Customer Reviews

Xenocide

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(48)
3 star:		(29)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Ender's Game rocked. Speaker was kind of dull, but an interesting 180 from Ender's Game. Xenocide, while I think it was a little better than Speaker, could have been so much better if he'd cut mayeb 100 pages from it. It's very long, very dry, and very slow. For four hundred pages he hits us with problems and quandries, then solves them very ho hum, as if it's no big deal. Better than a lot of stuff i've read, but a let down as far as Card's work is concerned. If the next one is any worse, I may forego Card's work for a while.

I can't believe all the good reviews Xenocide is getting. This book has no storyline, the so-called deep moral dilemnas could have been better laid out by a 4th grader (no offense to 4th graders), the pseudo-science in it makes it look like a parody of SF (ansibles, philotes, the Outside, auias... please stop), the ending is just disrespecful to readers and the whole 600-page thing just does not make any sense, and has no purpose. OSC has never been a great "writer"; with Ender's Game, he showed he could be a good "storyteller". But since Xenocide basically does not have a plot at all, there's nothing good left out of it. I haven't read Children of the Mind yet, and I may not, despite the fact that it was originally supposed to form just one book with Xenocide and I'm still missing the real ending. But should I care?

I hate myself for writing these words, but they must be written: Xenocide is a major disappointment.

In all honesty, ANY sequel to Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead would probably be something of a disappointment. Those two books did a superb job of telling an excellent story in an extremely detailed universe. It's a miracle the Card managed to follow them up at all, given their scope, but, sadly, the follow-up will leave even the most faithful Ender fan let down.

Card clearly likes to write. That's why he's written so many books. But he must have REALLY wanted to write this time around, because every single conversation is long beyond belief. Every character has something to say concerning some ethical or philosophical issue, but then some other character who has a different take on that issue shoots down the points made by the first person. And then the first person goes and shoots down the shoot-down. Except then the second person shoots down the shoot-down of the shoot-down, and that soon gets shot down as well. I am NOT exaggerating.

This is the root of all problems in Xenocide. Card writes too much when it comes to everything, especially all the trivial, boring points, and as a result, everything else gets bogged down too. The story is good, but you can only get bits and pieces at one time because there's so much dialogue shoved in between.

All of this is encompassed in the single, biggest flaw in the entire series: Orson Scott Card only wrote half a book. Everything is left unfulfilled because the author decided to leave the end to the saga until Children of the Mind. It's a shame, too, because this book had so much potential. I'm sorry for writing this, Mr. Card; just put the whole story in one package next time, and shut up about philosophy already.

In this, the third novel in the Ender series, the world of Lusitania is under threat. The planet is in rebellion, and the Starways Congress fears that if the descolada virus escapes from Lusitania all humanity will be at risk. The descolada virus kills all humans with which it comes into contact but the pequeninos (piggies) require it for the third stage of their life cycle. The human colonists on Lusitania eat food laced with inhibitors to keep the virus at bay. The Starways Congress has decided to destroy the planet: a fleet is on its way with the means to sterilize the planet.

If Lusitania is destroyed, then other sentient species will be destroyed. Andrew (Ender) Wiggins is working to prevent this, and the plot turns on whether Andrew, the members of his family and the leaders of the other species can work together to prevent this multiple xenocide. Research is undertaken in the hope that the descolada's deadly components can be neutralised without destroying the virus.

But the ultimate fate of Lusitania may rest with the Chinese Taoist colony of Path, with Han Fei-Tzu and his daughter Qing-Jao (`Gloriously Bright'). Gloriously Bright is able to discover various truths, but is unable to deal with some of the reality exposed.

`There are many different purposes in this world, many different causes of everything.'

Xenocide is a long novel with multiple themes. The themes of duty and absolution that were so much a part of `Speaker for the Dead' are continued, but there is also considerable reflection on the nature of life and the consequence of choice. Families are split apart as well during the battle to save or destroy Lusitania.

I liked this novel, and although in parts it moved very slowly because contemplation slowed action, I find myself lining up for the fourth instalment. I am intrigued by some of the questions raised, and keen to know what happens next. The worlds created are rich in detail and full of existential dilemma.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I just finished reading all the books in the Ender series, and I loved them all. Xenocide was very different from the others but still a great read. The ending also leaves you hanging so make sure you have Children of the Mind nearby to continue reading! The beginning Chinese philosophical chapters are a bit dull but they'll make more sense later in the book. The author could have spent less time on those chapters but I guess that was his choice. The book was still worth reading.

With every book in Ender series it's becoming more complex and sophisticated. This book is full of very interesting mostly phylosophical (especially interesting on role of religion) and metaphysical discussions. The drawback is that it's much more difficult to read. It takes some effort (at least this was the case for me) to get to the end. Although the series started as quite typical sci-fi I can't consider it to be this genre anymore (the presense of another planet and alien cultures notwithstanding). I am not saying that it's a shortcoming but it's something that future readers need to keep in mind not to be disappointed. I believe Orson Scott Card is a very smart person but not a great writer (if you judge his novels by such criterias as plot and character development). Still, it's a very interesting book assuming you know what to expect.

Xenocide is not quite up to par with the previous books in the Ender Series. It starts off slowly, with Jane cutting off ansible communications with the fleet that has been sent to attack the colony on Luisitania, and doesn't really start to get interesting until over 100 pages into the book. From the 100 page mark it does become an enjoyable read.

A God-spoken girl on the world of Path is set the task of finding out why they lost contact with the fleet, while the people of Luisitania search for a way to stop the Descolata from killing them and all of humanity by keeping the Pequinoes confined to just one planet. Through their separate searches, many amazing and terrifying things are discovered. The frightening purpose of the Descolata is discovered, as is the reason behind the God-spoken of Path. All of these discoveries help to add tension and excitement to an otherwise pretentious book.

The story leaves many questions unanswered, and the survival of the human colony is in doubt, as the whole universe seems to be pushing for its destruction. With the first books in this series, all this seemed fresh and new, if not a little overbearing, but now it's just getting old. The story seems a little forced in places, and it's not as fun as its predecessors.

Xenocide is Orson Scott Card's third installment in the Ender series, and the second book of the Speaker trilogy. Congress has sent its fleet to the world of Lustiania, intent on destroying it in order to put an end to their rebellion. Lusitania also happens to be the only known home in the universe to sentient beings other than Humans, so the result of its destruction will be xenocide - the total annihilation of an entire alien race. When the fleet mysteriously disappears, Congress enlists the aid of Gloriously Bright on the world of Path to discover what has happened.

Xenocide is not one of those action packed non-stop thrill-a-minute science fiction stories that readers of Ender's Game might be hoping for. Instead, Xenocide is much closer to Speaker for the Dead in its pacing. This is sci-fi for the thinking man. Card has a lot he wants to say. He addresses themes of religion, sacrifice, the family, the connections we all make with one another, and much more. Card examines our place in the universe and what it means to be a living thinking being. Card even invents his own science to explain events from the physical, such as the creation of the Universe, to the metaphysical, such as where do our soul's come from. In the midst of all this is an engaging and enjoyable yarn, complete with a rich cast of characters.

If you are looking for a story that makes you stop and think, you will enjoy Xenocide. If you enjoyed Speaker for the Dead then this is a must read. Be warned though, Xenocide doesn't wrap up all of its threads before finishing, so you'll probably be looking forward to picking up the next book in the series in order to resolve those unanswered questions.

I've scanned some of the reviews for this book, to find that a lot of people found Card's change of pace difficult to digest. I suppose people were hoping for a similar dosage of brash suspense and violent conflict. Xenocide delivers something much different. Orson Scott Card is probably one of the few Sci-Fi writers who could get away with creating his own science. Some may argue that he does not accomplish that in this novel, but I beg to differ. Xenocide reads far more like a journey into the psyche of the feeble-brained human, than a simple conflict of interest which is once again, perpetuated by the patriotic, but ultiamtely antagonistic, Starways Congress. Card decided to write something less like a simple novel, and more like a philosophical odyssey. This book also tackles a very popular sci-fi issue of artificial intelligence, but with a complete twist. In this book, readers will actually feel a great deal of empathy for the one called "Jane." Her character makes this novel an emotional masterpiece... it may even be enough to bring one to tears. And the villians of the novel turn out to be multi-dimensioned to the nth degree. And finally, you are left with the story of many factions, fighting to do what they believe is right, and none seeming to be ultimately evil or ultimately good.

Card exposes the flaws and the beauty of the human psyche in what is easily one of his best works to date.

It wasn't bad. But it was nowhere near as good as the first two. The first two had difficult problems solvable by above average characters. The third had impossible problems solvable by either acts of God or super Sci-Fi, Stephen Hawkings, out of this world solutions. It lost my attention went it went so far. Fortunately, it only got way out of whack at the end and I enjoyed it up to that point.