I read Laddertop (Vol. 1) this morning. It's a manga series that seems to be aimed primarily at an audience of pre-teen girls. I'm not in the target demographic (being a 36-old male), but I still thought the central mystery is very intriguing. I'm interested in seeing where OSC and Emily decide to go with it.
Certain story elements are clearly reminiscent of Ender's Game (e.g., kids training in zero gravity; dream visions sent from an unknown alien race). This is probably unfortunate, as a lot of online manga review sites have dismissed it as an Ender rip-off for girls. But that's not really fair; after the first three chapters, the core mythology begins to develop along a very different set of lines than EG.
Does anyone know when Vol. 2 is coming out?
Posted by Jeff C. (Member # 12496) on :
Unfortunately, a lot of what OSC writes could potentially be viewed as an Ender rip-off (and indeed, it usually is by certain critics). It's unfortunate, but I can see why people would get that. The vast majority of his novels revolve around children, but so do plenty of other popular books (look at Harry Potter or any other "school with special students" series out there).
OSC has a few books about adults, but I honestly don't find them as interesting. I'm sure OSC feels the same (along with most of his fans) since that's what he tends to write.
Regardless, I hope he keeps up what he's doing. I have enjoyed almost all of his novels (I didn't care for his remake of Hamlet, but it was the rare exception). If there's a Nook version of this comic, I might just check it out.
Posted by Craig Childs (Member # 5382) on :
Oh, I don't know. I like OSC's books about children, but some of my favorites includes Wyrms, Lost Boys, Hot Sleep (the original version), Folk of the Fringe, Pastwatch, Zanna's Gift, and Saints.
These all focused on adult characters.
Posted by millernumber1 (Member # 9894) on :
I quite liked it - especially as an entry point for his fiction and for scifi in general. I've been lending it out. I hope the future holds more of them!
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jeff C.: OSC has a few books about adults, but I honestly don't find them as interesting.
I'm going to have to disagree on this note. Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus, Enchantment, Lovelock, Empire, Hidden Empire, Lost Boys, Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind', Treason, The Worthing Saga and much of Orson Scott Card's short fiction have primarily adult protagonists and are some of his best works (with the exception of Empire and Hidden Empire for some due to their polarized fanbase).
Posted by millernumber1 (Member # 9894) on :
I have to agree - I adore Enchantment, Children of the Mind, and several of Card's other adult-protagonist work. And I appreciate that he's not afraid to let his children grow up - too many YA novelists (or novelists who start with YA protagonists) get too attached to the vigor and beauty of youth.
Posted by Honoel (Member # 12775) on :
Hey there! I'm the artist for Laddertop and also a big OSC reader. I've read Wyrmns, a bunch of Ender books, Enchantment, and even Invasive Procedures. I'm even currently reading The Worthing Saga. I have to agree that a lot of his books have the children aspect to them. But so does Stephen King. Although I've noticed that a lot of OSC's children are either super geniuses or highly gifted.
In the case of Laddertop, I do believe that the characters are merely above average. They could be geniuses as well for all I know, but I do draw them thinking that they're average and no one can ever tell the difference.
I think writing prepubescent characters is one the bigger challenges in writing. Not a lot of people can write children convincingly enough. And putting children in very serious settings makes for very interesting reading IMHO.
I also agree that it's rather unfair for Laddertop to be compared with Ender. I think the only similarity between them is that they have kids in space doing something that adults can't.
Posted by kacard (Member # 200) on :
Hey Honoel,
Wecome to Hatrack. I'm delighted to meet you here. At our house, we loved the art you brought to Laddertop. Thanks!
Kristine Card
Posted by Jeff C. (Member # 12496) on :
quote:Originally posted by SteveRogers:
quote:Originally posted by Jeff C.: OSC has a few books about adults, but I honestly don't find them as interesting.
I'm going to have to disagree on this note. Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus, Enchantment, Lovelock, Empire, Hidden Empire, Lost Boys, Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind', Treason, The Worthing Saga and much of Orson Scott Card's short fiction have primarily adult protagonists and are some of his best works (with the exception of Empire and Hidden Empire for some due to their polarized fanbase).
I don't know about some of those books. The Ender sequels have plenty of child characters, and the whole series is just an extension of a book about kids. Worthing Saga is about a kid telling a story about another character (Jason) who starts off as a kid, then follows his life. Columbus I can kind of understand, but it still gets into the characters' childhoods. And isn't Lost Boys about children? I haven't read it but I could have sworn it was. Also, Treason is about a teenager, which to me is still a child.
Regardless, I still think OSC writes a lot about kids. That was my original point. I know he writes plenty of fiction about adults, but I think writing from the kid perspective is just where his strengths are at.
Posted by Honoel (Member # 12775) on :
quote:Originally posted by kacard: Hey Honoel,
Wecome to Hatrack. I'm delighted to meet you here. At our house, we loved the art you brought to Laddertop. Thanks!
Kristine Card
Thank you very much! You don't know how relieved I am to hear that. I hope I get to draw the Laddertop kids in more adventures. Posted by millernumber1 (Member # 9894) on :
I too really enjoyed the art. The character designs really drew me into the story, and I liked how enthusiastic and sweet the relationships were.
I am curious - what are the plans for the sequel? I've lent the book to three of my friends, and they are all very mad at me now because I can't give them the sequel. I told them to read Ender's Game, but they kind of just pouted at me :-)
Posted by Honoel (Member # 12775) on :
quote:Originally posted by millernumber1: I too really enjoyed the art. The character designs really drew me into the story, and I liked how enthusiastic and sweet the relationships were.
I am curious - what are the plans for the sequel? I've lent the book to three of my friends, and they are all very mad at me now because I can't give them the sequel. I told them to read Ender's Game, but they kind of just pouted at me :-)
Ah, I'm glad you liked the art and enjoyed the book. I'm working extra hard to make the art for volume 2 even better. And as far as I know from reading the synopsis, the resolution in volume 3 would be even awesomer.
Regarding the release dates, that's something only the good people at our publisher Tor/Forge books know. But don't worry, volume 2 will be worth the wait.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Haven't read the thread but fans of Ender's Game may like the Anime "Bodacious Space Pirates" it's an anime adaption of a series of Japanese scifi light novels and is kinda like what if Ender was a girl.
Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
My daughter, who's a big fan of the manga-sized Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books just finished it and really enjoyed it, but I think she was suprised that it didn't "end" in the traditional sense she's used to with the ones she's been reading (the book ends when the mystery is solved). Didn't think to warn her.
Hope that Tor doesn't hold out on us too long. Posted by millernumber1 (Member # 9894) on :
Just got back from Barnes and Noble, where I got them to pull a copy of the collected volumes 1 and 2 from the carts in the back, since they hadn't shelved it yet
Also, I bought the first volume in my local comic shop, but they didn't have the second volume today It's just hard to find.
Hope to read it and report back soon!
(Though I am quite curious about why they had volumes 1 and 2 released together, without a separate vol 2 release, unless I missed it...which I find unlikely, since I've been looking out for it )
Posted by DustinDopps (Member # 12640) on :
I've been waiting for Volume 2 as well, and was surprised to see a combined 1 & 2 book.
If anyone knows the inside scoop, let us know, please.
Posted by kacard (Member # 200) on :
So glad you are excited for Laddertop! Scott & Emily and the publisher decided they really wanted a better "manga" look for Laddertop. It needed to look more like it belonged with others on the shelves. Thicker, a different kind of cover art, etc. So, because the first volume didn't get wide distribution among manga fans, they decided to reprint vol. 1 along with vol 2 to give it a new life. By the way, Emily is just about to turn in vol. 3 -- so it will be coming in due time(and it's great!)
Posted by millernumber1 (Member # 9894) on :
Thanks so much for the explanation! That makes sense, and hopefully vol 3 won't be quite as long in coming? Posted by DustinDopps (Member # 12640) on :
Yay!
Posted by Craig Childs (Member # 5382) on :
How many volumes are planned?
Also, will Volume 3 come out in an omnibus with the first two?
Posted by Mankind (Member # 2672) on :
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