posted
My story is very similar to the OP. A friend of mine handed the book to me, but at the time, I was very deep into the Dragonlance series (I had a huge box full of them by the time I stopped buying them), so I let it sit at the back of a desk for the better part of a year. At that time, I didn't really talk to him very often, so I didn't get reminded of it too much. Of course, every time we DID talk, he made sure to ask if I'd read it yet.
Eventually, I ran out of Dragonlance books (for the time being) and picked it up out of sheer boredom. The rest of the story is much like what everyone else has said; I powered through the rest of the series, and then everything else by Card that I could find. I've loaned out a ton and never asked for them back. Unfortunately, among my loaned out copies I think was my signed one, which I promptly forgot who I gave it to and never saw it again. Hopefully I can catch OSC on tour again some day and get another (or maybe 2 this time, heh).
Posts: 636 | Registered: Apr 2002
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It was accidental in my case. Back in 10th grade, I was very bored one late morning in chemistry class. One of my neighbors in that class, who also rode the same bus as me and got on at the same stop, had been reading EG for her AP English class, and really been enjoying it. Since she was a year ahead of me, I thought a book for next year's AP class might be good (plus her own enjoyment of it), and asked to borrow it, and she let me.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:I wish I had gone to a school where EG was required reading. My high school english teacher was firmly in the "science fiction is not real literature" camp.
Ugh....same here.
My first exposure to Ender's Game came from my sister. She was an avid reader of almost anything she could get her hands on.
She first introduced me to the Dragonlance Chronicles. These books I had gotten her for Christmas quite by accident. My 10-year-old brain knew she liked fantasy, so I saw dragons and bought those.
A year later, she told me to read the first chapter of the Dragonlance Chronicles, and if I hated it, I could stop. Well, I didn't stop. This was the first time in my life I actually started to enjoy reading.
A year after that, she did the same with Ender's Game. I wasn't interested because of the cover. It looked like a cold, inhuman science-fiction book. But after the first chapter, I was hooked. I've been an Orson Scott Card fan, and an avid reader, ever since.
Posts: 407 | Registered: Jul 2003
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Prior to graduating with my bachelor's in psychology, I was enrolled in a Child Development course sophomore year.
The professor had a very interesting take on college assignments. The main assignment for the course was to read a book with children characters and utilize concepts and theories from the child development course to analyze the characters and their interactions.
This professor alternates every other year between the first Harry Potter book and Ender's Game.
I was so excited to finally have a reason to read harry potter (I'm not a reader at all) and when i found out he was assigning us some "unheard of sci-fi book" I was quite upset.
But i had to read it for the course so I did. The rest is history! It is to date the only book I have ever read multiple times, and the only book I have ever read more than 1 of in the series.
I will always be thankful for that college paper assignment!
FYI, the audiobooks, primarily read by stephan rudnicki, are A-MAZING. OSC himself says in the epilogue and prologue that Ender's game was meant to be heard read aloud, not read. It's worth the price to buy the audio, even if you've read the book 100 times, you will appreciate it in a BRAND NEW way!
Posts: 16 | Registered: Jan 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Rome: I was so excited to finally have a reason to read harry potter (I'm not a reader at all)
I don't quite understand this. If you were wanting to read Harry Potter enough that you were excited at the prospect of doing so for a class, why didn't you just pick up a copy of it and read it on your own?
quote:OSC himself says in the epilogue and prologue that Ender's game was meant to be heard read aloud, not read.
Seriously? I could see him thinking that now, but when he was first writing it, he was doing so with the intention that it be heard rather than read? I'm skeptical.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I hate... HATE to read. I read very slowly and its hard for me to focus. By the bottom of a page, I usually forgot what I read because its hard for me to pay attention while reading.
So I always wanted to experience the story of the harry potter books, but knew I would never pick the book up myself because reading is not enjoyable to me (even though i LOVE good stories). Does that make sense? heh, sorry if i'm not clear i can't think of how to put what i mean into words.
Being forced to read it gave me the final reason to actually get through the process of *reading* the book lol.
And yes he does say that, to quote, as I relisten to the epilougue of ender's game...
"My backround is theatre, and when I write, I am not really writing prose. I am improvising a performance, an oral performance. My narration is meant to be read aloud. I'm never happier than when I am told that Ender's game is read aloud to someone (me and my husband/wife read ender's game aloud, or read alvin maker aloud), because my stuff *needs* to be read aloud. If ender's game becomes a movie, I hope it is wonderful. But to me, the *ideal* presentation of any book of mine is to have excellent actors perform it in an audio-only format." ... "I hope the movie does come out, I hope it makes a billion dollars and everyone loves it, but you already have the IDEAL version of Ender's game, in this audio format." ~OSC
If you haven't heard Ender's game in its audio format you are missing something from the story. Not just in my opinion, in OSC's opinion as well. It truly is wonderful.
Posts: 16 | Registered: Jan 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Rome: I hate... HATE to read. I read very slowly and its hard for me to focus. By the bottom of a page, I usually forgot what I read because its hard for me to pay attention while reading.
Interesting. Do you have dyslexia by any chance? In any case, how cool that you're living in a time when books on CD are plentiful, so that you can easily satisfy your love of story.
quote:And yes he does say that, to quote, as I relisten to the epilougue of ender's game...
"My backround is theatre, and when I write, I am not really writing prose. I am improvising a performance, an oral performance. My narration is meant to be read aloud. I'm never happier than when I am told that Ender's game is read aloud to someone (me and my husband/wife read ender's game aloud, or read alvin maker aloud), because my stuff *needs* to be read aloud. If ender's game becomes a movie, I hope it is wonderful. But to me, the *ideal* presentation of any book of mine is to have excellent actors perform it in an audio-only format." ... "I hope the movie does come out, I hope it makes a billion dollars and everyone loves it, but you already have the IDEAL version of Ender's game, in this audio format." ~OSC
Also interesting. It makes sense when you consider his background in theater, I suppose, but it surprised me nonetheless.
quote:If you haven't heard Ender's game in its audio format you are missing something from the story. Not just in my opinion, in OSC's opinion as well. It truly is wonderful. [/QB]
Next time I'm at the library I'll have to see if they have it available on audiobook.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Firstly, Kudos on being one of the truly polite people I've "met" in an online forum. (No offense to anyone on this board, I just joined! Bad experiences on some boards is all ^_^)
Secondly, no I do not have dyslexia. Its a bizarre occurrence really, because when I must (I am finishing graduate school) I *can* read just fine. But the process of reading is tedious to me and in part having to do it somewhat ruins the story.
The audio format allows me to completely focus on the story unlike books, and in books where the reader is talented (for example EG) I get to basically create an entire cinematic in my head. I see facial expressions, I feel the emotions, I picture the setting of each room. I can do this because I am free to not focus my eyes on words, punctuation, grammar... I am free to listen and experience the story.
So yes, it is quite the blessing that I live in an age where I can experience story without having to physiologically read them.
It is surprising on some level, OSC's approach to his writing. I could totally understand your skepticism! I was happy to type the quote for you! I've listened to the book so many times I knew right where it was in the audio epilogue, haha.
Definitely check it out in Audio. Its done by "Audio Renaissance", its unabridged, and its primarily read by Stephan Rudnicki (sp?). If they have more than one copy there for some unknown reason, make sure you get that one!
Posts: 16 | Registered: Jan 2010
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Sorry I was getting off the topic with the audiobook stuff. I'm being longwinded because I just found this place and am very excited to meet other people who share a love for this book series Posts: 16 | Registered: Jan 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Rome: Firstly, Kudos on being one of the truly polite people I've "met" in an online forum.
Thanks! Civility here at Hatrack has declined somewhat over the past few years, but there are still a good number of friendly people here.
quote:Secondly, no I do not have dyslexia. Its a bizarre occurrence really, because when I must (I am finishing graduate school) I *can* read just fine. But the process of reading is tedious to me and in part having to do it somewhat ruins the story.
Very interesting. I'm kind of the opposite; I'm almost a compulsive reader. I almost always carry a book with me, but if I happen not to have one I'll make do with whatever is at hand (cereal box, toilet paper instructions, or whathaveyou). I like audiobooks, but I sometimes find that my mind wanders if I don't have the text to center me, and have to skip back a few minutes to catch what I missed.
That said, there are exceptions. I'd much rather listen to David Sedaris as he reads his books than read them myself. There's something about his delivery that makes his stories so much more involving and hilarious when they're in his voice. Seeing him read them live is even better, which actually kind of surprised me, since he literally just stands there at a podium and reads, not even looking up at the audience all that often.
quote:I could totally understand your skepticism! I was happy to type the quote for you!
Much appreciated.
quote:Definitely check it out in Audio. Its done by "Audio Renaissance", its unabridged, and its primarily read by Stephan Rudnicki (sp?). If they have more than one copy there for some unknown reason, make sure you get that one!
Looks like my library system has it in stock at the branch I tend to frequent. I'm going to be returning books here in a week or two, and when I do I'll pick it up.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Rome: Sorry I was getting off the topic with the audiobook stuff.
Not at all! Getting off topic is something of a Hatrack tradition. With a thread like this, likely to catch the attention of new forum members, it's pretty much guaranteed to snap back onto topic eventually.
quote:I'm being longwinded because I just found this place and am very excited to meet other people who share a love for this book series
Understandable. You might be interested in checking out Philoticweb. It's a fan site with fairly extensive forums that is dedicated entirely to Ender's Game and the subsequent books set in that universe. It isn't a forum that I frequent, but it's a pretty friendly place, and last time I checked was a fairly vibrant community.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Thanks for the suggestion about Philotic web, I'll check it out after work
Grats on your library having it. If you start to wander (Even I wandered a bit during the peter and val sections about the nets and such..) perhaps reading along with the text would work for you. If you can stop yourself from reading ahead, which of course would ruin the audiobook format.
The reader who primarily reads for chapters from val's narrative point of view is less talented than Ender's narration. She gets much, MUCH better as the series goes on, and I couldn't think of Val without that voice actress anymore. Don't let the first few chapters with Val turn you off to it
When the story transitions back to Ender's reader, the best way I can describe it is like listening to a long-time friend. Marvelous.
Posts: 16 | Registered: Jan 2010
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Welcome Rome, So... a bit of 'bad luck' turned out to be 'good luck'... it led you to Ender.
Have you since read the Harry Potter book? I confess, I have not.
Have you read 'all' of the Ender-verse books? If not, then you have a lot to look forward to...and there is nothing better than reading the books for the 1st time. (but the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th etc ...reads...are good reads too Posts: 18 | Registered: Jan 2009
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How was I introduced to Ender's G ame? Everey year at the end of school my parents would take me to the bookstore as reward for my good grades and get me a few books. Naturally my parents wanted to encourage my reading, so when I came home with not so good grades they still got me a few books. Not sure which it was that year, but I picked it randomly from borders after 5th grade.
Posts: 856 | Registered: Jun 2007
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quote:Originally posted by theinvid: Welcome Rome, So... a bit of 'bad luck' turned out to be 'good luck'... it led you to Ender.
Have you since read the Harry Potter book? I confess, I have not.
Have you read 'all' of the Ender-verse books? If not, then you have a lot to look forward to...and there is nothing better than reading the books for the 1st time. (but the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th etc ...reads...are good reads too
Yup, that bit of bad luck led me to the only books i've ever really enjoyed. No i have not read the harry potter books. i saw the first two movies and decided not to bother with the books. Probably dumb, I know, but the movies were terrible in my opinion.
And yes! I have "read" all of them. I only physically read EG. i then listened to EG and all the other books, including Ender in Exile. I just purchased the "Authorized Ender Companion" book that i randomly saw at B&N yesterday. I haven't really got a chance to dive into it at all.
Theinvid, whats your favorite book in the enderverse?
Posts: 16 | Registered: Jan 2010
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Okay theinvid, it's been a year...have you read I, Jedi yet?
And to answer your question from a year ago, yes, there's a pirate gang called The Invids in the novel.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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I am not new but have not posted for a while. lots of reasons but suffice it to say my posting willl always be sporadic. anywho, my ender story was pkind of ironic. whe I was in 10th grade my foster brother was reading ot as aassigned fro 8th grade and he said it was better than he thought since he usually prefered fantasy but I am really into scifi so he loaned his copy to me for a night while i was borred, and as they asay the rest is history=, but the ironic part is that whenb I loved kit it made him like it less, i kept trying to get him to read speaker but he refused and finally sai d I had ruined OSc forhim. Lesson learned, dont harp on a subject if a freind is obviously not as interested as you .
Posts: 26 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I remember the first time I clapped eye on EG. I was at my soon-to-be-brother-in-law's parents' house. His and my family were having a final "Are they really getting married?" dinner (courtship dating...what can I say?), and I saw his copy of EG sitting on the coffee table. The title took me in right away. I assumed "Ender" was a noun, so I thought it implied "An Ender's Game". I went home that night thinking of Enders. What do they End? It seemed a little too cliche for an "Ender" to be an assassin, but that was my first thought. Then I thought maybe it was some all-encompassing figure, such as "THE Ender." But if that's the case, what in the world is the "Ender's GAME"? I was taken in. (Is there a way to re-arrange that sentence so it doesn't end in a preposition? Maybe 'In I was taken,' or maybe 'I was taken in...wards.') The book's cover struck me as being odd. There was a lack of phaser-wielding heroes and scantily-clad maidens being chased by robots. There were no explosions! Not even a single TENTACLE!! Instead there was something simple about a single ship over a space station, something very dark about the whole picture that really jived with the word Ender. I had to read this book. On my next day off I went down to Barnes & Noble, snagged a copy of EG from the shelf, and took it to the cafe. I read it all in a few hours, then spent another half hour staring into space over cookie crumbs and some lukewarm dribblings of frappucino. EG is probably the only book that left me with actual tears in my eyes when it was finished. I'm not quite sure what it is about EG that causes epiphanies for so many people. I know I had one. I wouldn't say it was a "religious" experience, but it came pretty close. It was much like standing under the great Redwoods as a child and looking up through the most colossal trees I had ever seen. I felt like I had just learned something usable, and after having read much Juvy-fantasy like Brian Jacques and Lloyd Alexander it was certainly a new experience. I went on to read everything else by OSC B&N had on their shelves, starting with SftD. I have re-read EG a few times, and recommend it to all those who ask me for book recommendations.
Wow. Wall of Text. And, as a side note, I'm a new user here and this is my first post.
Posts: 1 | Registered: Feb 2010
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Welcome to Hatrack! You're wrong! (since Ender is obviously a pronoun) Great story about finding Ender's Game, I hope you like the forums here and it's always fun having new members.
PS. Wallbash is a pretty cool gremlin.
Posts: 856 | Registered: Jun 2007
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I actually began reading it when I took it off of my shop/computer teacher's desk. I began reading it based on his recommendation. Since then, I have read every Ender related book (except Shadows in Flight, if it's even out). Most of the other books he's written I've read (Wives of the Patriarchs, Magic Street, Empire) and I've held hour long discussions with my dad about philotes and the true matter of the soul, all based on EG and subsequent books.
Posts: 4 | Registered: Sep 2008
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quote: Very interesting. I'm kind of the opposite; I'm almost a compulsive reader. I almost always carry a book with me, but if I happen not to have one I'll make do with whatever is at hand (cereal box, toilet paper instructions, or whathaveyou). I like audiobooks, but I sometimes find that my mind wanders if I don't have the text to center me, and have to skip back a few minutes to catch what I missed.
I agree. I am just like this.
Posts: 4 | Registered: Sep 2008
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While I do not have as colorful of a story as some, I thought I'd drop a reply anyway.
I remember it distinctly. 8th grade, "spring term" more or less. (The year 2000 or so.) We were all assigned to groups of 4 to 6 and then given a short list of "acceptable" reading material that the group was to vote on. I suppose partly of random chance, we decided on EG and I was floored. (If it matters we passed, as I wrote the report and group speech we were required to give.) Within the 2 weeks allotted I had read the book twice and was on trip number three. For whatever reason, even though I know all the stories, I cannot put the books down once I've started them. And that's not a bad thing in any regards.
Since that fateful assignment I have read every book other then "First Meetings," and Shadows in Flight respectively. (However I cannot wait for it.)
*Sets his two cents on the table and leans back in his chair.*
Posts: 7 | Registered: Feb 2010
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In ninth grade, the admissions director at my school handed me her well-worn copy of EG. She told me that it the kind of book that was written for 12 year old boys but could be enjoyed by anybody (I was, at the time, a fourteen year old girl). I have since read it at least five times, and have devoured any OSC book I could get my hands on. I love the Enderverse to death; each book has hit me emotionally and is very precious to me.
Most importantly, EG opened me up to a world of thought and I've gained a reputation for badgering anybody I can about metaphysics.
Posts: 47 | Registered: Mar 2010
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I read it soon after it was first published because I knew that OSC had gone to BYU and I was attending BYU at the time. I wanted to read a book by an LDS member from the same university I attended. I had already read the short story for the same reason. I was a fan and devotee from that point forward.
Posts: 315 | Registered: Dec 2005
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Noemon: In one of his audiobook's afterword Orson Scott Card explains that since he started off in college writing plays, when he writes dialogue in his books he actually says them allowed. That is what he means when he says his books are meant to be read allowed because in large part they are written that way.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Noemon: I almost always carry a book with me, but if I happen not to have one I'll make do with whatever is at hand (cereal box, toilet paper instructions, or whathaveyou).
Wait. Toilet paper comes with instructions?
Posts: 1080 | Registered: Apr 2006
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I clearly remember how I was introduced to Ender's Game:
When I was a young teenager I participated in Drum Corps, and part of the experience was sitting on a tour bus driving across various parts of the US and Canada. I read like print is going out of style, so I ran out of reading material about 1 week into the summer tour. A friend in the corps had purchased an anthology of science fiction short stories. I read the whole anthology in a day or two, but the only story that "stuck" with me was Ender's Game. Fortunately a footnote to the story indicated that a novel version was available.
Several years pass by, and the sieve that is my memory did not let go of Ender's Game. When searching for a book to take on a train ride I stumbled upon a copy of EG at the bookstore, so I bought it. (And bought the rest of the series at the other end of the train ride...).
It's one of my favourite books (although I honestly prefer Ender's Shadow).
Posts: 15 | Registered: Mar 2010
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I'm probably one of the few people who was blessed to be introduced to most of OSC books via audio book. My local library had suddenly begun offering audiobooks that you could download and listen to on an mp3 player, Enders Game was the first book I downloaded.
I was spending the summer working on a horse training ranch and I spent countless hours listening to audio books while I cleaned stalls and rode horses on the National Grasslands. The audio books were a lifesaver, I was 15 miles from the nearest town living with folks who thought that books were a waste of time.
I fell in love with audio books and with OSC that summer, the books are so very well read. I have a severe hearing disability and never once did I miss any of the story.
I love how he talks about the stories and what led him to write them, it's inspiring that he takes the time to share with his readers. I find myself wanting to write down a few of the stories that come to mind, just to see if perhaps, through some twist of fate I might someday approach his skill.
Posts: 7 | Registered: Mar 2010
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I read Speaker for the Dead first. I was in college and all that I could afford to buy then were second hand books. I bought a battered Speaker for the Dead for around USD.50 -- Of course that led me to Ender's Game and to the rest of the Ender series and Alvin Maker. That old Speaker book is still with me 15 years later, it's falling apart, held together with glue, tape and love.
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That old Speaker book is still with me 15 years later, it's falling apart, held together with glue, tape and love.
