Ender's Game: It's a Boy's World

Ender's Game:

   Ender's Game is interesting, it is an example of when science fiction is done right. Even with its flaws Ender's Game is a Great book.

Background:

   Ender's Game was written by Orson Scott Card and is the first of many books set in the Ender Universe. The book was originally released 1985 butt originated as a short story in the 1977 issue of Analogue Science Fiction and Fact. The book was met with fairly positive reception from readers and critics butt did not reach massive popularity until well after its original release.

Review:

   The book is great. Although a little slow to start the book does a great job of creating a immersive and believable world where children are tracked at early ages for the signs of super-ingeniousness to help prevent the eventual second attack of the buggers: a hive mind alien species with no real known goal butt a vendetta against the human race. Alright, almost immediately this screams 80's science fiction, butt out of all the crappy books to come from this genre this is a gem of near perfection.

   The book does best at putting you into the place of 6 year old, yes I said 6, Ender Wiggam; a super genius that the unified earth government is betting all of their lives on.You truly feel as if you are, or are with, Ender in his training and coming of age story. This is good because even though this is a huge universe that takes time to learn and understand you are learning with Ender.

   Now in all good there is bad. For instance the buggers are laughable; although Card tries to make this dangerous, dark, scary, alien species, there name just makes them feel awkward an unbelievable as a threat. Next off is the end's twist - its predictable at best. If the ending hasn't already been spoiled then you will see it from a mile away. Lastly there is the pace. Sometimes it takes multiple chapters to go through one day while other times whole months, even years go by in a page. Now if done well pacing, even pacing as random as this, can be good, butt with the little to no warning received about the time change it is hard to keep track.

   This book is still great even with its flaws and I would suggest it to everybody especially those new to the science fiction genre. 8 out of 10

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Ender's Game

Three: A Name not a Number

Three

   Three is a strange book. It is not super bad but it is not very good either. It has all the elements required to make a cyberpunk post-apocalyptic world but it never goes deep enough or uncovers enough origins to truly engage someone.

Background:

   I honestly don't got much for this section. It was written by Jay Posey and published by Angry Robot, a publisher known for giving new or unknown science fiction writers a spot on the store shelf. Other than that i don't have any more background.

Review:

   This book was... okay I guess. It just felt like it lacked something. There was almost no exposition what so ever. Three just seems like a total jack@$$. And on top of it all I felt no emotional connection to the characters what so ever. I honestly feel the book should have had a rewrite before being published.

  With that being said the book does do some things right. For instance the scenes and description of the world are actually pretty good. Butt for every step forward there is two steps back. The world although pretty well described is never explained. Not even the tools necessary to decipher the world are there.

   Should this book be read? Only if your looking to waste some time or a masochist. 4.5 out of 10

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Three

Fahrenheit 451: Burn Baby Burn, Library Inferno

Fahrenheit 451

   I really liked this book. If you replace the tele-screens and seashells with the internet and smartphones and you could very easily convince some one this book takes place in modern society. This book has earned a place on my shelf of favorites.

Background:

  Fahrenheit 451 was originally released in 1953 by Ray Douglas Bradbury an already successful science fiction, fantasy, horror and mystery fiction writer. This is his best selling and most recognized book.

Review:

   This book is amazing. It is well written and packs a powerful message about conformity and education. It depicts some truly amazing areas and shows humanities descent to madness. The book is about the spiritual and mindful (in lack of a better word) awakening of Montag a fireman in the most literal sense. Montag is one of many fireman in charge of burning books in the name of peace and civility. The only problem is when a thoughtful young girl makes him question both his actions and motives. This then leads him on a journey of awakening.

   This book is filled with symbolism, from the salamander, to the hound, and to the phoenix. All of these are used to compare this world to ours. It is a cautionary tale of when we stop daring to learn.

  This book does have its flaws. For instance there is no falling action merely an end; as well as the book leaves a lot of questions unanswered. This doesn't necessarily destroy the entertainment value of the book butt it leaves you wishing for more. 

  I give this book a 9.25 out of 10. This is a book for everybody should read. And if you read on an e-reader then you are already lost.

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Fahrenheit 451

1984: The Dystopia that Never Was

1984

     1984 is a strange book. Due to the book's popularity it has receive many new publications. The version I read was the Signet Classics edition, Signet is a great source of new copies of classic and recognized books. 

Background:

   1984 was originally released in 1949 and was written by George Orwell the pseudonym of Eric Arthur Blair. Orwell (as he will be referred to from now on) saw a dark future for the world based off his interactions in the Spanish civil war, as a journalist, and living through World War II. He wrote this book as a warning of a future he said to come.

Review

   This book is good, butt it does have some flaws. It depicts the perfect dystopia, a place where the party rules and controls everything through the eyes of big brother. The book is dark and truly makes you think about the world we are and the world we are becoming. The book always keeps you on your toes by creating an equally engrossing and disturbing atmosphere. 

   One of the things I must praise about this book is its plot and underlying ideas, parallelisms and tone. The book takes a fair amount of jabs of modern day, circa 1949, continuously pointing out much hypocrisy of society.The mottoes of the Party are a great example of this oxymoron (hypocrisy): War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength. I will not spoil the plot butt I will say that the twist is one you will see coming and yet won't expect.

   This all being said the book does have its flaws. First off the book has dated a bit, mostly because the future year depicted has already come and pass, butt more than that some of the political commentary is lost to the void of time. Other than that the writing style is rather long. It is not late 1880's style of describing every last detail in even grater detail and then some, butt some parts to drone on for a little too long. For instance: towards the end of the second of three books there is a section spent on Goldstein's book that keeps going on and on and on. I will admit that I got so bored reading this section that I skipped it. This is the worst offender butt there are other are like it.

  Overall this is a fairly good book, I would say you should read it, especially if you like dystopias or books that make you think. I give this book a 7 out of 10.

     

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1984