Quote: (06-06-2014 01:46 PM)Teekay Wrote:
My oldest son is going to be 15 soon and I'd like to give him a measured dose of the red pill. The problem is, most of the red pill reading I've done is not suitable for teens,maybe with the exception of Donovan's Way of Men.
Any book tips here, please?
If you are considering fiction, I recommend Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.
To give you a pre-amble, this book is widely recognized in military academies around the world. The book is often on the recommended reading lists for examples of leadership, ethics and tenacity under extreme circumstances.
Plot Summary:
Humanity has expanded beyond our Earthly borders, and we eventually come into contact with an alien species. The Earth is invaded by these aliens, with a significant chunk of humanity being wiped out. Only through collective military efforts and the genius of one man, Mazer Rackham, is the alien invasion pushed back.
The world governments temporarily put aside their differences, and form an alliance called the "The International Fleet", or the "I.F." The I.F. is aware that there is a limited timeline (measured in years) before the next battle between man and the aliens. It is decided that the some of the best pilots and military commanders will be children selected from a very young age and groomed into fleet commanders.
As the I.F. has near dictatorial power, they begin screening the planet for the best children to be sent to a "battle school" orbiting Earth. Thousands of children are screened through this orbiting military school, in an attempt to find the next blend of Napoleon/Genghis Khan to lead the human space fleet. This "ultimate commander" will lead the combined space fleet of the Earth in one last desperate battle against the alien threat. Three of the children chosen as cadets are "Ender Wiggin" and his two siblings, Peter and Valentine. Valentine is washed out due to her compassion. Peter is washed out due to his psychopathic tenancies. As Peter and Valentine are also child geniuses, they play a different role on Earth. Peter and Valentine attempt to influence global opinion on the war, and it's potential aftermath. Peter and Valentine write under pseudonyms to influence world policy. That part of the book is a fascinating study of the power of rhetoric and manipulation.
The majority of the book follows Ender as he journeys through the battle school, and is brutally tested by other students and the instructors. Although it is supposed to be a military academy for children and teenagers, Ender quickly realizes that he needs to use extreme violence to even survive inside the battle school.
I will not give any more of the plot, since this book is a science fiction masterpiece and worth reading unspoiled.
The book covers many themes that include strategy, ruthlessness, isolation, manipulation, compassion, self-sufficiency, friendship, and love.
There was a movie released recently, but it isn't worth your time. The movie was heavily "hollywood-ized" and significant chunks of the book were omitted. Even so, the movie was boycotted by various lesbian and gay groups. The book's author, Orson Scott Card is an unapologetic Christian, and he would not recant his religious views regarding gay marriage.
This book was written during the 1980's, and has stood the test of time.