kk91

I'm always happy to read more Ender. And I really appreciate that Card is still deeply invested in telling the story of these characters and wanted to give closure to some of them as well as fill in Ender's travels. But this was trying to go in too many directions... it's a sequel/companion/prequel to pretty much every book in the series and parallel series. I mean, even Card admits he didn't want to reread every one of his books in preparation for writing this and had to ask his fans for timeline details! I'm all for delving into the richness of the universe he's created, but I wish it was more coherent and subtle instead of cobbled together plotlines I ended up not caring about. Plus a lot of the personal drama fell flat for me. Especially the women. Ender's teen luuv interest? The crazy mothers? The horny lab assistant? Ugh. I still love the way all these brilliant characters are so incredibly cynical, and yet able to effect real change through elaborately calculated schemes and personal sacrifice. And this is also a touching portrayal of Ender's post-war state of mind.

2020-08-26 16:24