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Summary: An Exciting and Enthrallnig Book
Review: I was pleasantly surprised to find that after the first chapter of this book, I could not put it down. Each chapter melted into the next as I was vaguely aware that I was even reading a book. Orson Scott Card has an amazing talent for inviting you right into the life and adventures of his lovable protagonist Ender.Ender Wiggin is a special boy with genius talents. He finds himself in a schol for other such children where he sticks out as special even among these most gifted students. There he finds himself locked into a game where he is trained to be the ultimate fighter. Torn between being a killer and a boy, Ender is forced every day to wonder if he even wants to play their game. Though Ender is talented to almost superhuman levels, the reader can still identify with him. They are reminded that he is a child and find themselves asking the same questions as Ender. Card does a superb job of creating this world for the reader. He creates all the right questions to ask, and when the reader finishes the book, they are left wondering: what happens next? Its an excellent start to what promises to be an exciting and intriguing series.
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Summary: Ender's Game
Review: Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game is a very absorbing novel about a super-genius preteen, Ender Wiggins and his militaristic growth and training to become mankind's savior in the interstellar war against the enigmatic buggers, a reticent, ruthless, mysterious race of ant/ human hybrids. The majority of the story follows Ender's training at Battle School, the "basic training" for all soldiers and commanders in Ender's futuristic, war-threatened time. At Battle School he faces manipulation and ostracization at the hands of both his teachers and fellow students, but, despite the odds Ender always seems to emerge triumphant, overcoming bullies, loneliness, isolation, and the incredible pressure of being the world's only hope for survival.
The diction in Ender's Game is dogmatically simple and succinct, making it a fast and enjoyable read. At times, however, it becomes difficult to relate to Ender for readers uninitiated or unfamiliar with the military, or for those not proficient or uncomfortable with scientific theory. Also, the characters, especially Ender and his siblings, have a certain ability to distance themselves from the reader, as it may become hard to completely empathize with children who possess the intelligence to manipulate public opinion through subtle, clever "internet" editorials or with pre-adolescents with the ruthlessness to kill remorselessly. However, despite this fairly unavoidable distancer, Ender's Game is still definitely a page-turner.
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Summary: Ender's World
Review: At first all too confusing, the reader is drawn into the unusual future of a "third" named Andrew "Ender" Wiggins. In this strange and twisted world the government has placed sanctions on the number of children on is allowed to have. The planet Earth is under constant attack by a race of alien called "buggers". The government weeds out possible soldiers and the fated leader who will ultimately destroy the aliens, monitor the children closely. Much like the heroes of science fiction fantasy Ender is a good child, one always tormented by his choices. He is afraid of being the "killer" like his older brother, but he finds himself in situations where he must defend himself. Ender is a "golden" child that is popular in the science fiction realm, a hero who doesn't realize it yet. That's what draws the reader to Ender, and makes them semi-hate Graff. Graff is the hard nose teacher, the one you love to hate and hate to love. He is attempting to push Ender into his true destiny but it truly makes you wonder, what are his true intentions. Ender's Game is fascinating look at what the human race would do to it's own kind to survive, and how cruel we can be to someone who is different or "better".
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Summary: Ender's Game
Review: In Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card, the reader enters a futuristic universe where human beings are engaged in a struggle for survival. Having twice survived alien attack, the humans, fearing a more powerful invasion, have developed a program to breed and train a warrior who will lead them to a final victory. From the scores of children, a young boy of six, Ender, exhibits the traits needed to assure that victory. And therein lies the story of Ender's Game.
Orson Scott Card is prophetic as he takes the reader into a future where a young child, property of the government, endures a lonely, isolated existence as he plays endless hours of games designed to prove his ability to lead and to win. There is, however, another reason Ender must play to win. His own destiny depends on it!
Ender's Game is an enjoyable, thought provoking read. Orson Scott Card does a wonderful job of displaying a cold, calculating, world where the value of a child is based on his/her abilities to fight against the aliens. Card also does a wonderful job of drawing the reader into the story and allowing the reader into the mind of a special young boy with a greater purpose than defeating an alien enemy.
If you enjoy science fiction, you must read Ender's Game and the other books in the series. And if you are not a fan of science fiction, you may still find Ender's Game a thought provoking story that will leave you contemplating the possibilities of a future world and the role human beings will play in the universe.
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Summary: Ender's game is the best!
Review: I don't want to say much, just that you absolutly must read this book, it's absolutely amazing. I haven't read the sequals yet, but I am sure I am going to, after I finish reading this one again.
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Summary: A Wonderful Read with a Twist
Review: This novel was an easy read that was full of inventive military creations as well as science fiction components. The story line was interesting and never gave way to a dull moment. Ender's trials and tribulations were an amazing triumph and the fact that the novel was written about children made it all the more interesting and thought provoking. This story inspires the imagination to think beyond the technological, inferior age and look towards the future in a new light with a new understanding. The ending of Ender's great career implemented a subtle jaw-dropping 'twist' that made the story a complete success. This was more than a science fiction novel, it was more than a coming of age story and it was more than a military strategy story. This literature was a great source of entertainment and edge of the seat action. Orson Scott Card knew what he was doing when he wrote this novel and succeeded in portraying a futuristic militia composed of children rigorously trained in the defeat of the enemy. Ender represents a bit of all humans, he is the embodiment of human flaws and perfections. There is some quality in him that each of us has within and he utilizes every strength and weakness effectively to serve in obtaining his goals. I definitely recommend this novel to anyone seeking a smooth ride of intellectual entertainment. It will leave you wondering about the future and invigorate your imagination in no time at all.
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Summary: Outstanding
Review: This book is an excellent example of the kind of characters Card can draw. I highly recommend it!
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Summary: Struggle for Humanity
Review: Ender's Game is one of the best books I have ever read. I also think that it has particular relevance to today's edge-of-war world. Orson Scott Card tells the story of Andrew Wiggin who is taken from his loving family (minus one monstrous brother) and taught to be a killer. Ender is Andrew's nick name and becomes an extremely appropriate name for this child. He is the third child of his parents and faces his first struggles in life because of his birth. In the earth of this novel couples are allowed only two children. The world has faced an invasion of buggers. These are beings that resemble ants: ants that fly spacecraft and conquer worlds. Earth has survived two of these invasions and is preparing for a third. To prepare for war, the brightest little boys and girls in the world are screened and tested for war training. Children are put into this training program at the age of six. Ender's brother and sister are older and had both washed out of the program. Ender seems to be the last hope for the survival of humanity.
The majority of this story tells of Ender's transition from benevolent genius to the ultimate killer. The touching aspect of this novel is Ender's struggle to maintain his humanity. Many times in this novel the idea that Homo sapiens can be human or animal is quite poignant. These children are being taught to kill through games. Their play is taking them further from the humanity they are striving to protect. How far are we really from the beast behavior of animals? Do not we prove our beast-like nature in every vile and violent act we condone or participate? At one point in the novel Ender's sister comments that when we pretend long enough at being something, we become that thing. The children at the battle school are playing games of war. They become war and destruction. I think that we could apply this philosophy to current events in our world. We have played generations too long at becoming excellent warriors. When will we play games of peace?
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Summary: The Ender Saga: A throughly enjoyable series.
Review: When I first read Ender's Game, in 4th grade, I was hooked from the start. It was recommended to me by a friend, and I became twisted in the enjoyable story of Ender and the Wiggins family. Andrew "Ender" Wiggins is a 6 year old genius. His brother Peter, and his sister Valentine are geniuses as well. The book continues with Ender's acceptance into Battle School, diffuculties with his social interactions, and floating in a battle room with no gravity. Eventually, Ender becomes the hero that the administrators knew he could be. The subplot is spectacularly written as well. This deals with Peter and Valentine. They are nearly opposites in the way that Peter is a "killer" and Valentine is a "lover". For example, Peter can find what a person hates most about themselves and use it against them. Valentine can find what a person likes most about themselves, and compliment them about it. Interested? READ THE BOOK. I reccommend the rest of the saga (Speaker of the Dead, Xenocide...), but a warning: they have more psychological roots than the first novels. Younger readers might not enjoy it (I did, but that's another story- I also understood all of the references to historical figures such as Locke and Demosthenes). Other series, such as the Saga of Pliocene Exile, and the Wheel of Time are also highly reccommmended by myself. Enjoy!
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Summary: Most enjoyable "Sci-Fi" book I've ever read
Review: Ender's game is as much psychological and political as it is a science fiction novel. It is a gripping story with memorable, if somewhat fantastic characters; despite their superhuman brilliance, their struggles are easy to identify with. This is a book I have read over and over again, and enjoyed each time.
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