3 ms·

> "let's make all the characters naive children who eventually realize all the adults are manipulative". I can't agree. Speaker for the Dead (and sequels) char

> "let's make all the characters naive children who eventually realize all the adults are manipulative". I can't agree. Speaker for the Dead (and sequels) characters have a lot of complexity in their arcs – perhaps because they're mostly not children. I'd say the Speaker series is a perfect example of how to create characters with nuance, depth and multiple motivations.

burgerbrain 15y ago
Check out 'A Memory of Earth'. (Or better yet, don't. It, enders game, and enders shadow all did it. Three strikes and you're out imho, certainly when one of them is the book the author is known for)
- chc 15y ago
  Three books out of thirty. And two of those books are the same story told from the perspective of different characters. And although that is part of the plot of those books, I don't see how you can say that's all there is to those characters. The pivotal moments in Ender's life are his acts of violence, not the adults' manipulation. And the other isn't really about naive children realizing adults are manipulative, either — the characters just happen to be young. Volemak (the main adult in the story) actually is a good man, and the children who oppose him are the antagonists. Seriously, I have a laundry list of complaints about Card's writing (the Homecoming series in particular), but your complaints seem pretty shallow and sound like you're levying heavy criticism without ever giving them a chance.
  - burgerbrain 15y ago
    This particular complaint of mine is purely technical. I think that, based on three of his three book that I have read, he demonstrates a significant lack of skill when it comes to character development. Trust me, if I was going to get into nontechnical complaints, I would undoubtably be downvoted simply for creating an unreasonably long post alone. Anyway, my time is worth too much to be scientifically rigorous. I gave him the benefit of the doubt twice already, and am not willing to do it again. And to be honest, I would suggest that anyone who thinks I somehow "missed something" in his works is giving the man far to much credit.

burgerbrain 15y ago

Check out 'A Memory of Earth'. (Or better yet, don't. It, enders game, and enders shadow all did it. Three strikes and you're out imho, certainly when one of them is the book the author is known for)

chc 15y ago
Three books out of thirty. And two of those books are the same story told from the perspective of different characters. And although that is part of the plot of those books, I don't see how you can say that's all there is to those characters. The pivotal moments in Ender's life are his acts of violence, not the adults' manipulation. And the other isn't really about naive children realizing adults are manipulative, either — the characters just happen to be young. Volemak (the main adult in the story) actually is a good man, and the children who oppose him are the antagonists. Seriously, I have a laundry list of complaints about Card's writing (the Homecoming series in particular), but your complaints seem pretty shallow and sound like you're levying heavy criticism without ever giving them a chance.
- burgerbrain 15y ago
  This particular complaint of mine is purely technical. I think that, based on three of his three book that I have read, he demonstrates a significant lack of skill when it comes to character development. Trust me, if I was going to get into nontechnical complaints, I would undoubtably be downvoted simply for creating an unreasonably long post alone. Anyway, my time is worth too much to be scientifically rigorous. I gave him the benefit of the doubt twice already, and am not willing to do it again. And to be honest, I would suggest that anyone who thinks I somehow "missed something" in his works is giving the man far to much credit.