July 25, 2003

On A Completely Different Subject

Finished Children of the Mind last night. Last book in the series that starts with Ender's Game. Ponderances on the subject.

I've heard a lot of people say that you should stop after Speaker For the Dead, some after Ender's Game itself. I think they're wrong. For me, Xenocide and Children of the Mind were just as crucial to the plot as the first two. Certainly I found them all as engrossing as the last one, which is to say each one lasted from about 11pm to 6am or so the next morning.

The thing about the latter two, though, and especially Children of the Mind, is that Card goes on some really stratospheric philosophy and such. I expect most people miss it. _I_ missed it. I suspect that, were I to read the latter two books back to back while stoned, I would then immediately set up a shrine to Card. Maybe not. His center vs edge nations thing only sort of rings true with me, and is perhaps too overly simplistic. Dunno. In any case, they're a moving set of books, and that's fine. I read novels to be moved, not for philosophy.

So, the question is, besides Regina, did anybody understand what I just said?

Posted by Dwip at July 25, 2003 9:23 PM
Comments

not familiar with the series at all, so...I guess the answer is no. Unless you're talking about books in general, in which case I'd have to reread your post I guess

Posted by: toasty at July 26, 2003 6:50 AM

Well, I got it, but you said besides Regina. :P

I remember reading Speaker after Ender's Game and thinking, "huh? Where'd the wargames go?" Later I picked up Xenocide and thankfully was able to enjoy both that and Children of the Mind on their own terms. Then I went and started reading the Shadow series and I realized, "Oh, that's where the wargames went!"

But yeah. Philosophy in those books is waaay deep. Which is why I meant to re-read them this summer, though I don't know if I'll have time, because I just remembered that I have to do research for my historical characters. Yeesh.

Posted by: Regina at July 26, 2003 11:32 AM

Yeah, the end of Ender's Game and the beginning of SftD is kind of trippy. Especially since the end of EG is very short, brief, and kind of tacked on and confusing. *shrug*

Toast. Read these books. They're good.

Posted by: Dwip at July 26, 2003 2:52 PM

since you're suggesting that I should read them, may I ask what sorta books where talking bout here? Fantasy? Fiction? Just so I know what I'm gettting myself into :)

Posted by: toasty at July 27, 2003 11:58 AM

It's better to just smile, nod, and walk away as soon as possible, Toasty. Trust me...

Posted by: Whir at July 27, 2003 12:33 PM

you've tried it?

Posted by: toasty at July 27, 2003 12:41 PM

I guess the best type to call them would be science fiction. And as Marius said, they're very philosophy-heavy, except the first one has no philosophy and lots of wargames. :) At least read Ender's Game; it's a classic.

Posted by: Regina at July 27, 2003 1:05 PM

sure, guess I've got something to do then if I happen to have a boring day or two :)

Posted by: toasty at July 27, 2003 1:28 PM