Years after writing "Ender's Game," Card learned that Ender is a real name. What does it mean in Turkish?
In a surprising twist of fate, Card was informed that the name "Ender" - which, to his knowledge, didn't exist - actually means "rare" or "exceptional" in Turkish. It's a suitable name for the novel's hero, who truly was one in a million.
Who reminds Ender that "the enemy's gate is down" during the final battle?
Bean, always one to help Ender out of a pinch, jokes that "the enemy's gate is down," in reference to Ender's brilliant battle room strategies. This phrase jolts Ender into action, inspiring him to destroy the Formic home world.
Why doesn't Ender hate the Formics the way the other students do?
Ender believes that he cannot defeat his enemies without first loving them. In loving them, he understands their way of thinking and their motivations enough to destroy them completely if he chooses.
Where does Ender go after Battle School, but before accepting his mission at Command School?
Col. Graff gives him the vacation he desperately needs, and even allows Valentine to visit him in the hopes that Ender will regain the will to fight. The ploy works, and after a few halcyon months on Earth, Ender leaves his home planet for good.
Which book in the series can be read at any point after "Ender's Game"?
"Ender in Exile" tells the story of Ender's journey from Earth to the new colony he expected to call home. It was written last, so it can be read any time after "Ender's Game."
What convinces Peter to leave Ender in space - forever?
Peter's parents cleverly use praise of Ender to wound Peter's pride, thus driving him to change his mind about trying to bring Ender back to Earth. Peter desires a world in which no one, not even Ender, stands taller than he, metaphorically speaking.
What is the name of the colony that Ender is initially asked to govern?
Ender is at first unsure of his ability to govern the colony, but spends his time on the ship gaining the trust of its future colonists. Once on the planet's surface, he faces the difficult task of integrating the new arrivals with the original settlers.
Who schemes with Col. Graff to create a new future both for herself and for Ender off-world?
Valentine uses her influence both as Ender's sister and as the demagogue Demosthenes to communicate with Graff and secure a future in space.
Fill in the quote! "_______ is the consummate bureaucrat. He's always thinking ten steps ahead of everyone else."
During one of his many post-war conversations with Ender, Mazer described Graff as the "consummate bureaucrat" because of the many plans he prepared and the way he could use anyone to accomplish them. They were never terribly worried about Graff during the post-war trial, knowing that he'd find a suitable solution on his own.
What was the relationship between Alessandra and her mother, Dorabella, like?
Alessandra and Dorabella butt heads frequently throughout the duration of "Ender in Exile." For all their fights, the two do still show love and affection to each other.
How does Dorabella charm her way into Admiral Morgan's heart?
Dorabella made a point of introducing herself to all the officers except for him, then turned around and focused entirely on him during her performance in "Taming of the Shrew." The ploy worked, and Morgan was love-struck.
How did Ender and Graff prevent Admiral Morgan from staging a coup on Shakespeare?
Admiral Morgan was upstaged by a clever plot involving a letter notifying him of the consequences of any insubordinate actions, and by Ender's sincere dedication to getting to know the colonists of Shakespeare before his arrival.
What is a consequence of writing "Speaker for the Dead"?
When Ender anonymously writes "Speaker for the Dead," it causes many people to question the necessity of wiping them out. Over time, this is used to political advantage by other characters to impugn Ender's good name.
Why does Ender travel to Lusitania Colony?
Ender travels under the name of Andrew Wiggin to the colony of Lusitania, ostensibly because someone requested a speaker for the dead, a person who would learn about the life of the deceased and make an oration to their family and friends.
The Descolada was a virus that infected the entire surface of Lusitania before humans arrived. Early settlers of the planet had to develop drugs to keep it from harming human hosts, and the local scientists struggle to keep up with its evolution.
Who or what are the Pequeninos?
Lusitania was the first colonized world in which the settlers discovered an intelligent race already inhabiting the planet! The Pequeninos are so named because of their resemblance to pigs.
What are the Pequeninos, or "piggies," trying to do when they kill Libo and then Pipo?
The Pequeninos have a ritual to allow their males to enter into the "Third Life," a state of existence as a sentient tree. They attempt to honor Libo and Pipo with this ritual, not understanding that they are committing murder.
Who brokers an agreement between the settlement of Lusitania, the Hive Queen and the Pequeninos?
Once the humans are made aware of the Hive Queen's presence, it's necessary to establish boundaries for the settlements. It takes Ender's great power of persuasion and his understanding of human minds to prevent all-out war.
Jane somehow came into being when the Hive Queen tried desperately to reach Ender during the last Formic war. She started out as the computer program used for the Mind Game Ender played in Battle School.
What device, used to destroy the Formics, is deployed against Lusitania?
The Molecular Disruption Device, or "Doctor Device," is launched against Lusitania out of fear of the Descolada. Fortunately, Jane and her crew manage to catch and disable the device, saving the planet.
What happens when Ender goes into The Outside?
Part of Ender's "aiua," or being, is split off from him and he creates young versions of Valentine and Peter. The real Valentine is none too happy about this development, and eventually Ender's aiua must decide on a permanent body.
Which body does Ender's aiua ultimately choose to inhabit?
Out of the three - Andrew, Valentine, and Peter - only Peter survives in "Children of the Mind." Finally able to feel whole, he moves forward with his new vision for Starways Congress.
What happens to the second Valentine's body after Ender dies?
Jane, desperately in need of a body after her ansible connections are terminated, takes over the second Valentine's body as Ender's auia leaves it. She's then given the physical form she needs to live happily ever after with Miro.
Who falls in love with Peter?
The native of Path loathes Peter at the beginning of their journey together, but by the end of the story, she is happy to marry a softer, wiser Peter.
What was the purification ritual the "gods" of Path imposed on Qing-jao?
Qing-jao was one of the "Godspoken" residents of Path. While they thought their compulsions were atonement required by the Gods, they were actually the victims of a genetics experiment conducted by Starways Congress.
What does Jane do in order to make the war fleet headed to Lusitania disappear?
While the actual fleet itself continued to progress toward Lusitania, its disconnection from the ansibles prevented the reception of new orders from Starways Congress and created quite the stir.
When Ender first meets the Ribeira family, what gift does he receive from Grego, the family's youngest child?
Grego, an uncouth and ill tempered little boy, attacks Ender as soon as he enters the house, and later tries to escape from Ender's grasp by peeing on him.
Ender is curious about Novinha from the moment she sends out a request for a speaker of the dead as a little girl. When he arrives on her planet, she has grown into a hurt, hardened woman.
Olhado Ribeira sports prosthetic...
He says that Olhado is the nickname given to him because of his artificial eyes. He can record everything he sees to replay or delete as he sees fit.
Which of the Ribeira children became a Catholic priest and dies a martyr at the hands of some rebellious Pequeninos?
Quim always took his faith seriously and believed his calling in life was to be a missionary to the Pequeninos. Some of them gratefully accept his faith, but others are less welcoming.
What scandal does Ender reveal at the Speaking for Marcos Ribeira (called Marcao)?
As it turns out, Marcos had a congenital disease that prevented him from fathering children, and all of the Ribeira children were actually the sons and daughters of Libo Figueira. He married Novinha on the condition that she could still be with Libo secretly.
What shocking discovery is made about the Descolada?
The Descolada, a terrible virus afflicting the whole planet, is discovered to be the creation of an alien species. Their communication methods are vastly different from human speech, and the books leave much about the virus and the race that created it unexplained.
Who competes with Novinha for Ender's attention and time?
Jane is Ender's constant confidant and companion through the earpiece he takes with him everywhere. Jane's omnipresence in Ender's life is a sore spot for Novinha and leads to trouble in their marriage.
What do the Pequeninos desperately want the Hive Queen to help them make?
They want to escape their planet and explore the stars, so the Hive Queen shares her knowledge with them. Unfortunately, they must overcome the problem of the Descolada, which could wipe out all the inhabited planets if it is carelessly spread to human vessels.
How does Jane survive when Starways Congress pulls the plug on all the old ansibles?
Surviving the ansible disconnection is a harrowing experience for Jane, and it forces her to explore her connections with the rest of the world. Through the help of her friends, she is guided to safe havens.
