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I have no idea where to post this. I think here is fine, since this is the "books" forum. I've only just recently discovered this site. Anyways, at the end of Shadow of the Giant we find Bean in space travelling at the speed of light, and a lonely 70-something year old Petra getting ready to die. Is it just me, or is this slightly anti-climactic and lame?! I mean the two characters are built up, and OSC goes to lengths to describe their love for each other or whatever, and then just kinda... kills it. Nothing I hate more than devoting myself to a series only to find that the author ends it on such a sad note. Now what I'm thinking is, in Flight of Shadows, or Shadows in Flight(I forget what its gonna be called), Petra somehow returns to life to live with Bean, who has somehow found a cure for his condition. Peter somehow came back in Xenocide right? I would hate to learn that OSC developped Petra's character only to let her dissapear like that, or that he devoted a series to Bean only to let his life end in such a pathetic way. Maybe i'm kinda sentimental and too attached to the characters, but I do read science fiction to get my daily dose of escapism, after all.
Posts: 6 | Registered: Jul 2006
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OSC tends to write like life occurs and life does not always work out for true happiness or the way we all would like it to work out. I think the ending OSC did was more suiting to the book because who wants everything to work out happily ever after every time!
Posts: 224 | Registered: Jan 2001
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Hey, I thought it was a happy ending! I'm so glad that Peter ended up with a loving wife and children.
Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004
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I was rooting for Bean. And I don't feel taht real life always ands sadly. The story would eb all the better if they had somehow pulled through it all and come out on top.
Posts: 6 | Registered: Jul 2006
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You can edit the messages by clicking on the litte pencil and paper on your posts. It's easier that way.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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One of the things that I love so much about OSC is that his stories are so real. At least his characters are. You find yourself deeply attached to his characters and sometimes they're torn away from us and it's a hard blow. But that's life. It happens.
Posts: 124 | Registered: Apr 2006
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Thats one of things I hate most about him. Its not surprising - its formulaic, at least in the Enderverse. You expect the characters' lives to end sadly. there's nothing radical or "real" about it. The real world isn't all bad. If OSC were so commited to reality, some things would end well. or his kids die, or the only one left alive after a mishap on the voyage meets somebody they come to love who is of course then torn away from them, etc etc... I know, the only cure for Bean's condition is to develop crazy tendencies like those of the guys of the Path!!
Posts: 1 | Registered: Jul 2006
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quote:I know, the only cure for Bean's condition is to develop crazy tendencies like those of the guys of the Path!!
That's what he'd do if he were committed to reality?
Even though Bean's ending isn't so happy, I'd say that the ending of the series is more happy than not, with Peter, Petra, John Paul, and Theresa living pretty much happily ever after.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Bob, The thing about OSC's characters that make them real to me is that he takes us through their whole life cycles. Unfortunately, people have to die, it doesn't get much more realistic than that. But for Ender and Bean, we meet them as children and follow them throughout their whole lives, which includes their death. Of course the death scenes are going to be sad. But that IS reality, everyone has to die, i don't think that rule's been broken yet. In his stand alone novels (such as Enchantment and Magic Street) we get happier endings...at least I think we do, haven't read them in awhile. But in his series, he takes us through the characters whole life process. That's why his characters are so real to me. We get attached very easily to most of his characters, we start to love them, and eventually they're taken away from us. But like I said...it's just a fact that people have to die. Plus...wouldn't it just be boring if everyone lived forever and you got exactly what you wanted By the way, I don't mean any disrespect by this post and I don't mean to discard your opinion...this is just mine.
Posts: 124 | Registered: Apr 2006
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I've looked, but wasn't able to find the answer. Is there a planned book that does go into what happened to Bean and his kids after he left orbit?
Posts: 1 | Registered: Jul 2006
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quote:Originally posted by andyc: Is there a planned book that does go into what happened to Bean and his kids after he left orbit?
I don't know exactly if Bean is a main character in these books, but he has 2 new "Enderverse" books coming out: Shadows in Flight and Ender in Exile. The latter will focus on Ender pre-Speaker and right after Ender's Game. Shadows in Flight is supposed to be the book after Children of the Mind. So we shall see what happens to Bean! possibly....
Posts: 124 | Registered: Apr 2006
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shadows in flight is supposed to be about beans kids and ender's offspring (jane and new peter and the rest of the gang) meeting. At least that's what I understand it as.
Posts: 18 | Registered: Aug 2005
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I thought Shadow of the giant ended with a very happy end for almost all the characters. Everybody but Bean. All the kids from the battle school ended up well. I was sure at least a few will die before the rest decided to leave for other planets. Even the Indian girl who went crazy got out alive and preety well.
As for Shadows in flight, with jane's help they will fix the deadly Giantisam with no porblem. Bean will propably be anoied to see he traveled 3000 years into the future and there is still a Peter Wiggin around.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Jul 2006
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I thought everybody ended up fairly well off, considering. I hadn't expected Virlomi to go crazy, though... I did cry at the end, but that was at the Peter-Ender conversation. (Am I weird or what? I didn't cry when Ender died, but I did when Achilles died, or more specifically at his funeral. I didn't cry when Sister Carlotta died, either.) Now I can hardly wait for the next one...it's like a dream come true. You know how you wonder what would it be like if some of your favorite characters ever met--Bean and Jane, for instance? And now they're going to!
Posts: 283 | Registered: Jul 2006
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quote:Originally posted by BobthebBuilder: Its not surprising - its formulaic, at least in the Enderverse. You expect the characters' lives to end sadly. there's nothing radical or "real" about it.
You mean real people don't die? And if they do, it isn't sad? When did this happen?
(Oh, and I personally think it's more formulaic to have a "happily ever after" ending for story after story after story.)
Posts: 973 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Well this is my first post so sorry to take up space about it but thought I would first of say Hi!
I actually read "Ender's Game" first then went into the "Ender's Shadow" books. I am now backtracking through the Ender books and am currently half way though "Xenocide" with only "Children of the Mind" to complete the enderverse. So I feel more atached to Bean as a character than Ender but am growing fond of Ender while reading these books.
I think the ending for Petra was great, honestly. It makes sense that Ender's most trusted soldier end up with his brother? Any one feel the same way or am I crazy?
I am really glad there are more books to the enderverse coming soon. I agree that "Shadow of the Giant" had a sad ending but find that since I now know there are going to be more books that it doesn't seem so sad anymore.
Posts: 871 | Registered: Jul 2006
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I posted on the other board about the insights on what the new books might be like, any one got any more juicy info on them???
Posts: 871 | Registered: Jul 2006
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from my understanding...i think bean is not gonna be in the new book. bean will have died in flight according to other posts. i brought up the idea that bean could still be alive, but others kinda ripped that appart. i was disappointed, but bean had to go sometime...i just wish it wasn't so soon.
Posts: 18 | Registered: Aug 2005
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Would be kind of unbelieveable for him to still be alive if the books are taking place after "Children of the Mind".
If there is a book between Ender and Speaker than they might put him in that one but they'd have to kill him off since he doesn't appear in the rest of the books.
Also he was in four of the books he a good run of it.
Posts: 871 | Registered: Jul 2006
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By the way, I don't mean any disrespect by this post and I don't mean to discard your opinion...this is just mine.
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