So we're getting better! While Space Boy isn't up to Orson Scott Card's normal caliber of writing, it was an entertaining and enjoyable novella. I've had this one ordered through Subterranean Press for awhile and received it about a week ago. It's a wonderful edition as SubPress' books always are and is signed by Card with perfect pencil etched illustrations by Lance Card. I kept thinking of Interworld by Neil Gaiman while reading this one. Card and Gaiman are my two favorite authors and this one was very similar to Interworld in that it was a very fun, quick read, but nothing like what we normally get out of the author. But I don't think it was meant to be...this was more of a story for the sake of fun story telling. Don't get me wrong, his other books tell wonderful tales, but they usually have deeper meanings behind them.
Space Boy is the story of 13 year old Todd. Todd has always dreamed of traveling to space. He knows all of his planets all of their moons, all of the satellites, all of the astronauts, etc. Four years ago, Todd's mother disappeared without a trace. Todd has gone through counseling, the police have done searches, nothing has come up. His little brother has claimed that she was sucked up by monsters in his closet, but of course, no one believes him. Well one day, while Todd is in his back yard, he discovers a strange wavering portal in his backyard through which a naked elf like man appears. He soon discovers that this man has entered from another planet through a space "worm" who's rear end is in Todd's back yard and who's mouth is in...you guessed it, his little brother's closet.
Not recommended as a night time read to kids to who are scared of the monsters in the closet. I enjoyed this one and I'm glad to have it in my Orson Scott Card collection. I'd recommend it to die-hard Card fans like myself, but at $35 through SubPress, you might want to just borrow a copy if you're not a huge fan.
Next up for Card is Invasive Procedures in September and A War of Gifts in November!! I'm so excited about both of these. The first is about genetic experimentation and the second is a new Ender novel about Christmas in battle school. Can't wait!
5 comments:
It sounds like a fun story, Chris, but I do have a question from your review.
If the worm's mouth is in the closet and its rear is in the backyard, does this mean the elf-like critter entered through the worm's rear end?
Okay. That's a bit out there, even for me. It's hot and I'm tired. Chalk it up to summer time craziness.
cjh
sounds like fun!
and the ones you have lined up by him sound good too! i really liked what i read of battle school in "ender's shadow".
CJ, Yes, The elf-man did indeed enter through the worm's ass, lol...Orson Scott Card has a great sense of humor and since the main character is a 13 year old boy, there are a fair share of poop jokes to go along with this fact.
It's hot and I'm tired here too...not a big fan of summer myself...I'll take Spring and Fall anyday myself over Summer.
JP, It was quite a fun little books. Battle school is really cool and Ender's Shadow and of course Ender's Game are the only 2 books in the series that actually take place in battle school. So it'll be cool to read War of Gifts and have a new book actually set in battle school. Looking forward to that!
For some reason the idea of Christmas in battle school reminds me of the song from Annie "It's a Hard Knock Life," probably due to the line from that song,
"Santa Claus, what's that, who's he?"
Ha! That's hilarious Kim...I can see the connection...from what I've heard, the premise of the story is that Christmas is banned from Battle School, so the children try their own hands at sneaking in Christmas. Should be interesting as their are many different nationalities and cultures represented in the series.
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