Ender's Game?

[Susan in TN]

Anyone read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card? It's been recommended to my 14yods, but I haven't read it. We have a collection of his short stories and some are good and I'd say others are not appropriate for young teens, so that's all I have to go by.

 

In general, we're more fans of classic literature, Tolkien and Lewis, Powers, etc., and I have a tendency to be suspicious of modern sci-fi. But I'm willing to give it a go if it's simply a "must-read-or-you'll-turn-into-a-troll-if-you-don't" kind of book.

[Garga]

Ender's Game is probably one of my all time favorites. I can't express how much I love that book. 14 is a good age to read it.

 

If you want, you can pre-read it. It's not a very long book. The book is about boys who are learning how to be generals in an upcoming battle against aliens, so there is an element of toughness about it. The boys are taken from their families at a very young age, when the government realizes they're geniuses. The government then trains these boys (and I think girls, too--it's been awhile) in battle tactics hoping to hone them as tacticians and warriors.

 

I think the part you should know about is that Ender does kill another child, but it's in self-defense. He's not some sort of murderer, but when forced to defend himself against a bully who IS trying to harm him, he uses deadly force. (That's why they would want someone like him trained to be a general in a war--able to defend his side.)

 

This is why you might want to pre-read it. Don't let that part scare you away, just pre-read and decide if it's good for your family/son. The climax of the story is just such a great read.

 

I love Orson Scott Card. But some of his stuff is waaaay too old for kids, so I get your reservations. I think Ender's Game is ok for teens.

[forty-two]

I'd say it is a "must-read-or-you'll-turn-into-a-troll-if-you-don't" kind of book ;). (My dh, though, says that it is an excellent sci-fi book, but it hasn't had the influence of Asimov's or Verne's books on the genre.)

 

I love it - I've re-read it several times, and I've read most of the sequels. I can't think of anything inappropriate, but I first read it at 18. I wouldn't consider it a school book or anything, but it is definitely worth reading.

[WTMCassandra]

One of my tutoring students recommended it to me a couple of weeks ago, and I just read it last week--great timing for your post!

 

I found it to be high-quality, thought-provoking science fiction, and a great story to boot. You can tell that he was indeed influenced by Asimov's foundation series, as the author said in the intro to the edition I read. The story has that same epic feel.

 

I would say this book is appropriate for upper teens, if they don't get nightmares easily. It is about war, so there are some mildly disturbing things in it, although they don't go into gratuitous detail.

 

I'm picky, and I thought it was a great book. YMMV.

[RedHen6]

It is excellent, and my personal opinion is that it is Orson Scott Card's best book. I've read it several times...might be time to read it again!

[Valerie in MI]

My 12 yo dd was bemoaning that she had nothing to read. I have a library full of classics that she spurns. My dh brought out one of his books, Ender's Game, and she took it with her to camp this week. Hope she likes it.

[SusanAR]

This is one of my ds all time favorites

 

susanAR

[Susan in TN]

All right - you've convinced me already! In fact, dh may now have to fight with ds and I over who gets to read it first. ;)

[Deidre in GA]

i think 14 is a great age for Ender's game. some of the others in the series wouldn't be.

[Lori D.]

I read Ender's Game a summer or two ago. While I wouldn't put author Card in the same "classics sci-fi" category as Bradbury or LeGuin, he is definitely a cut above your standard sci-fi -- similar in writing style to the original Dune by Herbert (if you've read that): creative world, holds together well narratively, not a lot of depth of character, more about the plot and the philosophical ramifications of the themes -- enjoyable reads with some thought behind them that make you think a little.

 

A major theme in Ender's War is a questioning of the motivation for war; that comes about through the plotline of gifted children being put in a training academy for several years to become "super soliders" so Earth can use them to wipe out the insect-like race that Earth has been battling for years (genocide), "before they wipe us out first". The most mature idea in the book is that of children being trained and used for warfare (loss of innocence), and the "moldability" of children to be the better warriors. (All I can think of is current African nations in chaos, in which 9 and 10 year old children are brutally turned into unfeeling killing machines by guerrilla and terrorist groups -- Ender's Game is NOT that extreme, that's just the connection I made with today's society.) While there are a number of combat scenes in the training academy, I don't recall any extreme bloodiness or graphic violence; if there was any sex, it must have been suggested rather than overt as I don't remember any.

 

I am putting Ender's Game into the free reading basket for our 15yo and 17yo boys this summer, and looking forward to having an interesting discussion about it. If your 14yo really enjoys Sci-Fi / Fantasy, below are some more ideas. BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

 

 

 

Classic Teen Sci-Fi

- The Giver (Lowry)

- Animal Farm (Orwell)

 

 

Classic Adult Sci-Fi Accessible/Appropriate to a 14yo

- Journey to the Center of the Earth (Verne)

- 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea (Verne)

- The Time Machine (Wells)

- War of the Worlds (Wells)

- Flatland (Abbott) -- 1-D, 2-D and 3-D worlds attempting to understand one another

- Farenheit 451 (Bradbury)

- There Will Come Soft Rains (Clarke) -- short story; post apocalypse world

- Out of the Silent Planet (Lewis) -- the other 2 novels of his space trilogy -- Perelandra, Out of the Silent Planet -- are very complex/theological and would probably enjoyed more by an older teen/adult

 

 

Classic Adult Sci-Fi for Older Teens

- A Canticle for Leibowitz (Miller) -- this is a complex novel; probably more for an older teen

- 1984 (Orwell)

- 200:1 A Space Odyssey (Arthur Clarke)

 

 

Worthwhile Teen Sci-Fi

- City of Ember; People of Sparks (DuPrau)

- A Wrinkle in Time; A Wind in the Door; A Swiftly Tilting Planet (L'Engle)

- The Green Book

- Enchantress From The Stars

 

 

Worthwhile Adult Sci-Fi Accessible/Appropriate to a 14yo

- I, Robot (Asimov)

- Foundation (Asimov)

- Dune (Herbert)

- On The Beach (Shute) -- how people conduct themselves post nuclear war, with extinction of all mankind inevitable

- Alas, Babylon -- survival/adventure tale surviving post nuclear war

 

 

Just for Fun Teen Sci-Fi

- Bromeliad Trilogy: Trucker, Diggers, Wings (Pratchett) -- light, gentle, tongue-in-check, short novellas; Pratchett's other works (Discworld series) have unnecessary crudities IMHO

- Star Trek: The Classic Episodes (Blish) -- the original series episodes written out as short stories -- fun!

- Star Soldiers (Norton) -- classic 1950s/60s star hopping and youn man in training

- House of Stairs (Sleator) -- PREVIEW for a young teen; a creepy look at a future society's attempt at Pavlovian conditioning of people

 

 

Just for Fun Older Teen/Adult Sci-Fi

- Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Adams) --

This is an extremely clever and funny book and a 14yo sci-fi fan would love it -- BUT there are several crude sexual references (ex: "Big Bang" double entendre); drinking to excess references; and a few mild swear words; we read it aloud together and I skipped over the crudities.

 

 

 

Here are two past threads with ideas for sci-fi -- not all titles will be appropriate for a 14yo, so preview first:

- Science Fiction Unit = http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65435&highlight=sci-fi

- What Science Fiction Did You Read = http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16938&highlight=sci-fi

 

 

And here are some websites that might help guide decisions about sci-fi and fantasy:

- Christian Review of Books = http://www.christianreviewofbooks.com/scifi.htm

- Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour = http://csffblogtour.com/

Edited July 1, 2009 by Lori D.
added emphasis

[Carol in Cal.]

I'm thinking you might have meant 'Enchantress from the Stars' rather than Empress?

 

Also, "The Giver" is pretty dark and very disturbing. I know it's taught a lot for teens, but I think that it's one to preread. It has real merit, but it's tricky.

 

There is another book by that author that I think is more appropriate but somewhat less thought-provoking but easier to just hand off. It is "Gathering Blue," which I think it a very good introduction to the science fiction genre to those pre-teens and teens who are unfamiliar with it.

 

As many science fiction books do, it postulates a world of the future, primitive but with vestiges of 'ancient' technology that show that our world had progressed and then had been destroyed by warfare. Reorganized in reaction to that history, and vaguely familiar with it but not comfortably so, having established a class system based on ability and also on familiarity with that history, as well as on clear and even violent power grabs, this world chugs on, slowly being revealed in more detail to those who are selected to change 'classes'; and been shown, not told, to the observing reader.

 

I like both "Gathering Blue" and "The Giver" very much, but think that sensitive kids would do better with the former than with the latter.

[Lori D.]

I'm thinking you might have meant 'Enchantress from the Stars' rather than Empress?

 

 

 

Oops! Thanks for that catch, Carol! I fixed it. :001_smile:

 

 

 

Also, "The Giver" is pretty dark and very disturbing. I know it's taught a lot for teens, but I think that it's one to preread. It has real merit, but it's tricky.

 

 

Yes, so many books really do depend on the student's personality, and on family values. Most of the book lists I've seen place The Giver as a middle school book, NOT a high school level book -- which would mean it's usually recommended for ages 11-14! But then, I see a LOT of books listed for that age range that I wouldn't hand to a student below 11th-12th grade!

 

We did do The Giver this past year as part of 10th grade son's "Worldviews in Sci-Fi Literature" program -- but that meant we read AND discussed it together. Maybe it is just because I'm thinking of it next to some of the other works that we read, but I still think the Giver is quite appropriate for a 14yo. (which is generally an 8th or 9th grade student -- usually WELL into the logic stage and very able to think through deeper/darker themes and issues). However, I really agree with you that there are deeper -- and darker -- issues in it, which mean it's a book best done either together, or at least discussed after the fact. Just my opinion, but I think it's a good general principle to understand that in general, classic sci-fi works are "think" pieces -- that if a student reads them, the parent should be prepared to discuss the ideas in the work with the student.

 

 

Thanks, Carol, for the wonderful reminder for we parents to preview and to discuss with our children the books that they read! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Susan in TN]

I read Ender's Game a summer or two ago. While I wouldn't put author Card in the same "classics sci-fi" category as Bradbury or LeGuin, he is definitely a cut above your standard sci-fi -- similar in writing style to the original Dune by Herbert .....

 

Thank you, Lori! I've read Dune and enjoyed it. I seem to remember hearing that it was the first sci-fi novel that had a full-fledged religion that was integral to the plot. Overall, I'd say ds is not a big sci-fi fan, but he may want to branch out a bit. He enjoys watching Star Wars and old Star Trek episodes with Dad. Now that I think of it, he has read Flatland, Fahrenheit 451, and I think Out of the Silent Planet.

 

I vaguely remember reading A Wind in the Door in about 5th grade and being very confused by it. Maybe that's why I've avoided that series with my kids. Thanks for the links, also; I'll definitely check them out.

[Virginia in Tx]

A great book with an awesome ending. Also lots of opportunity to discuss deep issues such as prejudice, war, military intelligence vs actual facts, bullying, etc.

[AngieW in Texas]

Other books along the same lines as The Giver that I liked better are

The Sky Inside (Dunkle)

The Other Side of the Island (Goodman)

The Hunger Games (Collins) - first book in a series

Looking Backward (Bellamy) - this one is really old and is a Utopia rather than a dystopia

House of Stairs (Sleator)

Declaration - book 1, Resistance - book 2, Returners due to be published next year (Malley)

 

There's another series I'd like to post here, but I have to figure out what the name of it was. I know I got it at the library. It was a series about a community on a planet that has solved all its problems by making sure that all its citizens are blind. I'm pretty sure it was in the YA section. I'll see if I can figure out what the title is.

[Halftime Hope]

Anyone read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card? It's been recommended to my 14yods, but I haven't read it. We have a collection of his short stories and some are good and I'd say others are not appropriate for young teens, so that's all I have to go by.

 

In general, we're more fans of classic literature, Tolkien and Lewis, Powers, etc., and I have a tendency to be suspicious of modern sci-fi. But I'm willing to give it a go if it's simply a "must-read-or-you'll-turn-into-a-troll-if-you-don't" kind of book.

 

1) It has great themes to discuss with the kids, so I wouldn't miss that opportunity. (i.e., read it alongside them and discuss)

 

2) For our particular family, the language was more than I wanted the kids to fill their minds with, a lot of crude, derogatory, insulting talk (like you'd expect at a military academy.) Not much in the 4-letter word category, but very crude and mean. I chose to read it aloud to them on a trip to VA and back, and explained that I would be censoring as I read. They loved the story anyway; we couldn't put it down.

 

3) I think you really could skip this book without turning into a troll, LOL, and as far as cultural literacy goes, I wouldn't expect it to rank very highly. It is, however, a great yarn.

Edited July 7, 2009 by Valerie(TX)