Rating: 
Summary: Captivating!!
Review: Riveting from the beginning, Ender's Game is an excellent read. Orson Scott Card captures the reader's attention with his innovative style. Card sets the pace of the characters in chapter one; there is not a dull moment in the story. He uses the wisdom and common sense of child geniuses to save the world from an alien invasion that adults fear. The child "soldiers" are merely puppets for the adult characters to manipulate, until they bring in one child who can outwit the best of them. In the beginning, the protagonist Ender Wiggin plays the "game" exceptionally well, too well in fact for his peers to accept. But, like all true heroes, Ender wins over some of the "soldiers" with his strong will, fierce ambition and exceptional leadership. As expected, a few of the "soldiers" will fight Ender to the bitter end. Eventually, the novel takes a twist and Ender begins to doubt himself and quits the "game." Card brings the reader in deeper as he weaves the relationship between Ender and several of the characters around feelings that are not allowed to surface. Card takes the reader on a journey as Ender struggles with his emotions and choosing between right and wrong. Ender wants to impress the adults and his comrades, but he does not want to play the game any longer. Can he have it both ways and still be happy with himself? I am anxious to see where Card takes Ender in the rest of the series. It most certainly will not be back to the childhood that evaded the prodigy.
Rating:
Summary: The Epitome of Science Fiction
Review: This was a book recommended to me by a friend who also happened to tell me the ending before I read it. Remind me to give him a nasty stare!Anyway, this book starts off with a rather long introduction which the author wrote himself about his influences and motivation for writing Ender's Game. The author has had the idea of a Battle Room since he was sixteen. Only much later did he piece together the story of Ender and his mission to save the earth. Ender Wiggin is a special boy. He is the youngest (6 yrs old when the story starts) of a family of child geniuses (Peter being the eldest, then Valentine). This story is set in the future where aliens (called Buggers because of their physical and mental traits) have tried to invade the earth twice. Twice the Earth defeated them, but at great cost. The government is scrambling to make sure this never happens again by training the next set of star fleet commanders from childhood. In this futuristic world, only the government could sanction the birth of a third child (for population control reasons). In a way, Ender was born for a purpose. Peter and Valentine were both tested for giftedness and they both possessed it; however, he was ruthless and evil, and she was too soft and kind. Ender was a perfect balance of decisiveness and innocence, and so chosen from the beginning to go through Battle School. It is in Battle School that Ender learns military strategy and the history of wars between the Earth and the Buggers. It is also in Battle School that Ender makes friends and molds the perfect platoon leaders. What's really unique about this story is that Ender is forced to grow up so quickly by the "adults." The teachers of the school and high government officials all have one thought in their minds. And that is to eliminate the alien threat at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing the health and sanity of a child. Ender is subjected to so much isolation and abuse throughout the story, that I felt really bad for him. He has to learn to think like an adult through the eyes of a child. His biggest fear is becoming like his brother Peter (who, in Ender's eyes, is a cold blooded killer -- keep in mind that we're talking about the thoughts of a child who hasn't even reached puberty) is slowly becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy as he matures. The ending of this story is just amazing. I will not give it away! I recommended this book to a 13 year old boy before having finished the book. Now I'm thinking twice about my recommendation. Although this book's main characters are children and centers around the premise that child geniuses will save the world, there are a lot of adult themes and references to ancient history that probably only an adult would appreciate. I believe references to the Warsaw Pact, the League of Nations, Locke and Demosthenes will confuse the younger readers. Also the themes of murder, deception, isolation, rules of engagement in battle might be viewed as inappropriate by parents for their kids. With this in mind, I urge the reader to consider the maturity of the intended audience before recommending this book even though this is a terrific story.
Rating:
Summary: one word... GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Ok. To start off if I don't like a book I won't read it unless I'm forced to by a teacher which I then tell them how much I hated it. That's why most of them like me, but anyway... About a month ago my Intro Chem. & Phys. Teacher said she would be reading us one of her favorite books on every thursday. She was going at a pace of one chapter per week, but I liked it (except the kids were a little too teenagerish to be 6 years old) so I checked out the book in the school library when I finally found it on the shelf. I heard someone ask Mrs. Collett about the second book and she was explaining that ender was time traveling so when I got to the part about lightspeed travel I decide what was going to happen but to my supprise it was ending tottally diffirent than I expected. I figured that he would finish traing and go to fight the war, I was somewaht way, way off. Right now I'm in Ch. 15 Speaker For The Dead, and I only have half a chapter to read. Hope you read the book, I loved it you will too.
Rating:
Summary: Intense!
Review: They say that this is the sci fi book for people who don't like science fiction. There's a reason for this. This book, like anything else by Orson Scott Card, is character-based, instead of plot-based like most speculative fiction. This means that it is intensely interesting. The characters are realistic. They feel things like you and I. They are each influenced by many things which shape their descisions. Ender's Game, incidently, is used by the marines. They study to learn about leadership. Born in a family with a genius brother and sister, Ender (Andrew) Wiggins is also a child genius. But his spirit, originality, and good soul make him the prime candidate for Battle School, a government space station school for gifted kids who are potential military commanders. This is vital because Earth has been invaded by the alien buggers. There is an epic sense to the book, though it never loses touch with the real issues, the ones inside the character's heads. There is much more to this book than can be explained by the simple plot. It is like Survivor meets ET meets Wizard's Hall meets the history of our planet Earth. Great Stuff.
Rating: 
Summary: WonderChild
Review: This story of science fiction is woven together with beautiful pieces of trickery, misconception, abuse, and most of all the hearts of innocent children. This story takes your mind to another place of make believe that people hold in the backs of their minds. The story line is surrounded by this intericate game but not just any game a game of survival that any peron can eventually relate to.
Ender is a human child who is badly taken advantage of by all people surrounding him whether it is for private use or for the good of the people. Ender is a innocent child who goes along with these people (government's) ideas because he knows no better. This selfish government turns this young child an outcast from the start, because he is a third child and looked down upon from some people, who has a beautiful gift of being able to conquer his fears as well as any situation that approaches him.
This story was written with all people in mind. It involves mystery, suspense as well as a little bit of fantasy. I say fantasy due to teh fact that the reader has to use quite a bit of imagination to get the feel of this novel. Some of the things that are involved are a little bit hard to see happening in reality, it does give you a sense of fantasy by how the characters are setup as well as the storyline.
The only problem that I had with this novel was the ideal of abuse that the author used. Ender was mistreated by his own family, so called friends, as well as the government(the institution that we as people are suppose to have fiath in.) Not only was Ender mistreated but the other children as well. I understand that the writer used this technique to make Ender stronger but some of the examples of the way that they treated him was harsh for example not allowing Ender to get close to any other child or causing alot of friction bewteen Ender and the other children.
Overall this stroy was strong willed and very well put together, the author used great imagination and paid great attention to detail.
Rating:
Summary: A science fiction cornerstone
Review: This book should be required reading for anyone who wishes to have a broad science fiction knowledge! _Ender's Game_, and all of the series that follow it (with the possible exception of _Children of the Mind_ and _Shadow of the Hegemon_) are outstanding. _Ender's Game_ introduces us to Andrew Wiggin, boy genius, as he is inducted into a militaristic school whose students are hoping to protect Earth from the invasion of an alien species, the Buggers. We follow Andrew (or "Ender" as he's called in the book) through his training, his trials, and his inner thoughts as he progresses rapidly to the top of his class. Leading the various other children in war games comes fairly naturally to Ender, and soon his peers grow to respect him - with the exception, of course, of those who resent him for his brilliance. Saying anything more would ruin the story, and it's too good a one to spoil it for anyone. Suffice it to say, this is a very satisfying first book in a fantastic series. Card scores again.
Rating:
Summary: Unlike any other...
Review: I have never before given five stars to any book that I have read and reviewed up until now. I was recommended to read this novel through a friend of mine and instantly admired the creative writing that went into making this book. I could not put it down, yet because it was so splendid I didn't feel inclined to finish it either. I have never felt that way about a novel before.
Why you might ask. And a due answer is of course very much applicable. The reason I didn't want to leave this universe was partly due to the characterization, partly due to the plot and partly due to the subtely of how concepts and feelings of the characters and story were presented.
Throughout these pages the author does not force anything upon the reader. Everything is presented logically but with an added touch of creativity that is so subtle it is hardly noticeable, rather felt. There is a nice back history here that comes into play. Yet this is more of a character study then it is a book about plot (though it has a good imaginative plot as well). You walk with the main character, Ender and share all the joys and pains of life. The characters in this novel, even secondary ones leap out at you.
The characterization is marvelous. You feel that these are real, breathing human beings each with their own thoughts, feelings and opinions which makes this a work of fiction an exceptional one in the field. This is a highly realistic, imaginative story woven through wonderful dialogue and plot. If you are inclined to enter the science fiction genre, this is by far THE best novel to show you the way to the endless possibilities of the human imagination.
Rating: 
Summary: The Leadership Potential of the Buggers, February 24, 2002
Review: While reading this novel, I discerned that the author, Orson Scott Card, used a meager and obscure intellectual matrix to elucidate the development of leadership traits and skills of a quasi-scientific character named Ender, who supposedly had the potential to become a great field commander. From the beginning, this story was very misleading. It did not seem to have a focal point or an objective, and was filled with illusions that appeared to further mislead the reader by depicting act of gang fights coupled with the fight Ender had with his brother. This was enigmatic and appeared to be absolutely under questionable pretenses. If anything, the reader became further discombobulated, without any means of directional assistance from the author.
It was not until Colonel Graff visited Ender, that I became focused and aroused intellectually. For that reason, I felt this book was very boring because it took too long for the author to finally capture the attention span of his readership. It continued to characterize Ender as the only one who was capable of saving his people, the Buggers, during the next war. Through trial and error, Ender's ability to master challenges put before him proved to be worthy of an appointment as a government official. Theoretically, he was a great warrior and could save the world from itself.
This book also brought about ambiguous illusions to the reader, and I felt that there were better ways to reach an audience other than this scientific approach to Scott's work. Especially, if there is a story to be told that could or would contribute to one's ability to save lives and the rest world. And that manifested the difference as if between space, heave, and earth.
I would like to presume that, in the end, Scott wanted to send a profound message to the readership by way of this scientific character, that people on earth and the unknown in space, could live together in peace and harmony in one universe without having to battle.
Rating:
Summary: AwEsOmE!
Review: AWESOME!! BEST BOOK I EVER READ! And i'm pretty picky when it comes to books =P
Rating:
Summary: Nothing better gets better than this!!!
Review: I read this book about a year ago in the 4th grade and ENDERS GAME is still fresh in my mind. ENDERS GAME was among the assortment of my brothers books, and I thought it looked interesting. But it was so much more than that. ENDERS GAME and its sequels are among the best books I've read in my young life(which is a lot). This is definatly a good book for gifted readers. Like the kids who sometimes get made fun of simply because they're intelligent(much like the kids in this book). ENDERS GAME is so exciting it makes you want to read it for hours on end, and sometimes the stupid plans or ideas that people come up with make you want to laugh because they are destined to fail. Orsen Scott Card has done and outstanding job writing ENDERS GAME and its sequels. When you read the story its like your in the Battle School playing (or commanding) in a non-gravity battle! Although this book was ment for adults you will insteadly fall in love with the story of Ender and his gangs. I've already read ENDERS SHADOW and SHADOW OF THE HEGAMON, and they are just as good as ENDERS GAME. This book is the start of a series you will never forget. You will love reading about Ender in Battle School as much as you will love reading about Peter and Valentine's plot to eventually take over the world.
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