*~Can't Stop Reading~* discussion

Our September group read!

Is anyone else reading/read Ender’s Game this month? I was pretty excited to see this book as a group read and after hearing so many good reviews, I couldn’t wait to get hold of a copy.

Well I’ve just finished and am happy to say I enjoyed it! I felt the simplicity of the language was easy to follow and wasn’t bogged down with jargon and technical terms that some space themed novels entail. I did feel the ending was a little weak though; after following Ender throughout his troubled journey I was expecting something explosive and shocking, yet I felt as a reader I didn’t really get that.

It will be interesting to hear what others think :)

I just ordered it. Can't wait'

I have to say I read this many years ago and I love it. It was very unique at time of publication and has since become a bit of a cult book. Which explains why many people do not get it. they think they should read it and then do but cannot get along with it and them dismiss it. Only read it if you like real scifi. Not if you think it will be a notch on your dystopian YA bookshelf.

I'm not a huge sci-fi book fan, but I thought this was great! I wanted to read it before the movie comes out and I'm so glad it was a book club pick. I even want to read the next book in the series, which hardly ever happens for me.

Megan wrote: "I'm not a huge sci-fi book fan, but I thought this was great! I wanted to read it before the movie comes out and I'm so glad it was a book club pick. I even want to read the next book in the series..."

I love the other books too but many on here slate them for some reason. Do try them though.

Started reading today.

Finished reading. Wow. This thread is deader than a bugger. LOL!

I read this a few months ago and loved it. I did have a hard time with the age of the children though.

Well here are some discussion questions to try and bring this back to life. :)

Discussion Questions

(1) Ender's Game is often criticised for the way the children are portrayed. Critics claim that children just don't behave like that. Card responds by saying that as a child he 'never felt that my emotions were somehow less real than adult emotions and desires.' Are the gifted children of the novel portrayed unrealistically?

(2) Why is Alai's affection and friendship so important to Ender?

(3) What is the significance of the way Ender treats Bean?

(4) The children of the Battle School are exploited mercilessly yet the reader feels that this treatment is justified. Are there contemporary examples of child exploitation that could be compared to that of Ender's Game?

(5) There is a comparative lack of female characters in Ender's Game. Does this mean that the novel is really only about 'boys and their toys'?

(6) Is the character of Peter Wiggin believable? Is he meant to be larger than life as a counterpoint to the more grounded and likable Ender?

(7) What is your major criticism of the novel?

(8) In the context of the SF genre, where do Ender's Game and Card stand amongst the greats of the field?

(9) Card states in his introduction that the novel Ender's Game (expanded from the short story) was really just a means to the end of writing Speaker For The Dead. There is a definite shift in tone in the last chapter that is reminiscent of Speaker For The Dead. Does this mean that Ender's Game can't stand on it's own, that the reader must read Speaker For The Dead?

(10) What is the highlight of the novel for you? Which character or scene or philosophical point is most important to you?"

Well I can't remember the novel well enough to address any of the questions fully save (7).

My major criticism is that the author, Scott Card, comes across as slightly patronising or maybe slightly telling. I sensed when I first read it that he had a lot of moralising to do (which his rather ironic considering his own views on anything) which came across a little patronising. I do agree that the children act in a way that doesn't feel real but rather...oddly contrived.

I had a tough time with the age of the kids too, but I had to keep reminding myself that these were child geniuses who were bred by the government. So, of course they're going to act outside of what we would consider normal behavior.

I really enjoyed this book! There was great exploration of people's relationship with others and with their relationship with humanity. The story was a good one that kept the reader intrigued. It was interesting how the author put messages in his book for his young adult readers. I felt that he took that responsibility quite seriously. I also liked that the book was more about the relationships that I mentioned above rather than super science fictiony. Card had a fun time with words and that pierces through the story from time to time, which I always love. It was also interesting how the author holds women with the highest regard yet they are not a very present in the book. There were two reasons why I didn't give this book a full fledged five stars; one being that there was a chapter where the battle talk and strategy went on too long for me, but I'm not partial to war stories. The other reason was that I felt that Ender was too young to understand u=the concepts that he seemed to. I understand that the author wanted him to stay young through the story but I think that if he raised the initial age two years it wouldn't change the story and it would be more believable.