Ender’s Game… ow god. (I could go into a rant why that is a pretty dangerous book for badly socialized nerds but I will not, there prob are articles out there which explain the way this book manipulates the reader into thinking sociopathy is fine and vastly overreacting is fine and shouldn’t be blamed on the sociopath).

There is:

https://web.archive.org/web/20180820084522/http://www4.ncsu.edu/~tenshi/Killer_000.htm

[–] gerikson@awful.systems 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Thanks for the link.

I read a ton of SF but Card always passed me by. I tried to read a followup/sequel/fixup called Ender's Shadow years ago and couldn't get through it.

BTW another big series I could never get through was "Thomas Covenanter" or something, although it was fantasy.

[–] dashdsrdash@awful.systems 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The main character commits rape because this isn't a real universe anyway. You made the right choice.

[–] gerikson@awful.systems 3 points 11 months ago

I think I remember reading about that. Ick.

I also remember reading on the back of the book that the protag would 3 times be offered to stay in the Land and be cured, or something, and 3 times reject the offer. Way to spoil!

This is a pretty good takedown of the series (and other shitty plot devices in SF/F): https://news.ansible.uk/plotdev.html

[–] Soyweiser@awful.systems 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Thanks! I have read that article ages ago, and iirc it explains the problematic nature of the book quite well. And it also links to the 'wow, Ender really looks a lot like Hitler' article. Ender and Hitler: Sympathy for the Superman., both good reads if people want to know just how much of a red flag Enders Game is.

(And for people who don't know, if you hold control and use the scrollwheel the text gets bigger, some of these font sizes are for people with better eyes or a smaller screen than mine)