Stuff That Matters In Life

Since reading Ender’s Game, my husband recommended the companion book Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card.

I am not usually a scifi reader, but this series is less scifi and more about character development. The main characters, the kids, have complex backgrounds lending to their involved personalities.  As the story progresses, the kids grow in a genuine way as kids would. The fun part is, they can outsmart the adults.

What I usually don’t like about scifi is the way the setting has to be explained. I know Dune is a classic, but it bored me with laborious descriptions. I never got through the book. Ender’s Shadow gets into the action. The setting is explained along the way without disrupting the story.

The ending sets up a sequel. But I’m going to read something else now. No matter how good a series is, I get bored with the predicable writing style, especially the bantering between the characters. All the characters talk in the same manner.

The only exception where I am not bored are Agatha Christie books…ahhh…if only she could’ve written a few more mysteries…I could read another 50 of her books.

Although Ender’s Game and  Ender’s Shadow are suppose to be companion books such that either one could be read first, I suggest Ender’s Game first. After Ender’s Game, you would definitely want to read Ender’s Shadow as I did.