Hatrack River Forum: Ender Series

This is topic Ender Series in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by pink (Member # 8048) on :

I'm new to posting on these forums, however, I've been an avid reader for a couple of years. I finally grew the nerve to post.

I read "Ender's Game" in high school, as a project for one of my literature classes. I recently decided to finish the entire series. However, I'm only on "Speaker for the Dead" and have run into a problem. I can't seem to get into this book like I did "Ender's Game". For some reason, I just can't comprehend, or get submerged in this story. However, I'm sure that I want to read this entire series.

Help?! Words of encouragement? Something?

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

I don't know what to tell you. Speaker for the Dead is -- far and away, no contest -- the best book in the series. If you don't like it, your tastes are so far removed from my own that I wouldn't know where to start.

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

If you really liked Ender's Game and don't care for Speaker you aren't alone, read the Shadow series.

Though I loved the Speaker series. [Smile]

Hobbes

Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :

Speaker is a lot slower to start. I takes to at least page 100 or so to really get going, and even then it's not the same pace as Ender's Game.

The series has more depth, though, over the long haul, and better character development and interaction than the first book - which was very action-based and Ender-centric.

Definitely check out the Shadow series, regardless, but try to plug through Speaker until it picks up a bit. It's well worth it.

Posted by Valentine014 (Member # 5981) on :

Welcome pink! [Wave]

I too was a lurker, and for longer than you, I bet (1 1/2 years)!

I had the same issues with Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead. I almost felt that it wasn't the same author I was reading. Give Speaker another try, I think you'll really enjoy the rest of the series.

Also, not to scare you off, but you'll find a lot more people willing to talk about OSC and his books on the "other side of the river" (Discussions About Orson Scott Card).

Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :

Hi pink, welcome to Hatrack! [Wave]

Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :

Just wait till you get to Xenocide!

[Big Grin]

(Xenocide is my favourite of all of OSC's books, but I think I'm in a pretty small minority on that score.)

Posted by pink (Member # 8048) on :

Thanks guys for all your help. I'm going to keep boring through until I get interested.

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :

twinky, for shame! [Wink]

Aside from one chapter that I think is my favorite of the whole series, I found Xenocide a bit too deus ex machina for my tastes.

-Bok

Posted by DarkRiku (Member # 7979) on :

They get kinda into physics later in Children Of The Mind.(or am I just a moron?)

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

Twink, Xenocide is definitely my favorite of the Speaker, and in the top ten of all-time favorite books.

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

I'm with you Twinky.

Posted by jebus202 (Member # 2524) on :

quote:
I don't know what to tell you. Speaker for the Dead is -- far and away, no contest -- the best book in the series. If you don't like it, your tastes are so far removed from my own that I wouldn't know where to start.

My sentiments exactly.

Posted by theamazeeaz (Member # 6970) on :

Skip the first couple of Lusitania chapters. The book picks up when you get to Ender. Once you finish the book and care about the other people in the saga, read the beginning.

Posted by Xenocider (Member # 7537) on :

Quote: I read "Ender's Game" in high school, as a project for one of my literature classes. I recently decided to finish the entire series. However, I'm only on "Speaker for the Dead" and have run into a problem. I can't seem to get into this book like I did "Ender's Game". For some reason, I just can't comprehend, or get submerged in this story. However, I'm sure that I want to read this entire series.

------

Hey, I thought so to, when I borrowed the book from my friend. You just need to slowly read it a little at a time. Do NOT skip anything, because that is the worst thing you could do in this type of book. Later you will say to yourself "Who the heck is so and so???" and you'll need to go back and read it again.

I learned this the hard way. [Smile]

~ Demosthenes