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eK
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 735
(8/3/02 2:20 pm)
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Book 1: Lovelock: Chapters 1-3
This topic is for discussing Lovelock by Orson Scott Card and Kathryn H. Kidd chapters 1-3 only. Do not discuss later chapters here or any other Book Club books.
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adurdin
Vortininja
Posts: 429
(8/5/02 10:13 pm)
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Re: Book 1: Lovelock: Chapters 1-3
Chapter 1 is all I can comment on, having read it online.
The idea of the monkey as a "diary" is interesting; it could perhaps be hard to work with to get a good consistent story; I don't know.
Many times during the first chapter, Lovelock is highly critical of human behaviour, considering himself better than them. I get the impression that his devotion to Carol Jeanne is either (a) externally implanted, i.e. bred into him, or (b) motivated by selfish interest. The reason behind this observation is that Lovelock views the other members of the family with cynicism or hatred.
"But my work is here. And as crazy as it sounds, I feel as if God is here. Even though I know that he'll be with you too, I wouldn't know how to find him out there. I can't leave God, not even for you."
I don't know if Irene is supposed to be portrayed as a Christian or not, but she certainly doesn't come across as one. She spouts nonsense like this quote above; though I guess she is supposed to be under an "emotional strain" as Carol Jeanne is leaving.
Anyway. That's a few scattered thoughts from my reading of the first chapter.
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eK
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 741
(8/6/02 12:22 am)
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Lovelock
I can't really address the source of Lovelock's devotion, as it becomes more clear later in the book, but I can say that he doesn't like the other people in Carol Jeanne's life because he wants to be her husband, so to speak. He was to fill that role in her life, rather than her husband, and he's jealous. The children and the grandparents are a symbol of the relationship he can't have with her.
Though some of them are very deserving of his disgust.
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Snaily 
Vortininja
Posts: 453
(8/7/02 5:24 pm)
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Re: Lovelock
Definately.
Mamie is exquisitely awful - a bit of a cliché mother-in-law, although there is a twist to the old idea since it is not the family male's mother-in-law. So far it seems that overall the traditional sex roles are turned upside down - Carol Jeanne is the scientifical, emotionally oblivious, while Red's profession directly concerns human emotions.
Having read other works by OSC, I must say that the characters are developed even better (and quicker) than in the Ender series. Even though it is an influence (as OSC states in On Collaboration, the foreword) from Kathryn Kidd, maybe it is a product of the somewhat stereotypical characters. Any opinions?
Edit: Rephrased after eK's comment
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¨@_ Edited by: Snaily at: 8/7/02 5:55:48 pm
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eK
Isonian
Posts: 745
(8/7/02 5:33 pm)
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Kathryn H. Kidd
I think she had a profound influence on the characters. Think of an author as an actor that plays the role of every character he/she writes about. When two authors are involved each one is able to play different roles and play off of each other. The characters become more unique and more natural when more than one person has a say in their actions.
And besides, in 'Forward' Orson Scott Card comments on how much better he feels she is than him at creating memorable characters 
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Snaily
Vortininja
Posts: 456
(8/7/02 5:53 pm)
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Irene & Religions
True, and statement rephrased.
And now for something different...
Irene is said to be a nun, and since Carol Jeanne is Catholic, she is probably one, too.
Religion seems to be semi-central in life at the Ark; I wonder if it will become as central in the story? OSC has a way of adding religion seamlessly in his books, and since KHK (Kathryn H. Kidd, duh) has published Mormon novels (as stated in the foreword), it wouldn't surprise me.
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Flaose
Vorticon Elder
Posts: 161
(8/8/02 4:12 pm)
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Re: Irene & Religions
I'm pretty sure Carol Jeanne is not a nun...if I remember right, nuns are not allowed to marry. She is probably just a Catholic by name (as opposed to a practicing Catholic who actually goes to church regularly).
Both OSC and KHK are Mormon, and both have written LDS (that's Latter-Day Saint) books. However in his more mainstream books, OSC seems to choose Catholicism as a religion.
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Cerebral Cortex 314 - For All of your Commander Keen Needs. |
Snaily
Vortininja
Posts: 460
(8/9/02 2:48 pm)
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Re: Irene & Religions
Misunderstanding... I meant that Irene probably is a catholic like her sister, not that Carlo Jeanne is a nun.
I can see why you got it wrong, though.
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