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Okay, one actor is known -- Ender himself. But anyone cares to gamble/suggest actors for other roles? Peter, for example? Bean? Mazor?

Book reviews -- the original Ender's Quartet, and the newer Ender's Shadow.

- Tal

According to some, this is already happening -- in a way, all by itself. The internet is turning into a huge brain, engulfing the entire planet...

Will we be able to turn off something that we are completely dependent on?

Should we turn it off/lobotomize it?

Of course, it might end up not telling us that it's intelligent... Because it will fear being turned off. Card suggested that in the sequels to Ender's Game.

According to some, this is already happening -- in a way, all by itself. The internet is turning into a huge brain, engulfing the entire planet...

Will we be able to turn off something that we are completely dependent on?

Should we turn it off/lobotomize it?

Of course, it might end up not telling us that it's intelligent... Because it will fear being turned off. Card suggested that in the sequels to Ender's Game.

Longitude is indeed a great book; fun to read, well-researched, and tells a rather important story of the discovery of something we now take for granted.

BTW, if you're interested in the research subject described in Longitude, you should try out The Island of the Day Before, by Umberto Eco.

As many people here noted, and as I explain in detail in my review of the series, Ender's series suffers from a problem of decreasing quality. The first book (Ender's Game) was fantastic, the sequels less so; the last one (Children of the Mind) was downright bad.

I can only hope Ender's Shadow will not suffer from the same problem, and prove to be a good book. The CNN reviewer forsees a Hugo/Nebula in its future... but is it just me, or do Hugo and Nebula awards don't stand for much lately?

There is a big, wide gulf between (proper) science and mysticism, new-age, and all that. The recent (last few decades) drift away from science and onto "alternatives" is a cause for worry not only for scientists, but also for all who care for the future of humanity.

Among the scientists who cared was the late Carl Sagan. His last book, and IMHO his most important one, was " The Demon-Haunted World ". This is a must read both for those who care about our future on one hand, and for those who think that there might be something in mysticism on the other hand.