Rating: Summary: Solid Sci-Fi Book Review: I don't read a lot of science-fiction material. Besides this, I've "A Clockwork Orange", and some Kurt Vonnegut. But, this was a terrific read. I loved this book. I reccomend it highly to anyone who hasn't read sci-fi before. It's really easy to read and not too technical at all.
Rating: Summary: Excellence Review: Orson Scott Card pens in the introduction to Ender's Game that the story came to him many years before its writing. The premise of the story is a similar premise to most strong science fiction: A military and political base, which is built upon by differentiating the fiction's situation from the real-world situation. While Card articulates a world decidedly different than the one we currently inhabit, he is strikingly able to convey a sense of "currency." Card hardly alienates his readers by the changes of society, he instead pulls them even closer. The development of characters throughout this book is excellent, and they are represented as complex, warring beings - both within themselves and with others.Ender Wiggin is a child genius, a "third" in a world which only accepts two children. He, like other children like him, are trained in military strategy in order to assist the Earth's efforts in fighting an alien race, the Buggers. While many of the names for beings in this book are reminiscent of elementary school science fiction, the ideas behind them overshadow any predisposition a poor name may provide. Ender undergoes a grueling military sequence, beginning at battle school and eventually winding up at what he believes to be a commander training school. When he goes to Battle School at the age of six years old (an age which still strikes me as far, far too young, regardless of Card's premise), he leaves behind his brother, Peter, his sister, Valentine, and his two parents. The relationships between the characters seethe with humanity: They are complex, with depth and inner-conflict. Ender's sister, Valentine, is torn between supporting Ender in his battles, and letting her own emotions interfere. Ender hates Peter, because he identifies too strongly with him - and this disturbs Ender. Card employs a simplistic writing style, making it easy to read. However, this doesn't not indicate a poor story line - rather, the simplicity helps to draw the reader in by letting them focus upon the story, rather than complex syntax and interpretation. Overall, this book represents science fiction's strongest traits: It is a portrait of humanity painted so differently than we see, but we recognize ourselves in it. This was truly a book which stayed with me long after reading it.
Rating: Summary: One of the top five science fiction novels of all time. Review: It is an interesting occurance that nearly everyone who reads this book finds something different in it. Some find it a scathing indictment of the industrial-military complex, others see it as a tribute to the bravery of the soldier. Some find a Christian parable, others see Ender as a humanistic massiah. One thing is certain, however, this is the seminal novel for current and former GATE students. You know those kids who in Middle School were sent to special classes to take advanced classes but ended up just being pushed to do extra busy work. This book seems specailly poignant to them. Anyway, this is an excellent sci-fi novel. Don't be deceived by the seemingly simple story of alien invasion, there are many levels of depth.
Rating: Summary: Ender's Game - Orson Scott card Review: Peter was too hard, Val was too soft, but Ender... He was just right. At least that was hope that Colonel Graff was literally betting the world on. Time was running out. Earth had twice been invaded by the "buggers" and they needed a commander capable of winning the war and saving the world. Ender was their best choice. The problem was that he was only 6. Ender finds himself in Battle school, where the best young minds the world can gather learn the arts of war through games. Ender can prove him self to be the best at the games, but will that be enough? Would there be enough time for him to grow up, learn everything he needed and provide the world with a happily every after? Ender's game has all the trappings of a Science Fiction book: space travel, nifty future gadgets, war between Man and alien species, but at it's heart it is a psychological drama. The government is doing everything it can to manipulate Ender into becoming the hero commander they desperately need. Ender is doing everything he can to win the game and survive. He wants to live, to be loved and most of all he to keep from becoming the thing he hates most, Peter, a cold hearted killer. Ender knows he is being manipulated, what he doesn't know is how far they will go. I can see why this book was a Hugo winner. Card manages to maintain that rare balance of perfect pace that authors strive for. The story unfolds through the eyes of Ender and we are carried along with it. Card takes the time to develop full, interesting characters, but at the same time keeps the action and plot moving at a steady pace. This is the first of his books that I have read, but it leaves me more than willing to pick up another.
Rating: Summary: Don't believe the hype. I HATED THIS BOOK. Review: I know I'm in the extreme minority on this one, but I have to say that I just hated almost everything about this book. Ender is the elite of the elite -- he is a 6-year old kid who possesses the most advanced physical and mental abilities of anyone that the universe has ever seen. Let me try and sum up some of his most incredible accomplishments: he figures out that he can impersonate someone else's log in name by adding a space after it, he figures out that any direction can be considered up in zero gravity, and he develops winning laser tag strategies like not assembling your troops into rigid formations. I mean, sure that's all great for a six-year old, but we're talking about the guy who we're counting on to save the universe here. The plot itself is very thin. It's good versus evil in a video game battle. I'm sure this was all a whole lot more exciting when it was written in 1977, before the internet and when video games were in their infancy. But that is no excuse for the way over-simplified story line, the ethnically-stereotyped characters, and the painfully crude dialogue. It reads like it was written by someone who hasn't been around kids for 30 years trying to remember how kids talk. Don't waste your time with this one.
Rating: Summary: Excellent, fun Sci-Fi. Review: The Ender series has become known, over time, as the definitive sociological science-fiction masterpieces. This sounds a little boring and doesn't do Ender's game justice. This book is one of the most fun, edge-of-my-seat books I have ever picked up. I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't enjoy reading it. You should buy a copy for your parents, and one for your kid, they'll both love it. And two copies for yourself, just in case you ever lose you.
Rating: Summary: Top 10 SF Book Review: I don't think it is an overstatement to say that Ender's Game is one of the top 10 science fiction books of all time. When you think about what a good story should be regardless of genre, then add an amazing SF backdrop, this novel is it. I have not read other books in the series, but I can recommend this one with the greatest enthusiasm.
Rating: Summary: READ THIS COMPELLING BOOK SOON! Review: This book is the greatest sci-fi novel ever! It includes all the basics for a sci-fi novel: little kids beatin' up aliens and ***holes. If you have not read this book, read it. It includes Ender as a kid. He's small, a bully target, and yet, he could beat up a kid bigger than him. Moving on, he signs up for space-military-type training. He gets bigger, smarter, and more aggressive. I heard there is a movie being made for Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow combined! Read this book before it's too late. Usually movies made from books leave out a lot of information and cool stuff. So read and enjoy this future-movie book!
Rating: Summary: An amazing novel Review: This is the first science fiction novel I have read, and I barely kept myself from finishing it in one day; it took me two. The overall plot in this novel did not really interest me, because I do not care that much for science fiction, but the way this novel was written still made it one of the best books I have read. Orson Scott Card constantly wove unexpected events into the novel. Card also wrote in a way that I could sympathize with a young boy, yet still be amazed by his genius. What is this novel about? The humans have twice been attacked by alien bugs and have become a single league of nations to protect themselves. They have a fleet to protect earth, a fleet of space ships. They have developed weapons more deadly than any now in existence. But the bugs have greater numbers and probably better technology. The humans need a leader, and they have been breeding geniuses trying to get that leader. The novel is about the training they put Ender, through. I liked the situations he was put in, as well as the training he went through; I enjoyed reading about it. Once he turns eleven, he is sent to command school to learn how to lead the fleet, and then the novel gets good. I recommend this novel, even if you, like me, have never read science fiction before.
Rating: Summary: THE PRECURSOR TO THE HARRY POTTERS OF THE WORLD.. Review: ...the best book on leadership, the best book on strategy, and possibly the best sci-fi story I have ever heard. I am not even much into science fiction, not in reading at least. But I devoured this brilliant debut novel from Scott Card (1985) from cover to cover. It's intoxicating, educational and very, very gripping. We follow the life of our young protagonist Ender (nickname for Andrew) who is billed as a dynamic potential leader to save the Earth from "buggers" (malicious aliens). Reviewers lament that it potrays children as saviours of the earth from but this is not exactly an impossibility -- kids today are already a lot sharper than they used to be 20 years ago. It's a fascinating testament to the adaptability of human beings -- you impose demands, we will rise to the task. Come to think of it, the book does frequently bring up the inhumane element of pushing kids to the limit as Ender gets disillusioned about the mission that was forced on him several times during the course of the story. Above all its interesting setups and games in a training camp in space, the book touches upon some out-of-box thinking by kids to win their games. For this reason, it makes for a FABULOUS strategy book. As Ender wins and develops into a leader of kids a lot older than he is, we are exposed to a lot of leadership situations that are so real in actual life it's almost eerie. The book has a bunch of lessons about morality, good and bad, leadership, thinking, etc etc. Something I'd recommend in a blink to anyone I care about. Get this phenomenal novel even if you don't have a taste for science fiction. You'll love it.
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