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I've owned a first-edition copy of Maps in a Mirror for 10 years, but just got around to reading it last week. I was really impressed, and thought I'd throw out some of my favorites (in hopes of generating good discussion).
"Unaccompanied Sonata" - one of the best short stories I've ever read. Ranks up there with the best short fiction of Tim O'Brien, Norman Maclean, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
"Lost Boys", "Mikal's Songbird", "Ender's Game" - Three excellent stories replaced by even better novels.
"Sandmagic" - This story simply cries out to be turned into a book.
"Dogwalker" - Who knew Card could do cyberpunk?
"Gert Fram" - Kind of creepy how well Card gets into the mind of a 13-year old girl.
"Plague of Butterflies" - Give us more magical realism!
"The Originist" - perhaps a better Asimov short story than the Good Doctor himself ever wrote ("Bicentennial Man" and "The Last Question" excluded, of course)
quote: Kind of creepy how well Card gets into the mind of a 13-year old girl.
You have a very interesting screen name for an adolescent girl yourself. I keep meaning to read "Unaccompanied Sonata," everyone consistently raves about it.
Posts: 383 | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
We already discussed many of our favorites in This Thread awhile back. So you might want to peek at the opinions there.
A Thousand Deaths still gives me the creeps -- I can't get it out of my head. Many of the stories in that book are like that. I could only read them once.
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My english teacher, when I was in grade nine, made us read, "KING'S MEAT" and "MORTAL GODS". I got maps in the mirror a couple of months ago and "MORTAL GODS" is still my all time favorite. I don't think that 1000 deaths creeped me out as much as "Euminedes on the fourth floor lavatory" did... I still catch my self checking the cieling of the bathroom for scary monster babies, at night.
Posts: 197 | Registered: Feb 2004
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My hardback Maps is very worn - I tend to read it to "keep me going" in between novel-length doses of Card. I had finally made time for Rebekah and then finished a copy of Stone Tables that I found in a Deseret Bookstore in Albuquerque (another story altogether!). Now I'm waiting for Rachel and Leah to come out. I saw a preview for "I, Robot" with Wil Smith that seems to have no relation to the Asimov stories other than The Three Laws, so I reread I, Robot. Biding my time, I took down Maps and stumbled again on "The Originist." Not being one to look lightly upon coincidences, I had to read it again. Three things struck me:
This story is pretty darn faithful to the Asimovian style.
I never met her, but Kristine must be one amazing woman.
Even more amazing is that Card, a mere male, realizes this.
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