Enders Game

[Mentalist]

Although it's a classic I've never been able to get over the fact that Orson Scott Card is a bit of a dick. I have always had trouble committing to the novel because he is a big Latter Day Saint's activist and campaigns against gay marriage and hates Star Trek and, well,... that's enough really. I rarely waste time on "those types" so have never bothered with the novel even though I have thought about going through it a couple of times over the years simply to fill the gap in my Sci-Fi reading list. I always opted for something else.

So when I was perusing Demonoid a few weeks back looking at which starving artists I could steal from I saw the comic adaptation of Enders Game and finally thought that if I'm never going to G' myself up to read the novels because I'm a bit prejudiced about the authors prejudices I could meet in the middle and spend less time checking out the adaptation and it is actually really quite good. As far as comic adaptations of anything go it's clearly very well done.

Anyone read Card before and have any un-spoilerish comments on whether Enders Game is solid all the way through? (I've only read a few copies so far)

 

[Homo Erectus]

It's great fun if you can avoid reading too much into it. His LDS shit gets heavily embroiled in the story, but it's not all that clearly done. Some guy on the net once did a review on it noting all the religious bullshit Card injects into the story I'm sure you could find it if you look.

 

[Cassie]

I loved Ender's Game, and several of the sequels. I try not to pay attention to authors if I find out they're dicks. I just read the stories as if the author doesn't exist.

 

[Consumer]

As a SHORT STORY/novella it was good.

As a novel...it's like one of those Saturday Night Live skits that they try to stretch into a movie...there' just not that much material to support the longer story.

 

[CaptainWacky]

I remember reading an article about why it was bad years ago even though I've never read the book.

 

[headvoid]

I have read Enders Game and it's sequel Speaker for the dead.

I was surprised at Ender's Game being a Hugo award winner. It reads a little like a young adult novel, and all the classic elements of that are there (Separated child against the world, parents not around, progression through a school system) but he is a good writer. I would suggest that the ideas are of lower standard than the pacy writing.

Speaker for the dead is a more interesting idea, as there are some truly odd ideas about religion. The writing is not as pacy though.

In summary, they are good racy sci fi reads, but nothing like a Guin, Dick or a Clarke.

 

[Big Dick McGee]

As a SHORT STORY/novella it was good.

As a novel...it's like one of those Saturday Night Live skits that they try to stretch into a movie...there' just not that much material to support the longer story.

Totally agree with this assessment. It felt overlong and repetitive in many instances. Still, overall a very good read, and I'll get around to the sequel some day.

 

[Friday]

I read Ender's Game to one of my students when I was working in the private sector. It was age appropriate (he was in his early teens).

I enjoyed it. It did read like a junior high novel, but I was expecting that, so wasn't disappointed. I didn't catch the religious references because I wasn't looking for them. The story wasn't earth shattering or mind bending, but held my interest enough to want to finish it. The ending was unexpected (for me).

In short, it's a good summer read. Not Tolstoy or Dickens, but entertaining nonetheless.