Ender’s
Game is a sci-fi story that takes place in the future, 70 years after an alien
invasion nearly wiped out all of civilization.
Things are rather bleak in the world, and another invasion by the
“buggers” is imminent. The IF, or
International Fleet, is monitoring and searching for children who will make the
perfect leader for the next bugger attack.
Ender Wiggin might just be that person, but the road to success will not
be easy.
Ender is a
“third,” or the third child born to his parents. The government has instituted a policy that
restricts the number of children a family can have. Ender’s siblings, Peter and Valentine, showed
great promise in the IF initial testing, but were not accepted into command
school for being too aggressive or passive, respectively. The IF encouraged Ender’s parents to have
Ender in hopes that he would be the ideal combination of attributes that they
were looking for. After they have
finished their preliminary testing, Ender is admitted into the program and they
immediately have high expectations for him.
Ender’s abilities, as well as overt favoritism (exhibited through
promotion and academic success) paint a bullseye on him for all the other
students. He is continually tested, both
mentally and for his capability as a leader for battle. He is constantly being pushed, and given
challenges of increasing difficulty.
Ender’s drive to overcome all odds, no matter what the cost, make him
the ideal leader and take a heavy toll on his psyche. Each chapter leaves the reader wanting more,
as we gain momentum through this novel; will Ender be the leader that Earth is
looking for, and can he do what is deemed necessary to defeat the buggers? And most importantly, will Ender survive both
his classmates and the mental strain?
On Earth, Ender’s siblings are also
making waves in the political arena. Intelligent,
but rejected from battle school, Valentine and Peter have invented
personalities with which they are writing essays designed to stir the pot. With opposing viewpoints and maintaining
anonymity, Demosthenes and Locke (Valentine and Peter), are slowly creating a following. The
whole world is in turmoil, and the Bugger War might be the catalyst which
induces worldwide revolution. If Peter
has his way, he will be at the center of it.
I really
enjoyed this book and thought that the author did a good job developing Ender’s
character and creating an interesting and relatable story. The pressure he is put under is palpable and
unrelenting. As a reader, you can’t help
but sympathize with Ender who is being placed under a ton of pressure for a
young child. I would definitely
recommend this book for anyone interested in Science Fiction/space themed
books. Despite what I have read
previously with Card, and omitting recent media attention to Card, I am
impressed. Check it out.
A brief
note about the movie: I really enjoyed
the movie, but like most book people I thought that the book was much
better. The movie omitted much of the
importance of Ender’s brother and sister, as well as downplaying the pressure
Ender was under. My prediction is that
this movie will not continue into the series that Lionsgate wanted, but it
could make for an interesting television series following the movie.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Bunsen Burners
Up Next: Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card
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