#0015A The Savior - Eugene Drucker

Here's another book that Krissy and I have both read. Ditto.
3.5 stars

#0018K: Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card

I'm just going to put this picture up again and not say too much since Alyse just covered this novel. I thought it was interesting to read this in sequence with Ender's game. Ender is still a main character, but it takes place 3,000 later. Through the wonder of space/time travel, Ender is only 35 years old at this point. That's over 20 years worth of character development missing. I appreciate the continuity, though. Ender chaged a lot, but it wasn't outside of the realm of his personality. I was able to fill in the gaps and draw my own conclusions, which probably added to my relationship with this novel. 3.5 stars, I think, is my final verdict.

#0014A Riding Rockets - Mike Mullane

Amazing. Just amazing. This book had me literally out loud and I normally don't when I'm reading a book. I might chuckle, but never laugh out loud.

I said at in my introduction of this blog that I am not really into non-fiction. Guess what this book is? Nonfiction. One of my friends suggested this book awhile back and it seemed interesting enough just by the front cover. Did I mention is was amazing?

Mike Mullane is a retired astronaut. In this book he goes into every detail (it seems) about his twelve years working and flying for NASA. The stories are hilarious and quite shocking. He goes into waiting on his first flight into space, to watching his fellow astronauts/friends die on missions, to more outrageous stories. He talks about everything there is to becoming/being a true astronaut. Some things you really don't want to know about, but it's mostly part of his sense of humor. This book will have you laughing and in tears. I loved it, loved it, loved it.

OMG 5 stars

#0017K: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

I said that I would expand my reading and include some science fiction, and I've made good on that promise. Alyse gave me Ender's Game to read while I was in Texas. It was a much easier read than I was anticipating, and I got through most of it on the plane ride.
The main character (Ender) is met when he is only 6 years old. It's hard to keep the age in your mind while reading. The kids in this novel are all so intelligent and mature, which is why they're in the Battle School with Ender. I feel like this book is just as political as it is adventurous. Ender is a "Third", or third child of a family. The Earth has apparently been overpopulated, and Thirds are looked down upon. Ender's brother and sister are also included in the novel, and they play the political roles.
Like I mentioned, there is a lot of adventure throughout this novel. There weren't any slow parts, and I never wanted to stop reading. I probably could have gotten through it in one sitting if I didn't have to get off the airplane!
All in all, I think I give this 4 stars. It still isn't my favorite genre, and I'm not sure I would read it over and over, but I am glad I read through at least once. Give it a shot if you want a good story.

#0016K: The Savior by Eugene Drucker

I found this novel on a stroll through Borders Books. After reading the preview on the back cover, I was initially intrigued because it is written by an accomplished violinist.
It was about a violinist at the start of World War II. His job was to play in the hospitals for wounded German soldiers. One day, he was whisked away to play for an experimental group of prisoners at a prison camp. There is a lot of psychological warfare within the main character's conscience. Before the war, his best friend and his girlfriend were both Jewish, a fact he now had to hide away to secure his own safety. While in the prison camp, the Kommandant messes with him even more. Let me tell you, the last 40 pages or so get crazy. I don't want to ruin it, but man. I couldn't put the book down.
I'll say this as well: I completely agree with the reviews on the back cover. They make mention of Drucker's language in relation to music. As a violinist writing about his trade, there is a lot of passion in his words about the pieces mentioned in the novel, as well as an unmatched eloquence in the descriptions. The music's place in the experiment the book is based on is also quite interesting to think about. After killing the experimental group on the inside, the Kommandant wanted to see if they could be brought back to life by music.
As a musician myself, I have felt and seen it done. There is certainly a magic to it. That being said, I would strongly recommend this to people with a musical background, but it would be a great read for anyone. 4 stars.

*another interesting note is that the main character is based on the author's father, his experiences, and some of his friends. This is a fact that isn't revealed until the very end.

#0013A The Speaker for the Dead - Orson Scott Card

The first time I tried to read this book, I got so confused that I just stopped after the first couple chapters. My problem was that I hated reading the introductions and prologues. So, I did it right this time and read everything and boy did that help.

Andrew Wiggin is the speaker of the dead. He is asked to speak at a funeral on behalf of a girls father figure who was killed by the other alien race called the "Piggies" By the time he gets to her planet, it is 22 years later and she doesn't want him there anymore. He becomes involved with her family and trying to save the piggies.

The book is way better than how I can describe it. Not to mention, that you don't have to read Ender's Game to know what is going on in The Speaker for the Dead" It can be read as a solo book as well.

It really didn't take me 17 days to read this book. I started one book and my work had to do inventory so I had to return it before I finished it. And I was only 100 pages before the end of the 400 page book. Boo for that, yay for Ender! 4 1/2 stars

#0015K: Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

I picked up this book after reading a little bit about it. To my understanding, it was about an Iranian teacher who asked a select group of students to come to her home once a week to read banned literature and discuss it.
It goes beyond that by so much. The farther I got into the book, I realized how important it is. The subtitle is A Memoir in Books and various authors and their works are mentioned throughout to help shape Nafisi's memoir. It was a dense read, but I feel like it really spoke volumes on being a woman, literature's place in society, politics, and dreams.
Nafisi was an English teacher at the University of Tehran and the novels she chose for her class to read were quite controversial. Many students would judge a book by the character's personalities, and how well they followed along with being a good Muslim. The Great Gatsby caused a bit of a fuss, so she had her students put the book on trial.

Honestly, there is so much I want say about Reading Lolita in Tehran. I want to say much more, but I don't feel like my words would do it justice. I might come back at another time to try and do a better job for this review. This needs to be read in schools and read often. Although it wasn't what I was expecting it to be, I am quite floored by it. 5 stars.

Read it. Read it. Read it.