news: May 2008 Archives

The author of the Ender series has some choice words about the author of the Harry Potter series. Note that he's not actually accusing her of stealing his ideas, he's just  pointing out how ridiculous he feels her claims are. (You don't have to blog about this... I'm just sharing something you may find interesting.)
Rowling "feels like her words were stolen," said lawyer Dan Shallman.

Well, heck, I feel like the plot of my novel Ender's Game was stolen by J.K. Rowling.

A young kid growing up in an oppressive family situation suddenly learns that he is one of a special class of children with special abilities, who are to be educated in a remote training facility where student life is dominated by an intense game played by teams flying in midair, at which this kid turns out to be exceptionally talented and a natural leader. He trains other kids in unauthorized extra sessions, which enrages his enemies, who attack him with the intention of killing him; but he is protected by his loyal, brilliant friends and gains strength from the love of some of his family members. He is given special guidance by an older man of legendary accomplishments who previously kept the enemy at bay. He goes on to become the crucial figure in a struggle against an unseen enemy who threatens the whole world.

This paragraph lists only the most prominent similarities between Ender's Game and the Harry Potter series. My book was published in England many years before Rowling began writing about Harry Potter. Rowling was known to be reading widely in speculative fiction during the era after the publication of my book.

I can get on the stand and cry, too, Ms. Rowling, and talk about feeling "personally violated."

The difference between us is that I actually make enough money from Ender's Game to be content, without having to try to punish other people whose creativity might have been inspired by something I wrote.

Recent Comments

Ethan Shepley on Portfolio 3: http://blogs.setonhill.edu/EthanShepley/2008/05/po
Chelsea Oliver on Portfolio 3: "Sooner or later, you'll be looking back on everyt
Stephanie Wytovich on Portfolio 3: Say Goodbye as you fade to black... http://blogs.s
Jessie Farine on Hamilton (236-246): Free verse is still not freedom. http://blogs.set
Jessie Farine on Hamilton (216-235): Couplets: Because things are always better in pair
Jessie Farine on Card, Ender's Game: "And always Ender carried with him a dry white coc
Maddie Gillespie on Portfolio 3: It all comes back to ya in the end! One way or ano
Angela Palumbo on Portfolio 3: My last portfolio! You know you want to take a lo
Greta Carroll on Ex 2-2: Poetry Portfolio: http://blogs.setonhill.edu/GretaCarroll/2008/04/fo
Greta Carroll on Portfolio 3: "If you believe in magic, come along with me" (fro

news: May 2008: Monthly Archives

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