It is not nice to introduce with criticism, so I have to start with the fact that OSC is in my top 5 of writers, close to the place #1, but hard to tell. (I am mostly sci-fi consumer but occasionally I happen to read anything good.) Ender's Game is probably close to "my favourite book" status.
Okay, criticism, I remember. I have read every book of Ender's universe and Alvin Maker, and my opinion is based on those.
So... did you notice that OSC has lost the ability to finish a story? As new books come out it became a bit disturbing that neither of them was finished. All of them were in fact pretty open, as you may recall: the Bean timeline had at least two unfinished thread, the Ender story had been left just plain open, and Mr. Alvin Smith just goes on and on towards the misterious goal.
I am happy that there will be more and more, but what is the Plan? Are there "another 4 books of this and more 3 books of that" planned? Or they'll be open forever?
I simply don't like unfinished stories, because I would like to have more, and there won't be any, either because OSC have more favourite storilines, or he aged just 130 and passed without finishing all of them. I just worry: will there be an end of these open storylines?
I try to resist the urge to ask them separately, whether this or that idea is planned to be continued... the question stands for them all.
Thanks for reading, and don't be angry at me, I like good endings too. Can't wait forever, my life expectancy is lower than yours, being in Eastern Europe. Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
I know that the Maker Series will defenitely have an end. In fact, OSC has shared some very shocking revelations about what will happen in the end. Probably not shocking to anyone who knows the life story of Joseph Smith (as that is what the series is based on), but I don't, so shocking indeed. I tried to search for that thread but can't find it.
As for the Enderverse, I personally hope there is never an end. I don't really see how there could be a satisfying end, anyways. There are too many characters out there to wrap up every single storyline with a nice little bow. I'd certainly like to get closure on certain things, like Bean's kids and the virus' home planet.
But I love the story and the characters so much, that I think I would be incredibly sad if one day OSC put out an Enderverse short story and announced that that was it, there would be no more from that 'verse.
He defenitely knows how to end a story though, even one that's gone on for 5 novels, many years in real life, and thousands of years in fiction life. Try reading the Homecoming Series, it is a fantastic story with a really great and satisfying ending.
Posted by grin (Member # 8967) on :
quote:Originally posted by vonk: I know that the Maker Series will defenitely have an end.
Thanks, useful info. I look forward that 700 pages book, and then be happy that it's been finished and move on to other OSC stories.
quote:As for the Enderverse, I personally hope there is never an end. I don't really see how there could be a satisfying end, anyways. There are too many characters out there to wrap up every single storyline with a nice little bow. I'd certainly like to get closure on certain things, like Bean's kids and the virus' home planet.
Yep, these are pretty large storylines. I don't mind to forget about kid Achilles, but having hanging threads like Bean and the descoladores(sp?) is not nice [for me].
quote:But I love the story and the characters so much, that I think I would be incredibly sad if one day OSC put out an Enderverse short story and announced that that was it, there would be no more from that 'verse.
Me too, but I would not be angry when I have to wait for 5 more years just to see it's just going on. I know great stories where I was sad that the book was finished but felt good not to worry about "what could have happened" and never "knowing" it. I can make fan fiction in my head but OSC is better.
quote:Try reading the Homecoming Series, it is a fantastic story with a really great and satisfying ending.
I was hesitating on that one (sounded too un-scifi for my tastes), but I'll check it, thanks for the advice!
Posted by CRash (Member # 7754) on :
OSC has many stand-alones that definitely have an "end". I suspect he will always leave the Enderverse open for new novels, as they are the money-makers.
I don't understand what you mean by he "has lost the ability to finish a story". When did OSC ever have that ability? Many of his short stories didn't just "end", they were expanded, into novels like Songmaster and Lost Boys. The Ender quartet was originally supposed to only be a trilogy, but he couldn't end with Xenocide. Books like Treason and Hot Sleep have been revised, rewritten, and reformatted.
It's simple: OSC didn't "forget how to finish a story"--he never knew that in the first place. One of the things I enjoy about his work is that it is always expanding, changing, and growing. It sure beats those authors who have declared the "end" of a series, and will write no more. OSC's fiction is alive.
Posted by grin (Member # 8967) on :
Crash, that's an interesting point of view! I got your point.
Still, there are authors (like Asimov) who finish the story. Sometimes (more often than not) he decides to continue, and just does that. The story can be continued in the middle (see the Shadow storyline), or by picking up a sideline or a hidden, but possible plot (like reviving Peter Wiggin and Val again). What I don't like is when a book just ends and the story hangs in the air, and I know that I will not be able to read more for 2-3-5 years. It's like finishing a book in the middle, and I dislike the feeling.
So, by "finishing" I didn't mean stopping to write more, I just mean making the story whole (like, I believe, Seventh Son and Ender's Game was finished), preferably at the end of the book. Very much unlike Children of the Mind, or Crystal City. (But at least we see the light at the end of the tunnel regarding Master Alvin. I grinned when read OSC's short summary, as if it would make any difference when buying the book. He writes good, and he knows it, that's why he dare to tell the end. )
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:The Ender quartet was originally supposed to only be a trilogy, but he couldn't end with Xenocide.
It's not that he couldn't end with Xenocide, but he couldn't edit that book down into a reasonable length, so it was published in two volumes -- Xenocide and Children of the Mind.
Posted by Pinky (Member # 9161) on :
At least, he feeds us readers quite regularly with sequels, we don't have to be enormously patient. It seems to be less a matter of unfinished threads but of smaller volumes. If OSC had written King's "Dark Tower"- series, there'd probably 25 instead of 7 volumes. Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
And the ending, despite the certain death of Roland, would probably have been a bit more satisfying.
Posted by cheiros do ender (Member # 8849) on :
I can't remember why, but I gave up on the Alvin Maker series a little into Heartfire. I think it had something to do with my time limitations, or else it detracting from actual events in Joseph Smith's life. BUT, if this story is going to be finished with the next book with an Alvin Maker equivalent of Joseph Smith's martyrdom, I will definitely be buying that entire series and start reading from The Crystal City (It's just easier that way.)
Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out a way to get my hands on the latest Intergalactic Medicine Show. I'm under 18, in Australia, and can't be bothered getting a pre-paid thingamajig.
I know that all sounded stupid, but I've been up for way way too long, and don't feel like sleep for some reason. Sorry.
Posted by Nathan2006 (Member # 9387) on :
Well, I always thought that Children of the Mind had a good ending... It wasn't really about the planet... We knew they were going to work on communication. It carried so much potential as a plot, that people couldn't see it as the ending of the series... Even a temporary ending.
I always wondered, but that was Kind of the point, wasn't it?
It really wasn't about the descolada virus, after all. It was about the characters... After all, how could we see an ending where the characters have nothing to do. They wouldn't sit around twiddling their thumbs with the piggies, would they?
It was kind of like the series finale of 'Everybody Loves Raymond'. (I know it's a lame example)
The series ended with the characters all going about their business as usual, not getting along finally. Marie and Deborah didn't finally make up. It just was an ending that showed that there would never be an ending to the antics of all these characters.
Posted by Pinky (Member # 9161) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: And the ending, despite the certain death of Roland, would probably have been a bit more satisfying.
Provided that there IS an ending... , but you're right, I was also a bit disappointed. Only, I can't think of a better end, so I can't really criticise King's solution.
Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
I thought Children of the Mind had a perfect ending. Shadow of of the Giant didn't, but only because a sequel was planned.
Posted by beware_of_moose (Member # 9402) on :
All I know is this: A happy ending isn't a true ending.
Posted by Irregardless (Member # 8529) on :
quote:Originally posted by grin: What I don't like is when a book just ends and the story hangs in the air, and I know that I will not be able to read more for 2-3-5 years. It's like finishing a book in the middle, and I dislike the feeling.
Don't ever read 'Lovelock', then. Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
I don't think the Descaladores are a thread that needs resolving. I mean, really, let's look at this. We haven't had the story of meeting an alien race simply for the sake of having that story.
The Formics have already entered on the scene when EG starts. They are backstory--we never get direct narrative about meeting them for the first time and those early conflicts.
The Pequeninos are not the central story of SftD. They are part of it, but the book wasn't written for their sake: it was written to start a trilogy that would absolve Ender and let him die in peace.
A story about the Descoladores is an unnecessary extension. Besides, here's the old platitude: stories never really end. There'll always be hanging threads in a well-written story; they're there to give you, the reader, something further. The future of the story is all yours.
Honestly, did we need all the books that came after the Star Wars trilogy? Did we need the prequels?
Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
Hmph. I always felt there were too many loopholes for Alvin to die. I mean, honestly.
1. He ate two bites of the fruit of the Tree of Life. That already should give him immortality.
2. Practically in the same breath that Peggy sees his heartfire leading to his early death, it is mentioned that Makery really screws with her Torchery. When Alvin really does something only a Maker could do, Peggy cannot predict that or the changes it causes (examples include walking all those people across Pontchartrain and passing chairs through iron bars for her to sit on).
Posted by OSTY (Member # 1480) on :
I think OSC himself once said that his books end pretty open because that is how life is. Just because a character the book was following dies off and ends the story everyone elses lives are not over. So just like if you were reading a story of my Grandfather's life, when he passed away there were several loose ends, i.e. my mom's life, my life, my Grandmother's life, ect.
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I grinned when read OSC's short summary, as if it would make any difference when buying the book. He writes good, and he knows it, that's why he dare to tell the end. ![[Monkeys]](graemlins/monkeys.gif)
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