A to Z Challenge: My Favorite "E" Character

Anyone who has read even a handful of my blog posts no doubt could anticipate that coming up with my favorite E character was likely the easiest of the list.

E is for Ender Wiggin from Ender's Game

I've written about my love of Ender's Game... a lot. Most recently, I reviewed the long awaited movie and shared why the book is so important to me, all of which revolves around the character of Ender himself.

Ender is an outcast, pushed aside for being talented and different. Reading this for the first time as a thirteen-year-old aspiring writer, there could not have been a character that appealed to me more. His strength, courage, and ultimate fate all inspired me, and this book is really one of the first that made me desperately want to be a writer.

Twenty years later, I still frequently re-read this book, and still find new things about the story and Ender's character that speak to me every time.

My Favorite Books to Give: YA Science Fiction

I am continuing on the December series all about my favorite books to give. This second installment in my favorite books to give series should be no surprise to anyone who has stopped in before.

Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card, has been, perhaps, the most impactful book of my life.
I am sure this one is high on everyone’s list because of the recent movie (and you can read my review here), but the film failed to capture something very central to the novel, which is the moral turmoil within the character of Ender Wiggin.

If you have a young reader, whether they love science fiction or not, this is a great book to give them, and one they will likely cherish as they grow up (I know I did).

As a note, Card a Mormon and is fairly vocal about opposing gay marriage. While I am respectful of all religions, I am not respectful of discrimination. Thus, I buy his books used whenever I can, but do not purchase them new to ensure that my money isn’t funneling into lobbying against tolerance. There are many used copies of Ender’s Game on Amazon if you feel the same way.

Friday Fun... An Ender's Game Movie Review from a Book Fanatic

Here is an obscenely long post, but it is what it is... I just have too much to say! 

Before I delve too much into a discussion of Ender's Game: The Movie I think it is important to understand my relationship with the book. I first read this when I was about 13 (right about when they started work on this movie, apparently). I was hooked as soon as I opened the cover, and not just in a "I want to finish this great book" way, but in the "this book changed me a little bit" way.

More than anything, the character of Ender resonated with me. My own stupid teenage angst crap led me to believe fervently that we were kindred spirits. I had this ring made and wore it (despite it turning my finger green) as a reminder to stay strong when life got tough... or what teenage me thought was tough at least.

Around this time I also began a tradition that I have continued o this day: once a year, I read Ender's Game. My insights into the book, my feelings towards the characters, and my perspective on the morality of the story have subtly shifted throughout my years, but one thing has remained constant-- this book is part of who I am.

And thus last night, after almost 20 years of waiting for THE MOVIE, I found myself in a theater and nervous as hell that they were about to screw up my baby.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, you can glean most of this through the previews. Fifty years ago, Earth was attacked by an alien race called the Formics, and so to prevent mankind's annihilation, the military begins drafting and training children with the hopes that they will be the military geniuses that save us all. As the pending war nears, all hope comes to rest on Andrew "Ender" Wiggin. Ender is taken to Battle School to train with other kids and learn to save the world.

In terms of the how the movie did... I will give it a solid B+, or a "meh... I didn't hate it." And believe it or not, given how close I am to this, NOT hating it is high praise.

Here's what I liked:
The stayed pretty close to the story for the most part. Key things were removed due to timing, but Asa Butterfield as Ender was delightfully fantastic.They also kept one of my all-time most favorite opening lines from any book ever there.

Despite loving Viola Davis, I expected to hate her as Anderson simply because Anderson was a relatively tiny role in the story and they seemed to be just looking for places to add a woman. I actually loved the change. Given the film format, they needed a tool to continually express the moral questions about what the military is doing to these kids. This comes across loud and clear in the narrative of the book, and the change in Anderson's role was actually a deft move to keep this alive in the film.

Ultimately, though, the real strength of this movie is its beauty. The visual effects, score, and overall tone are spot on.

Here is what I didn't like:
The timing. At just over an hour and forty-five minutes, this film was short, evinced by taking a book that spans nearly a decade and smashing into the period of a few weeks. What you lose is an understanding of the sheer magnitude of what happens to these kids at Battle School. Showing two or three key battles was not sufficient. Even some kind of goofy battle montage could have built up this aspect much better.

The characterization. And this KILLS me. Again, they could have had another 20 minutes to play with developing some characters here. Harrison Ford's Graff is both ineptly played and poorly written. Of Ender's toon leaders, only Petra has much happening. The friendship between Alai and Ender, one of the most poignant and critical elements of the book, is basically gone. Only Ender is really developed at all, and this is still fairly shallow. Trust me-- if you saw the movie and liked Ender, read the book and you will love him.

The softening. One of the key elements of this book is its brutality. It is s violent and intense story. The kids call the aliens bad words, and they fight each other, and sometimes they kill each other. The movie made me think of a line from the George of the Jungle movie that goes something like "don't worry, nobody dies in this movie, they just get really big boo boos." I understand having to remove some of the more vicious incidents from the film-- with such a short time to tell a story, it would be hard to portray some of what Ender does without making him look like a sadist. But in this film, even the Formics aren't really that bad. While subsequent books support this, to actually tell Ender's Game correctly and to make the ethical dilemmas really resonate, you need an enemy and you need some violence and both of those things are piddled down to the point of losing their power in the story.

Here is the delicious irony:
With the softening of the film, there is something of a message of tolerance against the alien species that comes through at the end. Seeing this from a writer that so vehemently petitions against tolerance for his own species (Card is vocally opposed to gay rights) smacks of seeing Ted Cruz read Green Eggs and Ham and not realizing that maybe he should give the whole "open mind" thing a try.

All in all, see it... but then read the book because it is 1,000 times better.

A to Z Challenge: My Favorite Storytellers-- C

C was an easy call for me in my April countdown of favorite storytellers, and it stands for...

Orson Scott Card
For you regulars, you know that my love of Ender's Game has become part of my identity. I read this book, on average, about once a year. I am able to do this both because the book is really, really good and pulls me in every time I open it, but also because it reminds me of a feeling, so full, and rich, and powerful, that I got the first time I read this book.

The feeling was "I want to write books that make people feel like this."

The feeling was infinite.

I've read at least 20 books by Card, some that I loved, some that were good, some that I didn't care for. He is a consistent and talented storyteller, but nothing will touch the sheer, visceral emotion behind Ender's Game. 

I'd recommend you buy it now!!

And then tell me, for you avid readers and writers, what was the first book that really got you hooked?

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I am a Christmas junkie. I love it! I love giving gifts, baking cookies, hacking down a tree and moving it in my house. I am the girl of perpetual smiles at this time of year. More and more, however, I am looking around and realizing that my holiday glee simply isn't shared by all.

I've been told I am a good gift picker-outer, so I thought I would share over the next couple of blogs some of my recommendations for any story lovers on your list, should you be stumped. I've put together a store on Amazon that contains some of my favorite gifts here.

Your YA Book Lover:

Got a teen on your list you are just not sure what to buy for? If that teen loves to read, then I suggest one of three Lucky Press titles:

Guardian Spirit by Sarah Martin Byrd combines some beautiful myths with some harsh realities in this story of a woman and her children fleeing from an abusive man. According to reviews on Amazon:
"Within the story, Byrd masterfully entwines Native American magic with the steely reserve of a woman protecting her children, and creates a narrative that will have readers cheering, and hurriedly turning pages. I found this to be an engrossing, exciting read, and would highly recommend it to others."

My Beginning by Melissa Kline is the book for any budding sci-fi loving girls on your list. We're under-represented, us female nerds, and so I recommend nurturing it for the girl on your list. Reviews on Amazon:
"This book draws you in immediatley. The adventure and curiousity keeps you turning the pages. The anticipation of the ending made it difficult to put it down but the thought of it ending so soon made me want to slow down. I do hope for a sequel. Great read!"


And, of course, I have to self-promote a litte... it is my blog :)
 
Max and Menna by Shauna Kelley is my debut novel, about a brother and a sister struggling together against poverty, alcoholism, and neglect. Here's what Amazon readers say:
"Max and Menna went above and beyond my expectations. I just could not put the book down, reading into the late hours of the night, just to see what would happen next! It's a great story full of romance, courage, laughter, and heartbreak. I highly recommend this book!"
AND if you're in Maryland, I have copies I can sign for you!
 
Of course, I have to throw in Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card because I think EVERYONE should read that book...
 
And more gift giving ideas to come!

Comfort Fiction-- Part 3

In my series on comfort fiction, I have now covered movies, and television. The next logical place is books, right?

But how on Earth do I choose ONE book that comforts me to write about? I love to curl up in books, it is the best way for me to turn my brain off after a tough day? Reading is also a way to challenge myself, stimulate my brain, get my mind going.

There are just too many that I love too much to pick just one comfort book...

• I read Ender's Game once a year. It reminds me of my adolesence (in a good way) and always inspires me
• During tough times, the Sookie Stackhouse novels are incredible ways to turn off the world and escape into some juicy, fanciful, vampire stories
• When I need reminded of how much power there is in simply being a woman, Margaret Atwood is always there for me
• When I needed reminding that the the human spirit can prosper and overcome a lot more than one might think, my beloved Sherman Alexie is there for me
• When I am craving the beautifully weird, hello John Irving

I just can't pick.

So here is what we're going to do-- tell me YOUR comfort fiction. What do you read when life gets rough? Or what book can you read over and over and over again? What book always fills you with some kind of something, or makes you feel infinite?

Post your answers (and the why) below. One lucky commenter is going to win a book... for once, I am not giving away Max and Menna! I am giving away one of my favorite works of comfort fiction, to be chosen based on the particular style of the winning commenter.

Let's make our OWN list of the top stories of all time!

So, there is a note travelling through Facebook claiming that the BBC believes that the average person will only have read 6 books off a list of 100 very important books. Most of my friends and I scored at least 15, so I guess we’re doubly as well-read as the BBC claims we should be.

However, I have to say, I was very confused by some of the books on the list. Now, I am not doubting the merit of any of the books, particularly given that most of those that I raised an eyebrow to were among the nearly 70 I hadn’t read, but still…. I am uncomfortable with Bridget Jones’ Diary following the Color Purple.

Thus, since you all know how I love to solicit feedback and talk about the great books, I want to collaborate with you all on our own list of the 100 most important or relevant or exciting books/short stories/plays of all time.

Now, since this is my blog, I am going to be a tyrant and contribute heavily to the start of this endeavor—but please add as you see fit! Here we go, in no particular order. I am trying to restrict it to one book per author for the sake of fairness. Three or four millennia is a lot of fodder for picking a list!

1. King Lear—William Shakespeare
2. A Prayer for Owen Meany—John Irving
3. To Kill a Mockingbird—Harper Lee
4. The Dead—James Joyce
5. Native Son—Richard Wright
6. Ender’s Game—Orson Scott Card
7. The Hobbit—JRR Tolkein
8. Dune- Frank Herbert
9. Roots—Alex Haley
10. 1984- George Orwell
11. The Hunchback of Notre Dame—Victor Hugo
12. Indian Killer—Sherman Alexie
13. The Handmaid’s Tale—Margaret Atwood
14. It- Stephen King
15. The Turn of the Screw—Henry James
16. A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich-- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
17. The Once and Future King—TH White
18. Emma—Jane Austen
19. Little Women—Louisa May Alcott
20. All the Kings Men—Robert Penn Warren
21. Cry the Beloved Country—Alan Patton
22. Love in the Time of Cholera—Gabriel Garcia Marquez
23. The Odyssey—Homer
24. Catcher in the Rye—JD Salinger
25. The Great Gatsby—F. Scott Fitzgerald
26. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe—CS Lewis
27. The Lovely Bones—Alice Seabold
28. The Glass Castle—Jeanette Walls
29. Lord of the Flies—William Golding
30. On the Road—Jack Kerouac
31. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest—Ken Kesey
32. The Aeneid—Virgil
33. Beowulf
34. Dracula—Bram Stoker
35. The Color Purple—Alice Walker
36. Beloved—Toni Morrison
37. Ceremony—Leslie Marmon Silko
38. Of Mice and Men—John Steinback
39. Fahrenheit 451—Ray Bradbury
40. Things Fall Apart-- Chinua Achebe

So what else shall I add?

Think about it, and think about trying the lamb, eggplant skins at Joe Squared this week. That place is truly my muse!