Posted by Rudolph the Red (Member # 2178) on :
my first post here.....
anyway, First OSC book I read was Songmaster, I picked it up because I'm a musician...after that I read Pastwatch, and from there I became addicted, reading the Ender series, Alvin series, then Homecoming, and now I am working on Enchantment, which will be followed by the rest of his books in all of the libraries anywhere near to my house.
Posted by Wanderberry (Member # 2288) on :
My intro is actually quite funny. My 12 year old self loved the movie The Abyss...and OSC defied the customary novelization suckiness and wrote a brilliant and better version of the screenplay, complete with the life-tales of the three main characters.
I immediately went to a used book store specializing in Sci-Fi and found...well, more obscure Card works, including Hot Sleep, Eye for Eye, and Future on Fire. When I found myself reading the introductions to other people stories more than the stories themselves in FoF, I knew I was going to be looking for Card stories and snippets and books my whole life.
I had no idea he was a popular writer with a zillion books to read. Imagine my surprise and delight at my own cluelessness when I finally went into a new book store and found three shelves of books to read!
I haven't even started the Alvin Maker stories yet.
--wanderberry
Posted by Alaliayh (Member # 2293) on :
This is my first post on this board, but I figured it'd be a good place to start.
Well, lookit me being the different one. I started out with Alvin, not Ender, but not with Seventh Son either. My first OSC book was Prentice Alvin, which was given to me in a strange way... by the girlfriend of the father of my friend who I had just met that day.
Anyway, after reading Prentice Alvin, I found Ender's Game had been stashed away in my computer room library. Me, being all excited about actually finding another book by the same author in my house, read it rightaway and soon finished the rest of both series and now I've.. read quite a bit more. Still got some to go, though.
Posted by Katie (Member # 2301) on :
When I was a freshman in high school (about 10 years ago) my friend leant me a copy of "Worthing Saga," which I devoured. I read "Ender's Game" right after that, and was immediately hooked on Card...After that I finished the Ender's series and read basically every book I could find. I've read everything save the Alvin Maker and Earth series. I *definitely* prefer his older, pre-Ender's Game stuff, not quite sure why. I didn't care for "Shadow of the Hegemon" at all. Although I do think some of his later books - noteably "Stone Tables" and "Pastwatch" were excellent. I'm reading "Storyteller in Zion" and "Sarah" right now.
Long enough post, sorry!
Posted by Mazzic (Member # 2185) on :
My 9th grade English teacher knew that I liked reading science fiction so she let me borrow her copy of EG ( borrowed it on a Fri gave it back on Mon ). Well I'm the type of person that figures if the one book is good I will give the sequels a try... it was all over from there Posted by Rebekah (Member # 2434) on :
I didn't get hooked on by one particular book. I was kinda forced into them about 4 years ago when I found out that he was my uncle. I really love his books for what they are though, not just because I'm related to him....
Posted by Iluvatar (Member # 2411) on :
My introduction was "Seventh Son," followed quickly by "Red Prophet." I then picked up "Xenocide" and went back to read "Ender's Game" and "Speaker for the Dead" after finishing "Xenocide." I was a fan of Orson Scott Card but it was "Speaker for the Dead" got got me seriously hooked. It was a combination of "Ender's Shadow" and especially "Enchantment" that put him for me on a level with Tolkien.
Posted by beanacide x (Member # 1957) on :
When I was a freshman in Highschool, my English Teacher Mrs. Minor had a list of books we could read, and I chose Ender's Game. At first I read it like I used to read books that I had to read, slowly and in sections, but then I started to really get into the story and read it large bursts. I ended up really liking the book and never thought a sequel existed. Then 2 years later when I was a Junior I was looking for a book at Barnes and Noble and saw Xenocide, and thought at the time it was the sequel to Enders game, so I bought it and when I got hope I opened the inside and saw it was the 3rd of 4 books! I bought Speaker For the Dead and really fell in love with the series. I went through the next 2 books like a knife through warm butter. I was really blown away with the concepts in Speaker For the Dead and Children of the Mind. I did a book report for my summer reading on SotD and boy was it confusing trying to explain the pequenino life cycle in a timed essay haha. After the 4th book I thought the series was over once again. Then I was searching the net one day and stumbled on to Hatrack River. I then saw Ender's Shadow and read that then re-read Enders Game to see how paralell it was. And recently I read SotH and really enjoyed it because I had just taken a Western Civilization course and researched alot about warfare reading Machiavelli and such. I hope Shadow Puppets will give me a new history/strategy fix or intrigue me with yet another awesome twist of my favorite book.
Posted by Walt Grabe (Member # 2491) on :
Folk of the Fringe, then the Alvin series. I just finished The Redemption of Christopher Columbus this morning and loved it, although I wish the epilogue had been 50 pages longer! Also loved Saints. I'm 56, and a SciFi fan since age 11 - I remember waiting impatiently for each new title in Robert Heinlein's juvenile series. Although I'm not a member of the LDS Church, (I'm Catholic, which is close!) I particularly enjoy OSC's novels that have a Mormon perspective.
Posted by ansible (Member # 2490) on :
There's a terrific computer game called HOMEWORLD, and an equally vibrant forum hosted by the publishers, relic.com. Many of the HOMEWORLD gamers discuss EG sporadically. But it wasn't until recently that I decided to hunt the book down. If you ever stumble across the computer game HOMEWORLD, buy it, like OSC's writing it’s a gem.
Posted by JadziaMD (Member # 2430) on :
When I was in sixth grade, I happened to live two blocks away from a lady who walked her cats in the afternoon. I would talk to her about every day when I came home. One day she handed me a book, and told me to read it. Saying, "I think you'll like this." The book was Ender's Game, and ever since then I haven't been able to put it down.
Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :
Hi!
I'm french, and I had never heard about OSC before I read "The tales of Alvin Maker", one year ago. It was in a library and I was curious, so I took it. It was so great to me that I read the five books in 5 or 6 days! Then I red "Basilica", "Ender", and some shorts stories. Now I'm found about OSC and I'm trying to talk about his books with everyone, because I think we don't know him enough in France. Sorry my english is so bad Cheers!
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Jadzia, I think what you received was one of the early "cursed press" versions of Ender's Game, many of which were known for that tendency. While there are no dependable cures, it's said that receiving a remove curse from a cleric of at least eighth level will allow you the full use of your hands again.
Posted by Bellyboy (Member # 2262) on :
Hi all,
I was brought into the OSC world from the short story "Grinning Man", the the book "Legends", a collection of fantasy and sci-fi short stories by a heap of great authors. Alvin and Arthur hooked me, and so I read the Tales of Alvin Maker series. Took me a while to get hold of Red Prophet over here in Australia, and then it took me another 6 months to realise that it was currently a 5 book series, as opposed to a trilogy. Haven't read any of OSC's sci-fi yet...
Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :
Hi Belliboy!
As a lot of people here, I think you should try to read some OSC sci-fi books, because they are writen with the same spirit that books like "Alvin". Maybe you should begin with "Basilica", wich is less "sci-fi" than "Ender".
Posted by JadziaMD (Member # 2430) on :
Tried the remove curse, but it didn't work. Oh, well, there are far worse curses in this world I suppose. Posted by Missippoj (Member # 2542) on :
The first book of his I read was Ender's Game in the summer between 5th and 6th grade. But now since I'm remembering then that I had just gotten done with another really good book, but I can't remember the name. It's a first person book from a raptors point of view (sounds childish, but it's actually a very good novel). I think it has a colour in the name of it...anyways, i then read the whole ender saga before 6th grade was out...i read enders shadow and hegemon as soon as they got out. I borrowed Memory of Earth from a friend but never got into it, and only read about 50 pages (i know, i know).
Posted by ctinabeth (Member # 2600) on :
Hello All, This is my first posting. This seemed as good a place to start as any. My introduction to OSC came as quite a surprise. I was a junior in high school and going with a group of friends to Georgia for the week. THe guy I was dating at the time handed me a copy of EG and said if you start reading this and like it, you'll finish it before you come back. I told him i would try but I wasn't promising. I looked at the cover of the book when i got in the car. It said science fiction. I absolutely detested science fiction and thought, "This guy has no clue about me at all." Well, needless to say I started reading it and had it finished by the time we got back home. Upon arrival back home my boyfriend had the other 4 books waiting for me. I read them all and then started the Homecoming Series. I am still not an avid science fiction reader, but I am an avid OSC reader. I have consented to some certain sci fi authors. But I have not found any that are better than OSC. The most recent that I have read was Enchantment. I loved it. My biggest problem is that besides that one great guy, I haven't found anyone else who truly appreciates his works. The most common problem they seem to have is that they get hung up on the names, but seems so minor to me. Oh well, it is their loss. What they find distracting is one of the things that I find so enjoyable about him. Tinabeth btw: I am on my 5th rereading of the homecoming series. And that great guy that first introduced me to OSC is now my husband and we share a full bookshelf of OSC books. Our four year old found ender the other day and wants me to read it to him. I think I'll wait a little longer before introducing him to the great works, but at least he is interested!
Posted by ctinabeth (Member # 2600) on :
Here was an after thought: When reading some of the replies i saw soem replies to the book Basilica. Is this a book or reference to the homecoming series? Tell me there is not a OSC book i don't know about? tinabeth
Posted by WaterSeer (Member # 2622) on :
I read The Worthing Saga first... followed by the Ender Series and then the Homecoming Series I have been hooked ever since!!
Posted by Perelandra (Member # 3632) on :
I think my story is a little bit different
A few years back Lucasarts released a video game titled "The Dig." During the credits I noticed that the dialog was written by OSC. The game was great (albiet short) and I loved the characters. OSC gave them such life that I just had to find out who this guy was.
Later that same year I went digging around in the sci-fi/fantasy section of the local used book store. What I found was a relatively new copy of Ender's Game. Well... after reading it I just knew I had to have more. Since then I have just cruised through every OSC book I could get my hands on.
My freshman English teacher probably didnt even know who OSC was..
[This message has been edited by Perelandra (edited October 23, 2001).]
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
ctinabeth-- that is the sweetest story i've ever read. have you ever tried to read otehr scifi/fant? if so, what? I think we can get you hooked on some other authors of the genre... it would be my pleasure to point you in the right direction... osc was right in saying that most sci fi was [crud]...but there are a few gems in the field....he's living proof of that Posted by Chveya (Member # 2623) on :
The first OSC book i read was seventh son when my dad bought it at the airport bookstore in September. (im 11 by the way) Then i read the Homecoming series (I LOVED THEM) then i read EG and now im reading speaker for the dead
Posted by ctinabeth (Member # 2600) on :
Myrddin, I have tried several different authors although none measure up to osc, and most fit into my general ideas of science fiction. My husband is a big Asimov fan. I have tried and tried just cannot get into his books although I have managed to choke down a few. I have tried to read L. Ron Hubbard but, dear lord that stuff is sooooo boring. There are a few others, but given the time of day/ night it is I can't hardly think of anymore right now... please forgive me... ~ Tinabeth~
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Ctinabeth, you want to read CHARACTER-based sci-fi, not the science and plot-based sci-fi written by authors like Asimov and Clarke. (Don't read anything by Hubbard; the man was a self-inflated, talentless hack.)
Basically, you want more modern stuff, not the "classical" plot-based stuff that was written from 1930-1970.
I'd recommend Card, Ursula LeGuin, Timothy Zahn, Steve Donaldson, and Neal Stephenson.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
i probably don't know what i'm talking about, having never read the book, but "Neverness" by David Zindell looks good. I recall OSC remarking "I wish I had written this book." that made me want to read it!!! i will get to it, just because of what osc said about it. it sounded more character-based...tom is right, you don't want stuff that revolves around plot...unless you're reading short stories (like "machineries of joy" by bradbury...intriguing work, anyway). plot based is the sort of thing that peeps read and think, "oh this is sci fi. it stincks." and so go the common misconception. i consider that kind of scifi, the common aliens-invade-earth, d-movie type stuff, to be what people think of as sci fi and i like to think of it as fake sci fi...unimaginative works in an imaginative genre just don't work...thus the thousands of boring books most of us have been unfortunate enough to stumble upon. If you want an interesting read, try "The Color of Distance" by amy thomson. it's not very action-packed or anything, but it is fascinating and a sort of well-imagined first-contact and marooned story in one. this book isn't for everyone, but it tells a good story about culture and changing people and coming-of-age (in a way) and copming-to-senses (humans and aliens both). if it sounds good, read it. if it doesn't, you'll probably hate it and its sequel, Through Alien Eyes. btw, has anyone else read these? i wanna hear your opinion...
i'll stop blabbing now..
au revoir
myrddin fyre
Posted by EarlNMeyer-Flask (Member # 1546) on :
My uncle recommended Ender's Game as well as Farhenheit 451 a few years ago, and I soon devoured both. Ender's Game and subsequent novels by Card now hold a special place on my bookshelf -- right on the top, where they belong in alphabetical order.
I love Asimov! What in particular didn't you like about his work?
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Fahrenheit 451 is one of my favoritest books. More for the ideas, and the plight of the main character, and also that mysterious little girl...well, its a magical scifi (what i mean is its realistic futuristic scifi but it doesn't focus on the technology but the change of guy montag (one of my favorite literary characters, along with hermione granger, ender wiggin, nafai, and others ...but it has no magic but magical qualities.) anyway, great book, though i haven't read anything else by him, so i don't know much about him as an author...
Posted by ctinabeth (Member # 2600) on :
Earl and All, The only thing that I didn't particularly like about asimov was that he did not write for the average person ( not that I consider myself average haha). I always felt intimidated by his works and not many authors can do that to me. Obviously, there are major difference between Asimov and OSC.
As to the rest of what Myrddin and Tom and others said, Where exactly have ya'll been all my life
tinabeth
Posted by esl (Member # 3143) on :
Ender's Game. I read it right after i finished LOTR. My younger cousin recommended it to me and i've read all of the Ender series. just finished Shadow of the Hegemon. they're all actually part of an english assignment too. i just realized that. it's a free reading type thing; my teacher didn't assign it for me to read. if that were the case i probably would not have enjoyed it as much.
Posted by Lime (Member # 1707) on :
I started with Ender's Game in eighth grade. At the time, I didn't like it at all - I spent the next week and a half incredibly depressed, occassionally crying myself to sleep. So I didn't really go looking for more OSC to fill my free time. But about 2-3 years later, I picked up Ender's Game again and gave it another whirl and liked it quite a bit. But when I went to pick up more OSC, none of them really caught my eye. So I picked up other books and read them, instead.
But now, a senior in college, I have seen the error of my ways and gone back and read every single OSC book the library's got. The subtleties of his writing are wonderful. I think that the younger me just didn't get 'em. I do now, though. And I've moved on to start chewing my way through the OSC books that the library at school has that I haven't read yet.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
oh my goodness, lime! If EG depressed you that much, what did you think of 1984, Stardust, Blade Runner (and I'm not sure I should even ask about Black Hawk Down)?
It was depressing at times but I was definitely left with that common hope-for-the-future feelings. I like endings like that.
btw, I'm glad you "saw the error of your ways"
--kris
Posted by accio (Member # 3040) on :
Ender’s Game is one of my son’s favorite books. We gave him a hard cover Ender’s Game last Christmas because his paperback had worn out from his repeated reading. He left his paperback at home when he returned to college after the holidays. Between reading the various Harry Potter books I started reading Ender’s Game and I loved it!
Posted by Puddleglum (Member # 3159) on :
Ender's Game is what started me off when I was 17, and I just reread it again for maybe the 4th time...and it's just as good every time I read it.
Posted by zeroemus (Member # 3169) on :
Ender's Game introduced me to Card, and the I read Speaker, Xenocide, CotM, ES, and SH. Then I started again with the first three Homecoming books, and I just finished the Worthing Saga. I love em all so much I dont know which one's my favorite.
Posted by Rememberance (Member # 3167) on :
ender's game was my first OSC book. i had to read it for my IB english class and after that i couldn't stop!
Posted by Rajani (Member # 3152) on :
'Songmaster' I think. When I was thirteen, fourteen? When I was a boy anyway. And then 'Prentice Alvin'......I really hate reading a series of books out of order. I'm very anal that way......But I've only recently read 'Ender's Game' and 'Ender's Shadow'......Sigh. So many books, so little time.
Posted by Chuckles (Member # 2865) on :
I started with a battered old copy of Unaccompanied Sonanta, back about 8 or 9 years ago, I guess. I read it while camping with my family, either under the ceiling light of the car, or in the cook-shelter while tending the fire. It knocked me flat. Since then, I've read as many as I could get my hands on, and thanks to OSC's wonderful prolificity (if that's not a word, it should be), there are lots to choose from. I hardly read a thing during university, other than the 10 novels and 25 or so plays assigned each semester. I just didn't have the energy to read for pleasure. But I've recently started reading again, and OSCs I've tackled this time include Ender's Shadow, Songmaster (2nd time), Enchantment, Seventh Son (2nd), and Lovelock. I bought SOTH but have yet to read it. And I have a copy of Maps In A Mirror borrowed from the library.
Ahh, the joys of a wonderful author who writes more than one book every few years!
Take care -Justin-
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
Heyyyyyyy - My VERY FIRST POST is in this thread!
That's just groovy enough for me to post a wave.
[ August 17, 2003, 06:10 AM: Message edited by: Ralphie ]
Posted by Maccabeus (Member # 3051) on :
I read "Songbird" in a short anthology (five novellas) years and years ago, but didn't realize it was Card's until several years after I'd read _Ender's Game_. I didn't pick that up in the library for several years until a friend encouraged me--it looked like another stupid "war in space" book.
Posted by Hushidh (Member # 3511) on :
When I was 15, I had a huge crush on this guy I knew from sunday school. The group went on a trip to Boston and during the trip, I actually became friends with this kid, and he turned out to be an intelligent and interesting guy. During this time, he recommended Ender's Game to me. Having been an avid reader since I learned to read (and not wanting to disappoint my crush ), I ran to the bookstore after the trip and picked it up.
I think I finished it in a day or two and immediately realized it was the best book I had ever read, crush or no crush. I went straight to Speaker for the Dead. Soon I devoured the Alvin Maker series, and found The Worthing Chronicles and Xenocide and Children of the Mind. After that, I think it was the Homecoming series.
It's been over 5 years since I picked up Ender's Game, and it still holds the place as the best book I have ever read. I have also read my way through pretty much every OSC book ever published, and am anxiously awaiting the new Alvin Maker.
Posted by Nessa Nu (Member # 5471) on :
My first book was "Ender", a German edition with both Ender's Game and Speaker for the dead in it. I have got no clue when and from where I got it, I really can't remember. It is like it was always there . Shortly after that I continued with Xenocide and Children of the mind. Then I tried Treason and made a break with OSC books for a while. Then came Ender's shadow, Songmaster and the Homecoming series.
Posted by Glue (Member # 5550) on :
My mom bought The Ships of Earth way back when. Back then I didn't really like to read at all. So it sat there on my shelf for two years before I picked it up. I finally read it and was hooked. I had to have more. So I sought out the entire Homecoming saga and read it.
After that I knew that Mr. Card had something in his writing that other authors never had. So whatever saga I could get my hands on, I read it
Posted by Stradling (Member # 1182) on :
When I was 9 (1985), I picked Ender's Game up at the library and devoured it. Tried Speaker (and choked), came back to it when I was 12, and loved it. Proceeded to consume everything Card wrote as soon as I got my hands on it. Haven't stopped.
Alden
Posted by cyruseh (Member # 1120) on :
My brother always like to pick up cool looking books from his high school library. I was much younger than him, but unlike him, I actually read the books, instead of just planning to read them. He had first brough home the memory of earth, because he liked the cover. I read the first chapter, but at the time, was very biased against any author.
I know that there are a few of you, that like me, get attached to certain authors. After all, to begin to like a new author, is to invest a WHOLE lot of time reading. So I read the first chapter of Memory of Earth, and my bias controlled me. I could not read any more.
Then, one day, my brother brought home Ender's Game. And I decided I would give it one more try. Many of you have read that first chapter, simply titled 'Third', many many times. And what a great first chapter. I was hooked from the first chapter. After reading Ender's Game, I went on to read the homecoming series, then the speaker series, and then just about everything else I could get my hands on.
Posted by Audeo (Member # 5130) on :
I also started with Memory of Earth and I liked enough that I wanted to read the second one, but I couldn't find it anywhere, so I read Seventh Son next and managed to finish the Alvin Maker series through Heartfire. I was still searching for Call of Earth when I found Enders Game read it and loved it. It's still my favorite. I read the speaker series next, then several years later (still searching for Call of Earth) I found Enders Shadow. I've read the rest of the shadow series, Enchantment, Sarah, Rebecca, the hardbound Maps in a Mirror, and Lost Boys. Eventually I found Call of Earth and finished the Homecoming series, but it took a while.
Posted by tonguetied&twisted (Member # 5159) on :
Enders Game. I was never into sci-fi, so was very doubtful when my (younger) sister recommended it as "the greatest book in the world"! I didn't start reading it until I had absolutely run out of other books to read... (That happens with annoying frequency these days, I wish I would read slower!!) But when I did get around to starting it, I couldn't put it down. That'll teach me to judge books by their genre. Posted by AnonymousNC (Member # 1544) on :
Well, this will really tell my age - I have been into SciFi Fantasy since being hooked on Dark Shadows soap opera when I was 5 years old (I'm now 41). Yes I can't believe that is what my mother let me watch every day in kindergarten.
My first "real" sci fi book was 'A Wrinkle In Time' when I was in the 4th grade. While it isn't the only genre I read, it is definitely my favorite and where the majority of my book purchases fall.
In Junior High and High School (1974-1980) I subscribed to several scifi mags like Omni, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Isaac Asimov Presents, etc... OSC had several short stories that I read which in turn made me seek out his books.
I can't begin to say which actual BOOK I read first but I do know it was NOT Enders Game. And I actually prefer the sequels now but I'm sure that has to do with my growing old(er) and my point of reference changing.
IMHO, characterization is EVERYTHING. A great plot just doesn't hold my interest unless I am into the characters. Great characterization is something OSC has in common with the rest of my top 5.
Posted by Mikal (Member # 5564) on :
My parents actually first got me into OSC. They gave me a copy of Seventh Son, which I loved, and went to read the rest of the maker books. I've since gone on to read the EG, the speaker and shadow series, and the homecoming series. Im now starting to get into the stand-alone novels.
Posted by Mikal (Member # 5564) on :
Oh by the way thats my first post, although ive lurked on these forums for a while. Anyway, please don't hesitate to post things like "welcome" or "i can tell from the way you type that you're an incredibly intelligent and attractive person."
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
All the most intelligent and attractive people have their first post in this thread.
Even if their first post was two and a half years ago.
Posted by wieczorek (Member # 5565) on :
Hey, Guy with the eyes! Good topic, great, in fact. I was assigned to read Ender's Game for a class. After that I saw that there were six more books in the Ender series and I read them and First Meetings. I haven't read any other OSC books, for what reasons, well, I have other work (which I don't think is more important, well, it's less enjoyable but must be done). I guess that the way he writes keeps me reading. I now find myself quoting things that characters say in the books in my everyday life (no laughing is permitted). I am really drawn to the characters and everything, I supppose. He's my fave author.
"Remember, the enemy's gate is down"
[ August 22, 2003, 08:08 PM: Message edited by: wieczorek ]
Posted by Borommakot (Member # 2160) on :
The first book i read by OSC was Ender's Game in high school it was highly recommended by friends and the school's librarian. I read part of Speaker for the Dead i think while there again forgot about it til i graduated and reread EG bought every book in the Ender's series then ender's shadow in which osc mentioned this website, got here went to a library borrowed the Alvin series, and a lot of his solitary novels like wyrms, lost boys, etc. Then i started to buy other novels as i could i guess i'm sorta addicted. Well i'm rambling on again.
Your Friend,
Awaiting Cremation
Posted by Morgaine (Member # 4691) on :
I used to read my father's books. He had just taken out Seventh Son, so I picked it up and started reading it (I was 11 at the time). I then found out my father owned Ender's Game. After reading that, I ransacked the library for anything by him. I haven't read everything, but I'm working on it! He's one of the first authors that I'm actually willing to try all of his works (Dean Koontz being another).
Posted by En Vista (Member # 3848) on :
The Memory of Earth. The Homecoming series was in my high school library, but oddly enough the Ender Series wasn't (not until I bought the collection of paperbacks and donated them as an alumnus gift last year). Anways, I picked it up arbitrarily one day and decided that a world in which women rule wouldn't be too bad to read about. And then I was hooked and had to read the rest of the series.
For not being a huge science fiction fan, I guess I've read more sci fi than anything in the last few years owing mostly to my growing Card collection.
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
A book didn't introduce me to Orson Scott Card, A periodical did.
In August of 1977, in Analog, I was privilaged enough to be exposed to Ender's Game which had a profound, and immediate effect on my life. The story haunted me for years. Only a few of my close friends knew the phrase "The enemy's gate is down," when I trotted it out.
Those that knew the phrase always wanted to discuss this wonderful story.
Years passed. I was into Kim Stanley Robinson and William Gibson in 1984, and had not even been exposed to David Brin yet (thanks to my wife, I later discovered Startide Rising and was hooked). It was years after the publication of the novel that I discovered that it had been written.
And what an expansion on the story that was. We got to go inside Peter and Valentine's heads! Wow! I was blown away, and I can't make this statement strong enough to convey just how much!
I later turned my wife on to the novel. She was hopelessly hooked (one good turn deserves another).
Thanks OSC. We've now read the whole series, or both series, if you like. And we'll probably get the next few books, and the DVD when it comes out, and the merchandise, and, well, everything!
[ August 26, 2003, 08:37 PM: Message edited by: Erik Slaine ]
Posted by Ksig (Member # 5625) on :
have you read any of his other books Erik S?
i was on vacation and i went to the bookstore and had to get my mom a present, so i just bought enders game, then my mom said it was really good so i read it... now i'm hooked
Posted by wieczorek (Member # 5565) on :
That's really great that you took your mom's advice - I don't really care for her taste in literature. I don't care for Grisham, King, Diane Motts Davidson and the like. I could do without all the, for lack of a better word, suspense, that those authors' books ritually entail. No, as for me, I'm a sci-fi kind of person. Hail the Almighty OSC !!
"Remember, the enemy's gate is down"
Posted by Da_Goat (Member # 5529) on :
Ender's Game was my first OSC book, which was recommended to me by a member of another online community.
I keep reading OSC for a couple of reasons. For one, he wrote so many books, and he's still writing more. At this point in time, if you just started reading OSC this year, as I did, you can read a ton of books and not worry about running out. Also, I've always been fascinated with ideas presented by sci-fi books, but most get so technical and boring that I just turn to their movie counterparts. OSC has an intriguing scientific imaginations, as well as a down-to-earth approach that deals with human emotions.
Posted by Jon Anderson (Member # 5631) on :
Way back in junior high I first read Ender's Game. Now, I've re-read the entire series a few times, along with a few of his other series.
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
Ksig, I have only read all of the Ender universe stuff. I have Treason right now in my book queue, but haven't started it yet.
After a few months on this forum, I am very interested in reading the Alvin Maker stuff. Sounds very entertaining!
Posted by Morgaine (Member # 4691) on :
It's well worth the read. And the wait for the new book.
Posted by Jexxster (Member # 5293) on :
I always considered myself something of a sci-fi nut. One day in Jr. High as I walked into the library I saw on a book rack a copy of Ender's Game. The cover was pretty cool looking, with the fighter ship and the futuristic looking horizon. Plus it had 2 littl award stars on it. That was enough for me.
Sci-fi-check (though not nearly as much a sci-fi story as I anticipated. That is a good thing though) Cool cover-check Awards-check 300+ page book (when my peers were whining about 100+ pages)-check
Got me started! I have read all the books in the Enderverse now multiple times (for most), and the Homecoming series. Need to now branch out to the Alvin series.
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
Alright, alright! I've just ordered 7th Son are you happy now?
I have it on reserve at the library. I feel so TOTALLY left out. 
peek-a-boo
. In that book Card talks about Ender's Game and Hart's Hope. I think I read Hart's Hope first and then found the Ender's War compilation of EG and SFTD. Ate up those and from a friend found out their was a third book. Randomly just after that, not knowing there were supposed to be more books, happened upon Children of the Mind, just after it came out, in a bookstore. Haven't been able to stop since then.
![[The Wave]](graemlins/thewave.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
), I ran to the bookstore after the trip and picked it up. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
. Shortly after that I continued with Xenocide and Children of the mind. Then I tried Treason and made a break with OSC books for a while. Then came Ender's shadow, Songmaster and the Homecoming series.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
So I read the first chapter of Memory of Earth, and my bias controlled me. I could not read any more.![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Hail]](graemlins/hail.gif)
!!