Per usual (and believe me, this is a good thing) books played a major roll in the festivities at the Stainless Steel Droppings home for our family Christmas. One of the books on my list was A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card. Having recently become enmeshed in the life of Andrew “Ender” Wiggin during my recent encounter with Ender’s Game, I made sure this book was at the top of my Christmas list. I had wanted to buy it for myself prior to finishing Ender’s Game simply because of the beauty of the package. Its petite size and explosive John Harris cover had me coveting it at first site. I am so happy to have waited because this is a special gem of a book given to me by the jewel of my life, my wife Mary.
Short Christmas stories are a risk for the reader, especially when they come from an author you respect. What was the intention of the story in the first place? Was it written out of inspiration from one’s muse or is it merely a way to cash in on Christmas coin? Will it be a trite little message story or does it have something worthwhile to say?
I am happy to say that with Orson Scott Card one need not have worried. This short story is nothing if not profound and is the kind of book about the spirit of Christmas that actually matters. A War of Gifts is a slice of life tale, it is the sketch of a brief moment in time in the lives of the children forced to participate in the Battle School that is the subject of Ender’s Game. As such it is my opinion that although this story certainly has the backbone to stand on its own and be meaningful, it is a much more rich experience if one has met these characters during the events of Ender’s Game.
Religion, politics, and cultural traditions play an important role in these 126 brief pages. Orson Scott Card, a devout Morman, does not shy away from presenting what can be an intolerant side of religious dogma. He does so, however, with the kind of respect and insight present in someone who understands all sides of the issue as opposed to those who write about such things merely to point fingers. Card tackles the issues of religion and religious practice and what it truly means to be in communion with one’s fellow man through the eyes of a child, one of the youth chosen for Battle School. This lends a sensitivity and understanding to the writing, thus Card is able to make both the issues, and the characters who embody those issues, very real.
Lest you think this is all a political/religious statement novella, let me assure you that this book packs in some really wonderful character development and a touching story about demonstrating the Christmas spirit. This is not some pamphlet on belief systems nor is it a short story that feels rushed or partially completed. I found myself being able to identify with different aspects of so many of the characters and in the end I was sad that it was over so quickly and yet intensely satisfied with the experience of reading this tale. It was wonderful to return to that time period in Ender’s story and reconnect briefly with that world. If you are a fan of Ender’s Game I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of this and read it over the holiday season. It is a true jewel in the crown of Card’s Ender stories. I turned the final page in the wee hours of this Christmas morn with the contented grin of one who has discovered that this was a darn good Christmas present. Thank you Mary!
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And speaking of Christmas, it is Christmas Day!!! Mary and Tori and I celebrated our own Christmas this past weekend, touring neighborhood Christmas lights on Friday night and opening our gifts Saturday morning. After a wonderful time of giving and receiving we continued a family tradition born a few years prior by going out to a film. This year it was I Am Legend, which we all really enjoyed. Afterwards we retired home for a delicious Christmas meal and settled down to watch one of Mary’s gifts, the special edition 3-disk set of Titanic. This was my daughter’s first experience with the film and Mary and I hadn’t seen it in years and years. It did not take long for me to remember how swept up in this film I was when I first saw it in the theatre and I found myself wisked away in the romance and tragedy of it all over again. We had a magical day.
I mentioned books, didn’t I? Here is proof that my darling wife was really good to me this year. I expected coal:
I have been dying to get ahold of that Peter Jackson biography and it is impossible to find new and nearly impossible to find around here on used bookshelves. Well done Mary!
In addition she continued one of my favorite Christmas traditions: she gifts me with interesting old hardback books. This year I received 3 Charles Dickens novels. I absolutely love old tomes and enjoy using them to decorate throughout the house. I cannot help holding them in my hands and wondering about their history. Who has read these books over the course of their printed lives? What affect, if any, did the reading have on the reader? Was this book a special treasure to some dear reader in the past and what route did it take to find itself wrapped underneath my Christmas tree?
I do hope to see and hear about any books…and of course any other wonderful things…you all got for Christmas!
The remainder of the time between now and New Year’s Day is going to be extremely book heavy, as we wrap up the R.I.P. Challenge (finally), discuss upcoming 2008 challenges, review the year in reading, review favorite cover images of the past year, and talk about goals and plans for 2008.
To that end, tomorrow I will unveil The Sci Fi Experience. This is not a challenge, it is a love affair with genre fiction that I hope to share with many of you this January and February.
Until then, I wish all of you dear bloggers and blog readers a Merry Christmas. I send out my love and best wishes for you and your family during this holiday season and with all sincerity I hope the day is filled with Christmas enchantment.
Wow, those are some awesome books! I could have got the exact same ones and would have been very happy with them! I don’t get books for Christmas, though. This year I got a bit spoiled with gift cards, but most years people seem to forget that I read! I really want the C.S. Lewis and Tolkien books that you recieved, so I will be most interested to hear what you think about them. I also want the Peter Jackson book, but like you, I can’t find it, so I am very jealous! You’ll have to give me a summary of the key points after you read it.
Merry Christmas!
Me again. I was wrong, it isn’t that I can’t get the Peter Jackson, it is that I find it a bit pricey.
What I really wanted to ask is what are the Fritz Leiber books like? I can’t remember if I have ever seen you review them before, so now I am curious.
ohhhhhhhhhh ! Would I ever like that Peter Jackson Bio !!!! I hope you have some good things to say about THAT one!!
Good to hear you are having such a wonderful Christmas!!.. so.. what did Mary get???
Kailana: Yes, the P.J. book is a bit pricey used, but I so enjoy listening to Brian Sibley talk on the extras on the extended editions of the LOTR dvds that I am pretty sure it will be worth it. At least I hope so.
I have reviewed the first two Leiber books, here is the review for book one, and the review for book two. I really think it depends totally on whether or not you enjoy the sword and sorcery genre. If you do I think you’ll find these entertaining as he is a good writer and can spin a good yarn.
Deslily: I’m sure it won’t surprise to you find that Mary got books as well! The biggest difference between her and I is that she reads so much quicker and more often than I do, so she’ll get through most of her books before the holiday is over. I kid you not! Anyway, she loves a couple of series of 1940’s/50’s juvenile girls fiction that are being reproduced by this company called Image Cascade. I got her the rest of the Beany Malone series from them. She also got the newest Jan Karon book, Home to Holly Springs, and a couple of YA books by Richard Peck: Here Lies the Librarian and On the Wings of Heroes.
We both love to read!
I was thrilled because eventhough I ask for gift cards every year for Barnes and Noble I never get any. This year I was blessed with one from my wife and one from a wonderful friend in the blogosphere, and now I have guilt free money to spend at Barnes and Noble throughout the coming year!!!
Stefanie: Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!
Nice books, and a wonderful celebration you have had with your family. Merry Christmas!
I didn’t get any books for Christmas because TBR Mountain is too huge! But I might photograph and post the books my husband and son received from me. I really enjoyed seeing what you received.
Merry Christmas!
That would be great Dew….I love seeing other people’s piles of books! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Carl!
Ah, now that I see your reviews I remember reading them. I only don’t have them on my wish list because the first book is not available right now. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for it second-hand. Have you ever read Roger Zelazny before? I am not sure if he is labelled as sword and sorcery, but if he is, that is probably my favourite so far. I still haven’t read Howard, but I plan to in the New Year.
No, Kailana, but Zelazny is one of the authors that Neil Gaiman highly recommends and he has been on my list to check out for some time.
I think you’ll enjoy Howard. I plan to read the third and last collection of Conan stories sometime next year.
Merry Christmas to you and your father, Janet!
A very Merry Christmas to you and your family, Carl!
Great review of War of Gifts, Carl! I had a tough time reviewing that one because there was so much packed into so few pages. Such a wonderful story and you did such a great justice to it! Glad you enjoyed it!
Sounds like you had an awesome Christmas with your family 🙂 I enjoyed mine too and added a couple of books and gift cards to the mountain along the way. I should have a post up soon.
I loved it Chris, it was such a great story. I miss the world of Ender’s younger days and it was fun to return to it, albiet briefly. Tonight I have re-entered the Speaker’s world, just as Ender has landed on Lusitania. Good stuff. Really good stuff.
I look forward to seeing your books! Hey, and did you notice the ornament hanging above the book? It was unplanned, but as I placed it there I realized just how fun an idea it was considering how big a supporter of Firefly that Card is.
Robin, Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!
Carl,
A merry christmas to you too. I got the Transformers DVD and I’m as excited now as I was when I left the movie theatre after seeing it.
As for your War of Gifts, you might appreciate this link:
http://igallo.blogspot.com/2007/10/john-harris-and-war-of-gifts.html
There’s more Christmas about that book than you might think!!!
Hey Stuart, thanks for the link. I usually keep up with Irene’s site. It isn’t surprising that I missed this considering the black hole at work I was in when this was posted. That is so cool about the design of the space station. It is indeed VERY Christmasy!
I really want to pick up the Transformers DVD myself. I really enjoyed it. Particularly the bits with Megan Fox. 😉
Merry Christmas to you Stuart!
Merry Christmas, Carl. I hope you and your family had a lovely Christmas.
Those old Dickens books are very cool! Sounds like you had a lovely Christmas. I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.
Thanks Les and Tanabata, we did have a lovely Christmas and plan to revel in the rest of our days off. We are in the process of deciding right now whether or not we want to brave the ‘after Christmas day” sales. I for one would love to spend a little time in a crowded bookstore! 🙂
Oh my God! That’s great 😀 I didn’t eve catch that ornament! I can’t wait to have my very own tree…it’s going to be a big dork-fest of ornaments :p
Hope you had a very Merry Christmas!
I thought is was quite a fun unintenional idea, Chris.
I was going to do a ‘geek tree’ this year and didn’t take the time, but since we have an extra artificial tree I think I’m going to have to do it next year and put it in my sci-fi/fantasy decored computer room!
I did Angela, thanks!!!
It sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas 🙂 That is a great looking pile of books! yay for Signal to Noise! I love old books too, and those Dickens novels look great.
As for War of the Gifts, hopefully by next Christmas I’ll have read Ender’s Game, so I’ll be able to pick it up!
Having just come to the Ender’s Game party myself, Nymeth, all I can say is that I am understanding of the fact that you might not get to it right away and also anxious for you to read it so that we can talk about it!
What a wonderful pile of books you have there. I’ll bet that was thrilling to unwrap. I as at least three in your pile that I have added to my “need” list. I am glad you had such a wonderful Christmas.
Sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas, Carl! Best wishes and blessings to you, Mary, and Tori now and for the new year.
It was great, I hope yours was as well Colleen. I look forward to another great year and I’m so excited that you have another book coming out soon. Happy New Year to you and yours.
Those Charles Dicken’s books look great. Awesome choices Mary!
I can’t wait to read A War of Gifts! Love the cover as well.
Oh, it sounds like you all had such a magical Christmas!
I absolutely love that tradition of buying old hardback books!!! There’s just something about them I find truly irresistible, but I don’t know that I can really put my finger on what it is.
We had a Christmas mighty heavy on books around here as well. (I got 24! I think my Rich must be feeling guilty about going off to the Bahamas for 2 weeks in January. Anyway, I plan on posting a picture one of these days.)
So glad your Christmas was so special! May your new year be equally so!
24! Wow!!! I cannot wait to see a picture of those!
Bahamas eh? I think guilt is the appropriate feeling. I know I felt guilty when I went to Hawaii for a week with my best friend and not my wife. I still enjoyed the heck out of myself, but I did feel guilty!
I think it is the sense of history and time of old books that I love.
Carl, A belated merry christmas to you and your family! You will like the Tolkien and the Great War. Its one thing to read in the forward to LOTR that Tolkien was the only one of his close friends to survive the Great War, its another to see the written portraits of him and his friends before the war and realize how many of them were killed in it.
And thank you for the review of Card’s A War of Gifts. I really like Ender’s universe, so additional stories there are good finds.
If you like Ender’s universe, Geek Girl, you’ll love War. It is a wonderful little book.
Thanks for the good word on Tolkien and the Great War. It sounds great and I look forward to reading it during my annual Tolkien phase in ’08!
I was lucky enough to receive ” A War of Gifts ” as a gift recently.This is only the second OSC book I’ve read after Ender’s Game which I also highly recommend. A War of Gifts is a reminder of the true spirit of Christmas that comes wrapped in wonderful John Harris package. I really enjoyed it and I can’t recommend it enough to Ender fans. Thanks for the great heads up on this one Carl and Chris. It was the perfect book to closeout the year for me.
So glad that you enjoyed it and that you got to read it ‘in season’, 🙂
It is a fantastic book!