How did the author of such amazing books as Ender’s Game and associated books, the Homecoming saga, and Alvin Maker series end up such a boring, innate writer in his later years?
The book is 90% dialogue and when the climax of the book came, it was so uneventful that I was sure it wasn’t the real ending and that it would end as a cliffhanger instead.
Plus, giant questions that never got answered. >!Why was Ivy-O taking pieces of foliage? We get speculation but no answers. How was Laz able to replicate Ivy’s powers but not vice versa? Why did original Lazarus disappear? Where did the brain scans of them from their late teens come from, if neither remembers them?!<
I rarely reach the end of a book without finding something redemptive about it, no matter how small, but I was bored and hated it the whole time and found nothing to like.
Is there something I’m missing or misunderstanding? Did anyone like this book?
It’s interesting to hear this about his latest work. He used to be one of my favorite authors, a “buy the hardcover, no hesitation” for each new book. Then I went to one of his book tours and he came across as an insufferable asshole. This was right before Phantom Menace was released and he was speculating that Jake Lloyd would make a good Ender Wiggin for the movie version of Ender’s Game. Funny how long it took to get that made.
I tried to keep reading his work but after a while I couldn’t separate the art from my opinion of the artist and gave up near the end of the Shadow Saga books when the story just got ridiculous. Guess I didn’t miss much.