[Tim Bond]

I liked Enders-Game. A very fun and even at times inspiring read.

I have not felt motivated yet to read these sequels and appreciate the tips about the merit you assert they possess.

If properly attuned to the environment and given a fair opportunity to engage with it - socially as adults are supposed to (but, many cannot) - often children will surprise you with their ability to adapt, and even ability to comprehend implications we automatically assume they would not understand due to our false equation that since they do not make a decision on something that they cannot understand many of the interrelated patterns in what goes on.

Sometimes they understand - sometimes they do not.

Some kids can attain a very high degree of very real maturity at early age. These types can always somehow manage - even with a poor education working against the prospects for adulthood.

Some kids develop academic skill and are classified as 'intelligent' for sake of clear speech and good grades, yet - miss real-life integration with reality and lack maturity or ability to fend for themselves - yet.

Other kids need to wait for maturity and are not even sufficiently educated. Adults should let them enjoy childhood - but, could spend more 'quality' time with them administering to bringing about quality questions in the kid, that the child can pursue out of interest for his improvement. A good inspiring role-model serves very well for this.

Many, and I mean many adults never grow up (they are simply children that look like mature adults) - even possibly have a kid (which they usually neglect or abuse) and house and maybe some work on their side (if lucky) - they remain irresponsible and unthinking and expect little ramification to the actions they take beyond the immediate and are concerned with only consuming the next entertainment. A good six year old can 'know' better than these types.

His story was about kids that were genius or borderline genius. Every genius is different /unique - the thought process very much their own and individual and not secluded to the merely mathematical-linguistic. These kids were also both competitive and would have major issues of maturity to come up with in such a program to avoid 'flaws' at a later stage. Children still need role-models and shaping - not through authority, but, through love and a real interest in them and their interests.

I saw nothing relating to genius or quality shaping of young minds - allot of it instead was dealing with relatively simple authority and group-pack dynamics and leadership. Monkeys have these issues within their groups - dogs do to - this is nothing. A genius is not threatened by any authority (for the merely 'intellegent' - this does not follow) - if they want to disappear - they are gone (dumb can be 'invisible') and if they take action it will be beyond mammal territorial concerns (though they can implicate or involve the use of such) - and can induce fear by the ramifications of what they 'could' do and may acknowledge this to themselves and so optionally may 'trivialize' their activities to any superficial observer. Why would someone who has superior concerns grapple with the goings on of a mob of primates and the extensions of it's leadership?

The book lacked real integration of any strategic thought - it could have used at least some quality in this direction. As for the tactics - they were irrelevant even to the unique environment of 3D zero-gravity - success here would likely look more like modern air warfare than roman formations.

It seemed to me he got his inspiration from pondering his next work over a three teir chessboard with some kid as an opponent and then flipping through a manual on strategy and thinking 'gee' could I bring up the concept of developing superior young minds not bound by conventions in an envisioned possibility of space warfare.

A great idea.

An actual strategist could illuminate many of the dimensions left out in this work, but good strategists are usually most often concernd with the use of strategy in real life (they get busy) than with games or novels.

He is a great writer - I would read it again. He is positive about the potential of relatively typical children in our society and he inspires the emotions and connects with an adult’s maybe forgotten childhood very well. He is a very professional and talented writer and lack of any knowledge on a subject did not preclude excellent entertainment and ability to transmit strong feelings. I will likely read it again for the fun of it - the rest of the books I am not too sure - but, it remains a possibility.

He seems sincere and honest and that goes a long way.