Tag: Coming of Age

Books

Book 15: The Memory of Earth – Orson Scott Card

Geoff W

Personal politics aside, I actually enjoyed this novel. It was fantasy enough that the science-fiction didn’t beat me over the head, similar to some of the Irene Radford I’ve read in the past (The Stargods) but less of a struggle. It must come naturally to Card to blend these similar yet distinct genres

I decided to check out Orson Scott Card because he’s a legend in the science-fiction world. Everyone always talks about Ender’s Game and how it’s one of the best novels they’ve ever read. Well I couldn’t afford to buy any new books and I found three of the Homecoming series on sale at the used book sale at the Denver Public Library so I bought them.

The book jumps right in to things. Card tries to give a bit of background about who is related and what their relations are, but honestly it’s a bit much to take in especially as you don’t know anything about the characters. As the story progresses we learn more about the planet Harmony and how it came to be. We primarily follow the youngest son of an influential family, Nafai and his internal struggles of growing up and coming to terms with the world and the people around him.

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Books

Book 12: Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins

Geoff W

[To see an updated review of when I re-read it in 2013 before the release of the films click here.]

I honestly don’t know how I feel about Mockingjay. My reaction isn’t as strong as it was to either The Hunger Games or Catching Fire. I’m not sure if it has to do with the psychological aspect of the novel or the context of this novel or the ending of such a strong trilogy in such a lack-luster manner. As with the first two I read the novel very quickly and enjoyed the read.

However, I once again have to say that I believe the trilogy would’ve been stronger if it was a quadrilogy or even five novels. More detail of the minor characters of the skirmishes would have created a stronger ending to the series and would’ve perhaps built more realistic characters and created empathy with many of them. DON’T READ AFTER THIS IF YOU WANT TO READ THEM ON YOUR OWN (SPOILERS).

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Books

Book 11: Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins

Geoff W

[To see an updated review of when I re-read it in 2013 before the release of the films click here.]

Similar to The Hunger Games, I pretty much read this in one sitting. I hadn’t planned on reading it for at least 24 hours after I’d finished Volume I, but I just couldn’t keep myself away.

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN The Hunger Games DON’T READ AFTER THIS POINT!

Catching Fire picks up approximately six months after the end of the 74th annual Hunger Games. We check in with Katniss, Peeta and everyone in District 12 prior to Katniss and Peeta’s champion tour (yes they both one, with the threat of a double suicide, the gamemakers had no choice but to crown them both champions.

As the first chapter ends, the impact of Katniss and Peeta’s actions at the end of the games comes to light with a visit from the President who makes threats against Gale, Katniss’ love interest, and hers and Peeta’s families. It is from this point on where you not only realize how young Katniss is, but also how much she has on her shoulders.

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Books

Book 10: The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

Geoff W

[To see an updated review of when I re-read it in 2013 before the release of the films click here.]

Wow. I have no other words for this book.

How do you sum up something this intense? I wanted to cry within the first five chapters and was completely riveted and did not want to stop reading (and didn’t). The novel is a conglomeration of science fiction writers throughout history, from H.G. Wells, George Orwell, William Golding, and even Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and modern reality TV.

The Hunger Games is a dystopic novel about the US in the untold future where there were thirteen districts (thirteen colonies anyone?) and the capital. The capital won some sort of long-standing battle against the rebellion and completely obliterated one of the districts (13 – unlucky!) and indentured the other twelve. Each year the 12 districts have to send one female and one male competitor to the Hunger Games. These games, televised on national TV are a deathly battle where only one person can survive and they have to kill or be killed by the other 23 competitors. The quirky (seems to be my new word) characterization of the novel provides many brief respites from the seriousness of the task at hand and the oppressive government.

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Books

Book 5: Tales of the Jazz Age – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Geoff W

As much as I wanted to, I could not bring myself to like most of the stories in this book. Fitzgerald has a way with turns of phrases and can set a story better than most, but I cannot get over the fact that all he writes about is, money, alcohol, parties and women. There were a couple of stories that stood out: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (the reason I read the collection) and “O Russet Witch!” It is interesting to note that both of these are in the section of short stories Fitzgerald calls ‘Fantasies.’ The Lees of Happiness was also a good story, but it is under ‘Unclassified Masterpieces,’ and The Jelly-Bean in the ‘My Last Flappers’ portion. Four out of eleven isn’t too bad, but some of them were just odd.

Aside from the subject matter, the only thing that bothered me about his stories was the way he wrote about the South. It was similar to the way he wrote about cities. It was almost as if he’d not been there, but had this idea of what they were like. His dialogue and colloquialisms seemed real enough, but everything just seemed too caricatured and maybe it was a conscious effort on his part.

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