Orson Scott Card

Simple Living · Oct 30, 2007

I'm new to Sci-Fi, as well as Orson Scott Card. I was reading a post elsewhere on the forums by a talented writer who attended one of his writing conferences. He intrigued me about OSC.

I'd like to read some of his work. Work that exemplifies what he teaches in his conferences (if you've been to one, that is). What do you consider to be his top three best books?

Pomegranate · Oct 30, 2007

My favorite OSC book is Pastwatch: the Redemption of Christopher Columbus. I've pushed it onto numerous friends saying "You must read this." My next favorite is Ender's Game.

I'm not sure if these typify what he teaches, but I loved 'em.

III · Oct 30, 2007

He's my all-time favorite author. You gotta start with Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, and Xenocide (skip Children of the Mind). Eventually come back to the Ender's Shadow series, but give it some time in between. Other favs:

The Worthing Chronicles (which you'll especially enjoy because it's about simple living).
Treason
Wyrms
Pastwatch
The entire Alvin Maker series
All his short stories.

Dang it, now I want to go back and re-read all those. I've read them all at least 2 - 4 times, but it might be time for another stroll through the house of Card.

TheIT · Oct 30, 2007

Ender's Game (series) and Songmaster. For non-fiction, Characters and Viewpoint is an excellent how-to book on writing.

I attended a booksigning of his a few years ago and was the only one to ask him to sign two of his how-to-write books rather than his fiction. When he asked whether I was a writer, I hemmed and hawed, so he asked me whether I'd written anything down or just bought a pencil. I said I'd written, and he said, "Then you're a writer." Made me think.

Marian Perera · Oct 30, 2007

My three top OSC novels are

1. Ender's Game, which is science fiction
2. Hart's Hope, which is fantasy
3. Saints, which is a historical fiction about a woman who converts to Mormonism - and although I'm an atheist, I enjoyed this book.

I also recommend his Characters and Viewpoint and How to write science fiction and fantasy.

JoNightshade · Oct 30, 2007

Songmaster is not for everyone, but I loved it.

I also love the first three books of the Homecoming series. Love love love.

And, you know, everything else he's written.

Warning: After reading and loving Ender's Game, some people are disappointed by Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide. Just know going in that Ender's Game is simpler and more your straightforward plot kinda book. The others are more philosophical. I loved them more than I did Ender's Game.

III · Oct 30, 2007

TheIT said:
Ender's Game (series) and Songmaster. For non-fiction, Characters and Viewpoint is an excellent how-to book on writing.

I attended a booksigning of his a few years ago and was the only one to ask him to sign two of his how-to-write books rather than his fiction. When he asked whether I was a writer, I hemmed and hawed, so he asked me whether I'd written anything down or just bought a pencil. I said I'd written, and he said, "Then you're a writer." Made me think.

I bet you wanted to give ol' Uncle Orson a big kiss on his forehead for saying that, dincha? What a non-elitist thing for him to say.

Ali B · Oct 30, 2007

Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus is amazing. I loooovvvvved the Homecoming series. He comes up with the most original stuff!

III · Oct 30, 2007

JoNightshade said:
Warning: After reading and loving Ender's Game, some people are disappointed by Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide. Just know going in that Ender's Game is simpler and more your straightforward plot kinda book. The others are more philosophical. I loved them more than I did Ender's Game.

Speaker for the Dead is his masterpiece, imo. It's just beautiful.

edgyllama · Oct 30, 2007

I have up on him...he can find time to write a bazillion ender books but not to finish the freaking alvin series?

Simple Living · Oct 30, 2007

Jenkies! In only 14 minutes, I get nine responses! Enthusiastic ones at that. (III, I've always enjoyed your posts. You crack me up daily.)

Thank you all so much for your suggestions, reasons and explanations. It's all incredibly helpful to me right now. I'll let you all know what I decide after more people have made their suggestions. Thanks again!

JoNightshade · Oct 30, 2007

Alina Bradford said:
Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus is amazing. I loooovvvvved the Homecoming series. He comes up with the most original stuff!

That book prompted me to go on a Columbus kick. I love how he included a bibliography in the back with comments on which books were the best. I used it as my guide.

J. Weiland · Oct 30, 2007

edgyllama said:
I have up on him...he can find time to write a bazillion ender books but not to finish the freaking alvin series?

Tell me about it. I had bought all six and finally gotten around to reading 'em all. Of course, coming to the end, it finally dawns on me that the series isn't complete. I'm hoping the next one will be the last one. Some of the series are more slowgoing than others.

His best work, in my opinion:
Ender's Game (non-stop action)
Speaker for the Dead (intriguing plot and fantastic setting)
Xenocide (Among other things, a fantastic description of and plot use of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

dolores haze · Oct 30, 2007

III said:
Speaker for the Dead is his masterpiece, imo. It's just beautiful.

I love many of his books, but I agree that this is his masterpiece.
I recommend you start with the Ender series, and go on from there. Wish I could read them again for the first time. Lucky you!

JoNightshade · Oct 30, 2007

I wish he would stop doing other things, like video games, webzines, scripts, writing workshops... and just write! Please, Mr. Card, I'm begging you.

(That's right... I believe all great writers should be chained to their keyboards.)

III · Oct 30, 2007

JoNightshade said:
That book prompted me to go on a Columbus kick. I love how he included a bibliography in the back with comments on which books were the best. I used it as my guide.

But did you read the short story on his website that expanded on the "Noah" story?

Simple Living · Oct 30, 2007

Questions

Being new to sci-fi, can I ask what specifically makes something sci-fi? I tend to think Star Wars, Star Trek, spaceships and aliens. Are these what OSC's books are like?

- What are the books about Alvin?

- How many books in the Ender series and which is the first one?

- What are his fantasy books like? (How are they different from his sci-fi?) Queen of Swords mentioned Hart's Hope. Does he have others? I like fantasy.

- Anyone else like the Worthing Chronicles? III is right, I enjoy living simply.

- Characters and Viewpoint is definitely on the list, thanks TheIT. I've heard too much about OSC's writing conferences to not buy it at this point.

- JoNightShade, why do you say that about Songmaster? Personally, the main things I hate in books are sex, graphic violence and vulgar language.

To everyone: What is it about his writing that people love so much?

Marian Perera · Oct 30, 2007

Simple Living said:
What are his fantasy books like? (How are they different from his sci-fi?) Queen of Hearts mentioned Hart's Hope. Does he have others? I like fantasy.

Hart's Hope has superb worldbuilding. Here's an example : the land is ruled by four gods - the Hart, the god called God, and the Sweet Sisters, who are worshipped by women and who take the form of twins who were born joined at the face. The story is incredibly sad, because Card rarely hesitates to make characters suffer, but despite a certain small flaw in the plot that I won't describe for fear of spoilers, it's still lyrical and memorable.

Oh, and it's Queen of Swords.

To everyone: What is it about his writing that people love so much?

One thing I like about his writing is that Card creates unforgettable characters without describing physical characteristics like eye color or hair color. Until I read his novels, I didn't even think this could be done.

Pthom · Oct 30, 2007

Simple Living said:
Being new to sci-fi, can I ask what specifically makes something sci-fi? I tend to think Star Wars, Star Trek, spaceships and aliens. Are these what OSC's books are like?

Read How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy available here or from Writer's Digest Books

- How many books in the Ender series and which is the first one?

~~four~~ Oops, guess not. Subsequent posts have proven me wrong.

To everyone: What is it about his writing that people love so much?

I can't answer for everyone, but for me (and I began my reading his works with the Ender series), it is his fresh approach to what up to then was becoming a rather jaded genre.

Simple Living · Oct 30, 2007

Queen of Swords said:
Hart's Hope has superb worldbuilding. Here's an example : the land is ruled by four gods - the Hart, the god called God, and the Sweet Sisters, who are worshipped by women and who take the form of twins who were born joined at the face. The story is incredibly sad, because Card rarely hesitates to make characters suffer, but despite a certain small flaw in the plot that I won't describe for fear of spoilers, it's still lyrical and memorable.

Oh, and it's Queen of Swords.

One thing I like about his writing is that Card creates unforgettable characters without describing physical characteristics like eye color or hair color. Until I read his novels, I didn't even think this could be done.

Sorry about the typo. I corrected it. I access this site while I'm at work and sometimes it gets busy. Sorry about that!

Thanks for the explanations!

Simple Living · Oct 30, 2007

I just saw this on Wikipedia. Which order would you guys suggest?

According to Card,[2] there is no strictly preferred order of reading. The books can be read in the order they were originally written in:

Alternatively, there is the chronological order of story beginnings:

AnnieColleen · Oct 30, 2007

JoNightshade said:
Warning: After reading and loving Ender's Game, some people are disappointed by Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide.

Yes! Those drove me up the wall with raising plot questions and not answering them! I much prefer the more straightforward stories.

Pastwatch was good as well. The other Ender sequels (the Shadow series) were fun but not up to the original, I thought.

TheIT · Oct 30, 2007

I first discovered Ender's Game as the novella in Analog magazine. OSC expanded it greatly in the novel series, but I still like the original. Ender's siblings didn't exist in that version (or at least were never mentioned).

III, yeah, what OSC said was pretty cool. I was still feeling very hesitant about trying to write, so having someone I admired encouraging me was great.

Pthom · Oct 30, 2007

TheIT: was the original Ender story as long as a novella? I seem to recall it being significantly shorter. But maybe I read faster then. And I agree with you: in many ways it was better than the entire rest of the Ender series.

TheIT · Oct 30, 2007

Pthom, I'm probably mistaken on the length (novella vs. novellette vs. short story). I'll have to go look for the magazine. What I remember is that it was the bare bones of the story, and a very good read.

Orson Scott Card

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