Since I've been bubbling over with so much excitement for my new 2nd favorite series (Harry will always be #1!), I've (of course) wanted to get Ben in on it so that I'd have someone to be all bubbly and excited with, you know? Weeeeeeell, as you can all imagine he was not too keen on the idea. How do you get a guy to read a vampire love story? Hmmm... *evil grin*
Months and months ago, Ben picked up a new series, courtesy of Clark and Shannon. Its called Ender's Game. Its a very science fiction-ish book (not my favorite kind) and Ben loved it and has been working on the whole series. He tried to get me to read it but I just could NOT get past the first chapter. B-O-R-I-N-G! Really freakishly odd too, and so that was a lost cause and Ben gave up.
Can you see where I'm going with this?;)
Before I actually read Twilight, I never ever EVER in a million years thought I would have enjoyed (much less become obsessed with) a book about vampires. That was just not my style, remember? Yeah, well thankfully for me, I gave in and gave it a shot and was proved wrong! I thought about this for a few days... How many potentially great reads have I been missing out on because of my biased opinions on what I might or might not like? In a last ditch effort to get Ben to read Twilight, I decided to try the "open mind" approach again and we made a deal... I would read Ender's Game if he'd read Twilight! I don't think he thought I was serious until I started reading it every day... then he reluctantly picked up Twilight and began himself.
I think I'm holding up my end of the bargain a lot better than he is but this is actually starting to get a bit enjoyable on my part. I haven't gotten too terribly far yet (for those of you that have read it, I'm at the part where he has just been promoted to Salamader and his commander is being really mean to him) but I have to admit... not too shabby! I keep waiting for it to get impossibly hard to understand or way too weird or whatever, but nope... still pretty interesting!
If anything, at least I'll have broadened my literary horizons a bit. I'm not expecting fireworks or anything (after Edward, thats kind of almost impossible) but if I can make it through the whole book I'll be pleasantly surprised! Good luck to me...and to Ben too, I know that getting into a 17 year old girl's mind is probably torture, heehee!
5 comments:
Here's a parallel tale for you:
Back in the summer of 2001, when Clark and I were first dating, Clark decided that I should read the Ender's Game series. And I decided that Clark should read the Harry Potter series. The deal was struck. Of course, Clark finished the 4 HP books in a ridiculously short period of time, and I basically just read Ender's Game that summer, but eventually I read the other 3, and I loved them. I just found it interesting that we had the same deal, and almost with the same books.
Oh, and as a side note, I like the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th books in the Ender series better than the 1st one. They are VERY different. Just something to keep in mind.
That's so funny! When Ben and I started dating, I made him start reading HP too, lol!
You really think I'll like the other books? Ben thinks they'll be a bit too odd for my taste. I suppose I could give it a try, but for now I need to see if I can at least get through the 1st one! It really isn't 1/2 bad!
Well, if it was comments from me you were digging for, you found the right topic!
I recall a quote (which my brain attributes to OSC [Orson Scott Card], though I can't prove it) "Science Fiction is just fantasy on spaceships. And fantasy is just sci-fi with dragons."
Too many people think that sci-fi is books about spaceships. I have long argued that good sci-fi (which Ender's Game is) is about characters. The futuristic setting should remain a small detail.
A parting shot from OSC: (can you name that plot? =) )
"A young kid growing up in an oppressive family situation suddenly learns that he is one of a special class of children with special abilities, who are to be educated in a remote training facility where student life is dominated by an intense game played by teams flying in midair, at which this kid turns out to be exceptionally talented and a natural leader. He trains other kids in unauthorized extra sessions, which enrages his enemies, who attack him with the intention of killing him; but he is protected by his loyal, brilliant friends and gains strength from the love of some of his family members. He is given special guidance by an older man of legendary accomplishments who previously kept the enemy at bay. He goes on to become the crucial figure in a struggle against an unseen enemy who threatens the whole world."
I'll take as long as I want to read that girly girl book! :)
That's really funny Shannon, no wonder you guys are friends!
I forgot what I was going to say...
oh well.
Good luck with the read! Brian really likes Ender's Game too. I've never read any of these books. I should read more.
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