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protoman21's review against another edition
3.0
I had a hard time rating this book because I read it over the course of several months. I feel like if the book had been better, I would have read it faster, but then again, I just got engaged and I have been very busy lately, so perhaps it was my schedule rather than the quality of the book that made me take so long. Either way, I think if the book had been amazing, I would have dropped everything to read it no matter what.
I did get more into the book the further along I got. I feel like the action picked up a little and I got to know the characters better and care about them more. I understand the intergalactic scope of this series, but I think it suffered early on from having too many unrelated storylines. The jumps between situations were far too jarring and it took too long to get back to any one character. It took quite a long time for me to actually grow fond of the characters because of this. Another issue is that Card's characters tend to follow certain archetypes and they all seem to speak and act similar to each other, and at times this can get old. Watching the clever young kid outwit his superior in a snotty "Oh, I didn't mean to be snotty." way feels contrived the 39th time you read it.
I still love the idea of this story and now that the players are well established I hope to find the third book much more engaging and easier to not put down.
I did get more into the book the further along I got. I feel like the action picked up a little and I got to know the characters better and care about them more. I understand the intergalactic scope of this series, but I think it suffered early on from having too many unrelated storylines. The jumps between situations were far too jarring and it took too long to get back to any one character. It took quite a long time for me to actually grow fond of the characters because of this. Another issue is that Card's characters tend to follow certain archetypes and they all seem to speak and act similar to each other, and at times this can get old. Watching the clever young kid outwit his superior in a snotty "Oh, I didn't mean to be snotty." way feels contrived the 39th time you read it.
I still love the idea of this story and now that the players are well established I hope to find the third book much more engaging and easier to not put down.
katricia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hivequeen's review against another edition
5.0
Ok, I don't think I have ever said this before: the second book of this series was better than the first. There was so much action and suspense and foreshadowing and I was dying the whole time I was reading it. It was amazing to read more about a certain someone (MR) and ugh it was just so good!!
And "some children are just made for war" ?????!!!!! I was freaking out so hard!!!! I cannot wait until the next book comes out.
It is just so cool to hear all of the details of the first formic war, all the things that you had to imagine before! And there are so many things that I never would have thought about. I just really really recommend this book (and the first one) to any Ender's Game fan!
And "some children are just made for war" ?????!!!!! I was freaking out so hard!!!! I cannot wait until the next book comes out.
It is just so cool to hear all of the details of the first formic war, all the things that you had to imagine before! And there are so many things that I never would have thought about. I just really really recommend this book (and the first one) to any Ender's Game fan!
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
3.0
What a sell out. Decent enough space-opera sci-fi, but not nearly as creative and mind-blowing as the earlier Enderverse books. #2 in the trilogy about the First Bugger War. If there hadn't been such a good cliffhanger, I wouldn't even consider reading the third one. Right now, I'm on the fence.
flagstaff's review against another edition
2.0
When an impossible technology is introduced at the beginning of a book, it will inevitably be used in the climax. Otherwise the story did fill out the characters and set up for the next book. So I got through this one fast. The ending of the last book really set up this one so I was a little fatigued and jumped into this one fast. I'll wait a bit before finishing off the series.
jmoses's review against another edition
3.0
Eh. Still mildly interesting, but that's all. I mean, I'll keep reading because I'm into Ender's Game a ton and the overall backstory is still interesting. Other than that I wouldn't bother.
God, the "science" in this is about enough to drive me insane. GRAVITY DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY.
God, the "science" in this is about enough to drive me insane. GRAVITY DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY.
humanignorance's review against another edition
4.0
Several interesting and intertwining plot strands had me wanting to peek ahead to see more of the same viewpoint. The view of the Chinese families was usually slow and probably unnecessary, though, and the relationship between Lem and his father was overdone and strained credibility. Aside from this, great plotting and action with serviceable prose made it enjoyable.
dianaalu's review against another edition
2.0
Why would you name and separate one story into three books. Just put it all in one book. Or under one title but part 1, 2, or 3. Bingwen is a funny character. Will have to listen to the third because listening to the first two is like getting two thirds into a book and stopping. I'm glad Lem's storyline and Mazer and Wit intersected finally. But because of the many moving storylines, everything moves very slowly.