I remember reading it for the first time, SPOILers! and even though there were only so many pages left, I still thought somehow Endrew would beat the buggers after his training. I remember being upset that they were spending so much time in this one place and not getting to the good part.
And then I got to the end and realized the good part somehow snuck past me. - I was stupid. Should've realized.
Good memories.
Anyone else get fooled by it?
Posts: 690 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by brojack17: The first time I read the book was in the 9th grade. It did catch me by surprise.
All the other times I reread the book, I guessed it right!
I had the exact same experience. So far I've guessed right, like, 19/20 times. I go for the big picture. Posts: 973 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I thought it was pretty obvious the first time I read it because I didn't think OSC would spend so much time writing about a video game.
Pepek, I don't think you need to have a spoiler warning for Ender's Game. I'd be suprised if there is anyone on Hatrack who has not read Ender's Game.
Posts: 77 | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I guessed it, but then I originally read the short story rather than novel, so that changed my experience a bit; Mazer dropped more hints in the story than in the novel. But I don't think you should feel stupid for not getting it, since Ender didn't figure it out, and he's one of the most brilliant minds on the planet. Posts: 24 | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
That is what made the ending so much more satisfying. Ender though a genius was still a child, and had not fully learned how to manipulate and lie as well. Though it was a bit warped he still had his childish innocence and was not aware of how he was being used. I read this book as a "child" myself and I was getting a bit older so I had suspicion, but I was like Ender in this. I could not believe that the "adults" could or would be that deceptive, and use him in that manner. That is part of what made this novel impact me so hard, and why I am passing it on to my daughter. It helps you grow up a bit, and maintain that innocence even as we grow up, because we are better prepared from people trying to take it from us.
I am not sure if my rambling makes since but this is something I find hard to put into words, and if I ever figure it out it will make me a stronger writer.
Posts: 120 | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged |
It was strange -- I didn't know what was about to happen, but I knew something was odd guessed because I was nearing the end of the book and Ender was still "training."
posted
I read it shortly after publication so I didn't have warnings of this author's intent. (In fact, I did NOT like sci-fi and was challenged to read this book!)
I loved it from chapter one to finish! The whole experience was great!
I've been reading OSC ever since!
Posts: 163 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
I never read the back covers of anything anymore. - And I refuse to let anyone read the back of Ender's Game. Nor do I give a very descriptive description. - Most descriptions I hear of this book make me cringe. You just have to read it. People can't understand what it's really like until they've experienced it, y'know?
posted
I didn't guess that the final game was real. I guess because they were stacking all the rest of his training against him the torture of the final game made sense.
Posts: 781 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I had no clue what was going on when I first read Ender's Game, so I am glad to hear that some others felt the same way. I was in 7th grade and was pretty shocked by the end. I liked it but it didn't hook me to sci fi at first. It wasn't until I was in my last year of high school that I even remembered about the book. I rechecked it out at the library and it shocked me again. I had forgotten enough about the book that it almost seemed new. I went on an OSC rampage after that and have read everything by him except Magic Street. For some reason I have had a hard time getting into that book.
Posts: 13 | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
When I first read it, about 10 years ago in middle school, I also was aware that there were three other books in the Ender series. So even though I knew something was going to happen at the end of the book, just knowing about the other books may have helped in shielding me from the truth since there were many pages left in the series that potentially could have ended the war.
Posts: 26 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Here's the thing, I think Ender did know subconsciously, but his subconscious would not allow his mind to wander in that forbidden direction.
I think Ender could have know if he had wanted to, but he really didn't want to. The clues were there, but better to keep slugging forward than to let your mind wander off into such dangerous territory.
posted
I was very youung but to me it made sense, I never thought my games wern't real in some aspect so the thought of it being real came to me quickly. Heck I still believe that there are aspects of reality when playing a game Posts: 129 | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I read it the summer after 5th grade, and i got fooled easily . It's on my 9th grade summer reading list and my friends all are falling for it too. It's universal to believe everything Mr.OSC writes. Posts: 856 | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
It's universal to believe the story you're writing (unless you have an unreliable narrator). I mean, the story is primarily told from Ender's perspective, and when we jump to another character's perspective, there aren't any huge giveaways from their points of view, either.
*shrug*
I didn't think it was so much "falling for it" as it was completely believing the story itself as it was being told. I suppose it could be likened to the Sixth Sense. Much like Ender's Game, once you know the ending, the entire story changes. Really, they both become two stories. That first story is a story you will only have one chance to experience because you're innocent to what will happen. But once you know what will happen, and you read/experience the story again, many elements of the story change because you know the true motivations behind characters' actions.
posted
I was really stressed going through that part. I continually thought, "There aren't enough pages left to finish the book!!!!". It turned out fine though. I ended up with one of those "Oh" moments. Good stuff.
Posts: 16 | Registered: Dec 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by LargeTuna: I read it the summer after 5th grade, and i got fooled easily . It's on my 9th grade summer reading list and my friends all are falling for it too. It's universal to believe everything Mr.OSC writes.
I'm extremely jelous of anybody who gets Ender's Game on their reading list. I wish my school was the cool. *sigh* Posts: 16 | Registered: Dec 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
we have to write journal entries on it (ugh). i get to take a test on another book and not have to do any reading work still school starts. i might do that instead anyway. at my Borders summer reading section they had Dune. good book, but it would be kind of confusing to do work on. Eh?
Posts: 856 | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Wave]](graemlins/wave.gif)
)![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
. It's on my 9th grade summer reading list and my friends all are falling for it too. It's universal to believe everything Mr.OSC writes. ![[Wall Bash]](graemlins/wallbash.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
