Ender's Game

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Summary: Survival of the Species: Nature's Ultimate Test
Review: This book is testimony to the limits, or lack there of, that a species is willing to test, to cross, when the survival of the species is "on the line". After the Buggers second invasion, the world rallied under one government to form a more powerful, stronger, and unified race. Under this new government, the atrocity commited, the sacrifice made, the sin, the indignity suffered was the deception, betrayl, and warping of childhood innocence. For the survival of the species, the government saw fit to breed humans and steal children for the "greater good". The greater good in this case, was nothing so trivial as more power or more money; it was to ensure survival. This book and all the sequels are excellent reading. I recomend these books to anyone interested in the ethical values of government, humans, and/or aliens. For those who just enjoy a good science fiction read, they are still excellent. Sequels: Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind.

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Summary: Amazing
Review: One of the best SF books ever. Though it may look simple, and usual - it is nothing like that. A must to all SF lovers, and story telling lovers in general.

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Summary: Great, quick, fast paced read!
Review: This is a really great science fiction quick read. A very different story, with some nice twists. Some parts were a little to military driven for myself, but if you like that type of thing, this will be one of your faves. A sci-fi must!

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Summary: This is the BEST book ever written. Period.
Review: Jordan may hold the title for best series, but the best single book hands down is Ender's Game.

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Summary: An engrossing story of child hero in a terrible future
Review: A very entertaining read. This book got the author both the Hugo and Nebula awards. The story is about a very young boy, a genius, who, at the age of 6, is drafted into a world government/military training school in order to defeat the "buggers." Humanity had previously defeated an unprovoked invasion by these aliens seemingly by sheer luck. We go through both strategic military training, and emotional, psychological and sociological training, conditioning and development of Ender, the main character, and suffer with him as he is pushed to his limits - which are far greater than any other young child, teen, or adult that I know. Ender is always seeing the wheels within wheels of thinking of his nemesis, be it school bullies, his sadistic brother, his teachers, or even his friends, or his super-compassionate sister. I did find that I was getting too wrapped up in this book, but perhaps this is the sign of a very involving storyteller. As Ender is pushed harder and harder, I found myself getting more and more sick of this, angry almost. I was quite releaved when it was finally over and don't have plans to read the sequals for a while!

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Summary: Well, somebody had to give it a lukewarm review!
Review: Ok, everyone loved this book. The guy who recommended it to me loved this book. But personally, I found it only "OK". I think a video-game-playing teenager would have liked this book a lot more than I: it's very simplistic, heroic, and predictable. Also, it contains some physics flaws which always irk me in sci-fi books (e.g. in null gravity if you try to punch someone, your body would NOT go flying backward as fast as your fist goes forward: there's a mass difference! This is why the Earth doesn't go flying out of orbit when we launch rockets!)

Anyway, that said, I still got some enjoyment out of the book. But I don't think it belongs in a list of all-time sci-fi greats.

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Summary: Simply Amazing
Review: I don't normally read science fiction, but this book came highly reccommended by my cousin. I picked it up and in a matter of hours, I was done. The book was excellent--the development of Ender and his sibling was superb, as were the psychological twists. A must read for everyone who enjoys a good book now and again.

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Summary: Enders Game is a fine novel.
Review: Enders Game is, perhaps, one of the finest works of Science Fiction. Tellinging the story of Ender, a boy genius sent to train for battle with a ly enemy, the novel succeeds in being both touching, surprising and entertaining. Bravo. Even better there are three sequel novels, because when you finish Enders Game you will be crying out for more from this universe.

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Summary: Entertaining SciFi with interesting themes and rushed ending
Review: As with some of the other people reviewing this book, I think that the character development was good, especially of the central ones. The net/politics stuff in the middle was a bit weak as was the ending. However, as Card mentioned in the intro, this title was written as a prelude for the other books in the series. I think if there was no series, Card might have spent more time fleshing out a better denouement.

I liked the Giant's drink video game device he used as well as the introductory dialog among the military commanders. I enjoyed reading the book, but found some of the expletives and gore distasteful.

I think this is a good book to rent from the library and read while working out, on a plane, etc. I don't think I would read it again. As Card mentioned in the intro, he tried to make the story clear enough so that anyone could understand it. To that effect, I think he was somewhat successful. The result of his decision, however, is for little replay value in this novel.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book was excellent! I had guessed correctly on what the ending was before I had read it, but it still was great. I hope that the other books in the series can keep the story alive!