One of Michael Crichton's best. This has the feel of a great classic adventure like Indiana Jones. Deep in the jungle, looking for precious stones, wi...moreOne of Michael Crichton's best. This has the feel of a great classic adventure like Indiana Jones. Deep in the jungle, looking for precious stones, with ancient ruins and savages beasts all around. There is so much suspense, you feel as if you are with the characters, creeping through the forest, terrified with every rustle of leaves. But there is also so much adventure, in Crichton style.(less)
The Pit and the Pendulum is one of my absolute favourite stories ever. Thats why I bought this book. I wanted more of Poe's words. I love the words he...moreThe Pit and the Pendulum is one of my absolute favourite stories ever. Thats why I bought this book. I wanted more of Poe's words. I love the words he chooses to say something. I first read The Pit and the Pendulum when I was in eighth grade and I remember hating Poe because he used so many words to say something simple and it really frustrated me, but now I think its beautiful. He can turn something mundane into something poetic.
I also especially enjoyed Hop-Frog and The Murders in Rue Morgue.(less)
I chose to read this for a grade 11 project. My partner was a guy and he was pretty disappointed that I picked this, but he ended up not even reading...moreI chose to read this for a grade 11 project. My partner was a guy and he was pretty disappointed that I picked this, but he ended up not even reading it. :P I dont remember what led me to pick this, but I am so glad I did. It has been one of my favourites ever since. The writing in it is just beautiful! And I got really good grade on the project. :P(less)
I will be forever amazed by the complexity of this story. Its almost difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that someone was brilliant enough to wr...moreI will be forever amazed by the complexity of this story. Its almost difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that someone was brilliant enough to write it. The story makes me think of layers. When you think you have come to the end of a part of Dantes' plan, you dig deeper and there is much much more. But everything fit together perfectly, in such a large picture. Dantes got his perfect revenge. No one ever saw him coming, no one could have imagine what he had in store for them.(less)
Over the second and third book in the Ender series, I have come to really care for the characters, the people of Lusitania. After having absolutely ad...moreOver the second and third book in the Ender series, I have come to really care for the characters, the people of Lusitania. After having absolutely adored the first two books, their stories in the third were as great as I would expect from this series.
But Xenocide alternates between the people of Lusitania and the house of Han Fei-tzu on Path. It took a long time for their role to be clear, and once it became clear, I could see that it was not necessary. Only Wang-mu contributed a few thoughts concerning the Descolada, which could have easily been written as Ela or Quara's discoveries. And the people of Path's dilemma was completely unrelated to Lusitania and I see no purpose in adding it to the story, except that its an author's right.
The reason why I would look for excuses to do without the characters on Path is because they were not welcoming. I felt like they were intruding in a story they did not belong in. Their world was very different from Lusitania, their culture very strange. As time went on I did not grow to love them, except Wang-mu so her characters path is fitting, but began to see them as more and more foreign. In the end I was left feeling completely disgusted by Han Qing-Jao.(less)
I enjoyed the second Ender book almost as much as the first. It is nothing like Ender's Game, but shows a completely different side of Ender's genius...moreI enjoyed the second Ender book almost as much as the first. It is nothing like Ender's Game, but shows a completely different side of Ender's genius and it is fascinating. Although Ender was an absolute genius from the beginning, at the end of Ender's Game I looked at him with pity. But at the end of Speaker for the Dead, I looked at him with wonder.(less)
An excellent conclusion, a great outcome, almost happy all around. Speaker for the Dead is still my favourite of the four, and Xenocide is still my le...moreAn excellent conclusion, a great outcome, almost happy all around. Speaker for the Dead is still my favourite of the four, and Xenocide is still my least favourite. But of the two left, Ender's Game and Children of the Mind, I'm not sure which I prefer. Ender's Game is absolutely brilliant, but so different from the others its hard to figure out where it fits. Ender's Game is like the introduction to Ender's character, his background, but the last three are the story. I must admit, I have a great weakness for romance mixed into science fiction. I almost always find the romances within a sci-fi novel, movie, or tv series, more satisfying than pure romance/drama. So, this book was quite a bit of fun for me, in that sense. It is also the only book to make me cry, as far as I can remember. I cried several times while reading this. So many confessions of love for a sci-fi novel! I'm such a softy.(less)
I enjoyed this almost as much as Ender's Game, except for the fact that I knew the ending, and Bean has his own strengths but he is not quite as sympa...moreI enjoyed this almost as much as Ender's Game, except for the fact that I knew the ending, and Bean has his own strengths but he is not quite as sympathizable as Ender. Thats why Ender got the job after all.
Bean had a new and interesting story to tell. I liked seeing into his mind most of the time, his unique view of the world. But it was a little frustrating how he always tried to figure out things ahead of time, when he didnt have all the information. He is a genius, but he made a lot of false assumptions before figuring out the truth. It got tiring since those who read Ender's Game first know the truth from the beginning. But I still really felt for the little guy.
I feel sorry for him, that he didnt get the recognition from Ender that he wanted. Since OSC didnt know he was going to expand on Bean, there wasnt that much information about him in Ender's Game. I went back and skimmed it after finishing this, and all those times that Bean thought he saw some appreciation from Ender, you can go to the same spot in the story in Ender's Game and see that Ender's wasnt thinking anything. After all he had done, there was no sign that Ender ever knew that Bean held the team together during the final battles when Ender no longer could.(less)
This was fascinating! As I am sure I have said in reviews for previous additions to the Ender series, I love seeing how the characters minds work. The...moreThis was fascinating! As I am sure I have said in reviews for previous additions to the Ender series, I love seeing how the characters minds work. They are all so genius. This addition was a particular treat becasue the earthly war was something not previously visited in this series. So far, two books had been set in Battle School, and three had been regarding the planet Lusitania and saving the native race, the Pequeninos. I was surprised to see the characters caught in this new and exciting situation and how they handled themselves. All their skills put to the test. And I was not disappointed with their performance.
But, further exploration of the character Achilles is what I found most interesting. I never would have expected the lame bully from the streets of Rotterdam in the beginning of Ender's Shadow would grow to be such a driving force in the next installment, let alone in the world of the book. He does not have my sympathy. He is not a tragic hero. He is not a bad guy who is only half bad so you let him hang around. He is an evil sociopath. But he somehow managed to be one of the most attractive fictional sociopaths I've heard of. I half wanted him to keep Petra, just to be able to have more scenes of them trying to figure each other out. But, I knew if he did she would soon be dead. His fatal flaw. I am glad his story was left open to more possibilities. Definitely my favourite of the Shadow series so far. I look forward to reading the next volume with great anticipation.(less)
This was slightly less intersting than the previous book. The war was old news, Bean was no longer an important part of that war, there was not as muc...moreThis was slightly less intersting than the previous book. The war was old news, Bean was no longer an important part of that war, there was not as much of Achilles and when there was he seemed pathetic instead of impressive, and having Bean and Petra married lost some of the fun.
But, there was still lots of interesting things happening in the war, and, married or not, Bean and Petra are great characters. I was also glad to see Ender's parents helping out. And the ending was great. Bean handle himself well even though he was winging it, it was really the only way to beat Achilles, and it was about time.(less)
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