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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.
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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 Posts: 126 | Registered: Jul 2001
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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....
Posts: 3 | Registered: Sep 2001
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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.
Posts: 6 | Registered: Aug 2001
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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.
Posts: 21 | Registered: May 2001
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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.
Posts: 1 | Registered: Sep 2001
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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.
Posts: 56 | Registered: Sep 2001
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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.
Posts: 16 | Registered: Aug 2001
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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!
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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.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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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...
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".
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Tried the remove curse, but it didn't work. Oh, well, there are far worse curses in this world I suppose. Posts: 16 | Registered: Aug 2001
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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).
Posts: 26 | Registered: Oct 2001
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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! Posts: 21 | Registered: Oct 2001
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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
Posts: 21 | Registered: Oct 2001
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I read The Worthing Saga first... followed by the Ender Series and then the Homecoming Series I have been hooked ever since!!
Posts: 6 | Registered: Oct 2001
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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).]
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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 Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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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
Posts: 60 | Registered: Oct 2001
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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~
Posts: 21 | Registered: Oct 2001
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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.
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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...
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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?
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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...
Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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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
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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.
Posts: 1056 | Registered: Mar 2002
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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.
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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.
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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! Posts: 333 | Registered: Feb 2002
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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.
Posts: 9 | Registered: Mar 2002
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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.
Posts: 88 | Registered: Mar 2002
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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!
Posts: 11 | Registered: Mar 2002
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'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.
Posts: 75 | Registered: Mar 2002
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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!
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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.
Posts: 1041 | Registered: Feb 2002
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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.
Posts: 15 | Registered: May 2002
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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.
Posts: 14 | Registered: Jul 2003
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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
Posts: 8 | Registered: Aug 2003
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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.
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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.
Posts: 879 | Registered: Aug 2000
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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.
Posts: 349 | Registered: May 2003
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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. Posts: 1111 | Registered: May 2003
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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.
Posts: 19 | Registered: Jan 2001
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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.
Posts: 41 | Registered: Aug 2003
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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."
Posts: 41 | Registered: Aug 2003
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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.
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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.
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), 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.
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So I read the first chapter of Memory of Earth, and my bias controlled me. I could not read any more.![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
