Movie Review: Ender's Game

Ender's Game
2013
Summit
Rated: PG-13
114 minutes

Movie Description: 

The International Military seek out a leader who can save the human race from an alien attack. Ender Wiggin, a brilliant young mind, is recruited and trained to lead his fellow soldiers into a battle that will determine the future of Earth. (description from IMDB.com)

Review:
So, I may have mentioned once, or twice, or hmmm...numerous times that Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is one of my top five favorite novels of all-time. As such, I have to admit that I was *extremely* nervous when they first announced they were going to attempt a movie adaptation. As casting was announced and stills were released, though, and then finally the trailer came out, my anticipation grew until I could NOT WAIT for November 1st.

I am not a midnight release movie-goer, and yet, I seriously considered it for this movie. Happily, I had Friday off from work, so I did end up seeing it on it's first day in the theater!

I am pleased to report that I really, truly enjoyed the movie. Now, it was not as good as the book, but I'd expected that, so the movie lived up perfectly to the expectations I had for it. First off, the casting choices were STELLAR. Asa Butterfield gave an amazing performance as Ender, as didHarrison Ford playing Colonel Graff. I could not have asked for a better actor for either role. Without those two performances having the nuances and depths that Butterfield and Ford brought to them, the whole movie could have tanked. Then add in the excellent supporting cast and the movie becomes a blockbuster just from that respect!

While Sir Ben Kingsley, Nonso Anozie, and Viola Davis played their parts as the other mentors and role models in Ender's life very, very well, this movie is truly about the children who train to become the military heroes of tomorrow. Again, any of these casting choices failing could have been a crucial mistake and thankfully, these people knew what they were doing. Hailee Steinfeldwas *excellent* as Petra Arkanian. I can see why she'd previously been nominated for an Oscar!

Petra, Bean (played by Aramis Knight) and Alai (played by Suraj Partha) all hit just the right notes, first as competitors that distrust Ender, then as staunch supporters that will follow Ender all the way to the end. Watching these actors interact was a pleasure. Even the choice ofMoises Arias as Bonzo Madrid was spot-on. And though we didn't see a lot of her, Abigail Breslindid a great job as Ender's compassionate sister, Valentine.

In fact, that was one of the things that left me just a hair disappointed as I came out of the theater. Though I know how difficult it can be to pick and choose which aspects of a story are tackled in a movie adaptation, the complete absence of any reference to Peter and Valentine's subplot as influences on Earth's political government, leading to Peter Wiggin becoming the Hegemon (ultimate head of politics on Earth) I felt was glaring. Without this being mentioned at all in this movie, I don't understand how a sequel, if one is ever made, would be tackled as each story following this first one touches on Earth's politics fairly heavily...

I also understand that the timeline had to be tightened up and as such, the focus on the battle school virtual battles became a visually stunning and continuous plot for this movie, but I worry that viewers who have not read the book will not understand the emotional devastation that Ender faces as he becomes more and more isolated and feels more and more empathetic to the race that Earth is trying to destroy. In fact, the movie is restructured in such a way that Ender's isolation is hardly apparent and the empathy that Ender feels for the "buggers" is not apparent until after the culminating events of the movie.

However as a purely visual medium for a shortened/less layered version of the classic story, this movie was pretty epic. The battle room scenes were everything I hoped for, the blend of technologies and Earth and space vistas were breathtaking and I left eager for more.

My friends know that I'm pretty cheap frugal when it comes to seeing movies in the theater...and I liked this one enough that I'm considering going again... let that sink in, people. I may PAY to see this movie a second time. That's the highest endorsement I can give it.

Review: Glow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glow

by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Sky Chasers, book one

Book Description:

If a violent battle destroyed the only world you’ve ever known, would you be brave enough to save who was left? Would love be strong enough to survive the fight? Either way, there’s no turning back.

The Empyrean is the only home 15-year-old Waverly has ever known. Part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space, she and her boyfriend Kieran will be pioneers of New Earth. Waverly knows she must marry young in order to have children who can carry on the mission, and Kieran, the handsome captain-to-be, has everything Waverly could want in a husband. Everyone is sure he’s the best choice. Still, there’s a part of Waverly that wants more from life than marriage, and she is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

Suddenly, Waverly’s dreams are interrupted by the inconceivable – a violent betrayal by the Empyrean's sister ship, the New Horizon. The New Horizon’s leaders are desperate to populate the new planet first, and will do anything to get what they need: young girls. In one pivotal moment, Waverly and Kieran are separated, and find themselves at the helm of dangerous missions, where every move has potentially devastating consequences, and decisions of the heart may lead to disaster.

Review:

Whoa. This book got me from page one and I could NOT put it down. It was compelling, it was creepy, it was... it just was. I sat down and I read and read and read and read.

The characters were great. Kids put into the most difficult of situations...the adults they relied upon have been either killed or taken from them, and now they must take on roles that none of them are truly prepared for... Kieran steps up as "Captain," only to be overthrown by his rival, Seth. Waverly and all the other girls have been kidnapped to be used to populate the other ship that knows it will slowly die out if they cannot procreate...

Each of the teens must decide what their role will be in their new existence. Though they continuously hope to reunite with the remaining parents, they must learn to survive for themselves until that becomes a possibility. There's a little bit of a "Lord of the Flies" thing going on here...

While there is most certainly the start of a love triangle here, what I loved about this book was that there was so much development into why each character would have developed into the person that they've become that they are each strong on their own. No one person is willing to be defined by their relationship to anyone else. While the romantic feelings are a strong factor for the teens trying to reunite, it is not ultimately in any way the driving force that leads them.

With scary themes about morality, experimentation, and societal expectations, Glow was one of those books that I thought about for weeks after I read it. Things just kept rolling around in the back of my head and popping back up to the surface. It was powerful that way.

For that, I bestow an "I can't stop thinking about it" GOLD STAR!!



Gold Star Interview: Deva Fagan!

Hello All!

As you all know, when I LURVE a book, I give it a Gold Star Review here. Well, I was thinking of ways to liven up the blog a bit and had one of those fabulous epiphanies... I'm going to start, or at least attempt, to interview the author of each book that receives a coveted Gold Star! I hope you'll enjoy these quick, little interviews. :D

To kick things off, I'm so happy to host Deva Fagan, author of the fantastic CIRCUS GALACTICUS! You can find my original Gold Star Review here.



Welcome, Deva! Thank you so much for stopping by to chat with me. I have just a couple of quick questions for you:

1. How long did it take you, from first spark of idea to final proofs, to write Circus Galacticus?

The first spark of idea actually came back in *rummages through journal archives* 2005 (!) when I wrote a draft of an entirely different book about a circus in space. While the core idea was the same (misfits forming a circus and traveling around the universe) it had an entirely different plot and cast of characters (for example, the Ringmaster was an elderly lush, and the main character was a girl who trained a pack of alien dogs). It was also a lot grittier, and written as adult science fiction. I really liked the idea, but it never really came together, so I set it aside.

It wasn't until the fall of 2008 that I came back to that core idea and had the notion to try reworking it with teenage protagonists. That was when the spark really turned into a bonfire, and I quickly wrote what would become CIRCUS GALACTICUS. It sold in the fall of 2009, and was published in November 2011.




It just goes to show that sometimes you just have to be patient with some ideas you love!


2. If you could write a book under a pseudonym that no one would ever connect to you, are there any genres you would love to secretly explore?

I'm actually working on a project right now that's a new direction for me. It's a character-driven YA fantasy, with a strong romantic element, and more of a serious, epic plot than my first three books, which are more light, humorous reads for slightly younger audiences.

It's been a very challenging project, but I've really enjoyed pushing myself to do something new! Especially as it's more in the vein of the types of books I loved best as a girl, like Robin McKinley's THE HERO AND THE CROWN, Meredith Ann Pierce's DARKANGEL, and Cynthia Voigt's JACKAROO.

3. I appreciate that Circus Galacticus wrapped Trix’s story up in one book, but I loved the characters and the Big Top so much…would you ever consider writing another book set in the same world?

Oh, it would be a dream-come-true to be able to tell the rest of Trix's story! I love these characters too, and would be thrilled to share more of their adventures, secrets, and ultimate destinies. Alas, publishing is a business, and so far the first book has not sold enough copies for the publisher to consider a sequel at this time.

There's a paperback edition of CIRCUS GALACTICUS on the way November 6th, 2012, though, so keep your fingers crossed that it finds more new readers, and we'll see what happens!

4. If you could cross one thing off your bucket list tomorrow, what would it be?

I'd say "Visiting New Zealand and Australia" but it's already tomorrow there, so that might cause some sort of time-paradox!

5. Quick picks list:
Favorite vacation destination?

Paris! Beautiful gardens and tasty pastries!

Favorite childhood book?

Oops, I already answered this above! So instead I'll tell you one of my favorite non-fantasy books, that I did NOT read as a kid, but wish I had: the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace. If you are a fan of Anne of Green Gables (like me!) you should most definitely check these out. They're based on the real life of the author, growing up in the early 1900s in Minnesota. They are all wonderful, but I especially love the high school era books, starting with HEAVEN TO BETSY.

Favorite writing snack food?

Does tea count?

Favorite clothing item?

Any of my Threadless T-shirts (http://www.threadless.com)!


Thank you Jessica, for having me stop by!
Cheers,
Deva

Thank YOU, Deva, for letting me interview you. It was a pleasure!

For more information about Deva and her books, check out her website at http://devafagan.com/




Review: 172 Hours on the Moon

172 Hours on the Moon
by Johan Harstad

Book Description:
It's been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary teenagers, the winners of NASA's unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to become the first young people in space--and change their lives forever.

Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band's ticket to fame and fortune.

Midori believes it's her way out of her restrained life in Japan.

Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend as possible.

It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And in the black vacuum of space... no one is coming to save them.

 

 

Review:

I was very impressed with this science fiction thriller.

 

 

Though it is a little slow starting, the tension eventually builds into a spine-chilling ending. This is the book for someone who doesn't need a happy ending. This is the book for someone looking for realism and just a touch of horror.

This book has many characters and changes perspectives quite frequently, though you could say that Mia could be considered the "main character." It actually makes it a little easier as the story goes on to be not quite invested in any specific character...

 

 

Whatever your suspicions may be along the way, the author manages to surprise readers with a bleak ending that will give you just the hint of nightmares for a few days...

Review: Circus Galacticus

Circus Galacticus
by Deva Fagan

Book Description:
Trix can deal with being an orphan charity case at a snotty boarding school. She can hold her own when everyone else tells her not to dream big dreams. She can even fight back against the mysterious stranger in a silver mask who tries to steal the meteorite her parents trusted her to protect.

But her life is about to change forever. The Circus Galacticus has come to town, bringing acts to amaze, delight, and terrify. And now the dazzling but enigmatic young Ringmaster has offered Trix the chance to be a part of it.

Soon Trix discovers an entire universe full of deadly enemies and potential friends, not to mention space leeches, ancient alien artifacts, and exploding chocolate desserts. And she just might unravel the secrets of her own past if she can survive long enough.

 

 

Review:

I loved this book. It is the perfect blend of the fantastic elements of a circus and the sci-fi adventure of space travel!

 

Trix was a character desperate to fit in. To find where she truly belonged. To find lifelong friends....and she finds it all in the Circus Galacticus.

 

Never mind that she has to help them win an inter-galactic war...with cool powers!

 

Never mind that she has cotton candy pink hair!

 

Never mind that there is an awesome and mysterious Ringmaster... and a big top that turns into the coolest space ship...EVAH!

 

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

 

Bam - GOLD STAR!!