Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Paperback, 384 pages
1994, Tor Science Fiction
ISBN: 0812550706
Series: Book 1 of Ender
Synopsis
Intense is the word for Ender's Game. Aliens have attacked Earth twice and almost destroyed the human species. To make sure humans win the next encounter, the world government has taken to breeding military geniuses -- and then training them in the arts of war... The early training, not surprisingly, takes the form of 'games'... Ender Wiggin is a genius among geniuses; he wins all the games... He is smart enough to know that time is running out. But is he smart enough to save the planet?
Review
Ender's Game was simply amazing. I had my doubts and put off reading this book for the longest time. Hardcore science fiction is hit or miss for me, but from the very first chapter I knew Ender's Game was going to be phenomenal.
Since Ender is a genius, he speaks like an adult. I had to constantly remind myself he was only between the ages of 6 and 11 for the bulk of the book. The same went for all of the children, in a lesser degree. It wasn't annoying. If anything, it made his situation seem more realistic always having to force myself to think of him as a child.
Books about aliens are usually more miss than hit for me, but Ender's Game focused almost solely on humankind. Ender and the other children's time at battle school and commander school was made to feel realistic by showing competition between them. Ender always being one of the kids, but apart from them could be easily compared to any everyday situation of the outcast kid at school. Ender considering the adults to be against him or toying with him can also be translated into real life.
While I saw many messages throughout the novel, none took over. The book never became a form of propaganda, which I thoroughly appreciated. More than anything else, this book was Ender's story. You rejoiced at his accomplishments and fretted over his well-being. By the end of the book, he was very real to me. He had become my friend and my hero. Ender's Game is an extraordinary book.
Rating
Links
Orson Scott Card's website
2 thumbs up for Ender's Game, one of my all time favorite books ever! It becomes all the more horrifying when you remember how old he is. Also Bean is so great.
ReplyDeleteGotta love EG. :D
ReplyDeleteDefinitely agree too, sometimes I was like "This is only a kid???" because he spoke so adult-like.
This has to be one of my favorite books. Cards voice is truly a force to be reckoned with and the character he created with Ender just stuck with me since the beginning. I was probably around 12 when I read this book first and I reread it about every two years, each time I reread it, I find something else that touches me.
ReplyDeleteI've read the entire series, including the companion Shadow series, but none are as good as the first - the first Shadow book, I think it is called Ender's Shadow, which chronicles Bean's life was almost as good. ♥ Parajunkee
I absolutely love this book. I read it and Speaker for the Dead in one weekend which is unheard of for me. I couldn't put either book down. It's also one of the few books I've read more than once!
ReplyDeleteHow have I been putting this off? I should add this to my TBR again...
ReplyDeleteGreat review!
Ender's Game is a great book. My husband actually just had to reread it for work, thinking about it as relating to leadership and management. I wish I could be a fly on the wall of the office when he and his boss talk about it!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I'd been kind of putting off reading this one too. Usually when there's a lot of hype, I wind up disappointed. However, your review totally reassured me that this book is well worth the time! I love the way you describe the story and the characters - I already feel like I'm beginning to get to know them! Terrific review!
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I enjoyed this book, but definitely not as much as you did! :P Do you think you'll read the other books in the series?
ReplyDeleteI just picked this up at Goodwill today, and now I'm glad I did. Great review.
ReplyDeleteI loved Ender's Game! Actually the other day I saw the funniest web comic referencing it, something to the effect of, "But, but, the enemy's gate is down!" Yeah, I found it very amusing. Anyways so glad to see you enjoyed Ender's story so much.
ReplyDeleteI feel like almost everyone who reads this book loves it. My boyfriend, who doesn't even like to read, says this is his favorite book and has been reading all the other books associated with Ender. I have never read it - I usually shy away from science fiction stuff - but maybe I should take a chance and broaden my horizons a little.
ReplyDeleteJennifer @ www.justicejennifer.com
This is one of the books of my husband's that has been sitting on the shelf without temping me at all to read it. Maybe I should after all!
ReplyDelete