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Ender's Game (Fantastic Audio)

Ender's Game (Fantastic Audio)

List Price: $40.00
Your Price: $28.00
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Ultimate Page-Turner
Review: I think the spotlight review by Harris says it pretty well. I wouldn't go so far as to call it the greatest book ever written, but the character development is definitely first-rate. Card has a special understanding of the interpersonal social dynamics of small groups, such as those that exist in military basic training. It's also interesting that Star Trek's Borg, albeit cybernetic, actually came from this book, at least in the original conception prior to the insect and queen aspects being removed by the writers in pre-production. Later, the Trek writers reintroduced the queen element in First Contact to rather lame effect. If they're a collective mind then there's no reason to have a queen unless the only consciousness is the queen itself. Ender's game originated this concept and it's no surprise that it's much more convincing. I do however have five complaints about this work. First, Card's religious upbringing is painfully apparent with a Mormon mother, emphasis on promoting large families, and a character named Hyrum. I was half-expecting a Nephi or two to be thrown into the mix. Thankfully, they weren't. Second, he has a misunderstanding of the importance of strategy in modern military science. Technology, communications, intelligence, and logistics are far more important. A tiny group of defenders who are inferior on all of these counts except strategy would still absolutely lose. I did, however, love portions concerning unit mobility and independence. All other things being equal, the side with the best unit autonomy will win. Third, if all the queens can be killed in one place, in one final battle, then why would a queen be sent to Earth in the first place? Wouldn't it follow that other queens would still have survived in other far off colonies? Fourth, the inclusion of the planet and bigwig onlookers in the final scenario totally gave away the big secret. With a little more subtlety this could have been averted. Fifth, the closing pages of the novel are too rushed and as such initially feel far-fetched. Right when we should be relishing the ending, we as readers are put in a situation where the suspension of disbelief does not come easy. With a bit more situation development, as well as further explanation of those nightmares where Ender feels someone is playing back his memory, this too could have been averted. In spite of these flaws it's still an amazing novel that will compel you to read it as quickly as possible.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Mental Euphoria
Review: Ender's Game is one of the best books I have ever read! Purely fantasy, but with a theme that gets you thinking--what is the future really going to be like for future generations. Can we afford to put so much pressure on our children in order to evolve as a species? Ender is the perfect martyred hero.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not just for sci-fi fans.
Review: Ender's Game is too complex to do justice to right here. It is an entertaining and thought provoking story that will stick with you long after you are done.

The protagonist is Andrew "Ender" Wiggin. He is brilliant. He is also a child. And the fate of mankind rests in his hands. As the story goes on he is given a level of pressure that few adults could handle, he is tested continually, he is set up for failure while knowing that he can never fail.

The pivotal scenes are at the end when he is essentially tricked into doing something that he is unaware of with far reaching effects and implications. And just when you think it cannot get any more compelling we find out that perhaps it was never as clear cut as we thought it all was.

The principal theme is war and the effects of war. The seeming inevitability of demonizing our enemies, of sacrificing our friends, and of losing our innocence along the way.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that likes a thought provoking read with unforgettable characters. It does not matter if you are a fan of sci fi or not because all really good science fiction does is shine it's light back on us.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ender's Game
Review: This book i would have to say is the best book i will ever read. I read it during my 6th grade year, and I loved it. The story was so moving i will read it again. Though I am only 13 years old, I have influenced my friends into reading this tremendous read, and they said it was good too. It makes me sick when people don't appreciate a good book like this. The book was so great, that at sometimes I tried to act as Ender the main character. That is how powerful Orson Scott Card's writing is to my mind. I hope that someday i will meet this great author.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of my Favorite Books
Review: I've read Ender's Game three times in the past fifteen years and consider this one of my favorite books overall, let alone in the science fiction genre. I had never heard of Orson Scott Card the first time I read it and a third of the way into the book I felt like I was truly in another world. The distinct personalities of the characters and the prophetic concepts of video games and the internet which he developed through this whole series still amaze me. The idea of training children to fight wars and their reaction to the conflict was interesting to me in a very different way fifteen years ago, but I enjoy reading it just as much now.
The other books in the series (and most other Orson Scott Card books) are all way above average, but this one holds a special place in my library. I've read that a movie is in the works, but haven't seen anything concrete. With the availability of special effects, it would be much easier to make now than ten years ago, but finding child actors good enough for the roles might be a problem.
If you haven't read Ender's Game, do it now.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ender's Game: Science Fiction Classic
Review: Ender's game is an action-packed book that has something of everything. Card's writing is excellent, and he takes an incredible idea and turns it into an incredible book. This is my favorite book, and I think that it will become a classic not too long from now. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction. You will fall in love with the characters, and beg for more. Conveniently, there are three sequels and two parallels, with more to come.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: disappointing
Review: I found the premise to be ridiculously unrealistic. Would a planet (or a country) entrust a few children to direct its armed forces, regardless of how talented or bright those children were? Isn't field experience a factor? Isn't that why generals and admirals exist? And implants to enable the state to have 24 hour observation of signs of genius in a 5 year old ..come on. But if you're willing to swallow these absurdities, I suppose it's good reading..

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Beautiful
Review: When you finish the book, you are left with an empty feeling that it's over, and you want to turn back to page one and start all over again.

Ender Wiggin is one of the best characters I've ever read about. Card creates some of the most beleivable characters in this story, and has a great understanding of human behavior.

Although the best part about this novel is that from start to finish, there is not one page that lags the story, it's a constant go-go-go pace. You will not be able to put it down once you start. This book is simply beautiful.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Ender's "not so fun" Game
Review: Ender's Game was tedious reading. However... it's an original story with a great ending.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Essential reading for everyone, repeat, everyone
Review: Science fiction is all too often looked upon as an inferior form of literature. True, there is plenty of trash in SF, but also in romance and mystery and those are rarely refered to with the same contempt. One of my english teachers once said (and I apologize in advance if my quote is not a hundred percent accurate) that only a realistic novel (i.e takes place in a realistic setting) can achieve a high level of emotional effect, because the reader can only identify with the characters if they are placed in a setting we are personally familiar with.

Ha.

For any of you who might share this opinion, Ender's Game is the place to start your re-education. A masterpiece, one of the finest books written in the last fifty years, an absolute essential reading for all - I'll go as far as to say, especially those who are not heavy SF fans, because if you're a heavy SF fan and you haven't read it you're in trouble. Suffice to say that it won both the Hugo and the Nebula awards, and that it absolutely deserved them. Ender's Game is the most human, most touching piece of science fiction I've read, a perfectly flowing novel, the kind that is painful to put down. I wouldn't like to give too much of the plot away, but I would say that it takes plaee in outer space, and it does in some way involve aliens; and it's completely not what you might expect.

Orson Scott Card is a wonderful author, and of his books that I've read Ender's Game is most likely the best. Three sequels exist, all of them fantastic, but Ender's Game is by far the most accessible. The second book in the series, Speaker for the Dead, is also a masterpiece, but it's involves much more 'sci-fi philosophy' which some may find more appealing than the more psychological emphysis of Ender's Game and others may find somewhat tiresome. The others in the series, Xenocide and Children of the Mind, continue the direction the second part took and wander further off to long, complex phylosophical-scienific theories. Those two are certainly not for everyone. Ender's Game is, and it's the place to start. I've said enough. Read it now.


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