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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely phenomenal.
I don't even have the words right now to describe how much I love this book.
Review to follow.
I don't even have the words right now to describe how much I love this book.
Review to follow.
This is a really good, albeit optimistic take, on the event of two foreign cultures meeting. Of course, given the identity and history of the main character, optimism is a nice change. I guess I will now go look up papers about connections between this book, Card's "Pastwatch", and his Mormonism, because surely someone's written about it. Anyway, the biggest problem with this book that I noticed (I'm sure there's more!) is that Ender is just so gosh darned good at everything. That, however, is the conceit of the entire series so I guess you just have to live with it to get to read about the problems of xenadors and Piggies - and I found that worth it.
Oh, and the ramen, varelse, etc stuff. That's good.
Oh, and the ramen, varelse, etc stuff. That's good.
This has always been my favorite book in the series or saga or cycle, whatever you want to call Ender's universe. And it is among my top 5 favorite books of all time. I have always liked Ender's Game also, but as Orson Scott Card himself said, it exists to set the stage for Speaker for the Dead. This book and most of Ursula K. LeGuin's Hannish cycle are prime examples of why I love science fiction. Though this story deals every much with aliens, it is about humanity. It's about how humans react individually and in groups. It's about how we as humans deal with the unknown. How we deal with Truth and how we differentiate truth and fact. I will forever treasure this novel. And perhaps, once the Ender's Game film comes out and is received with great fanfare, they will chose to bring this one to the screen as well.
I know that OSC is on a personal level, rather a jerk. That is, he is motivated by his religion and the politics that accompany it. And while a few of his novels reflect these beliefs in a discouraging manner, this one does not. Not to say that it does not deal with religion and politics, because it does, quite a lot. But it doesn't push his beliefs, and so is bearable.
I know that OSC is on a personal level, rather a jerk. That is, he is motivated by his religion and the politics that accompany it. And while a few of his novels reflect these beliefs in a discouraging manner, this one does not. Not to say that it does not deal with religion and politics, because it does, quite a lot. But it doesn't push his beliefs, and so is bearable.
I wasn't sure I was going to like this one. It started out kind of slow, but by the time the end came around, I saw how important all the back story was. Now I can't wait to read the next one.
Although the writing disappointed me at times, the characters stand out and the plot keeps it interesting. What really made me love this book was how Card had integrated the Portuguese language and culture into the writing. He weaves all these elements from the first book (Ender's Game) together with religion, a budding colony, and the mystery of Lusitania's puzzling biosphere. Oh, and the piggies! It was an interesting, creative world, and I really enjoyed reading it.
I liked this book better than Ender's Game, and I think it has to do with how much more I liked Ender this time around. As a child in Ender's Game, he didn't seem as multi-dimensional as he did in Speaker for the Dead.
I also felt that Novinha and her children were very interesting as characters and in their dynamics with each other and with Ender.
Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of Jane - she's an excellent tool to get things accomplished, but I found her "personality" to be somewhat polarized and boring. But maybe that's just me.
I also felt that Novinha and her children were very interesting as characters and in their dynamics with each other and with Ender.
Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of Jane - she's an excellent tool to get things accomplished, but I found her "personality" to be somewhat polarized and boring. But maybe that's just me.
this book is utter garbage
that's all i got to say, i liked ender's game
but this is garbage
that's all i got to say, i liked ender's game
but this is garbage
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i listened to this audiobook while driving on multiple roadtrips lately (thanks, library!) and i loved it to pieces. i loved Ender's Game, but this is one of those rare cases when the sequel outshines its predecessor in my opinion. i couldn't help but think about the disconnect between the story's themes of understanding, compassion, tolerance and empathy and the author's many controversial statements, and i think what would be really cool would be if Ender Wiggin, Speaker for the Dead, could cross out of the fictional world into the real one to "speak" for Orson Scott Card.
i'm definitely interested to read the rest of this series but i'd be surprised if i end up liking any of the other installments more than this one.
i'm definitely interested to read the rest of this series but i'd be surprised if i end up liking any of the other installments more than this one.