When Dink places a gift in another student’s shoe on Sinterklaas Day, a war erupts in Battle School about the students’ rights to express their religious and cultural beliefs. Zeck, a fundamentalist christian recruit, who blew the whistle on the incident becomes even more of an outcast than he was before. Dink tries to convince Zeck that giving gifts to others in the name of Santa is not the same as worshipping Satan, but Zeck’s extreme beliefs run too deep.
Frustrated, but also feeling sorry for Zeck, Dink asks Colonel Graff for help. Colonel Graff tells Dink not to worry, because Ender will work everything out. Ender, a child genius, steps into the story for (pretty much) the first time and helps Zeck see the real reason he’s been acting out: he’s afraid his father is going to hurt his mother in his absence. Ender achieves the impossible: he convinces Zeck to change his beliefs.
This is an interesting tale from one of the most popular science fiction authors of all time. Card uses multiple viewpoint characters to provide different perspectives on the gift-giving holiday. In some sections, the point of view shifts awkwardly from first to third person. The science fiction aspects (like the war against the aliens) serve as a backdrop to the real story about Zeck’s struggle with his faith. Overall, a strange story, but not enough to stand on its own. Maybe after I’ve read Ender’s Game, I’ll give this story another try.
DweebMeter: 2/5
Links
