Amph Help me decide! Ender's game, or Song of Ice and Fire(first 3 books)

Amazon is running a special right now, and these books are included. Which would you buy(and be specific). Or..would you buy both Ender's game, and then the first 2 books of Song of Ice and Fire. The special is 4 for 3 on selected items(and one of the items is a Christmas gift for my mom, which is why only 3 books for me)

 

With no hesitation, I implore you to go for the first three books of George R.R. Martin's series which is absolutely spectacular, first-rate fantasy.

 

Depends what you want to read, accessible science fiction or a series that redefined modern epic fantasy. Ender?s Game didn?t do much for me. I couldn't help but describe it as thin. Characterization, quality of prose, actual plot, which in my view relies too heavily on the book?s wrap-up rather than maintaining a forceful grasp of narrative throughout the entire effort, all were lacking, an in turn belied Card's standing as such a revered genre icon. But if the prospect of space wars, young geniuses, and alien insects excites you, all wrapped up in a package that?s as easily appreciated by younger readers as adults, then look into Card?s work.

A Song of Ice and Fire, though, is completely different animal. Here you?ll find the familiar feudal backdrop of epic fantasy, as well a huge cast of characters and plotlines that defy convention. If Card relied on a single moment of plot twist, Martin doesn?t hesitate to ensure that his whole story is filled with moments of unexpected revelation. Go with Martin if you have the stomach for brutal violence, frank descriptions of sex, as well as fantastic characterization and deft plotting across the board. In terms of theme and prose, I don?t think Martin?s story is quite at the level of perfection others make it out to be, but still his standing as an author well-received by mainstream fans as well as the critical-types alike is certainly well-deserved. Make no mistake about it, A Song of Ice and Fire is about a bunch of people who want a throne, combined with envelope-pushing grit and an almost soap-opera like level of interpersonal strife. It?s also damn good.

 

I'd go with Ender's Game and 2 SOIAF books. That way you can get a taste of both. Regardless of the fact that the former isn't a great classic, it's still something that every sci-fi fan should read sometime.

 

But if you go with 2 SOIAF books, you won't have the third which is where all the fun happens!

 

So, I should definitely buy Song of ice and fire for myself then huh?

 

ASOIAF - definitely.

 

No. Get Ender's Game.

 

Enders Game is actually about Hitler.

 

Hope you're being sarcastic.

 

Get Ender's Game for sure.

 

Heck yes, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get Ender's Game as well

 

Ender's Game is about a 7/10. A Song of Ice and Fire is about an 11/10. So, while EG isn't bad, it doesn't hold a candle to ASOIAF.

 

Martin writes porno, and you'll lose count how many times he says nipples. He underclasses his women, non-males are cattle in society, pacing is pretty glacial, and there's no reason in a Hutt butt why he has to say craven instead of coward every single time. Do you hear me, Martin!

However . . . these are books that you won't put down easily, with characters you will grow to seriously feel for, and don't worry about the scores of names you're bombarded with, you'll find yourself subconsciously familiar with them by the third book. His books are serious filth . . . but if you can be bothered to look closely at sentences you'll see how flowerful they are, why he's a topline novelist.

I was prudish at first from all that x-rated filth, but most of the time it's so comical I found myself giggling rather than frowning. I became nonchalant. His prose saves the day, and he's cutting edge.

Book two had VERY small font. American efficiency, what can I say? I was upset Aust divided the third book in two, twice the expense, but the font is very good and worth the price. Oh, the first 5 chapters are a blueprint for the first three books. Reread them later.

And whatever you do, DON'T READ THE AMAZON REVIEWS! There are many scumballs who blatantly say who dies. Curse the rats, Storm of Swords was ruined for me. Dalek pee on them all! Book 4 trade paperback also blatantly says who dies on the back, the bloody fool editors. I will have a word with them about this.

Hope that helps, Pix.

 

Um, I'd say Ender's Game, but as I haven't read ASOFAI yet, I can't entirely comment without a bias.

Do whatever you want.

 

Well see, that's why I came here to ask, to avoid the spoilers.

Well. no matter what, I have to wait a few weeks to order. Youngling needs glasses, so that takes precedence. I think I'm just going to buy the Song of fire and ice books, and borrow Ender's game(once I'm done with the Axis books, and Otherland books...I'm so stupid to get into different series at the same time)

 

I'd go with the Martin books.

 

With that username, that post is blasphemous.

 

It is rather ironic, isn't it?

 

Martin writes porno, and you'll lose count how many times he says nipples. He underclasses his women, non-males are cattle in society, pacing is pretty glacial, and there's no reason in a Hutt butt why he has to say craven instead of coward every single time. Do you hear me, Martin!

I myself was kind of amused (for lack of a better word) at the explicit content in his novels. I've read some fairly mature novels in my day (Lords of Disciple, and almost anything by David Gemmell for example), but none of them flirted with pornographic scenes as much as Martin does.

I did find some of it kind of funny...like Theon Greyjoy's whole discussion about "penises" and "vaginae" with his sister.



As for the women...I find that Martin has pretty strong female characters. Cersei, for example. Catelyn (while ignorant) is also fairly strong. Arya's becoming a freaking assassin.

And of course, there's Danni...who is probably one the best female characters in Fantasy. Period.


Anyway, as for the use of "craven," it just fits the milieu. That's what I like about Martin. A lot of his chosen vocabulary fits the setting of the story. Read some books by English Fantasy writers and they use the same dialect as Martin. Martin does a fairly good job of emulating the vocabulary of English writers (like Gemmell).

 

First in Enders Game we have a tale of innocent genocide. Nothings really Enders fault, circumstances keep pushing themselve upon him, making him react in the way to do, essentiall allowing him to to do what he did, and yet remain pure. Ok, it's a bit of a streach, but I'll take it. Then in the second book he finds a sort of refugee on a planet thats pretty much Brazil.

Someone who is responsible for genocide, finds refugee in Brazil. BRAZIL.

So yeah. Even me who really isn't that good at finding subtext finds something amiss there. They're still pretty good books.

 

Oh yes. A preprogrammed 11-year-old boy who commits genocide thinking it's part of a videogame, and then spents the next few hundred years trying to undo it. Definitely about Hitler.

 

LOL. I could find a whole lot of people who disagree.

Please, the male characters in ASOIAF outdo the female ones easily without fail. (like Tyrion and Jaime are usually picked as the favourite POVs by a lot of people)

 

I'm confident that Danni is also a favorite character. I don't really see how anyone could argue that Cersie and Danni aren't strong characters.

I know Danni's one of my favorite characters in the series.

 

BTW, to set it straight it's Dany not Danni.

And have you read AFFC, Cersei is not strong, as much as borderline psychotic and drunk with power, she's paranoid rather than strong.

Her POV isn't liked as much as Jaime's or Tyrion's.