I finally finished! For Christmas James gave me Ender In Exile by Orson Scott Card, a sequel in the Ender's Game series. Rather than just reading my new book I wanted to read it in the context of the overall story. Because of where it falls in the storyline there are five books that take place before or at the same time. I started of course at the beginning, reading Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow. Because they are parallel stories there are the same conversations and situations but told from each character's perspective. There were times that I was holding both books and going back and forth to read the thoughts and perspectives of each character.In Ender in Exile, Ender is traveling through space and two years for him is 30 years on Earth. So halfway through the book I stopped to read the events that occur during that time frame in the books Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets and Shadow of the Giant. Then I finished Ender in Exile and continued the series with Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide and Children of the Mind.
I started reading the series on Christmas vacation and nine books, 3,669 pages and a month and a half later I am done. I went back and forth between reading the books and listening to them. Although I accomplished much while listening to the books I also stayed up too late too many nights because I couldn't put them down. Ender's Game is still my favorite followed very closely by Ender's Shadow but what surprised me was that I actually enjoyed the Shadow series more than the Ender series.
It was an enjoyable experience but my life has been a little consumed with these characters and am relieved to be done. Although they are science fiction, they are not actually easy read books; they have deep political, religious and scientific issues that made them a little heavy reading at times. I don't know that I will ever read the entire series like this again. I admit that I want to go read a fast, easy and maybe even silly book.
2 comments:
Ender's Game was going to be one of our bookgroup books this year and someone complained so they took it off - after I had already ordered it. Derek was thrilled. He has heard about the series and wants to read it. Come to think of it, I haven't seen the book since it came in the mail.
What an interesting way to write a series - and an interesting way to read it. Sounds Heavy (how Back to the Future is that line :)
Ben said I might like the series but after reading your blog I don't know if I could read something that "heavy" as Kimber puts it. I think that might have to wait until I have more time to read. That's cool that you finished it though. Ben was pretty impressed and went out to find the books because he really liked that series.
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