Ender's Toilet

Yup, back to Ender's Game books, with The Shadow of the Hegemon.  Well, I'm glad that I'm reading this book at least, because although it was mentioned in every single Ender's Game book, I never actually knew what the Hegemon was.
The Hegemon, it turns out, is a world government that is just barely keeping different nations in the world from killing each other.  Lovely.
"So what does the setting really look like?" is the question I've been asking myself over and over.  Especially since most of the books took place in outer space and only mentioned Earth, my curiosity was piqued.  What does Earth really look like if people are living out here in space?
It's a little sad that after fifteen minutes of searching, this picture is the best thing I could find to describe the state Earth is in in this book series:

One quote on page 51 says, "There wasn't a thing he could say to change this situation.  If Greece were fighting a war, they'd set Bean and Nikolai to work, making plans, charting strategies" (Card 51). Bean and Nikolai are kids, not even teenagers yet.  The world has to be in a really awful situation to send kids to war.  Wow.  That just isn't something you do!  Can you imagine our society doing that?  I'm amazed.  I picture a broken planet, nations just barely holding onto a shred of peace before it all goes down the figurative drain.  And the fact that the war with aliens has ended only makes things worse, since the same kids who fought in the war are back on Earth.  To summarize, the planet has no more reason for international cooperation, and each country is now armed with children that are military geniuses.
FLLUUSSH.

Takahiro

One of the characters in Shadows, which I'm still reading and really enjoying, is a werewolf.
"Really?" You groan and sigh, "Another werewolf story?  Just when the last post was starting to draw me in to read it.  Megan really does write fantastic blog posts."
Well, read it anyway.  Takahiro, or Taks, is no... what's his name?  Oh, yeah.  Jacob.  Jacob Whatever-his-last-name-is.
Takahiro is silent, and intelligent.  He can be closed off at times, but he will always honor a committment even if he isn't up to it, and is open when he's ready.  He respects people's boundaries, and knows his own.  Also, he is not a stereotypical werewolf.  The full moon doesn't bother him.  It's stress that causes him to change, when it becomes too difficult for him to manage.  Before you tell me he should just handle is better, let me tell you that his mother is dead, he had a difficult transition from Japan to, inferrably, the U.S. or Canada, his father has disowned him, and evil magic is on the rampage in their town.  And he's a werewolf!  If that isn't stressful I don't know what is.
He does not kiss immpressionable teenage girls on whim, instead letting them decide when the time is right.  He does not run around killing vampires and showing extreme anger issues when he turns, instead lying on the floor and not wanting to hurt anyone.  He is civil -imagine that- around other boys who may like the main character, Maggie.
Above all, he is not Jacob Whatever-his-last-name-is.
If you want proof, here it is, on page 173, "He pulled out a fresh piece of origami paper... then he started showing me what to do.  After I made a mess... he gave me another piece of origami paper to mangle.  Then he gave me a second one."  He's patient and helpful. 

Shadows

I've finally decided to take a break from the Ender's Game books (I won't say series, because it really isn't- it's just a lot of books centered around the same setting and/or idea.  Does that make sense?  If you want a clearer explanation look here.  It isn't the most recent chart, but gives a visual of what it kind of is.)
Anyway, I'm off topic.  Shadows, the novel I'm reading now, is one of the best I've read since the first Ender's Game.  So far, it's been absolutely packed with action and suspense.  Maggie thinks she is a normal girl... but is she?  Her stepdad comes from OldWorld, where magic is still used, and Maggie can see the magical shadows around him (gruuaa) that no other NewWorlder can.  What can she do about it?  When a cute, magical -literally- boy steps into the scene, he turns her life upside down and changes everything she thought she knew.  That's as far as I've gotten right now, but I can't wait to read more!

Earth Unaware

This is another Ender book.  This isn't as good as the quality of Ender's Game or Ender's Shadow- it's more on the level of Ender in Exile.  But, the story is developed so much more throughout the other books that they're worth reading, even if they aren't as good.  To make myself more interested because I  hate abandonig books, I'm writing about the best thing in this novel so far.
So, what is the best thing?  In my opinion, it is defintiely the relationship between 17-year-old Victor and his 9-year-old apprentice, Mono.  They both live on the ship El Cavador, and are a family of asteroid miners.  Victor develops and improves upon tools in use for mining, and does mechanical repairs.  He is very skilled, and keeps Mono's interest in what he is doing well.  He is also a kind teacher, but still knows how to instruct well, despite his young age.  This is shown by a quote that comes from a conversation between Victor and Mono on page 28, which says, "Mono was on an emotional high.  'You'd be rich on Earth, Vico.  Stinking rich.  All these ideas of yours.  They'd pay you a million credits.' 'I'm seventeen, Mono.  I'd be lucky to get an assembly-line job....  Besides, you and I did this together.  The stabilizer was both of us.'"  This exemplifies their close family relationship and the skill of both of them by mentioning the last job they worked on together and both of their faith in the skill of the other.