posted
I vaguely remember (and, sadly, for me the word "remember" is always accompanied by "vaguely") that Mazer Rackham left some family members behind when he made his out-and-back-again voyage. But I can't remember whom he discussed this with, or whether it was simply information provided in the books. And is it in EG or Ender's Shadow? Or somewhere else?
O ye who have read these books more recently than me, can you help me with this bit of information that I simply must have in order to finish the short story I'm writing? It's not a big plot point, but it's something Mazer would know and therefore something I must be able to speak about correctly.
posted
"When you can give me back my dead wife, Ender, then you can complain to me about what this education costs you." p239 of Ender's Game in the Book Club Edition.
Could imply that Ender's education "cost" Mazer his wife becasue she was left behind. Or it might just mean that she died while he was off fighting in the second invasion. This is what I was remembering when I read the question, though.
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posted
This is great. He DOESN'T speak of a child. Is that the only reference? If it is, I'm home free ...
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posted
I had vauge memories of a daughter. But this is the line I associated them with, so I might have misremembered. I'll keep looking.
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posted
He also speaks about it in Shadow of the Giant. I think he was speaking to Bean and Petra. I would have to go back to the book to see exactly. . .
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posted
I skimmed all the conversations with Mazer Rackham in Ender's Game. I think that one reference to his wife is it.
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posted
He references his wife and family, to Ender when Ender is talking about giving up so much. He also references "By the time I got back, I knew my grandchildren would be grown up and I would be a stranger to them" (paraphrasing) so he indicates kids.
He talks about the fact that he had a family with Bean and Petra in SotG but again it is vague references that he had kids but never any details about who or how many.
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posted
I remember the references that DemonGarik is making, and I'm pretty sure that Mazer was explaining to Petra why Bean could make the decision that he did. It was a hard decision for both of them (Bean and Mazer), especially knowing that their wives would probably meet someone new. Did Mazer say that his wife remarried? I think he did, but I can't remember now. If only my school had more than four fiction books in the library (where I'm sitting).
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posted
Okay give me ~10 minutes to find the book and another ~15 minutes to look at any convo with Mazer.
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posted
"The time is short. you must learn as quickly as you can. When I gave myself to Starship travel, just so I would still be alive when you appeared, my wife and children all died, and my grandchildren were my own age when I came back."- Mazer Racham pg 276 Ender's Game.
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posted
He says it in Ender's game, when Ender complains because he's tired and he remembers him that when he could return to him his family he will be able to complain
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posted
You always ask these things when I'm at work. Clearly I need to buy another set to keep here on hand for when you-- aha! Now I get it...
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posted
I don't know if it's relevant, but Mazer also mentioned to Bean and Petra that his wife re-married and had other children while he was gone.
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“Yes I damn well do,” said Rackham. “I left a family behind when I went out into space on the same kind of relativistic turnaround voyage that Bean’s embarking on. I divorced my wife before I went. I have her letters to me. All the anger and bitterness. And then the reconciliation. And then a long letter near the end of her life. Telling me about how she and her second husband were happy. And the children turned out well. And she still loved me. I wanted to kill myself. But I did what I had to do. So don’t tell me I don’t know how hard this is.”
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posted
The first time is on Eros when he first meets Ender. He mentions that untill Ender can bring back his dead wife and child that Ender can never complain. Before he says exactly that though he mentions how he lived by travelling by relavistic speed, and that he left his wife and kid (singular) when doing so. He also goes on to say that when he got back that his grandchildren where his age and he had no desire to rekindle any lost relationship since it was non-existent. Hope it helps.
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This is for a short story I'm writing, not a Mazer novel. But I had to know this, since it takes place during Mazer's pre-Ender's Game time-wasting voyage.
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posted
When I read EG for a college sci-fi course, our prof had us write a short story pertaining to it. I chose to write one from the POV of Mazer, because I always wondered how it felt to him to leave his family - and how his family felt at being left behind.
My prof was awesome - after each book we read that semester we were asked to write a short using the author's style (eg percentage of dialogue versus action, etc.). It was definately a learning experience, and I had a good time extending some of my favorite stories.
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