Starters discussion

So in the end, we find out that the Old Man had been occupying Blake's body for the time period in which Helena was supposedly occupying Callie's body. Callie fell in love with Blake and talked about how their relationship was different compared to the one she and Michael shared. Although in the end, Callie did attempt to accept the real Blake, as for now, we don't know whether or not that worked. I know this may sound strange, but do you think there was a real "thing" between Callie and the Old Man? From her perspective, Callie mentioned how happy she was when she was with Blake and she did acknowledge some sort of affection she has for him. I personally think when you like someone, you love them for who they are and not for the body they have. So even if Callie did try to establish a relationship with the actual Blake, it won't be the same. From the Old Man's perspective, it did seem like there was something there too. When real Blake showed Callie the picture, he claimed that he actually looked happy in the photo. I don't think true happiness is something someone can fake. And that conversation Callie had when the Old Man was back in his own body at Prime Destinations, I feel like the words he used... the Old Man didn't sound like he was talking to a rival. Yes yes, the Old Man is probably two hundred years older than Callie, but imagine the Old Man being some young evil mastermind around Callie's age. Then everyone would say there was DEFINITELY something between them. So forget about the age difference for a second and think about it.
The whole romance in the plot is bothering me!
Feel free to post your opinion and share your thoughts!

I agree. I was very shocked when I read the part where the Old Man was pretending to be Blake because I thought that Callie and him had real chemistry. I also think that maybe the Old Man isn't as old as he says he is because we never actually see his face so there must be a reason for that.

i was so so shoked by the ending too

I found it a bit creepy that it had been the Old Man but I don't understand how she can have that chemistry again with the real Blake as he will have a totally different personality.

Sarah wrote: "I found it a bit creepy that it had been the Old Man but I don't understand how she can have that chemistry again with the real Blake as he will have a totally different personality."

I agree! Callie remembers Blake as The Old Man now.. it would never change.

If they go on the date Callie will probably twitch everytime She looks at Blake and the Old Man will show up in her head..

SO EXCITED FOR THE LAST BOOK!

I thought about the possibility that The Old Man is actually young, too. I'm thinking that's likely, since Michael seems to have had some kind of relationship with the girl who was watching Callie's brother. I don't think I'd like it if Callie and the actual Blake ended up together; it's too pat, but also I agree that you love someone for who they are, not what they look like, so if she fell for this Blake it just wouldn't be right.

Galadriel wrote: "I thought about the possibility that The Old Man is actually young, too. I'm thinking that's likely, since Michael seems to have had some kind of relationship with the girl who was watching Callie..."

Hmm, i never thought about the possibility of The Old Man as a young person, since he is named as "The OLD Man"... i like that theory.

Galadriel wrote: "I thought about the possibility that The Old Man is actually young, too. I'm thinking that's likely, since Michael seems to have had some kind of relationship with the girl who was watching Callie..."

Yea, that's what I thought..but even if he is, from what we've seen in Starters The Old Man is still a bad guy..I don't think him and Callie will end up together, unless his character completely changes in Enders.
I think it'll be odd if she falls for the real Blake, I was suprised that she decided to give Blake a chance just because the guy she had feelings for was in his body. I hope she ends up with Michael..it's the relationship that makes the most sense.

Interesting predictions... maybe "Old Man" is a pseudonym he picked out to fool people into *thinking* he was actually old. Or maybe he's one of the lost generation (a 20-something?) who is "old" compared to his peers (the younger generation)? That doesn't explain why he would have headed up PD, though...

callie and blake were soo cute together-until i found out it was the old man.he freaks me out

Ummm...did any of you guys not notice... How did "the real Blake" know where she lived?? He said her house-keeper told him where she was. The real Blake had no way of knowing where she lived, right? Or did I miss something?

I wasn't as interested in the romance, as the story line. It did have a great ending though!

i think there could be a possibility that the old man has occupied Blake's body again-cuz he wants Callie to become part of his plan

Wendy wrote: "Interesting predictions... maybe "Old Man" is a pseudonym he picked out to fool people into *thinking* he was actually old. Or maybe he's one of the lost generation (a 20-something?) who is "old" ..."

Oooh! nice thinking!

I am completely crushed that it was the Old Man who was inhabiting Blake's body all this time. He and Callie had so much chemistry, I'm still trying to adjust to it all. I hope the Old Man isn't an Ender because that would just be wrong (he KISSED Callie for God's sake!). I can only imagine how Callie must feel - heartbroken and betrayed.

After finishing the book, I'm not really feeling the whole Blake romance anymore now that he's lost all his memory of Callie. I feel it would be pointless to make the next book all about making him regain his memories. How tedious. It's possible that the Old Man is some young bad boy stud who actually has feelings for Callie. Or maybe there'll be a love quadrangle (Blake starts to remember, Michael breaks up or never was with Florina, Old Man is a young man who likes Callie). Who knows? Lissa Price likes to keep her readers hanging.

Not knowing how this will all pan out is killing me. I need ENDERS now!

I was so creeped out when I find out that Blake was actually the Old Man. My first thought- CALLIE KISSED THE OLD MAN!!! WHAT IF HE'S ACTUALLY AN ENDER???
I really liked the idea of Callie and Blake together. I don't like Michael, he seems more like a brother to Callie.

I NEED THE SECOND BOOK.

I don't think Callie and the new Blake should last - she barely knows him, she knows the Old Man and shouldn't cling to it. From Blake's perspective, if he eve found out then he'd surely leave too, wondering the same thing. I didn't like the way Callie quickly forgot her year with Michael either. I like Blake as a character and want him in the sequel 'Enders' but he'll be different and possibly spoilt, and then I;d wish he hadn't come back at all.

As for the Old Man, the implication at the end of the book that he is/has/knows Callie's father made me shiver. There have been references to Callie's Dad and the various tech he created (such as the handlight) so why wouldn't he be perfectly okay creating the tech to run Prime Destinations? But then kissing his teenage daughter...nope, no way, not her Dad. End of. I do however think the Old Man has her Dad captive (for a happy ending)/used him to build PD tech, which is how he came across the phrase. They might have even been old friends, as it refers to his colleagues earlier on in the book. The girl who appears (forgotten her name!) with Michael later in the book has this mysterious 'great Aunt' and sort of gets written off may have something to do with this, especially if Callie's Dad was involved, as he may have agreed to help if someone was to protect Tyler whilst this went on, funny how she was there for this time frame alone...

Madison commented on Callie's ability to be a 'real' teen and even if the Old Man spent countless hours perfecting this using various teen bodies, he'd have probably slipped up.

*Kind of went off track in the middle there a little bit...Callie and Michael in the next book please!*

Well. I doubt the main point of this book is to promote pedophilia, so the Old Man is probably actually someone young. Hopefully. Please.

But yeah I have 4 theories on Callie's dad: the Old Man is either keeping him captive so that Callie will join him, her dad chose to ally with the Old Man for an unknown reason, the Old Man is using his fake voices to trick Callie, or the Old Man (please let this be fake) is her dad.

Anyways, hopefully Lissa Price will surprise us in the end.

I think kevin has a point, although i'd hate to think about her own dad kissing her, notice at the end of the book how The Old Man kept saying she was special to him, i didn't see him say that he loved her all he said was that she was special, or that her father allied with him because when the voice in her head said "when te eagle cry, time to fly" or something like that, it wasn't the voice of The Old Man, it was her father's

Julie might be right, maybe the Old Man is Callies's father?! Or is that something they're trying to make us think... oh, i'm sooo looking forward to the next book! Who is the Old Man?
Still, if the Old Man is in fact old, i think Callie and the real Blake could actually become an item. That would be sweet.

Callie might have felt chemistry, but however the old man is a great actor and could probably manipulate her feelings

I so called that the old man might be her dad. I mean she never actually see him die, but rather taken away. And anyways, if the old man is her dad it would make the story a ten times more interesting.
But the whole thing with Blake actually being the old man is cool and original.

Heeeey buddies. So, I just finished reading this book and I rly like the theories I've seen so far. But I haven't yet seen anyone going further into the last thing the Old Man said, "When hawks cry, time to fly".
I mean, it's the same thing that her dad said last, so, as Beth said, he could be her dad. BUT I don't actually like the idea of her own dad luring her into a relationship just to keep track of her. Anyone else with some good theories?

Well when Blake was actually being rented but we didn't know it, I loved him <3. But when we found out that wasn't actually him... I dunno, I just feel like we're starting over. I hope they make a good couple, but Michael seems like a good candidate too :)

I agree with people that felt brother/sister vibes between Callie and Michael. He was also super quick to be drawing pictures of whatever girl lived in the same building as him at the moment.

If the Old Man is her dad, that would be cool if he hadn't been making out with her as Blake. That is too messed up. I'm also really hoping he isn't an Ender because that is too creepy. Though the Old Man is "the villain" and obviously would be great at manipulating etc., I think the complication here is that he and Callie do actually feel something for each other, but his lust for power may be greater. I also don't think Callie is as obviously "good" as Katniss or Harry Potter, so I'm curious if she'll be tempted by things that are wrong. Not sure where they'll go with that but I'm interested to find out.

For those who read starters in the book did it ever describe what callie looks like?

nope :(

I think the whole old man plot twist was kinda messed up. I liked Blake and he didn't strike me as an old man. I think it's gonna be wierd for Callie...

I just finished the book, and the thing about Blake not being himself but the Old Man grossed me out! NO!!! They had such chemistry.

Since we don't know what the Old Man looks like here, I was wondering, like another reader, if he's not old AT ALL. He could be young, Callie's age or younger. He could be a YOUNG, POWERFUL guy who has deceived others into fearing him.

I agree that Michael is more like a brother to her. I don't see romantic sparks there, or I don't want to, LOL.

This was a real twist I didn't see coming! I'm starting the sequel, The Enders.

(it's just a theory) but i think it could all have been a lie. Like Callie could've had a relationship with the real Blake and then the old man rented his body. The real blake loved callie but his body was being controlled by the old man, and that's why he said he couldn't remember anything. Imean NOBODY ACTS THAT WELL. how could he have never showed any signs at all that he was the old man. And the relationship between blake and callie could've been a problem for the old man because as blake was the senator's grandson, he could've helped callie get to the old man and ruin his plans.

IDK.I mean, i know it's crazy, but who knows? It's fiction. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.