Orson Scott Card - 'Ender's Game'

dendol · January 29th, 2002, 12:03 AM

Just finished reading this, and i feel a bit put off. Ive heard alot of people mention OSC as one of their favourite writers, but I just felt that 'Ender's Game' was a little childish.

Does the childishness lessen as Ender grown up with the next few books? The reason I ask this is that books such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter have this child-like feel to it, which for some reason starts to bug me after a while.

Im considering whether or not to continue with the series. I value all your opinions.. thanks!

jbcohen · January 29th, 2002, 01:01 AM

I read OSC a long time ago and can only remember some of what I read. From what I do recall his book that you read was originally written for children, but was a success only after it gain popularity among the adult book reading community. As for the other books that he has written I can not speak to because for some reason I did not peruse his other books. Can't seem to recall why though.

**Rob B** · January 29th, 2002, 01:23 AM

The second book Speaker for the Dead continues Ender's saga as an adult, different book but just as powerful.

Also, this is clearly science fiction and as such, I've moved it to the Science Fiction Forum.

Vitriol · January 29th, 2002, 01:38 AM

Well, I haven't read Ender's game, but I've read the first 3 Alvin Maker books as well as Songmaster, and he definitely does write some adult stuff. Whether or not he did so in Ender's Game remains to be seen.

Oh, and I wouldn't exactly call LOTR childish; you have to be quite determined to slog through that much literary 'stuff'.

**Lani** · January 29th, 2002, 10:41 AM

The other three books in the 'Ender' series are targeted towards adult auditory, so you might want to check them out.

Menteith · February 1st, 2002, 01:10 AM

Hmm, while Ender's game focuses on chiildren as characters, I'd not exactly call it childish. Would you allow your Harry_Potter_aged_child to read it? IMO the implications of the storyline are pretty tough.
If you basically liked Ender's game check out Ender's Shadow, which is the same story from the perspective of an even younger but even less childish kid (Bean).
Speaker for the dead is an entirely different story, more on the philosophical side of Science Fiction and that is as far as I have read the series.

EnderW · February 5th, 2002, 07:07 AM

Ah, what can I say. Of course the book is going to have a slight feel of "childishness"...they are children. The point is to take the simplified instances and apply their implications into an adult form. Sometimes this can be hard. Speaker for the Dead, Xinocide, and Children of the Mind are really somewhat separate from Enders Game, and now Enders Shadow. They have a feel much more closer to modern hardcore sci-fi, dealing with, seemingly, more adult issues. Personally I thought they were great, but they lacked the ummm…”inspiration” I felt after reading Enders Game.

vortexreader · February 5th, 2002, 01:52 PM

I think Ender's Game was originally written for children (not 100% sure though). It's definitely written in a less demanding style than his other works. IMO, Speaker for the Dead is far superior...and written as an adult novel.

**Kamakhya** · February 5th, 2002, 03:51 PM

I have to agree Vortex... Enders Game was for me, the epitome of a "boys" book. I liked it, it was fun and exciting, but it was such a boys book. <g> Speaker for the Dead was much better, imho. I thought the underlying philosophy was beautiful.

I have to say I got a bit bored with the Ender Series after Xenoside.

I just read Treason and thought it was also a wonderful book.

Kamakhya Devi

vortexreader · February 6th, 2002, 03:20 PM

Speaker for the Dead is the only book that has ever made me gasp aloud at a scene...it is such a powerful book and the underlying philosophy is amazing.

In all honesty, this book had such an affect on me that I'm afraid to read it again in case it isn't how I remember it.

**Rob B** · February 7th, 2002, 01:51 AM

I don't EG was specifically written for kids, IIRC from reading Card's musings on the book. I believe he had a specific reason for using kids, but at the moment it escapes me.

Vortex, there were quite a few POWERFUL scenes in SPEAKER, which one are thinking of?

Alai · February 9th, 2002, 06:42 AM

Honestly the thing I liked about Ender's Game was this so called "Childishness". Doesn't any of it stay in SFTD? I mean if Ender is eleven when he reaches the bugger homeworld at least Bean would be like eight. I'm also wonering if Alia, Ender's friend from his launch squad is going to appear more in the later books and if this "childishness" exists in the Shadow books?

EnderW · February 9th, 2002, 12:09 PM

Like I said in the other topic, read Ender's Shadow. It is what you are looking for.

Alai · February 9th, 2002, 10:53 PM

Ok Ender, I'll get to it as soon as I can. I was really wonering how much stayed in the sequels? ANd if ALai will Appear again?

EnderW · February 10th, 2002, 07:48 AM

I am pretty sure that's what the final book is going to be about. But that is not a fact...yet.



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