Rating: Summary: Sci-Fi at its Best Review: Card really put it all together in this masterpiece of ScienceFiction. This one is a "must read" for any and all fictionreaders. Card's prose is lively, his dialogue interesting, and hisdescription pared down in order to quickly bring the reader to a truly remarkable denoument. The vulnerability and tenacity of the main protagonist, Ender, is truly heart wrenching. His agonies and triumphs pull the reader through amazing emotional terrain. Card's political commentary and futuristic ideas are also fascinating. This book is recommended to intelligent readers everywhere.
Rating: Summary: The start of Ender Review: Strangely, I read Ender's Game out of sequence in it's series. For some reason I started with "Speaker for the Dead", which is the sequel, and then went back to read the first novel. Speaker for the Dead is a great book but does not stand alone. Its story is only completed by the remaining books in the series. Ender's Game however, is just as good and is also self contained.
Originally, the novel started out as a short story, (or novella), called Ender's War. Card re-wrote much of it, fleshing out the story, and in so doing created one of the finest works of science fiction in existance. I haven't met anyone who has read it without being impressed. Like all of Card's books, it is difficult to put down, teaches us something about ourselves, makes us cry and it makes us cheer. Card is always good but with Ender's Game, he is perfect.
The title character, Ender Wiggin, is a young boy who's whole life has been lived under the stigma of being a third child. In a world where population control is the only means of racial survival, he is the exception that proves the rule. His very existance was only granted because the government felt his genes and upbringing might produce the perfect strategist against an implacable enemy.
The "Buggers" almost wiped out the entire human race, last time they visited. The government is certain these insect like creatures will not stop when they next decide to come. And so, it is necessary to create a military genius, trained in every way possible, hardened to fear and remorse, and knowing that there will be no second chance at success. The fact that this person is a small boy, must not keep them from performing their duty.
Ender's Game tells the story of what that boy's life is like. It is not a light tale and no punches are pulled. Even so, I would recommend it to anyone over ten years old. Simply because it does not shy away from the consequences of even brutal acts and so, it has the power to open our eyes to the meaning of responsibility. Please read this book... we all should.
For those that are up on their reading of Card's work, you may want to buy his latest; Ender's Shadow. It revisits the War school from the point of view of Ender's most worthy student, Bean. We get to see all those dramatic moments again but not as we remember them.
Rating: Summary: Gripping Plot, Odd Ending Review: I first read the short story that "Ender's Game" the novel is based on a-way back when in college when my roommate foolishly left out an omnibus of Card's short stories while I was attempting to finish writing a paper. The result was inevitable: I read the story - and fell in love.Needless to say, I was *thrilled* when the World Fantasy Convention felt the need to distribute free copies of the novel, complete with a terribly interesting introduction from the author himself. However, there were things to do and places to be, and ultimately I was required to wait until my father had finished pouring over it to read the thing myself. The wait was worth it. Card has beautifully transferred and expanded his short story to novel form - a difficult feat at best. He uses the length well: delving into Ender's home-life, detailing his first games, playing with threads of philosophy, and keeping the reader absolutely glued to his seat - even if he already knows the story from reading the original. Oh, sure, there are a few objections: Mazur's role is humanised, softened, resulting in a slight loosening of the ending tensions. And it would have been nice if Card had lingered just a smidgen longer on the brother' and sister's plot. And - the largest objection of all - the last chapter's introduction of the odd quasi-religion Ender adopts as the newfound "Speaker of the Dead" is poorly realised, tacked on, and reeks of its sequel. (And a word of warning to parents: the book does deal with some adult issues, and includes a fair amount of violence.) But even these objections cannot completely override a hearty recommendation of Card's classic "Ender's Game." Whether you're a lover of science fiction, fantasy (yes, fantasy - he world-builds like nothing else), mystery, adventure, or just a fan of good plot in general -you could do no better than to make "Ender's Game" the next novel on your bedtable.
Rating: Summary: Ender a saga for the mind of a youth Review: Enders game is one where not all people can realy relate to ender. Most people don't know what it's like to live life expecting to be an outcast for life, and to think every one around you is there to twist you to there desire. This was a book that few people can actualy relate to. I been in enders shoes more then once, while other can only dream (or fear) whats it's like to life as ender few have actualy experenced most of what enders has gone though, like being so tired that your body actualy stops working, enders time at battle school i have been though more then once. To see every one around you trying to change you into something you don't want to become and then relizing by rebeling against it you only become more of what they are trying to make you become.
Rating: Summary: Perhaps the Greatest Piece of Literature Written in America Review: I cannot stress this enough: This book is for anyone and everyone. I cannot stress that enough. Don't let the fact that it is science fiction (and high-concept sci-fi at that) disuade you. Don't let the fact that it looks pretty thick fool you. And don't let the fact that it is about kids make you pass it by. This book, since I first read it four years ago, has become my favorite book of all time. It is brilliantly written, superbly concieved, and possesses an ending that is one of the greatest surprises presented in any medium. This book is the work of a genius. A friend of mine summarized it in this way: Lord of the Flies in a controlled environment. Though that is not entirely accurate (there's a great deal more to the story), that's a start. Check it out (PLEASE!) and enjoy! You won't be sorry.
Rating: Summary: Wow! Review: I recently moved from fantasy to sci-fi, and my friend recommended Ender's Game. In a word, wow. This book kept me reading for hours and hours. I think the best aspect of Card's writing is that he creates characters with personalities so deep that they create their own plot. I would highly recommend this book to...anyone! If you liked the book, I would definitely suggest Ray Bradbury, or you can go where I came from: Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Raymond E. Feist, and all those great fantasy writers. This is definitely a classic.
Rating: Summary: Holy ( ) this was good Review: Having read Ender's Game a little over a year ago, I can still remember staying up until 3AM begging for "only a few more minutes! " This is a true example of how science-fiction should be written. The entire plot fits together, although the main character (Ender) seemed suspiciously like an adult in a 6-year old's body. But anyone who questions ender is a fool. I've heard arguments that he is a brilliant tactician, yet gets beat up so it doesn't make sense. WRONG. A brilliant tactician doesn't need to be a built up mud-slugger. that's what grunts are for. Easily in the Top 3 science fiction books with only Dune (of course, what else) and 2001: Space Odyssey above it.
Rating: Summary: One for intelligent readers... Review: Ender's game is a wonderful book for all ages. I Usually I stick to reading fantasy but my friend turned me on to Enders game. I cannot thank her enough. I read a lot of books, that includes a lot of trash. Finally I found a book that stands apart from most of the others. This book offers an indepth look into the human mind and emotions. I found this book utterly beautiful and imaginitive. A mix of horror and awareness that left me speechless. I recomend this book for sci-fi readers with intelegence.
Rating: Summary: New fan. Review: When I picked up Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card I really didn't know what to expect. By the time I finished the first chapter I found my self hooked on the story. Card puts together an amazing cast, and weaves an addictive plot around them. When I read a book I look for at least one character the I feel for. With Ender, the main character, I found just that. From the first page to the last Card makes Ender more and more human, and all the while he puts him into almost inhuman situations. I actually found myself rooting him on aloud. Needless to say I got a few strange looks from people around me at the time. But that just showed me how easy a character Ender is to emphamize with. In the time since I got, and finished, Ender's Game I have already bought the other four books in the series. I honestly have never read a book that literally made me not want to put it down. I can't wait to read the rest.
Rating: Summary: The best book ever! Review: If sci-fi is your genre then this should be the bible on your shelf. It is definetly one of Card's best books, it is the first and so far best in it's series. It was first recommended to me by a 16 year old named Mike. Now i read it (being only 11) and now i'm recommending it to everybody i know who has anything to do with sci-fi. It starts out with an outcast kid whose name is Andrew Wiggen (ENDER) He has a brother named Peter and a sister named Valentine. Decades before a race of aliens (Buggers) has invaded the earth two times. The earth had had luck and some then some. Now they need to reassure themselves wioth the best commander to commandeer their fleet. To do this they set up "Battle School" it is training for kids to be turned into commanders. Ender (no doubt) is picked to go to battle school because of his extremely high potential. He gets there just like any kid would and beats the system. He obli... Wait i can't tell you what happnes, you need to read it. Then be sure to read every single sequal (Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind) and the recently published parralel novel (Ender's Shadow). A must read !
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