Let me first say that I really enjoyed reading this book. It is one of the few books i have actually re-read and the only one i have ever finished in one day. I tore through this book and couldnt wait to see endr finnaly battle the buggers. He sat down at training mission and did away with the whole fleet. But then that was it. I was shocked! Which brings me to my point. I felt the ending to this book was a bit anti-climactic. Given, it was a shock and it caught me semi off gaurd( I noticed the book was almost over), but i still feel that card just kinda threw the ending at the reader to fast. It felt to me like he wanted to have another battle, but just said "screw it" and ended the book right there. I was alittle disappointed by this because i had been lookin forward to the final battle the whole time i read and then it was just...over! Anyway, I would like to hear some responses!
Posted by Marek (Member # 5404) on :
You do know there are six other books in the series right?
Posted by unohoo (Member # 5490) on :
I believe the ending to be quite intentional. It has a bit of an O'Henry twist to it, don't you think? I mean, here is Ender, this kid really, thinking he is training to lead the final battle, Earth's last hope, and they lead Ender to believe that he just has to pass this one last test and then he will be "doomed" to be a soldier for the rest of his life. So, in desparation, he decides to "throw the fight". That is, he will violate every rule so that he fails. It is only when it is over, that Ender learns that it was no game, it was for keeps.
Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
quote: You do know there are six other books in the series right?
Actually, there are only three others about Ender.
The other three are about Bean.
Posted by Marek (Member # 5404) on :
I know that but I still think of them as all being the same series, besides if Polo is looking for more battles and military training the Shadow books have some of those elements. Of course they have no training or battles on the scale of Ender's Game, except for the parts that are also in Ender's Game. So the question becomes, is Polo looking for more Ender? more war? or just more of the series? But you are definately right, if the quest is for more of Ender's own story then there are only three more books to read.
Posted by Evie3217 (Member # 5426) on :
I believe that unohoo was right. You were waiting for the big battle to come, and so was Ender, but the game turned out to be real. The same feelings you encountered were most likely felt by Ender, but to a larger scale. He hated the games, he wanted them to end, and the real battle to start, just maybe not for the same reasons that the reader wanted the games to end. When Ender found it had all been real, he was in shock. I think OSC is just trying to invole the reader more in Ender's feelings, and to help us understand what Ender went through...
Wow...looking over that, I am not very articulate. Oh well...I'm too lazy to be articulate.
Posted by cyruseh (Member # 1120) on :
A little side note:
When I talk about Ender's Game, and all the other Ender books, I never call it the Ender Series. I say, Ender's Game, or the Shadow Series, or the Speaker Series.
Posted by I am the Polo (Member # 5561) on :
First off let me say that yes, I am aware that there are other books in the series (i read them too). I really enjoyed all of the books and i think OSC is a great writer. I just felt he the climax of the book wrapped up alittle to quickly thats all.
Posted by cyruseh (Member # 1120) on :
I know what you mean, about it wrapping up to quickly. But in defense of Card, what else to the story is there? When Ender goes in to the final test, he did not know that it was the end. He thought, that if he played by the rules, then he still had YEARS left of doing this. Then, he steps out of the final exam and finds out, its all over. We kind of find that out ourselves at that time too.
Posted by Evie3217 (Member # 5426) on :
I agree completely cyruseh about the ending. Of course, your explaination was much more articulate than mine, so I thank you for putting my thoughts cleary on the page
Posted by Lazer King (Member # 4580) on :
Me to! Posted by Lazer King (Member # 4580) on :
Why did the monkeys go in space??????????????????????????????
![[Wave]](graemlins/wave.gif)
![[Monkeys]](graemlins/monkeys.gif)
go in space??????????????????????????????