A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card

Having already read my Christmas book, and knowing I'd have no time for the very last in the Thomas Covenant series 'Against all things ending" (that's one I had been eagerly awaiting, but need uninterrupted reading time for) I handed that back in unread and picked up a slim volume from another of my favourite authors.

Orson Scott Card will be familiar to many for his classic Sci Fi novel, Ender's Game. The War of Gifts, is a short story of one of the many by-plays, that can be envisaged happening in Battle School, during Ender's time there.

For the uninitiated Ender is the most brilliant of hundreds of brilliant children, who have been removed at a very young age from their parents (to reduce the effect of culture & religion) and sent to Battle School...situated on a space station above the Earth. there is no contact with family again until the war is ended.

The children are being trained in war craft so they will be ready to fight off the invasion fleet of Formics, which is already in transit. The children are from all nations and cultures, so to promote a sense of the unity of Humankind against the alien enemy, all religious and cultural observances are banned.

Therefore Christmas does not exist.

The War of Gifts explores what happens when a fundamentally religious person is put into this
environment, and observes a Dutch boy leaving his shoes out of his locker for Sinterklaas to fill.
Orson Scott Card is a fantastic writer who draws you into the psychology of a character, poses moral and intellectual dilemmas and most often provides solutions...usually in the most unexpected of manners.

Prior knowledge of the series is not required to enjoy this tale which explores the true meaning of Christmas 'gifts'.

A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card

Silver Bells - A Holiday Tale by Luane Rice

I was looking for a Christmas story to read, picked the “Silver Bells” up, scanned a few pages and was hooked.

“Silver Bells” is a love story - love between a father and his children, love between friends and love between strangers. It is also a story of lots of sadness due to loss of love, family issues – conflict between father and their children; human confusion…but season spirit and miracles wrapped up a beautiful ending.

Christopher Bryan, a widower to two teens, makes a living by growing Christmas trees in Nova Scotia and selling them every year December in the New York City. In one Christmas, his son left him to pursue his dream in the City.

Catherine Tierney, a widow and librarian of a New York City, the death of her husband haunts her but she was longing for a glimpse of her husband’s ghost in every Christmas. It is the season that brought the librarian and the Christmas tree salesman together.


“Silver Bells” is the first Luance Rice book I read. It is a simple story but I found that it was engaging and kept me interested from start to finish. The writing makes the readers feel father’s anguish over his son’s running away, his confusion as to why and his need to find his child. I like the writing style – more descript than dialog – the flow lead readers through the emotions of each characters.
All in all it is an easy but touching read and won’t disappoint those readers who love a good cry.

Becky

Silver Bells - A Holiday Tale by Luane Rice

A Christmas Journey / by Anne Perry

I read this as a challenge to try something "outside my comfort zone". Anne Perry writes Victorian era crime - certainly not my genre of choice - and ever since 2003 she has released one of these Victorian "Christmas" novellas every year. Again, not my usual reading fare, if only because I have always regarded such slender seasonal offerings as clever marketing exercises by publishers.

Nonetheless, A Christmas Journey was quite enjoyable. During a weekend party at a country estate, young widow Isobel Alvie makes a cruel remark about the true motives of another young widow, Gwendolen Kilmuir, in wishing to marry eligible bachelor Bertie Rosythe. Tragedy soon befalls Gwendolen and Isobel is held morally, if not criminally, responsible. As penance, she is given the task of a journey to the wintry wilds of Northern Scotland to deliver a sealed letter to Gwendolen's mother. Failure to do so will result in permanent ostracism from Society (no small punishment amongst the mid-Victorian well-to-do) . Her friend, Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould (love the name!) accompanies her. By the book's end we learn a few secrets and surprises about the characters' pasts that offer a moral lesson in empathy for the lives of others. Although the Christmas message at the end feels a bit tacked on (indeed, Christmas is not at all integral to the plot), the story was enough to keep me interested.

Despite my reservations about these Christmas story enterprises, this book is well written. Anne Perry has a keen interest in the social strictures of mid Victorian Britain and this is reflected in her detailed attention to the language, refined wit, and gestures of her characters. She communicates effectively the serious social consequences that could ensue from a few thoughtless words expressed in polite company. Whether this accurately reflects the reality of Victorian manners and mores is a matter for scholars to judge. For me, it felt authentic, and quite alien from 21st century society. And the narration of Isobel and Vespasia's arduous journey through the Scottish moors on horseback was vividly rendered.

At the very least, this book would make me consider reading one of Anne Perry's substantive crime fictions.

A Christmas Journey / by Anne Perry

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

The Gift is not the latest title from Cecelia Ahern, but as it's a Christmas theme it's the one to read a the moment. She was the author of P.S. I Love You.

This novel is set in the days leading up to Christmas, with very little to do with Christmas as such, unless you count the togetherness (or not) of family which the season tends to highlight, and a little mysticism.

Lou is a very work focused businessman, who believes he is doing a fine job of fitting in his family around it. One morning he surprises himself by actually noticing the homeless man who sits outside his office building. He hands the man, Gabe, the coffee he just bought himself.

With this ‘gift’ Lou starts to make a few very uncharacteristic decisions. The first is to get Gabe a job in the company mail room, which results in Gabe seemingly always looking over Lou’s shoulder.

The story unwinds through a tale told by the local cop to a young boy who has been picked up that morning, Christmas morning, for throwing a frozen turkey through his estranged father’s window. The cop needs to tell someone as he has just dealt with the conclusion to the tale, and he hopes that by telling the boy the tale, it will change the boys attitude.

It is well written, easy to read but made me feel a little uncomfortable as I recognised some of Lou’s behaviours in myself. It was hard to put down, therefore thankfully short, so I wasn’t distracted for too long.

Well worth reading!

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

Skipping Christmas / John Grisham

Beware the consequences if you ever think you can dodge Christmas! This is a quick little read, with humour in the action. When their daughter Blair takes off to the jungles of South America to work for a charity, the middle American family central to this story decides to ditch all the preparations, excessive consumption, and general hoo-ha.. Instead of spending $6,100 over the festive season, they plan a cruise for half the price. As they painfully diet and tan in preparation, you have an inkling of disaster to come.... Neighbours start to wonder what's happening. The turning point comes when dear daughter announces she is returning with a fiance in tow. The rest I'll leave you to find out.... Not a favourite book of mine, but I did like the tidy ending, when the pre-booked cruise is given to a friend in need; it wraps it up neatly, and sums up the message of Christmas.

Janet S.

Skipping Christmas / John Grisham

Toute allure : falling in love in rural France / Karen Wheeler

Pure chicklit - or as my favourite author Anita Heiss prefers - commercial womens fiction.
It is stretching things just a bit to include this in a Christmas read theme. There is a chapter on spending Christmas with a small group of friends in a new country - and much of the book focuses on "the gift". The writer's love of her rescue dog. The French seem to allow dogs to accompany you anywhere. This is a feel good animal story where the dog survives! City people living overseas in rural areas always have an interesting tale to tell.
Dianne

Toute allure : falling in love in rural France / Karen Wheeler