Monday, November 4, 2013

Ender’s Game Movie Review and the iPad Air! Plus What Drew Me into the Wormhole of Science Fiction, New Walking Dead Site, Battle of the Bands Results, and Ninja News

I am visiting the wonderful Donna Weaver today! The topic? What Drew Me into the Wormhole of Science Fiction…

Jeremy Hawkins has a new site - Hate the Captcha, a tribute site to the Walking Dead. So if you are a Walking Dead fan, you need to check it out.
And I’ve been meaning to highlight the fun animation he did for my book in September – here it is:

IPad Air


With so much going on last Friday, I didn’t get to touch upon the release of the iPad Air. I don’t have mine yet, but I will be ordering it in the next week or two. Here’s the quick facts:

The iPad Air is the fifth generation of iPad. It’s only .29 inches thick and weighs one pound. The iOS 7 added many new features, although difference isn’t as noticeable as with the iPhone. Where you will notice a big improvement is with certain apps, especially game apps. It also comes with iLife and iWork apps for free.

Unlike the latest iPhone, it doesn’t come with the TouchID fingerprint sensor. (However, the next iPad Mini will feature Retina Display.) There are no huge jumps in technology except an increase in memory and storage – there’s now a 128GB iPad for $799. (Definitely the one I will purchase!)

My wife wants a new one as well. I’m thinking Christmas gift. Of course that will mean we have several extra iPads.

If my goal is an iPad and a guitar in every room of the house, I’m well on my way…


Ninja News

Sean McLachlan is this month’s featured Challenge participant at the A to Z Blog. His theme was the Civil War and Wild West history, and it was a lot more wild than you’d imagine!

Medeia Sharif signed a contract with Prizm Books for an edgy YA novel entitled Vitamins and Death. You can add it to Goodreads HERE. Congratulations, Medeia!


The Fussy Librarian is a great site for book recommendations – and if you are an author, you can list your books there if they have enough favorable reviews. (CassaStar and CassaFire are both on the site, but I moved too slow with CassaStorm and now have to wait until November 30.)

Mark Koopmans is doing something really special this coming Christmas – the 50 States of Pray Event. Check out his site for details on how you can participate!

Catherine Stine accepted an offer from Inkspell Publishing for her new adult romance novella, Model Position. It will come out early next year in eBook form and she’s using the pen name, Kitsy Clare. Congratulations, Catherine!

Susan Gourley’s latest is now available from Crescent Moon Press - First Dragon, book #1 of The Morbunda Saga. And look at that wicked cover! Congratulations, Susan.

Roland Yeomans’ Sounds of Voodoo is now available in audio book and Lucifer’s Orphan: Battlefield Hell is free on Amazon. Congratulations, Roland!

Joylene Nowell Butler announced a special on her mystery thriller, Dead Witness. The eBook is marked down from $5.95 to $1.99 through November 16. See her site for all of the participating retail sites.

Dark Visions Volume 1 is now available from Grey Matter Press, and it includes a story by Milo James Fowler, along with a dozen other creepy tales. Milo asks: Have you ever considered submitting to a themed anthology? It's a great way to introduce your work to a broader audience, and it's always cool to share a table of contents with some of the more well-known names in any genre. Congratulations, Milo!

Coming Soon!

Diamonds and Dust by River Fairchild
Coming December 9, 2013


Magic is real. So is betrayal.
Two heirs. A Kingdom of dust on a troubled world. One might resurrect it. One might destroy it all….


Diamonds and Dust is available for pre-order here: Apple, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble


Find River - Blog, Twitter, and Facebook

Battle of the Bands Results

In the battle of Pink Floyd’s Welcome to the Machine remakes, the votes were:

Shadow’s Fall – seven
Arjen Anthony Lucassen – seven

It’s a tie! I guess it depends on whether you like the traditional version or one a little more creative. (And I contributed to the tie, as I voted for the more unique Lucassen version.)

Movie Review

Ender’s Game
The director did a good job capturing the cold tone of the book. Subplots were discarded and everything was condensed for time. (The very ending is different, but it would’ve taken too much time to set up.) Asa is good in the title role, although he spends half the movie either crying or about to cry. Ford plays the character exactly the same as the book – he’s just in a lot more of the movie.
The special effects are amazing. I think this movie would’ve really benefitted from 3D.
The book is of course better, because you’re in Ender’s head. There were many things the movie just didn’t explain.
The downside – if you’re not a fan of the book, this movie won’t change your mind. It’s an interesting science fiction film, but no better than that. The cold, impersonal tone of the book is really stark on the screen. (My wife hadn’t read the book and she really didn’t like the film – she didn’t buy the premise, didn’t like any of the characters, and was put off by the cold tone. And she normally digs science fiction films.)
If you’re looking for a fun romp, this isn’t it. Go see Thor this Friday instead.
If you want to support science fiction films so they’ll keep making more, then you could do worse than spending an afternoon watching Ender’s Game. (You could watch Prometheus instead – the horror!)

Anyone pick up the new iPad Air or place it on your Christmas list? Excited about all the great news today? Who else saw Ender’s Game? In the US, did you enjoy an extra hour of sleep? Ready for the IWSG on Wednesday? And who else is STOKED for Thor: The Dark World this Friday?

Be sure to visit Donna Weaver!

145 comments:

Shah Wharton said...

iPads - everyone in my hubs family (inc. his mum and dad) have them, I have a Kindle Fire. If my hubs updates, I'll get his old one. I have a MAC computer for working, a KF for reading. iPad on top of that seems exessive :)

Congrats to all those who got signed! Awesome. Some beautiful book covers in this post too. Ender's Game - I was intrigued but now no0t so much. Thro on the other hand - BRING IT ON! :)

shahwharton.com

Old Kitty said...

An iPad and a guitar in each room!?! When can I move in!??! :-)

I'm so lagging behind sci-fi films. I may keep Ender's Game for dvd time! Am looking forward to Gravity!!

Take care
x

RaveAir said...

I have an old iPad2 and I don't think I'll replace any soon. New iPad Air is too expensive. :(

I think it's time to suggest to your followers to vote Cassastorm on Goodreads Choice Awards 2013. ;)

Huntress said...

Bookmarking today's post. Wow. Information overload.

Vanessa Morgan said...

Glad to see that all our writer friends are having new books released. Have a lovely week.

J.L. Campbell said...

So many good things happening for writers. Jeremy is certainly talented. Special congrats to Medeia. That girl is one of the hardest working writers I know.

On the ipad - I can't help wondering how solid it is at that size. I keep thinking, one accident and it's gone. :( I figure it must be sturdier than I think though.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Congrats to everyone on their book news! And special congrats to Medeia!

I haven't read Enders Game but I will still probably see it with my daughter who has read it. Thanks for the heads up about it.

M.J. Fifield said...

Well, I want to see Thor, but that's not going to happen until it hits DVD.

And I completely spaced that IWSG was this Wednesday. Thanks for the reminder!

Brinda said...

I've read Ender's Game, but don't remember Asa. Someone about to cry in half the movie doesn't sound very fun.

An iPad in every room? You are as addicted to technology as I am!!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Shah, excess is best when it comes to electronics! And really looking forward to Thor.

Kitty, we have room - fly over!

Zoltan, thank you!

Carol, and I held back...

JL, they are pretty tough. Plus I keep mine in a case.

MJ, don't forget!

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

I like the cover of Diamonds and Dust!

Miranda Hardy said...

I haven't watched the Enders Game, and I was debating if I should.

Congrats to everyone with great news.

Rhonda Albom said...

I won't be getting a new ipad air, as I am getting a kindle. Thanks for adding to my reading list.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Ipad Air looks very cool!

Haven't heard of the Fussy Librarian...sounds like a great site.

I'd like to see Ender's Game--that cold, stark feel is appealing to me somehow (like 2001, Space Odyssey).

Louise said...

I recognized and appreciated the brilliance of Ender's Game (the book), but didn't really care for it. I think I'll give the movie a pass.

Looks like a ton of great releases this month! Can't wait to check them out.

No iPad for me - I just barely moved out of the Stone Age and got a smartphone.

Unknown said...

I don't want an ipad but they do look great. I do want to see enders game though.

Wendy Tyler Ryan said...

I've been on the fence about seeing Ender's Game. Think I'll wait for the dvd.

Donna K. Weaver said...

Hubby and I are going to see Ender once I get this stupid ms to my editor. Dang deadlines. :)

Thanks for dropping by, Alex. You have great taste!

Al Diaz said...

Well, you can give the extra iPad's to your clones. Now if they don't want them, then my dwarves will be happy to help you with the burden, hahaha. On second thoughts, scratch that. I'm still suspecting they've accepted bribery. It's either that or there's a leak of information from your clones. I'll take it's the dwarves, they're just too greedy.
I'll beat you this time to seeing Thor!!! It's on theaters already here, and I'll go on Wednesday. Happy dance.
I'm truly not ready for the IWSG but at this point, I'll restrain myself from deleting and rewriting what I've already written for the eleventh time. If it sucks, I'll just bear with it.
And answering your other question, yes, I'm as sure I'm a fire dragon as you're sure you're a ninja. That's just our nature and cannot be denied. It just flows through our pores...or scales in my case. ;)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Brinda, I am addicted! And Asa is the actor who played Ender.

Elizabeth, you will enjoy it then. A lot of the genres on the Fussy Librarian are closed now, but some are still open for submissions.

Donna, thanks for hosting me!

Annalisa Crawford said...

A guitar in every room? Sounds like my house! It's just a shame I can't play :-) As for the iPad, I'm not sure I can see the need for myself - especially not with the speed they bring out advanced versions.

Stephen Tremp said...

I liked the book Enders Game and was hoping the movies would follow. Thanks for the review.

I'll probably pay to see another movie, then sneak over to Enders Game and watch part. If I like it, if only for special effects, I'll pay to see it in full later.

I'm looking forward to Thor!

Yolanda Renée said...

Thanks for the review of Enders didn't really like the look of it anyway. Thor, now that one I'd like to see.

Congrats to all! New and exciting things for the future!

Well, enough visiting - I've got NaNo to get back too!

Happy Monday!

Livia Peterson said...

I saw Ender's Game as well and I was very disappointed. All Ender does is train, fight and say this a million times - "Yes, sir", "No, sir", "At ease" which I got annoying. The film did not seem to have a plot at all, just long montages of the same training and fighting over and over again. The visual effects were beautiful to look at, but they seem to come out of previous sci-fi films. The performances are mediocre, but Asa stood out to me. All Harrison Ford did was barking orders to Ender.

I am super excited to see Thor: A Dark World in its second weekend of theatrical release. It will be EPIC.

Unknown said...

I started reading Ender's Game last week, because I knew I wanted to finish it before I saw the movie. Maybe I should just skip it and see Thor instead. :)

Luanne G. Smith said...

Have to admit, I am finally interested in getting an iPad. Just got a new Macbook and the visuals are stunning in comparison to my old one. Tech just keeps getting better.

Al Penwasser said...

I've been told that The Walking Dead is quite good and that I should give it a look. But, I'm thinking it will remind me of every morning, walking up the pier to the ship.

Brian Miller said...

a little disappointing on Enders....I will def see Thor though this weekend...off to see the Walking Dead site...woot! Comicon (local) last saturday and met a couple zombies...ha

Jessica Bell said...

Congrats to all these fabulous authors for their books! :)

L. Diane Wolfe said...

That's a lot of news today.

We saw Ender's Game this weekend and I found it boring.

Karen Lange said...

Congrats to all on their good news! Hopping over to Donna's now. Happy Monday!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Al, now I want to try bribing the dwarves with iPads! Lucky you that Thor is there now. Heard it's already made over 100 million world wide. And just go with what you wrote for Wednesday. I'm sure it's awesome.

Annalisa, you have a bunch of guitars but can't play?

Stephen, you sneak!

Livia, a lot was lost in the translation from book to movie, but the basic storyline and tone were the same. Thor however, should rock!

Melanie, if you really like the book, you will like the movie. If not, then I don't think you will.

LG, get one - you won't regret it!

Brian, that's cool!

A Beer for the Shower said...

First world problems - my laptop is like a huge version of the iPad, and my gigantic Samsung Galaxy smartphone is like the slightly smaller version, so I really have no use for an iPad.

From the reviews I keep hearing of Ender's Game, they're not exactly making me want to see it. And this is coming from someone who has not read the book.

Charles Gramlich said...

I only read the Novella of Ender's game and really liked it. I don't have much urge to see the film

Johanna Garth said...

We have far too many electronic devices, I'm afraid. Sometimes I get all radical, hide them all away and insist we all go do something like hiking or visit a museum!

Catherine Stine said...

Ha! An iPad and a guitar in every room of the house--great goal!!!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Alex I am so behind on movies!! Ender's Game sounds good.

Maurice Mitchell said...

Thor 2 has already made 100 million over the weekend so it should kill in the United States. I didn't know about Jeremy's new site. Thanks!

Tonja said...

So many devices.... It's hard to remember a time when we didn't have them. I remember the first time I met someone with a cell phone. It was 1987 and I was very impressed despite the fact it was as big as a brick. We will probably be making fun of iPads and iPhones in 30 years. :)

Melissa said...

So much exciting news!

Yes, I loved my extra hour - especially because I didn't have to work it! I got to sleep through it instead. ;)

Heading over to Donna's...

Stephanie Faris said...

I can't do an iPad...I type too much!!!

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, LOTS of exciting book news! I'm particularly excited for Catherine's book deal! Would LOVE an iPad.

Son and I are going to Ender's Game next weekend. I am hesitant on the end that Card is a known racist and homophobe and I have a lot of trouble with that, but my son and I read several of these when he was little (before I knew much about Card) and a 15 year old kid only wants a movie date with his mom so often.

Christine Rains said...

Lots of news today! And I wish I got an extra hour of sleep. Actually, I got a few since I wasn't feeling that great yesterday. Now my mom's arriving today for a week-long visit. Busy! Have a good week, Alex.

Unknown said...

I really enjoyed Ender's Game. Obviously the books are almost always better than the movies, but considering they have to condense and cut things to fit it into roughly 120 minutes (give or take), I thought they did a good job making a movie to satisfy fans of the books and newcomers alike.

Jen said...

Argh!!! I'm still on the fence about Ender's Game. This is one of my favorite books of all time. The previews make me feel that I'm in for disappointment. I love the casting from the looks of the previews and knowing that it does a good job of capturing the cold tone of the book is a plus. Still, there's a few scenes in the preview that makes me wonder if they give away the big "Holy Crap" moment too soon? I could be wrong, and I'll probably go see it, but I'm not sure if I'll like it. I just love the book too much!

Thanks for the review!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Brandon and Bryan, you might not enjoy it then.

Johanna, with your kids that's probably a good idea.

Maurice, I saw that!

Tonja, we just might. And I remember those gigantic bag phones.

Karen, you get one, and you'll wonder how you lived without it...

Hart, go! I don't have a problem with the author other than I'm just not a big fan of his writing style.

Juliana Haygert said...

Oh no. I hoped Enger's Game was better - I heard the book was too cold, if you know what I mean, so I hoped the movie wouldn't be ... I guess I'll go to the movies anyway, because that's the kind of movies hubs likes ;)

I broke the corner of my iPad, so I might think about switching to the iPad Air but not this Christmas - my list is too long already! lol

Jay Noel said...

I hear the same sentiments from other reviewers. I personally loved the book, so I'm pretty sure at the very least that I will LIKE the movie.

But for those that didn't like, or even read it, they're not enjoying the movie at all. Which is understandable.

I don't own an iPad. Yet!

Unknown said...

I can't stop watching your CassaStorm animation Jeremy did!

Thanks for the Enders Review.
I might just wait a few weeks after THOR.

Misha Gerrick said...

Can't wait for the new Thor movie. :-D

Haven't seen Ender's Game yet, but I do want to, if only to see how they managed to fit the thing together without the set-up.

Okay! Time for me to head over and congratulate some people.

SK Anthony said...

Lots of great news for authors, congrats and best of luck to them all!

A guitar and iPad in every room lol… luckily you are not sure if that's your goal or not :P

Okay, running over to check out your post, Mark's blog, and then TWD tribute's site ;)

Al Diaz said...

Ha! You want to get my true age out of the dwarves and prove once and for all you're the older one, confess it! But it's useless. They don't know that information either. It's classified, just like my sweet nickname.

Pat Hatt said...

Not one ipad here, just a laptop I fear, one in every room, geez a lazy ninja wannabe. Hmmm may wait for ender's game on dvd. Thor it is

Isis Rushdan said...

Endeer's Game is on my Netflix list. I would like to see Thor in theaters before I have baby #2 later this month. It's one of those movies that's meant to be seen on the big screen. Just hoping my bladder can make it through.

David P. King said...

I share your sentiments about Ender's Game. Review coming. Now to see what you're doing over at Donna's! :)

Carol Kilgore said...

All kinds of stuff going on here! I'm going to check out the Fussy Librarian. Thanks.

L.G. Keltner said...

I just can't justify spending money on a iPad right now, especially with Christmas coming up, but I wouldn't mind having one eventually. Maybe I'll start saving up for one after the holiday rush is over.

And that animation is cool!

Suze said...

Al, that was a great review for Ender's. Interestingly, my brother said he really identified with the main character and didn't mention a cold tone. I am always so thunderstruck by how the same film or book can affect two different people in such disparate ways. Both my husband and brother are looking forward to Thor.

And congrats to our girl, Kitsy Clare! ;)

Heather M. Gardner said...

Thor. Thor. Thor. Thor. Thor. Thor. Thor. Thor. Thor. Thor. Thor. Thor.

Oh, wait...Thor.

Phew.

Sorry about Ender's Game. Somethings just don't translate I guess.

Enjoy your new tech toy when it comes!

Heather

cleemckenzie said...

My goodness. i-Pads galore as well as books and news and movies,too. Amazing. I'll pop over to say hi at Donna's.

Kimberlee Turley said...

My husband was itching to go see a movie so we went and saw Gravity even though I wanted to go see this. Didn't even realize Thor would be out soon. That definitely would have been the final choice if I'd known.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Amanda, I thought they did good with the film as well. The basics from the book were covered.

Jen, since you liked the book so much, I think you'll like the movie.

Juliana, the movie feels just like the book.

Jay, you'll like it!

David, Jeremy did a great job on it, didn't he?

SK, if that's my goal in life, it's sad, huh?

Al, remember, the Ninja has ways...

Isis, don't drink anything for at least three hours...

David, I know you are a fan of the book, so looking forward to your review.

Suze, people who identify like it so much more.

Heather, that made me laugh!

Kimberlee, maybe you can still swing Thor...

Bish Denham said...

iPads? I can afford one let alone two! So many great books outs. Congratulations to Medeia!

And yes... I'm still struggling with reading Ender's Game. I keep thinking something's going to happen... I think I'll wait til the movie comes out on Netflix.

Andrew Leon said...

I don't think I'm going to make it to Ender. I'd like to see it in the theater, but it's probably not gonna happen.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I definitely want an iPad Air. They look amazing. I can't wait until I get one.

Love the idea of a Walking Dead fan site. I'm going to look at it right now.

Thanks for the movie review.

Kristin Lenz said...

I've been meaning to read Ender's Game for years. Movie is PG-13, wondering if it'll be okay for my 11 year old daughter. I should probably just let her read the book first, then decide.

Crystal Collier said...

Wow! So much happening this week. I'm super excited for Medeia and Catherine Stine, and of course everyone else, but I've known them the longest.

So glad for you objective review of Enders Game. My hubby is way excited to go see it, and I am too, but it's good to know what to expect.

Sherry Ellis said...

iPad Air sounds pretty cool. I may have to put it on my list!

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Hey, don't mess with PROMETHEUS. The ghosts of Isaac Asimov, Mark Twain, watch it just like MYSTERY SCIENE THEATER to poke jokes and holes into each frame. If the three of us want serious Sci-Fi, we re-watch GALAXY QUEST! :-)

Thanks for pointing out my AUDIOBOOK of UNDER A VOODOO MOON. You're a great friend to all of us.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Love the graphic Jeremy made. His artwork astonishes me.

Happy Monday, Alex.
xoRobyn

Jeremy [Retro] said...

We have a iPAD and iPad Mini and I am not sure why... we don't use them and I think if my wife saw the one you are asking about. We would have that one too, how sad. I need a new computer and that is not in the budget... ha!

Thor is going to rock the world, from the money so far. It's going to be a winner. Thank you for the shout out and I am digging the animation... it took me way longer to achieve the effect, it was all worth it!

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Thanks for the review, Alex. I think I'm with your wife. It doesn't sound like my kind of movie. Big Blade Runner fan.

I hesitate to admit I don't have an iPad. Not sure why. Can't justify it yet. I already have a big screen iMac and the Mac notebook. Do I really need another computer in this house of techie dummies? Oh, that's not including me. LOL.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Shish, almost forgot. Thanks for the buzz deal mention!

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Love it--an iPad and guitar in every room! Guess I'll have to stick with my old one for a while though!

Mary Montague Sikes

Kimberly said...

I love hearing all the writer news you provide.

We still do not have an iPad in this house at all. But I know it's coming. :)

Lydia Kang said...

Yep, those were the reviews I'd heard about Ender's Game too.

Thanks in advance for helping out with Control's pre-order campaign!

Leovi said...

Thank you very much for your recommendation on Ender's Game!

Cathrina Constantine said...

My daughter who hasn't read Ender's Game absolutely Loved the movie! I still have yet to make it to the theater.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Bish, you probably won't like the movie then.

Kristin, the theme of the story is very dark.

Crystal, expect the book - greatly condensed.

Roland, you're welcome, and that made me laugh!!

Jeremy, don't let your wife know. Glad I could point people to the site and show off your animation. It is way cool.

Joylene, you can never have too many tech gadgets. And you're welcome.

Lydia, I will post about it on Wednesday!

mooderino said...

New ipad every few months seems like they're trying to drive us all mad. Oh for the days of phonebooths and TVs with only three channels...

River Fairchild said...

Thanks so much for showing off my cover! Susan's cover is beautiful too. Love that dragon.
Interesting about Ender's Game. I liked the book but I don't have high hopes for the movie now. It sounds like they could have done so much more with it.

Mark Koopmans said...

Hey,

That was me in the middle of all that great info :)

Cheers, Alex - really appreciate you helping spread the word about 50 States of Pray :)

Finally saw *a* movie the other day, it was Free Birds, so it may be some time before we see anything that's not PG and under :)

Heading to Jeremy's :)

Birgit said...

Ok I have a laptop at home and i have a pay as you go phone and spend $10/mth on it. lol-no Ipad or Ipod or any other zingers for me. My friend calls me retro girl(like a sad super hero of sorts). I want to see this film as i do like science fiction. I just saw the french film "Renoir" about the artist and his son Jean (the great director) circa 1915, which I thought was excellent but it is artsy fartsy:)

VikLit said...

An ipad and a guitar in every room - sounds good to me!

-L. said...

For visuals "Gravity" is hard to beat. Just saw it yesterday and the 3-D effects are amazing. Not to mention the movie follows a real-time event very closely.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Thanks so much for mentioning my book. I do love the cover. I was hoping you would have a review of Enders Game up. I loved the book.
An Ipad in every room. Go for it. I hope I can find someone to go see Thor with me. Now that my sons have girl friends, I'm really not invited. Might have to go by myself.

SC Author said...

Thanks for the review! I'm excited about Thor for sure; the trailers look INCREDIBLE.

Sarah Ahiers said...

I think Ender's Game would have worked much better if they had added 30 mins to its running time and used that time to add more during battle school - more of the awesome battles in the book and more of the character development for the secondary characters and relationship development between them and Ender. As it was, you didn't need half the other kids in the movie, because they weren't developed.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Thanks for the intro to the Fussy Librarian! Nice site. I guess I will hit them up in December :)

Much to my father's shame, I didn't like "Ender's Game" the book, so I doubt I will like the movie. But I will see it, in honor of my dad.

JJ said...

I just fear that, as usual, the movie could not be as good as the book. Rarely is.

Ruth Schiffmann said...

Wow, great roundup here.
I enjoyed my extra hour this weekend, but I've got one pesky watch that I can't seem to reset. Grrr.

H. R. Sinclair said...

I love both covers you showed today.

M Pax said...

Wow, lots of great news. Congrats to everyone! I love seeing so many authors moving forward.

I liked Prometheus. I think I'll wait for dvd on Ender then.

Tina said...

Will wait for Ender's Game on DVD, as always. Hated Prometheus, as you know. Jeremy's new site is awesome! Never thought I'd be zombie fan...just a Jeremy fan...but Darryl and Carol and The Walking Dead have won me over!!!
Tina @ Life is Good

Anonymous said...

We are in one of two states without a time change - AZ and IN. It's kind of nice really.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Moody, that made me chuckle...

River, you're welcome. And if you liked the book, you'll probably like the movie.

Mark, you're welcome. Free Birds? I'm so sorry...

Birgit, doesn't sound like my kind of movie.

L, Gravity was outstanding.

Susan, you're welcome, and just go by yourself! Who cares.

Sarah, very good point! And I did like Bean a lot.

Elizabeth, you either like it or you really don't.

Tina, being a Jeremy fan is awesome though.

MJ, wish we didn't have to change...

Shell Flower said...

Yay for Medeia! Some great writer news. Thanks for the Ender's Game review. I think I'll wait 'till it hits DVD, though I love the book. I don't even have an i-pad, so can't say much about that. I did enjoy an extra hour of sleep for sure!

ilima said...

I watched Ender's Game twice this weekend. First for date night, then with my teens. (We always preview PG-13's first). I LOVED it. And I got teary eyed a number of places but only because I was thinking of the book and what was going on that they didn't have time for in the movie. So I've no idea what it would be like for a non-reader. Even for my kids too young too have read it, Dad has been telling this story to them at bedtime for years, so they're familiar with it, lol.

Also, I agree the book (and movie) is cold and I think that's kind of the point...it shows what the world is like for Ender. I would highly suggest picking up the second book, Speaker for the Dead. It's my favorite book of all time and almost a complete opposite of the first. Way more emotion and character development. In fact, it's ALL about relationships and even a little romance if you can believe it. Great mind-bending story. I LOVE it. In fact, Orson Scott Card says the only reason he wrote Ender's Game was to set up the story for Speaker for the Dead because that was his baby.

Okay, shutting up now.

mshatch said...

Darn, I was hoping for better from Ender's Game - maybe I'll wait til it's on netflix. And wow! Diamonds & Dust is a gorgeous cover!

Unknown said...

Hmmm my pockets are perfectly content with my iPad 2 but I would so welcome iPad air as a gift!
I'm glad you posted that review on Ender's Game. I probably won't be as disappointed considering I know what to expect--from a readers perspective, I mean. I would wait for DVD but I kinda want to support it in the theaters since I'm a sci fi junkie. And I will have to check out Fussy Librarian.

The Happy Whisk said...

Is it possible to print from an iPad? I'm not sure what I want, but something else that I can print coupons from, but also take to the store and have my coupon lists/prices and all that on there, as well.

Tyrean Martinson said...

I only have a Kindle Fire - an iPad might be on my husband's Christmas list this year. Definitely saw Ender's Game - and everyone in my family had a different reaction. One of my kids (they both read everything from MG to classic literature with light and heavy topics intermixed) really liked it - more than I thought she would - because it wasn't the typical scifi movie - she liked the drama. (which totally surprised me)
Having said that, we are all looking forward to Thor - we all enjoy most of the superhero movies. :)
Congrats to all the new book and story authors!!!

Rusty Carl said...

I've all but stopped using my iPad, but the missus has expressed interest in getting a new one for her. So I'm saying a big fat maybe on that question.

I skipped Ender, I plan on seeing Thor, The Hobbit, and maybe one more flick in the theater this season. Nothing else. I'm firm on this, really.

Empty Nest Insider said...

I love Jeremy's animation work! I'll pass your review on to my son who enjoyed reading Enders Game. We saw About Time this weekend. It's a romantic comedy about time travel that is also very heartwarming. Have fun when your new iPad Air arrives!

Julie

Ella said...

Jeremy rocks...I love what he created! Bravo Jeremy~

I am so STOKED for THOR!

Congrats to everyone-wow~! I see my Christmas shopping is going to be easy ;D

Thank you Captain!

Unknown said...

I guess I need to catch up and buy a tablet at some point. I'm interested in Ender's Game, but I want to read it first, so it's on my list to read soon. Congrats to all the authors with new books coming out! I love River's cover.

msmariah said...

Alex-- Great review, as always. So when you say that the ending is different this worries me. I don't want to give any spoilers away to those who haven't read the books, but the ending pretty much was the heart and soul of the book. I don't know if I should see it?

Helena said...

I wasn't sure about Ender's Game, but you've convinced me to put it low on my list. At this time of year all the best films/Oscar contenders are being released, and I want to see them instead.

Sigh. An iPad might be great for me, but cost wise I'll have to pass. Besides, I'm on a computer so much as it is I don't need any more encouragement.

Congrats to the authors with their new books. And I really like Milo's writing.

Carrie Butler said...

Fun fact: I don't think I've ever even touched an iPad...

Off to visit Donna's blog! :)

Kyra Lennon said...

Oof, so much going on again! I'm particularly happy for Medeia!!

Elise Fallson said...

Cool animation! Think I'll wait and watch Thor when it gets over here. See you tomorrow for IWSG. (:

Unknown said...

Ooh, the new iPad looks pretty cool! I'm not sure which one we have ... We bought it last year. All I know is that with it's cover on (and we never take the cover off!), it's pretty darn heavy!

Thanks for the link to the Fussy Librarian. I see my genre is also closed to submissions for now. Will have to mark the date in my diary so I remember to submit once they're open again!

Julie Dao said...

I just saw the commercial for the iPad Air the other day - it looks so cool! That would be a great Christmas present. And I'll definitely check out that Walking Dead website... hopefully no spoilers b/c i am still catching up on season 3!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Ilima, good to know the next one has some feeling to it.

Clarissa, go support it. We need more science fiction films.

Ivy, sorry, no printing.

Rusty, are you sure?

Michael, once you get an iPad, you'll wonder how you survived without it.

MsMariah, they just didn't have time to set up the very ending with his sister, so it's how and where he finds the egg that's different.

Carrie, you can touch one of mine. Wait, that sounds bad...

Rachel, you probably have generation four.

Toi Thomas said...

Okay, all of your posts always rock, but today...WOW!
I loved what you wrote about sci-fi over with Donna Weaver. That's cool animation that Jeremy Hawkins did.
Believe it or not, I don't own an ipad, but I will one day. I'll have to check out the Fuzzy Librarian. I'm really excited about the 50 States of Pray event.
First Dragon looks amazing and your review of the Ender movie is pretty much what I expected, but I'm still going to try and see for myself and to show support.

Julie Flanders said...

I've never watched The Walking Dead but I have to love a site called Hate the Captcha. Amen to that!

That's a great deal on Joylene's book, have to check that out. More good news all the time in blog land. :)

Rachel Schieffelbein said...

I haven't read Ender's Game, but with all the talk about it now due to the movie I'm thinking I should check it out. (I don't really have a desire to watch the movie.)

Bevimus said...

Boy, would I love an iPad! of course, then I'd literally never stop playing Plants Vs. Zombies so maybe it's better I don't have one...

Congrats to all the authors releasing books, signing contracts and getting represented! You guys keep me believing!

I'm glad Ender's Game wasn't a huge let down, and I'm also surprised to hear it. A friend of mine read the book and said sort-of the same thing as you: really dark tone, hard-to-like characters, wondering how on earth they'd end it. I'm glad they managed to stay as true to the book as they resonably could have.

Unknown said...

Congrats to all the new releases and contracts signed, folks! All such great news. :)

Looking forward to IWSG this week!

Rachna Chhabria said...

I have submitted a themed anthology to an Indian publisher. Sent them just 2 sample stories and synopsis of the rest of the stories.

An iPad and a guitar in every room, that is just great Alex :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Toinette, glad you're excited about the 50 States of Pray. Mark will be so happy.

Beverly, I thought they stuck close to the book. And Plants vs. Zombies rocks!

Rachna, fingers crossed for you!

Liz Blocker said...

Fun stuff today!! The iPad air looks super sexy... sigh. Alas for wanting start a family and save for their college educations!!

Congrats to all, and thanks for the Ender's Game review! I think I'm going to see it next week.

Anonymous said...

Wow, lots going on these days. CONGRATS to all those with new books out.


Leovi said...

Very interesting place The Fussy Librarian!

Anonymous said...

My finger cramped from scrolling so much =P

I have a new goal for you, Alex…an iPad Air for all of us wonderful followers! No? Okay fine. I'll have to see if Santa brings one to me too. ha ha

Jo said...

Alex, it was Diamonds and Dust which I thought was plagiarised. It just turns out that Laura Eno has changed the name of both a previously published book and her pen name as well. This is somewhat dishonest as people could well end up buying the book twice.

Don't like the sound of Ender's Game and I cannot remember the book either.

Love the dragon on the cover of First Dragon. I am a sucker for dragons of all kinds.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex .. I'm with Old Kitty - yet Elsie's idea would suit me fine too ...

Wonderful array of bloggers' books on offer - great that you keep us informed ...

To my surprise when I was away we went to Captain Philips and I'm sure as everyone else has said .. it's a great film - interesting too ..

Cheers Hilary

Mark said...

Great review on Ender's Game, and comparing/contrasting it with the book:) My wife and I have both read the book so I'm sure we'll be going to see it at some point.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Elsie, sorry! And if I could give everyone an iPad, I would.

Jo, I knew she'd changed her name. If you don't remember reading Ender's Game, then it didn't make an impression.

Hilary, haven't seen it yet!

Brandon Ax said...

It's funny. I took my son to see this last night and neither of us have read the book. Both of us came away loving the movie. My Son even cheered a few times.

I understand some people were mad at changes, but I always go into a movie adaptation with an open mind...well I go into any movie that way. Expectations ruin things.

klahanie said...

Been to Jeremy's new site. Penny proved she was a dog and not a robot.

A to Z...arggghhhh!!!

I'm very aware of several of your links. All good stuff and special mention to Joylene and River.

In the US and Canada, for one happy week, you were one hour closer to Britain as we put our clocks back one week earlier than you.

Gary

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I like your thoughtful review of Ender's Game. I still haven't seen it yet. I was thinking of reading the book again before the movie, but I might wait until I watch the movie first (There's a lot I've forgotten in the book, though the ending has stuck with me).

Gwen Gardner said...

I heard opposing reviews on Ender's Game. Some people loved it, some didn't. I enjoyed the book.

I was lucky enough to see Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon in concert when I was a teenager. It was so awesome.

Congrats to everyone with good news :)

Cherie Reich said...

You and your iPads in every room. Hehe!

Congrats to Medeia, Catherine, and everyone else! What great news!

Carrie-Anne said...

Knowing my dad, he might be getting himself the iPad Air. He's always gotten the latest Mac/Apple technology, even short-lived models like the Newton.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Brandon, I had no problem with the changes. My wife came away with a very different experience than you did though.

Penny is smart that way, Gary! One hour closer... and yet, still so far.

Lynda, you might be better off - you'll remember just enough to enjoy it.

Gwen, now that is really impressive!

Carrie-Anne, that is one device I didn't get...

Jennifer Lane said...

I have an iPad 2 and that suits me fine! I am trying to figure out an option for work--I have a desktop but like to type an assessment report for the first session while facing the client. I've been bringing my nice MacBook Air to work for a laptop but I'm considering getting a keyboard for my iPad and using that instead. Technology considerations!

I haven't read Ender's Game and I'm guessing I wouldn't love the movie given your description, but maybe I'll check it out at the dollar theater.

Arlee Bird said...

Jeremy did a great job with the animation. I like the reflection in the face visor.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Nick Wilford said...

We got an extra hour of sleep too! Really needed it...

Loads of great news here. There are so many quality covers being produced at the moment, such as River's and Susan's.

Cynthia said...

50 Shades of Pray- what a concept and a clever use of a pun. I might go check it out.

Anonymous said...

Great news here. Thank you for including my book news!

I can't keep up with all these updates. I'm going to hold onto my old iPad until it dies, but I'm always looking at the new stuff.

Patricia Stoltey said...

Katie Cat did not allow me to get my extra hour of sleep. I forgot to tell her about the time change. She's slowly easing in the right direction, thank goodness.

Lisa said...

I saw Ender's Game and loved how they did the training ball. I liked the movie, but knew it would be substantially different from the book. I expected that. My husband, who doesn't usually go for Sci Fi, liked it too, because it was different from the usual, I think. I didn't like how they hurried the ending, gave it less weight. But the did leave it open for a sequel, so who knows. Now I'm in a quandary because I've read all but two of the series, and just found out that Orson Scott Card is being brutally vocal about some of his opinions, that in my mind don't need to be aired to the general public. I feel let down, like I'm sure some baseball and football fans do when one of their favorite players does something unbecoming. Can I continue to encourage folks to read OSC or see his movies? I don't, as yet, know. I am saddened and disappointed. But not in your blog Alex! Love you blog, as always!

Unknown said...

Still struggling with the re-editing of First Wolf, due to be re-printed yet again, and trying to have River Dark published by the end of the month, so problems with time there. Though the main problem at the moment is the operation that my husband has to undergo next month, so posts are rather brief and often late at the moment, until we return to a semblance of normality.

Michelle Wallace said...

An animated Cassastorm paperback? It moooooooooves! That is so cool!
Great interview over at Donna Weaver's place...