Sci Fi Review: Earth Unaware (The First Formic War #1) by Orson Scott Card, Aaron Johnston

Earth Unaware (The First Formic War #1)
by Orson Scott Card, Aaron Johnston


Description:
The mining ship El Cavador is far out from Earth, in the deeps of the Kuiper Belt, beyond Pluto. Other mining ships, and the families that live on them, are few and far between this far out. So when El Cavador's telescopes pick up a fast-moving object coming in-system, it's hard to know what to make of it. It's massive and moving at a significant fraction of the speed of light.

El Cavador has other problems. Their systems are old and failing. The family is getting too big for the ship. There are claim-jumping corporate ships bringing Asteroid Belt tactics to the Kuiper Belt. Worrying about a distant object that might or might not be an alien ship seems not important.

They're wrong. It's the most important thing that has happened to the human race in a million years. The first Formic War is about to begin.


My Review:
I cannot tell you enough how much I enjoyed this book.

This story takes us back to the first contact with the buggers from Ender’s World. Starting off a bit slow in belt politics, it gets real interesting, real fast.

I do have to say, I went back to Ender’s Game after reading this trilogy. There is a bit of a disconnect between the history there and here: how the buggers are discovered, to be specific. So, my advice is to enjoy this for what it is. Yes, it’s different, but I feel that this trilogy stands well enough on its own, as do the Ender stories.

Overall, I highly recommend this book and the other two in the trilogy. I listened to the audiobooks, and the narrators nailed it.

I borrowed the audiobook from the library.


About Orson Scott Card:


Orson Scott Card

Orson Scott Card is the author of the novels Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, and Speaker for the Dead, which are widely read by adults and younger readers, and are increasingly used in schools.
Besides these and other science fiction novels, Card writes contemporary fantasy (Magic Street, Enchantment, Lost Boys), biblical novels (Stone Tables, Rachel and Leah), the American frontier fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker (beginning with Seventh Son), poetry (An Open Book), and many plays and scripts.

Card was born in Washington and grew up in California, Arizona, and Utah. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Brazil in the early 1970s. Besides his writing, he teaches occasional classes and workshops and directs plays. He recently began a longterm position as a professor of writing and literature at Southern Virginia University.

Card currently lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife, Kristine Allen Card, and their youngest child, Zina Margaret.

Orson Scott Card Author Links:
www.hatrack.com
Twitter@orsonscottcard
Goodreads


About Aaron Johnston:


Aaron Johnston

Aaron Johnston is a New York Times bestselling author, comics writer, and film producer. He cowrote the novels Invasive Procedures, Earth Unaware, Earth Afire, Earth Awakens, and the other forthcoming Formic Wars novels with science-fiction legend Orson Scott Card.
He was also an associate producer on the movie Ender’s Game, wherein he makes a cameo appearance as an officer of the International Fleet. Blink and you’ll miss him.
Aaron’s comic credits include Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Formic Wars, League War, and Mazer in Prison, all for Marvel. His screenplay adaptations include Alvin Maker, Sarah: Woman of Genesis, The Multiple Man, Feed the Baby of Love, and others. His play Lifeloop, an adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s short story, was featured at Western Illinois University. A longtime stage improviser, Aaron is a former member of LA’s Improv Factory, Santa Clarita Improv, and the Garrens Comedy Troupe. He and his wife are the parents of four children.

Aaron Johnston Author Links:
www.aaronwjohnston.com
Twitter@AaronWJohnston
Goodreads