posted
So much elemental symbolism you can't turn a page without getting some more
I like the books a little better than the Enderverse ones. They're more in depth, plumbing the depths of the human psyche and motivations. And they have a much darker feel. More anger and hatred and stuff Posts: 169 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Wow, it's really funny you feel that way because I prefer Enderverse for exactly the same reason you prefer Homecoming. Different strokes, eh?
(except the "elemental symbolism". I'm not such a fan.)
Let me first say that I rarely read Earthborn (last book, right?) because I don't like it very much. I'm just not very drawn into the story and I don't feel a strong connection and a sense of "knowing" the characters like I do in basically all of Card's other work. So ignoring Earthborn, I like Homecoming quite a lot. I agree that there are fantastic explorations of the human psyche in the scenes where Nafai is pitted against Elya and Meb, and where Hushidh is using her skills as a raveler. It's just that to me the Enderverse books are ABOUT understanding the human psyche-- even when the narration is limited more so than in Homecoming so you aren't actually sure what is going on in everyone's brain.
I also found the emotion to resonate more clearly in Enderverse. That's probably purely subjective, though, as I really overidentify with Ender, so naturally I would be more sensitive to the emotion he feels and encounters.
The Ender books also feel much more epic and universal to me. Sort of like *everyone* wants their motivation and meaning to be known for what it was, and then to be loved anyway. Understanding and acceptaning everyone's differences, but not idealistically so, is what Ender is about for me. Homecoming is great, and I love the 1st four, but it just doesn't compare to my feelings about the Enderverse books.
(that was longwinded. Sorry, I'm procrastinating, so I'll do anything to keep from going back to precal HW.)
Posts: 866 | Registered: Dec 2003
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The characters in the Enderverse seem easier to relate to, with the Earth's current structure making those books more appealing than the homecoming series. Like others have said the first four books, I was able to get an understanding of the characters and feel for them but with the fifth book I felt abandoned and that left a negative hue on the series for me. With OSC's series (counting those in the Enderverse as one) I would go Enderverse, Alvin Maker, Homecoming
Posts: 74 | Registered: Mar 2005
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If only the contract hadn't been for five books. If I hadn't known I had to end the story of Earthborn in that one volume, I could have taken more time. I even know what the sixth volume would be, in a lot of detail. Bummer.
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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Perhaps I'm odd this way, but I find it hard to "prefer" one imaginary world to another. If it's done well, I just completely immerse myself in that world. If I can believe in it, I stop worrying about analytical details and just allow myself to love it.
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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Is there any way you could describe to us just what the 6th book would have been like? You've really piqued my curiousity now Posts: 26 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Seriously? The sons of the king go off as delegates to the Diggers and persuade a whole bunch of them to abandon the war between species; they come back to live among the Angels and ...
And at one point, one of the king's sons says, "O that I were an angel ..."
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It took me a while to warm up to the fifth book, but at the end I had a huge desire to read the homecoming version of those missionary adventures.
Posts: 1002 | Registered: Feb 2005
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