Ender's Game

Rating:
Summary: Ender's Game
Review: Personally, Ender's Game is the best science fiction book I have ever read. From the beginning all the way to the end, the book is smart, it is exciting, and it is hard to put down. I think the book is so successful because people can relate to the main character, Ender. He is a young genius being used like a tool as a military commander. The future, set about a hundred and fifty years from now, is believable and lacks many of the scifi luster that plagues many books. Ender is taken to a school in space that trains children to become officers, however, his training is different and special. The book is sad, because Ender nearly destroys himself to ensure that he never loses. The antagonist in the book is superficially the buggers, the aliens that have attacked Earth twice. At a different level, the antagonists are the adults that are ensuring Ender never loses his edge. And, ultimately, the antagonist is Ender himself.
Enders Game is a book that I would recommend to anybody. It is deep, and for some reason it appeals to people that don't normally read science fiction. Be warned: if you read it once, you will probably read it again.

Rating:
Summary: This is a game worth playing!
Review: Reading the negative reviews is very revealing. The majority of the one-star reviews resort to insulting those who have enjoyed the book. Criticism that consists of name-calling is a high form of praise.

Which is not to say that a little bit of controversy surrounding Ender's Game isn't inappropriate. A six year old child is taken from his family and trained for battle with other children and ultimately commits genocide - xenocide, to be more accurate. Not a happy, uplifting tale by any stretch of the imagination. Yet there is something nevertheless compelling in the tale of how Ender overcomes every obstacle placed in his path to not only succeed but, ultimately, grow into a better person than most. Card's prose is at times spartan, but the pages turn so fast one doesn't notice.

Be warned that the "sequel," Speaker for the Dead, is not really a sequel at all. It would be difficult to find two more different books marketed as the same series. Ender returns, but where Ender's Game is largely action-driven, Speaker for the Dead dwells upon inner turmoil and family struggles. Speaker is by far the more powerful and provocative book, and one does not need to read Ender's Game to appreciate it.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ
Review: The Earth had suffered two invasions by the buggers. The buggers are an alien race out to destroy the earth and all of the surviving humanity. To prevent further attack, the nations of the world have allied together and created a base in outer space that would be called "Battle School". This is a place where they send up and train super smart and talented kids to be soldiers. Ender Wiggin is one such child who is selected to go to battle school even though he is only 6 years old! Ender is immediately separated from the other kids as one of the smartest and as one who is more intelligent than some of them who are twice his age. The commanders see Ender's immense potential and separate him from the rest of the group to see how he fares. Ender plays many "war games

Rating:
Summary: Please Make it End
Review: When my friend highly recommended this book to me I should have know that it wouldn't really be my thing. Our tastes in everything pop culture are completely different. So where to begin. Ender's Game in not a horrible book, nor completely without merit. I have never read another book quit like it, so it IS unique. But there are a few things about it that irked me enough to make me not enjoy it.

*The name-calling in the book was utterly ridiculous. Now mind you, I enjoy a bit of name calling now and again, but at least make it above a kindergarten level! There's only so many times you can hear the word "farteater" before a book loses its literary value altogether. It's as if Card was trying to portray how he though children would speak, but it went horribly wrong. I mean, weren't these kids supposed to be geniuses? I would expect them to be more creative than that.

*The characters are really corny and stereotypical. Not much originality there. Good brother, bad brother, sweet innocent sister caught in the middle. Tough love major general. Furthermore, I didn't feel any real attachment to any of the characters.

*The book seems dated to a time when video games first hit mainstream.

*I admit, some of the concepts were interesting. For example, the constant evolving game Ender plays on his Notebook was really fascinating. After awhile, however, the Battle School Ender attends and the battles themselves get repetitive.

I'm not the biggest Science Fiction fan, so maybe this book just wasn't for me. But if you enjoy this genre, you might liked this book.

Rating:
Summary: It's OK
Review: While I enjoyed reading the book, at the end I though "is that it?" It got a bit repetitive, and the ending is guessable about 3/4 the way through. Based on the reviews, I was looking for more.

Rating:
Summary: yes, it¿s a good book and people adore it¿ but honestly it¿s
Review: Why You Should Read This

If you regard(ed) yourself as a gifted child you will find the reading cathartic. If you're a parent of a gifted child then you should regard this book as non-fiction. Anyone looking for a very good book to read over the weekend or during some other short interim of time then there are really no finer books. Ender's Game is an excellent book to give or recommend to someone unfamiliar with the genre who isn't desirous of much in the way of high-brow literature. If you've read other books by Card and are (rightly) puzzled and disgusted at his iconic status then you should give this one a try.

Why You Should Pass

There is an extraordinary amount of hype surrounding this book. Do not flip the cover open expecting to have your life changed. Have realistic expectations for what it is: a decent book with mass-market appeal. If you're looking to have your life changed or affirmed, seek other books. Do not expect heavy philosophy here, you won't find it. If you're looking for heavy philosophy likewise seek elsewhere.

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Rating:
Summary: Modern masterpiece
Review: With Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card manages to create a masterpiece. Card creates a wonderful character in Ender Wiggin. He uses wonderful characterization and includes a healthy dose of psychology, giving great depth to an already fascinating story. The situations he places Ender in create empathy in anyone who ha ever faced the great challenge of peer judgement or sibling rivalry.

Ender Wiggin and his family rise up to great challenges and overcome them, despite their age. This sends a great message, because often in our society gifted children and teenagers are overlooked and passed off as inferior.

Ender's Game is filled with intensity. The battles and fight scenes thorughout the book are so well written that I found myself unable to put the book down while I was reading them. Maybe after people read this they will realize how capable some children are. A modern masterpiece, Ender's game is a must read for all.