ARC Review: Ender's World

Ender's World edited by Orson Scott Card
4/5 stars
Smart Pop, 2013
282 pages
Non-Fiction Science-Fiction Essays
Scheduled to release April 2

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Like many people, I discovered Ender's Game as a child and have returned to it time and time again, always finding something new. I am tentatively anticipating the film version this year (Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff...for some reason I thought he'd be Mazer Rackham.)

As The Girl Who Was on Fire made me want to reread the Hunger Games trilogy, this book made me want to reread Ender's Game as well as explore the other books set in that universe, which I have never read. There are some brief references to the other stories but the main focus is on Ender's Game. Per usual, I will briefly look at each essay, which has made for a long review. Basically if you love Ender's Game, you'll find things to enjoy in this book.

How It Should Have Ended by Eric James Stone: The premise of this essay is one I identified very strongly with. To wit, that Ender's Game should have ended with Ender's victory. Upon my first reading that is what stuck me with the most and the scenes that came after seemed unnecessary and even confusing to me. Like Stone though, further readings gave greater understanding about those moments, adding to the richness of my experience. A great essay to start off the book!

The Monster's Heart by John Brown: Brown brings in some science to accompany his look at some of the most poignant parts of the novel, analyzing how fiction can still inspire very real responses in us humans. He looks at how Card evoked such strong responses and helped us visualize certain moments so vividly without necessarily even describing a lot. I especially appreciated his look at the bugger queen as I'm still wrestling with my response to the buggers.

The Cost of Breaking the Rules by Mary Robinette Kowal: Kowal attended a Literary Boot Camp from Card and learned all some writing rules there. She then proceeded to go through Ender's Game and find the multiple instances where Card broke those same rules. BUT that was as a writer recognizing that there was a cost to those decisions-a worthwhile cost but a cost nonetheless. I was pleased to see Kowal's essay here as I have enjoyed her fiction immensely.

Winning and Losing in Ender's Game by Hilari Bell: Bell looks at the cost of winning and losing in the book, specifically where winning costs more than losing and the toll this takes on Ender especially as he compares himself to Peter.

Parallax Regained: Two Views of Ender's Game by David Lubar and Alison S. Myers: This essay is a father and daughter writing about their experiences with the novel: he as a writer and she as a teacher and how it has impacted their professional and personal lives. It is written as a conversation/debate between the two of them. I especially enjoyed Myers' confession that she probably wouldn't have read it when she was young had her father been the one to suggest it.

Mirror, Mirror by Alethea Kontis: Kontis wrote the fairy-tale retelling Enchanted and looks at a prevalent theme in fairy tales as well as other stories: mirrors (as if you couldn't have guessed that from the title of the essay ;) Not only does the mirror reflect Ender to himself, the book itself reflects each reader to a degree, influencing what we get out of it.

Size Matters by Janis Ian: (sidenote: this woman inspired the name of the character in Mean Girls!) My favorite part of this essay was the observation that perhaps shorter people live longer. I'm 5'4" which is average for an American woman, I believe, but I've always wanted to be 5'10"-this note is helping me reconcile myself to my height. The thrust of the essay though focuses on Ender's size and its importance throughout the story because he really is so small, starting at Battle School younger than most of the other kids and pretty much always being the smallest.

Rethinking the Child Hero by Aaron Johnston: This book compares Ender to a Clint Eastwood character, which didn't really resonate with me as I think I've only seen one or two of his films and haven't had much interest in watching more (I don't care for westerns and that's what I mainly associate him with).

A Teenless World by Mette Ivie Harrison: Harrison looks at children acting in an adult world and speaking in an adult manner. Card makes this utterly believable-although Ender is but six at the start, I never found myself pulled out of the story thinking that no one that age would talk like that.  This book offers kids a chance to imagine themselves in positions of incredible power and responsibility and it's intoxicating.

Ender on Leadership by Colonel Tom Ruby (USAF, Retired): This military man discusses how Ender's Game impacted him and other soldiers with their conceptions of leadership, striving to add that element of extraordinary compassion and feeling that Ender has.

Ender Wiggin, USMC by John F. Schmitt: Schmitt discusses the history of the Marine Corps and its reorganization and philosophy in comparison to the tactics used by Ender in the Battle Room. This chapter also includes a look at Tactical Decision Games, which I immediately wanted to try out as soon as I can gather a group of people to explore it with.

The Price of Our Inheritance by Neal Shusterman: Shusterman looks at the war being fought and how it hinges on the question "How many people would you kill to protect the lives of your  children?" The answer: As many as necessary, which is displayed in the book but how does that impact Ender? At the end of the war, he is condemned by the very people he saved. A very thought-provoking read.

If the Formics Love Their Children by Ken Scholes: Scholes only very recently came to Ender's Game, in fact not reading the book until he was contacted to write an essay for this book. As such, he entered with an adult's mind and prepared to study the book against the background when it was originally published and how that has changed (and what has remained the same) over the years.

Ender's Game: A Guide to Life by Matt Nix: I mostly have to mention this one as the author is the creator of "Burn Notice," one of my mom's favorite shows and beloved by my whole family really. Throughout his life, he has connected with people because of this book and it has served as a guide as he figured out what he wanted to do with his life (eventually settling on creating an excellent action/mystery/thriller/comedic/romantic/all-around awesome show).

As I wrote this review, I realized just how many essays were in this book-there are so many perspectives! I also should mention that interspersed between the essays are some questions and answers from OSC, giving further (fascinating) insight into the writing of Ender's Game.

The Panem Companion

The Panem Companion by V. Arrow
4/5 stars
Smart Pop, 2012
237 pages
YA Non-Fiction

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For whatever reason, I've been super into reading books about The Hunger Games. Earlier this year, I reviewed The Girl Who Was On Fire and loved it so I was thrilled to check out another release from the same publisher looking at some different aspects of this beloved trilogy.

The weird thing for me is how interested I've been in reading unofficial guides and analysis about the books. I've been a huge Harry Potter fan, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and others but I didn't necessarily want to read anything other than the fictional texts, whether official or unofficial. Yet something about Collins' text really drives me to think about it more academically and makes me love it even more. I suspect that has something to do with the fact that instead of being fantasy, it is dystopia and as Arrow tracks in this book, events could occur that lead to similar circumstances to create the world of Panem. It's not likely. Also because of that closeness to our real-life, I feel more easily able to see the similarities and ways of approaching analyzing them especially in Collins' presentation of war and reality television, the juxtaposition of which Collins has admitted was a huge jumping off point for the series.

Besides looking at some of the most important characters, settings and themes of the trilogy, this book also contains a lexicon looking at the background behind the names of (I believe) all the named characters. Though these analyses are purely guesswork, they do provide interesting insight into some of the thoughts that may have guided Collins when naming as well as providing foreshadowing on their eventual fates to those who know.

The best part of this book though is that it is pushing me to reread the trilogy, something I haven't done since first reading it in 2010. I think that will be a 2013 goal and I can't wait!

The Girl Who Was on Fire

The Girl Who was on Fire edited by Leah Wilson
5/5 stars
Smart Pop, 2012
209 pages
YA Essays

Source: Received an e-copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I remember falling for The Hunger Games way back in 2010 (shortly before the release of Mockingjay) and being so pleased to have the rest of the world catch on to what us bookish folk already knew when the movie came out earlier this year. I feel like The Hunger Games is definitely one of the more thought-provoking YA series and was excited to check out this collection especially as some of my favorite authors contributed pieces. One thing these essays did a great job at is making me want to reread Mockingjay which I did not enjoy the first time around and which I have never read again. So kudos!

Why So Hungry for the Hunger Games by Sarah Rees Brennan: I enjoy Brennan's writing a lot as there are always some witty remarks; this one is no exception as she touches on the popularity of this series, including the fascinating issues that series brings up, the romantic wish-fulfillment angle, and the author's insight into reality and illusion.

Team Katniss by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Another author I enjoy tackles the fan perception of the series as solely choosing between Team Peeta and Team Gale, making some great arguments for focusing on Katniss as a person herself who is so much more than the person she chooses to love. I especially loved the discussion of her love of Prim because Katniss' love for her sister is what drew me into the books (it reminded me of my love for my younger sister-I'd try to win the Hunger Games for her).

Your Heart Is a Weapon the Size of Your Fist by Mary Borsellino: This essay, from an unfamiliar author, looks at the power of love in The Hunger Games especially as compared to one of its inspirations Nineteen Eighty-Four. What does Katniss know about love and integrity that allows her to keep going and to ultimately carve out her (scarred but) happy ending?

Smoke and Mirrors by Elizabeth M. Rees: Looks at the realities and the illusions perpetrated by the Capitol and others throughout the series and how the main characters negotiated them.

Someone to Watch Over Me by Lili Wilkinson: This examines surveillance, drawing parallels from our own world where someone is pretty much almost always watched (or could be watched) and the balance of power in Katniss' world. There are the Watchers, the Watched, and the Engineers who must be balanced and the worst that happens when that delicate balance is disrupted.

Reality Hunger by Ned Vizzini: This essay looks at media training, the kind underwent by Katniss as well as Vizzini's real-life experiences doing promotion for his writing. Some humorous stories are included in this writing as it seems that Vizzini does not have the same heroic authenticity as Katniss.

Panem et Circenses by Carrie Ryan: Ryan draws some troubling connections from the series to our own world. Namely she looks at our (well your as I eschew reality television) willingness to watch reality tv but always needing an escalation of the stakes just as in the Reaping every year. This impulse to catch eyeballs also influences the narratives given to us (such as fake romances and how moments are edited together to present one story that we then buy as truth). Very thought-provoking and one of my favorite essays!

Not So Weird Science by Cara Lockwood: Did you think the muttations were terrifying and yet totally implausible? Maybe you were wrong about that second part as Lockwood looks at what our world has been doing with genetic engineering as well as our long and troubled history with creating things with the best intentions that are quickly turned against us.

Hunger Game Theory by Diana Peterfreund: This explores game theory, something I've heard about before but was not very familiar with. Using examples from the series as well as drawing from Harry Potter and Ender's Game, she helps to illuminate the theory as well as that the best results come from human cooperation, which tends to end in refusing to play the game at all (or in other words rebelling against the gamemakers.)

Crime of Fashion by Terri Clark: I love to read about the clothes in books (I blame Ann M. Martin and the BSC's outrageous fashion statements from Claudia) so this essay was of great interest to me. How do the clothes Cinna designs for Katniss help to spark revolution? What does each outfit say that is so needed to hear at that particular moment? Another fabulous essay on a topic near and dear to my heart!

Bent, Shattered, and Mended by Blythe Woolston: This one was a little more science-y than some of the other essays have been as it looks at the brain, memory, and PTSD symptoms. Clearly all of the tributes undergo significant mental trauma due to their forced participation in the games and Woolston draws out those feelings and memories.

Did the Third Book Suck? by Brent Hartinger: This provocatively title essay kind of aligns with my initial impression of Mockingjay-it just did not meet my expectations. However after mulling the book over for going on two years and especially after reading these essays, I am willing to reassess my thinking. I still think I prefer the first two books but I don't think I fully appreciated the differences in Mockingjay and the way Collins pursued her own idea for an ending instead of trying to meet reader expectations for a traditional conclusion.

The Politics of Mockingjay by Sarah Darer Littman: Another really awesome essay, especially to me who has been thinking about a lot of these issues in anticipation of the American presidential election. Collins obviously has seriously followed and thought about the War on Terror in contrast with many of us who prefer the circus to serious consideration.

Gale: Knight. Cowboy. Badass. by Jackson Pearce: There are some hilarious moments in this essay (note watch "Firefly" and "Serenity" beforehand as she will urge you to do so over the course of the writing) as well as an exploration of Gale as an archetype. I was always a Peeta fan so this essay helped to crystallize all the reasons why.

The Inevitable Decline of Decadence by Adrienne Kress:  Kress reveals our society's predisposition toward cycling through indulgence and self-denial until inevitably we fall and seek the other as a counterbalance. She cites ancient Rome and the French Revolution in particular as examples of decadence before destruction just as in the Capitol.

Community in the Face of Tyranny by Bree Despain: I loved the hook for this, which shows how President Snow thought he had everything under control but the tiny act of a boy giving a girl bread leads to community leads to Katniss rising, becoming the Mockingjay, and sparking rebellion. That one small action leads to so much upheaval. Great conclusion.

Overall: I loved it-I'm asking for a hardcopy for Christmas because I want to reread the whole series and then contend with these essays some more. Great for fans of the series!