Ender's Game

I have less than 4,000 words to go for this month's CampNaNo novel. This makes me excited. Here's the primitive cover that I designed for it:



Does it make you want to read it? I hope so. It won't be nearly finished in the next 4,000 words, so don't hold your breath. But hopefully someday you'll get to read it.

For a smoothish transition, we'll now turn from books that I'm writing to books that I'm reading. Or rather, have read recently.

Never Let Me Go- Kazuo Ishiguro

I'm pretty sure I spelled his name right. I'm sorry if I didn't. This was a book that I was told I 'had to read.'

It was. I loved it.
Set in a dystopian-ish society, it is the story of Kathy, a carer who is caring for her old school friends. As she does, they remember their lives as children at Hailsham, a private boarding school somewhere in England.
Through their memories the reader discovers more about them, and how very different they are from the rest of the society, and eventually, what their purpose in that society will be.

Of course, I can't tell you any of it, because it would ruin the whole book. Written beautifully, and paced beautifully, I've read that this is the weakest of Ishiguro's novels. If it is, I'm dying to read the 'good ones.' The book is like learning a secret about a friend, from little pieces gathered from other people. I thought it was wonderful, couldn't put it down, and highly recommend it. It would be a great book club book; there's a lot that can be discussed.

Next, Ender's Game- Orson Scott Card

I've had people telling me that I should read this for about ten years. I feel like if I had read it ten years ago, I would have thought that it was a lot better. It wasn't terrible, and I didn't hate it, but my overall reaction, and Ben's as well, was: meh.

It's interesting, though we both guessed the twist. The characters are good, mostly round. The story is engaging, and the world that Card creates is similar enough to be thought provoking, and different enough that it's science fiction at the same time.

What bugged me (hah, no pun intended. Buggers...see what I did there? :p ) the most, was the end. Ben and I agreed that it was weak. Card tried too hard to leave it wide open for a sequel and that was annoying. It reminded me a little bit of J.K Rowling's infamous epilogue. Just a bit.

If you haven't read it stop for a second:

I like that the buggers had been watching Ender through the computers the way that he'd been watching them, and that they built the End of the World. That was interesting. Him becoming the Speaker for the Dead I thought didn't ring true to the character that he had become.

Okay, come back people who didn't want spoilers.

Weak ending. Not the best book ever. I recommend it to little kids. They'll think it's awesome that kids are running the world.

Finally, I've finished a scarf that I've been working on for months. I love it!