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OK, seeing as the words "POSSIBLE SPOILERS" were in the topic heading, I will just let you all know that this topic (specifically this entry) will probably contain some spoilers for the Homecoming series of books, at least up until Book 4. You have been warned.
Before I get on anyones nerves, I want to get this out in the open; Homecoming is quickly becoming one of my favorite series of books of all time. The Ender/Shadow series are still my favorite, but seriously.. Homecoming is getting up there with Foundation, the Robots books, etc. GOOD FREAKIN' READING!
Anyway here's my gripe. ELEMAK NEEDS TO DIE A HORRIBLE, DISFIGURING DEATH! I am currently in the middle of book 4, so please DO NOT POST ANYTHING SPOILERIFFIC AFTER THE MIDDLE OF BOOK FOUR! PLEASE!!! I am getting sick and tired of this character. He has no other thought in his mind other than dominance, and that's pissing me off. This goes to show just how well Card can create, and write a character. MY GOD, MAN. I literally hate Elemak. I get irritated when I read about him, and I hate Mebekkew probably as much as I hate Elya.
He has no other goal in life but to destroy Nafai and anyone who 'sides' with him. Everything has to be about Elemak not getting his fair share of the Wetchik fortune, or not being able to lead like he wanted to in the wilderness, or not being able to lead in Dostatok. He has been proven the loser so many times it's not even funny, and yet Meb follows him blindly like an ignorant child following an even more ignorant parent into the fires of a furnace. Then Elemak, as soon as he gets a solid 20 seconds to try to usurp the 'leadership' from Nafai, goes for it only to nearly cause his family along with the others to come to harm, or even death. IDIOT!
Just want to interrupt here for a sec and remind everyone that I'm not complaining about the writing style of these books, or what have you. OSC has written this character SO perfectly, so infinitely refined that I actually despise a fictional character in a book. If I ever met Elemak, I'd have to kick him in the nuts. I am completely engrossed in this story and I can't wait to get into more of it, but I had to stop and ask if anyone else found Elemak (and to a lesser extent Meb) as annoying, idiotic and contemptible as I do.
At any rate, thank you Mr. Card for writing yet another series of books that is just flat out awesome. Flat. Out. Awe. Some.
posted
The trouble with characters like Elemak is, they tend to win. They become LBJ in their most benign forms, Josef Stalin or Saddam Hussein in their most malevolent forms. They are relentless, they are malicious, and they generally overwhelm everyone in their paths. Some, with little ambition, are content to rule over people in a small world - their home, a department in a company, a committee, etc. Others have an ambition that encompasses the world. But they never, never give up.
The real miracle in this story is that someone is willing to stand up to him - and in doing so, lives. Not through lack of trying, though!
Meanwhile, thanks for caring about this story. I'm proud of it and I have long wished it would find more readers. Thanks for being part of the fulfilment of that wish! <grin>
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted
My problem was that as much as I hated Elemak, I absolutely love his name. I had such high hopes for him in the beginning of the first book because it was inconceivable that someone with such an awesome name could have a personality that wasn't equally awesome. Boy was I ever wrong!
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
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and like I have said many times before, the Homecoming series would make a GREAT MOVIE!!!! well, movies
Posts: 1918 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I'm in the 4th or 5th chapter (maybe less) of Earthborn (5th book) and I am exceedingly bored.
I hope that isn't taken as an insult to Mr. Card. The writing is still there, and it's still great but I am so *bored* of Monush, Akmaro, and all the other weirdos in this part. I got to a part of one chapter where Shedemie was talking to the Oversoul and I literally cried out "YES!!" when I got there. But then I read past it and I was immediately bored again.
Does this book get as good as the others? Again I hope it's not taken as an insult, I'm just really disappointed so far with the 5th book.
Posts: 317 | Registered: Feb 2005
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yes it does get as good as the others, but i know where you are coming from. the same thing happened to me when beginning to read this book, and when starting speaker for the dead. you have to change speeds to characters you aren't as familiar with and have to get into all on their own. but trust me, the story does get good and i believe you will enjoy it thoroughly. just give it a chance.
as for the series, it's definitely what i expected from OSC. i was not disappointed. i was impressed with how similar it was to the ender and shadow series' and at the same time how different. the style was definitely more riske, but the moral dilemmas and such that are brought up are what i've come to expect from mr. card. i thought homecoming was just as wonderful as ender and shadow, just in a very different way.
i realized the other day just how much of an OSC geek i am. i was playing dungeons and dragons on XBOX with my son and boyfriend and named my character luet. the previous venture at the same game my character's name was petra. i am such the dork. i hope OSC appreciates that. now i just need to go out and buy some more of his work to keep me occupied. Posts: 52 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Hm, I had that problem with Earthborn, mainly because I think it just created a world too fast, I couldn't keep up with what had developed, so it left me confused...
Until the end of the book. That's when I was able to piece it together and really enjoy it.
For me, I kinda picture Earthborn as a book outside of the Homecoming series... It's just got such a different setting, so many new characters, I have to try to read the book thinking of it as a different book from all the rest.
Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Some people don't like Earthborn as much because it is such a different sort of book than the others. Not to mention, you are pretty attached to the earlier characters, and it is painful to let go of them and accept brand-new ones.
So, because of these things, it might be hard to appreciate on the first read. But I promise you, if it didn't happen on the first time through, on the second read, you will be able to see what an amazing and poignant story it tells. Some even feel it is the best of the series.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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It's that horrible jump in time. It's like starting a new series that takes place later, but in the same world. The fact that you were relieved when you got to shedemei's parts - which are actually the least active in the fifth book - suggests that you missed the original set of characters. If you had not read the four earlier books, and simply started with Earthborn, you would find Shedemei's bits the most confusing and meaningless ... and maybe the other parts would be more interesting, because you wouldn't be wishing for the earlier set of characters.
It might have been different if I'd gone on and written the next book, so you realized that you really were beginning a whole new storyline in the same universe.
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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I just read the first three, in a book that held all three; Homecoming Harmony, in two days, not because I had nothing better to do but because I was supposed to read it for Honors English. It was somewhat overwhelming, but I loved it. The story was strong, and so were the characters. My personal favorite, character I mean, was Issib.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:t might have been different if I'd gone on and written the next book, so you realized that you really were beginning a whole new storyline in the same universe.
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Well, it wasn't that particular book. It had to be one that was long, and Homecoming Harmony was 819 pages long. I thought it qualified.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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hey i just realized that Captain America likes OSC, lol. @ SteveRogers.
Anyway, I agree with Mr Card about the Jump in time and the new characters. I realized that the way I feel about these current characters (basically I could take or leave them) is exactly how I felt about Issib, Nafai, Luet and Husidh when I first started reading the first book.
I haven't been able to read the past few days because I just started a new job, but I'm going to read the rest of the book regardless. I can't wait to find out what the Keeper of Earth is. (NO ONE TELL ME ANYTHING!!!!)
Posts: 317 | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by kojabu: Is this series based on the first story from the Book of Mormon (so I have heard)?
Yes. The story contains the plotline and some elements of 1 Nephi 1:1 through the end of Mosiah.
My familiarity with the Book of Mormon actually distracted me from paying attention to the story in Homecoming, which shares commonalities with the stories in the Book of Mormon but aren't exactly the same. I probably ought to attempt the first three again.
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I had to do something while I was stuck in suspended animation, didn't I? My ice block partner was a fan so I was exposed to Mr. Card's work.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Maybe spoilers for PUNJABEE so don't read it, you!
This really is one of the best series OSC has done. I did feel a little let down at the last book but as soon as I started loving the new characters I got over missing the old ones so much. I did like Shedemei being a part of it so that there was a bridge to the other books.
Posts: 870 | Registered: Mar 2005
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