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Summary: Ender's Game is a classic of Sci-Fi
Review: The plot is seemingly simple: Boy Genius saves Earth. The telling of the story is what makes this book so extraordinary. The world and characters created by Card are original and believable. The Battle School, a low and null-gravity space station where students who are potential military leaders are trained, is fascinating, not only for the war game played by the students, but for the psychological interaction of the students with each other and with the teachers. Ender, the hero of the book, will appeal to anybody who suffered through bullies at school. He is also a sympathetic, intelligent person upon whom a lot is laden. We follow Ender through his training and development as a leader. The ending has a neat twist, and even more wonderful, the new parallel novels Ender's Shadow and Shadow of the Hegemon are worthy companion books. (There are two earlier follow-up novels, good, but not on the same theme as Ender's Game. These are Children of the Mind and Speaker for the Dead.) If you like military history, war games like Age of Kings, science fiction or stories of "coming of age", you will probably enjoy Ender's Game. It is on my top 10 Sci-Fi novels list.
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Summary: N/A
Review: I recommend this book and it's sequels in the Ender Quartet. These books are a tribute to a truly great author, Orson Scott Card.
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Summary: Deeply compelling, a great science fiction!
Review: This book was reccomended to me by a close friend of mine and highly trusted personal book critic. Upon finishing several chapters of the book, every bit of possitive commontary she supplied me with was confirmed. What an excellent read! The twists and turns of this pathos-inspiring novel keep one interested, and the well developed characters hardly seem works of fiction. The action and suspense picks up immediately in the first chapter. Words of advice: Do not read if you need sleep, for you will not be able to put this one down!
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Summary: Very enjoyable
Review: An excellent science fiction book; praise and dismissiveness both intended.
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Summary: More than just Sci FI
Review: After reading and re-reading Ender's Game and the next three books of the Quartet, I was struck by the fact that this book seems significantly different form the others. It has less to do with philosophy and moral questions, and more to do with action and the Bugger wars. The series starts out as pure sci-fi, with some reflections on what our society could develop in to, and turns into an interesting inspection of moral questions. I am a fan of both styles. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever been called a "nerd". I can't really justify this, but I will say that it has a following similar to the works of Douglas Adams and Patrick O'Brian: small, but devoted. Also, I read this knowing that I am not much of a sci-fi person. However, that did not keep me from enjoying this book.
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Summary: My favorite SF novel ever -- it should be yours too
Review: Unbelievably good. Unlike most SF, this one will get you in your heart, as well as your mind. It's just about the perfect novel. Start with: Ender Wiggin. A child bred for military intelligence and empathy, his abilities and his emotions wrestle throughout the novel. His job: Save the world from an alien race intent on destroying earth. Add: His brilliant yet sadistic brother, Peter, his brilliant yet overly emotional sister, Valentine, who plot to take over the world. Add: The Battle School -- a brutal, ascetic environment in space for training 5-year-olds on up how to become space commanders. Add: An unbelievable cast of child-warriors, with emotions so real, so visceral that you will remember them for all time. Add: A plot that starts off great, and keeps accelerating until it reaches a crescendo -- with a twist. Add: All this told by a master storyteller unmatched in his ability to mold the conventions of hard sci-fi with complex, rich characters that never feel like cardboard cutouts. After reading this novel the first time, I felt exhilarated and drained. Then I read it again. It was that good. Read the rest of the novels in the series, too, although they get progressively weaker. Ender's Shadow, however, is more on a par with Ender's Game. This is my favorite SF novel ever. I can't give it any higher recommendation.
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Summary: Great book! Really makes you think.
Review: This is an excellent science fiction book. It is the kind of book that really makes you think about things in life, especially towards the end. It makes you wonder, are the things we do really ethical, even if we might have a good reason behind them. But even if you don't want to read the book for the 'thinking', it's a great story, entertaining, and addicting. I couldn't put it down! A must-read for any science fiction reader, or even people who just like to read a good book!
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Summary: Orson Scott Card rules!
Review: I've never read anything by Orson Scott Card that wasn't at least very, very good (excellent is his usual territory). I think "Ender's Game" is his masterpiece (so far). (I haven't read the sequels yet, can they possibly sustain the comparison? I'll have to dive in and see.) Other reviewers have given some idea of the plot of this book, so I'll just say that very few adult or juvenile, popular or "serious" works of fiction in any genre can compare. It's not just my opinion; I bought the book for my nephew (one of those kids who hates to read) and he ate it up. If you like gaming and/or futuristic stories, or if you are interested in the workings of your own or others' minds & hearts, read this book. It's stunningly good. If you like "Ender's Game" and other books in the series, don't stop there. Orson Scott Card has lots of other good stuff to offer--how about a frontier America where hexes and spells are a taken-for-granted part of everyday life? (If this sounds interesting, check out the "Seventh Son" series.) I've been reading science fiction for over 20 years, and Orson Scott Card is one of very best the genre has to offer.
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Summary: A Ok Ender's Game To The MAX
Review: This intriguing read will have your interest until the end. In the future, it is not permitted to bear more than two children under normal circumstances. Andrew (Ender) Wiggin is a lawful THIRD, destined to become a hero. During childhood, he endures the torment of his older brother Peter while seeking asylum with his sister Valentine. Ender's elder siblings are turned away from the battle school, but Ender is chosen to attend. After several exhausting years of excelling in academics, tactical skills, and strategy, Ender finds himself leading an army of fellow children through inexorable drills and combat maneuvers. The third invasion of the Buggers draws near. Mazer Ruckham led humans to a marginal victory during the second invasion by exploiting a weakness that he discovered while all odds were against him, but the Buggers are capable of adaptation. Time is running out and the humans may soon face their extinction. Will Ender's adroitness in battle lead the humans to victory over a foe they can not understand? Can a child really save the world? Is there a surprise ending? The answer to all of these questions is... maybe. But one thing is certain: THIS WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. Are you prepared to be eaten alive by ugly BUGGERS? Wear spikes on your clothing at all times to prevent consumption and never trust people who look like giant insects because they're probably not people.
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Summary: Politics, brutality, manipulation, war...and he's only a kid
Review: The world has survived 2 alien bug invasions and the International Fleet will be damned if they are going to wait for the third one to arrive. So they seek out the brightest kids they can find, put them in a military school in space and pick the best kid to command Earth's fleet. Ender is his name. There isnt any hard sf theories in this novel. In fact most of the space battles take place in the training room in the form of mock battles between kids. So if you want to read about sci-fi a la Asimov, Clarke or Hamilton you'll be disappointed. In fact if it wasnt for the alien bugs or the school in space, this should not be classified as sci-fi at all. I picked up this book because I was bored and I'm glad I did!! Simple premise yet damn entertaining. An excellent story about the inherent good and evil in all of us. Read Ender's Shadow immediately after this one. Its not a sequel but more of a parallel novel which is equally good. Read it while 'Game' is still fresh in your mind.
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