Depressingly good books

I justy got done reading Ender's Game, which Knightfall Eleven Thirty-Eight sent me as a present in July.

Maybe it's because I've just come off from reading Twilight and the Star Wars: Darth Bane books - but I'm just overwhelmed by how good the book is. Espescially after the fantastic last two chapters - loaded with so much fantastic payoff it's like a great mystery novel.

This past year and a half (or so) I've been reading a lot of classic novels in with my usual whatever-takes-my-occasional-fancy and fanfiction. This is one of two sci-fi classics I checked out, and I'm really glad I did.

I was indifferent at the first - even put off by the extraordinarily grim tone of what I assumed to be a book for teens - but grew more and more fascinated as the story became more and more complex and wound around itself. I love the realism and complete lack of a grand quest or a clear antagonist. The scope and detail and characterisation grow at the same rate as the protagonist and the chapter lengths. The way events from earlier chapters are repeatedly cast in a new light by developments and revelations makes me want to start reading again right away. With my ever-growing 'reading list' it won't be right away, but it will be read many more times.

But the point of this blog - besides gushing with praise - is to highlight that feeling that I imagine all writers (and all artists and film-makers and... I dunno... chefs) get - the frustrated ambivalence when you read a fantastic book and enjoy it completely - but then realise that it's miles better than anything you've ever written. (Or cooked.)

It's like someone has pushed the goalposts a little closer together. I learned some great tricks and got some real inspiration, but now I'm aiming for a higher quality. Now even science fiction is not safe for the lazy or contented writer, because I just read an outstanding book that has aliens and space-stations.

It genuinely does limit my enjoyment of the book. It makes me yearn for the simple, easy life of the mediocre amateur writer reading Stephanie Meyer and making sarcastic comments throughout the whole, slightly-below-mediocre experience.

However, according to 1138- a long term fan of the book - only the first two novels in the Ender saga are worth reading.

Good.