So now I've read EG, ES, and SFTD. I really liked Speaker, but damn some parts of the story were weird. That's not bad, don't get me wrong, it was just such a huge change from reading about Battle School. I've got Xenocide here, and I'm looking forward to reading that over the next week or so. After that comes Children of the Mind, right? What are the other books that I'm missing?
EDIT: I see First Meetings: Four Stories from the Enderverse. That isn't just like a combination of 4 of the books, is it? I mean, does it have stories that aren't available as individual books? Also, isn't there something like Shadow of the Giant that's supposed to come out in August?
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
It's four short stories which includes the short story of Ender's Game. Two of the stories involve Ender's parents and the other involves the beginnings of Jane.
Shadow of the Giant is already out. It's part of the Shadow series which is Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets and Shadow of the Giant. =)
Posted by Leon the Professional (Member # 8267) on :
Thanks, that will help me occupy my boredom at work over the summer.
Posted by DF2506 (Member # 6847) on :
Speaker For the Dead is my favorite of the Ender books and most likely, my favorite OSC book period. I think its really great.
Why? Because I like adult Ender so much more then young Ender (in Ender's game), plus I like the family in Speaker quiete a bit. I enjoyed how Ender came into the family and really changed them and became family. Plus: the Pinos plot is very interesting and so is the Hive Queen plot. All of that combines to make a really great story, imo.
I'd love to own this book. In fact, when I get the chance, I'm going to buy it! I just know I'd read it over and over again.
My next favorite OSC book is Xenocide (which I also have to get sooner or later). The Ender/family/Pino/Hive Queen stuff is my favorite, but I got to admit I do like the stuff on the other planet too. Though both of these stories seem like two seperate novels. Even so, I enjoyed it quiete a bit.
Children of the Mind..well..I didn't like what happened to Ender (won't say what, since you haven't read it), but I did like most of the rest of the novel.
Oh and I highly recommand Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, and most of all Shadow of the Giant. The Shadow series is really great, though not as great as the Speaker series (Speaker, Xenocide, and Children) imo.
Still its really close!
The Speaker/Bean series and the Alvin series are definitly my favorite of what I've read of OSC's novels so far. So I can't wait to read his next Ender, Shadow, and Alvin books!
DF2506 " That said, I finished OSC's Lovelock recently and it was good (not great. although I do hope that he and Mrs. Kidd continue the story. I'd definitly read it). I can't wait to read Pastwatch next. That looks really interesting."
Posted by Lanfear (Member # 7776) on :
Speaker for the Dead was awesome, but Xenocide hit the spot for me. I can't really tell the difference between the ender side in Speaker vs. Xenocide.. but Xenocide added The Wang-Mu subplot.. which was so amazing amazing.
Posted by MKellar (Member # 8133) on :
Here is the chronological order of the Ender books:
Ender's Game Ender's Shadow - concurrent with Ender's Game
Shadow of the Hegemon Shadow Puppets Shadow of the Giant
Speaker for the Dead Xenocide Children of the Mind
First Meetings in the Enderverse (the short stories are from different points in the Ender timeline)
Posted by Leon the Professional (Member # 8267) on :
Thanks MKellar, that helps.
However, what do you think is the best order to read the books? So far, this is what I've done, in order:
Ender's Game Ender's Shadow Speaker for the Dead Xenocide (currently reading)
I guess I've done the Speaker series before the Shadow series, but oh well. Maybe once I'm done reading all of them I'll be able to look back and decide for myself what order is best.
Just a little note I found when reading Speaker: I read EG about 4 years ago, and shortly after, I attempted to read Speaker. I stopped after 100 pages because I thought it was moving too slowly. Once I went back and read it again, I got past my 100-page mark and found it was well worth having to go through some slow parts to get to the good stuff. I will never doubt OSC's ability to write a good book ever again Posted by MKellar (Member # 8133) on :
I've found that reading books in the order they were released is usually the best method. The Shadow books are different thematically from the others, so its best to think of them as two seperate sagas in the same universe. So I'd say you are on the right track.
Posted by ElaRibeira (Member # 8306) on :
Yeah, the Shadow books are very different - more political tension, kind of like spy novels. They're still very very good (of course, they're OSC books!), but it's a big change from the Ender books. I read them, EG, ES, SFTD, Xenocide, COTM, SOTH, SP, SOTG, and it's a good order to go with, IMHO.
I was hooked on Speaker from the end of the first chapter. You know, when you find out what happens to Pipo (I think that's the end of the first chapter. It's been a while since my latest read). The book owned my life from that point till I finished it.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)