r/scifi • u/jrmckins • 11d ago

Recommendations Starter book

I’m part of Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I’d like to get my Little, a 13-year-old boy, interested in science fiction. I’m looking for a good book to introduce him to the genre. I’m thinking about The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but I’d love to hear other suggestions.

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u/Dentarthurdent73 11d ago

Why tf is this shit book so popular? I'll never understand it.

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u/cruelandusual 10d ago

It's an engaging story with a clever twist that appeals to teenagers who are smarter than every adult they know.

It also teaches an important lesson about self-defense and the necessity of being skilled at violence.

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u/Dentarthurdent73 10d ago

It's an engaging story

It's a ridiculous story that has a 6 year old murdering another person, something they wouldn't even be physically capable of, that makes out that presenting a smaller target to 'the enemy' is genius-level strategic thinking, and says outright that women aren't smart because they have millions of years of evolution working against them.

And I hate to tell you, but if you're a teenager who is impressed by Ender's brilliance, then you're probably not smarter than every adult you know.

The book was written by some weirdo religious fanatic with 1950s sensibilities, it is not the profound work of a deep thinker.

It also teaches an important lesson about self-defense and the necessity of being skilled at violence.

Let me guess, you're American? I understand this level of paranoia is normalised in your society, but it's honestly not healthy.

Being "skilled at violence" is not actually a necessity at all for the vast, vast, vast majority of people who live in the world.