posted
I'm astonished by the different levels of reactions to Orson on his own site! (Topic: Card at his Worst, and his Best). I came here for a good look at what others thought about the books themselves, so in hope I wanted to perhaps find out what brought you here (as I assume you've come by choice ) and perhaps what you've enjoyed most out of this faaaabulous writer. So I'll start, because I have so much to say!
First of all, I came here upon finishing Shadow Puppets. (I stayed home from school, and in exchange for vaccuming the house, I was kept from a day of pushy teachers constantly yelling at me to "Put that book down!!" God forbid a student take INTREST and READ! Gosh no, never! Anywho...) My list that I've read include (in order):
Lost Boys Ender's Game Ender's Shadow Shadow of the Hegemon Speaker of the Dead Shadow Puppets
I'm currently working on Treasure Box.
Being who I am, when I find a good book, I go nuts and throw it at everyone I can find whom I think would like the book. I got two other friends totally hooked, and form them it's spead elsewhere. Last week going to my school library, I saw a poster for the book club meeting of "Ender's Game" and couldn't help but wonder if I helped start it (I lent the books away last school year). It made me smile that there's others out there who enjoy my tastes.
Usually when I rant, I come to a good conclusion found through the mere writting of my thoughts, and as such I came upon one the other day while writing on my online journal about Shadow Puppets (although I helplessly trailed off) and here's my point I made:
"I grow in admiration for his (Orson's) writings because to me they couldn't possibly be his imagination he wrote down, it's like he's produced the thoughts of man, and he has. I am so entwined in his books I can barely imagine his stories not being real, and I feel so engrossed in his world, or perhaps it isn't his world, but his thoughts, which are barely his own I could say. Sure the characters are his own, those are his own cunnings. But their thoughts, they belong to humanity, the universe,"
Basically, his characters are written flawlessly and I would never describe them as "just right out of a book." They're all real and human (or otherwise), no matter how small their role.
Does anyone else feel this way?
Anyway, that's a lot to digest, but see, I write a lot! You'll have to forgive me, I have so much to say I usually jump frantically trying to catch and express all my words, like a child catching fireflies.
Posts: 13 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Briseis: "I grow in admiration for his (Orson's) writings because to me they couldn't possibly be his imagination he wrote down, it's like he's produced the thoughts of man, and he has. I am so entwined in his books I can barely imagine his stories not being real, and I feel so engrossed in his world, or perhaps it isn't his world, but his thoughts, which are barely his own I could say. Sure the characters are his own, those are his own cunnings. But their thoughts, they belong to humanity, the universe,"
Basically, his characters are written flawlessly and I would never describe them as "just right out of a book." They're all real and human (or otherwise), no matter how small their role.
Does anyone else feel this way?
YES!
This is precisely why I love O.S.C.'s writings.
P.S. I highly recommend Enchantment. Treasure Box is pretty good too.
Posts: 6 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Quantity is rarely impressive enough to blind one to its lack of quality. I'm sure OSC appreciates that you think he's so great, but this post leaves very little to digest. what exactly was your intent when you wrote this? because i agree with you, but the message of the post leaves me with little room to do any more than that. And Enchantment is most definately one of my favorites. Welcome to Hatrack!
Posts: 1156 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Oh I have no idea. Originally I was going to post something about Shadow Puppet, because I came on the site to see the opinions of everyone else. I was just wanted to find out some stuff about what type of people were up here, and kind of get a "whatever you have to say about this" type thing. I threw a bunch of stuff in there and wanted to change it to make it single purposed, but I figured people can have enough fun with what I put up. Anyway, like I said, figure out why you signed up to the forum, and just tell me what you like about the books. Favorite scene, or character. Best thing you like about a character. Oh, well, I meant to write all this in my original post, thank you for giving me the chance to clear up. Okay! My purpose in a sentence:
What are your favorites in relevance to OSC's writings?
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Enders Game is obviously my favorite. I've read it so many times I don't even care to count. Just recently I discovered I can read the entire book in 6 hours, with a 2 hour nap break. I can't entirely pinpoint why I love the book so much. It does have to do with what you said. His characters are beautiful. But I think there is something else also, which is undefinable, because I've read other books which have pretty amazing character ... stuff (not being a writer at all I'm not sure what the correct terminology would be there). But none have captured my interest like Enders Game. Its also the one book I have recommended to people and has been universally loved. So for me, I have pondered the question a lot. What is it about OSC, and in particular Enders Game (I should say that I love all Enderverse books, followed by Enchantment, and then Pastwatch, and then everything else), that attracts me. And I really do not know. Its a mystery to me. And I know that didnt really answer your question, but its just something that has been on my mind lately. And I have a feeling this topic has already been posted somewhere at some time and its probable someone has written more or less what I just wrote, but hey, I felt like getting this out. Thanks for the opportunity Briseis. And welcome to Hatrack!
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I'll second the vote for "Enchantment", it's been my favorite, although I love most of the others too. Lost Boys touched me personally because the story was so familiar to me, being Mormon; all the little rituals the family did were right out of my own life.
Card's strongest suit - and the reason all his books work so well even though they're such different genres - is the way he writes characters. They're human. They grow and change. They're not always right, but when they have firmly held opinions that (to us) are obviously wrong, he still manages to write them in a way that the reader can understand why the character thinks they're right. That's the most compelling thing, to me. He writes real life. Even though the situations may be totally fantasy or sci-fi, the PEOPLE are real. And I love how he even manages to change the people's reactions and personalities depending on who they're with at the moment, the way people really do. That takes some work.
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My favorite part of reading OSC is totally immersing myself in a different culture as I read his books. When i was reading Enchantment i fell in love with Russian mythology, when i was reading Pastwatch i aquired a different perspective on pre-colonial Americans. Xenocide delved into a different form of Asian culture with an accent on filial piety. And Shadow of the Hegemon brought us into a culture that killed for seemingly no reason at all, bringing us into the why of a "peoples." I don't so much love OSC's work for the people. I'm in it for the stories.
Posts: 1156 | Registered: Jan 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove: Enders Game is obviously my favorite. I've read it so many times I don't even care to count. Just recently I discovered I can read the entire book in 6 hours, with a 2 hour nap break.
Lol, that's definitly something good to know! I have to say I'm getting a bit grouchy because my copy is out with my friend who moved over the summer, and hasn't the decency to give it back (dispite my pleads) I'd really like to get it back so I can compare my opinions since I've gone on and read the others. I'll forgive him when it comes back You definitly know you've got a good book on your hand when you can read it to an endless amount of times.
As of right now though, I'd have to say my favorite book is Ender's Shadow. Bean enraptures me constantly, and my favorite thing to do is to watch and see people grow and change. I also love how the book is set in atone with Ender's Game, and I kind of view the book as an almost, "behind the scenes" type deal. Plus with the extensions of Bean's life, from a child in Rotterdam, to an adult with a pregnant wife, I can't say how much I appreciate the chance to see the character I love most, grow and develop as a person.
And as StrangeLove pointed out, I'm sure this topic has been mulled over and posted already, as this site isn't new, and these books have been out for a while. So I do apologize to those who have been there, done that.
Posts: 13 | Registered: Nov 2005
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O.S.C. does an amazing job of letting his characters grow and develop. For instance, do you all remember in Ender's Shadow, when Bean tells himself at the beginning that he is only hugging Carlotta goodbye because she wants it and it costs him nothing. He weighs the benefits and costs, and makes a conscious decision to respond. But by the end of the book, when he finds his true family, a hug comes naturally. And this is done seamlessly. There seems to be no actual point where he changes from emotionally-devoid Bean to real-boy Bean. Whenever I read Ender's Shadow I look for that point, but I get caught up in the story (of course) and forget to. I bet, however, that if I could remember to search for it, I wouldn't find it. Because it probably doesn't exist. O.S.C. probably does that seamlessly.
And that's why he's my favorite author. Astounding characterization.
Posts: 6 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:My favorite part of reading OSC is totally immersing myself in a different culture as I read his books.
I forgot about that part. I'm always amazed at the amount of study he must have done to so fully understand history and politics, for EVERY book. Even the ones set in the future have roots in our history and current events, so he has to keep up with the political situation in all these other countries. Even when he creates totally fictional settings - other worlds, in the future, in the far distant magical past (Enchantment) - he makes the political and historical situation of those settings make sense. That's another reason the books can be so totally engrossing - they're believable, not just on a personal level, but on a political one.
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![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
) and perhaps what you've enjoyed most out of this faaaabulous writer. So I'll start, because I have so much to say!
![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
I'd really like to get it back so I can compare my opinions since I've gone on and read the others. I'll forgive him when it comes back ![[Kiss]](graemlins/kiss.gif)
You definitly know you've got a good book on your hand when you can read it to an endless amount of times. 
