Journal of Tormod Haugen

I’ve recently finished reading Orson Scott Card’s books about Ender and the people around him. Namely I’ve plowed through the Ender Cycle and the Shadow Cycle. I must say that although the three parts were quite different - I enjoyed them all.

I’ve read the short story Ender’s Game before, and it moved me. Still, the book is a better piece of work, as it should be quite a few years later. This one still touch me deep inside, in a emotional kind of way. This is an absolute must, and I can see myself reading it again in the future.

The books in the Ender Cycle are placed far into the future, and deals with the philosophical (moral) and practical questions attached when Humans once again meet a race of intelligent beings who have potential to destroy us as a species. It is good, bordering on brilliant (subjective, I know) - but I feel that the break between Xenocide and Children of the Mind was… awkward. Still, there were food for thought here, and I did enjoy them.

Last comes the Shadow Cycle, where we follow Bean (read Ender’s Game) through Battle School, and then him and the other Battle School graduates after the war. I did enjoy Ender’s Shadow, which is about the same time, place and people as Ender’s Game, very much as it give a different view on the happenings at Battle School. It is a companion to the first book, and fills a few holes. Still, it was not as strong as the first. The rest of the books here didn’t interest me as much as the others in the Ender Cycle - but were nicely filling out the time between the end of the Bugger War and the Unification of Earth. They are worth reading, but I agree with the shopkeeper in my local book store. I’m paraphrasing her: Not all the books are all that good, but the series as a whole is worth reading.

So, then I’m off to other pastures.

I’m currently reading a teriffic book by Neil Stephenson, namely the Cryptonomicon. It is more of a historic fiction mainly using the act of hiding and discovering information as a red thread. The events are spread out over several generations, focusing on World War II and present day.

Being a bit slow on the uptake, the only other Stephenson book I’ve read is Snowcrach, which were more of a Cyberpunk-ish kind of story - along the lines of William Gibson’s work. Both these authors are enjoying and engaging - I cannot easily put Cryptonomicon down, and I just have to read at least another chapter each night. And it is a big brick of a book.

And best of all; it is way better than Dan Brown’s Digital Fortress. Way. Better. Though it isn’t that thriller-ish, and I cannot see that should be; the story works great the way it is.