N.K. Jemison
Volume 1 of The Broken Earth trilogy
First, let me say Really Good Storytelling. I knew nothing about this world before reading and much of the pleasure of this book came in the unfolding of the characters and the plot-line. So I will not ruin for you that same pleasure (which makes this basically a useless summary). Read the book without reading any synopsis. Suffice it to say, the world that is created here is novel and interesting. It is mysterious. The stories of the characters we are following reveal to us as readers complexity and humanity and suggest political and social hierarchies and machinations that are sure to only surface in Vol 2 & 3. I can see why this is award winning and can't wait to continue.
4 stars (out of 4)
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card
Originally published in 1985, I am just now getting around to the classic sci-fi story. Ender is a chosen child and sent to a special school for training. His charge? Apparently humans came together sometime in the past to fit a truly world war... this time Earth v. some alien insects species that was invading. That time, Earth forces won, but barely and mostly with luck and on the valor of one leader. Ender is now a student in the military academy learning strategy and technique to fight space battles against the aliens should they choose to return. The story is mostly the story of his training and development as a soldier with his other child soldier conscripts. He is clearly leader material and clearly "the chosen one", so the adults put him in situation where he is tested beyond his own belief in himself to show that he can succeed. Trial by fire to develop a military leader. It is a good story... good enough that I have the sequels on my read list. But it is also pretty clearly an 80's storyline, and reading through that lens I can see how it was revolutionary at the time. It feels a lot like Ready Player One or Feed, although those push more cyberpunk than space war.
3 stars (out of 4)
Originally published in 1985, I am just now getting around to the classic sci-fi story. Ender is a chosen child and sent to a special school for training. His charge? Apparently humans came together sometime in the past to fit a truly world war... this time Earth v. some alien insects species that was invading. That time, Earth forces won, but barely and mostly with luck and on the valor of one leader. Ender is now a student in the military academy learning strategy and technique to fight space battles against the aliens should they choose to return. The story is mostly the story of his training and development as a soldier with his other child soldier conscripts. He is clearly leader material and clearly "the chosen one", so the adults put him in situation where he is tested beyond his own belief in himself to show that he can succeed. Trial by fire to develop a military leader. It is a good story... good enough that I have the sequels on my read list. But it is also pretty clearly an 80's storyline, and reading through that lens I can see how it was revolutionary at the time. It feels a lot like Ready Player One or Feed, although those push more cyberpunk than space war.
3 stars (out of 4)
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