So sorry, but I’m french canadian and don’t speak spanish… I red your news about Orson Scott Card and link to his site http://www.hatrack.com.

Until now, I was a great fan of the guy… ‘Til now, yes. Not because I didn’t much enjoy the fourth sequel of Ender. But have you followed some of the links on his site? Because I wonder how the guy could have comitted such great great books (like Ender, Alvin the maker, Songmaster, etc), and could also writes some ugly shit like that on war and France:

http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2003-02-03-1.html
http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2003-03-24-1.html

I don’t want to start a polemique on US vs France, or War or not (!), but I just don’t understand the duality in that guy… Are we facing a new Ron Hubbard? Scientology and Mormon are just paying those authors to spread beauty, humanism and sense around the world, at the other hand you stand beyond the dark side of the worst piece of humanity.

Beuark….

Mikee.

Regarding your comment, I have been aware of Orson Scott Card’s (OSC) political views for a long time. I realize you don’t speak Spanish, but you might be interested in taking a brief look at my articles against the war (one before the war started, and on the day the war started). Summing them up: I am totally against a war on Irak, at least under the present circumstances.

Of course, that means I completely disagree with OSC’s articles related to the war and, in general, with practically all his political opinions. However, I don’t think that’s incompatible with being a die-hard Ender fan. Many authors write excellent pieces of fiction which usually make you infer what the author’s personality is like. Then, “in the real world”, their views and opinions are nothing like you expected them to be. For example, Eric S. Raymond is one of the best (if not the best) open-source guru around. I completely agree with all his texts related to the open-source movement. However, he is also a big gun enthusiast. Ok, I don’t like guns, but I won’t stop reading Eric S. Raymond articles about open-source just because I don’t agree with his political views.

Anyway, what I really want to convey here is that authors tend to keep their personal opinions aside from their fiction writings. Fiction is fiction. Non-fiction is non-fiction. OSC’s fiction is amazing, and as long as he keeps it moderately separate from his political views, that’s fine by me. I would be annoyed if OSC started writing books which clearly made pro-war propaganda (then I’d probably stop reading OSC altogether). However, in the non-fiction world, I might not agree with OSC’s views, but I completely respect his right to have those views and to defend them in the proper forums.

Of course, some author’s are notoriously know for not keeping their fiction and their non-fiction separate. A good example is Ron Hubbard’s books which are apparently pro-Scientology. However, don’t take my word on that: I haven’t actually read Hubbard’s book and I’m only going by what I’ve heard.

Finally, there’s also another thing. Ender’s Game is, for me, a very special book. It is the first book that kept me awake ’til 3 in the morning just because I couldn’t put it down. At one point in my life, I could really identify myself with the Ender character (alone among a lot of people who don’t take you seriously, and will only start to pay attention when you excel at your work, and not for being who you are). The thrill I felt when I read (and reread :-) Ender’s Game is very difficult to wash away just because I don’t agree with the author’s political point of view.