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chelsea2020's review against another edition
5.0
It's not often that I read a genre such as this. I'm not even sure that I've ever before read a science fiction book. I'd heard of this particular book before, but was strongly convinced against reading it; I never believed that Science Fiction could ever bring me any amount of entertainment. I was recently convinced (bullied), however, into reading it by one of my best friends, and I can honestly say that her insistence was a favor to me. I very much enjoyed this little book by Orson Card. It was a great consumer of my time.
This book has many attributes to it that I've noticed in some of my favorite Dystopian Trilogies: Youngest known Prodigy being America's only hope to win the war (Legend), children competing against one another-the scoreboard (aka their performance levels) determining their rank (Divergent), the threat of creatures overtaking the world with only a child to save it (Razorland), etc. It makes me wonder if each of these authors didn't read this same book before and use some reference to it in the making of their own books.
Anyway, the characters:
Andrew "Ender" Wiggin is the brainchild of his family, but then again, so are his older brother, Peter, and sister, Valentine. What makes Ender different from his siblings and valued by the International Fleet is his fine balance of nature; He's equal parts compassion and ruthless leader. All the better a weapon to wield.
Valentine Wiggin is the middle child and harbors a strongly compassionate nature. Too compassionate to be of any use to the I.F. She plays to the hopes of others, making them believe anything she wants them to. She is the metal which separates Ender and Peter, having kept Ender from his brother's wrath for over 6 years. She is fiercely protective of her brother, and for her, Ender would save the world.
Peter Wiggin is the oldest of the three and always believed his purpose in life was to rule the world. He is infinitely and eternally jealous of his smarter younger siblings and vicious in nature. He lives his life enforcing the natural fears that lie in the hearts of others. Only God knows what he would do with that fear. For this reason, the I.F. never gave him a second look, believing him too dangerous to have on board. All the more reason to hate his youngest sibling.
The day that Ender loses his monitor will be the beginning of the end of life as they know it. Ender is taken into space to train to be a soldier/commander for the army against the 'buggers.' His only conviction for going is that his birth has no purpose except for this: Ender was breed a Third; born to be the perfect weapon against the 'buggers.' He will strive to prove his worth and to fight so that maybe one day, he might live in a better world without war, along with his much adored sister. So he trains. The fate of the world may very well rest in his hands, and the I.F. will do anything to make sure that he doesn't know it.
Ender faces many trials and challenges on the road to becoming what he was born to be. He faces them in isolation and with determination. He is alone, but he is not without the skills needed to thrive under any and every circumstance. Ender is the hero of his time, knows it, and will fight to prove it to the world, as well. When the final battle comes, the 'buggers' won't know what hit them, and Ender won't know that he had.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an adventurous and open mind; To any who would like something different; To those who love action, because this book sure does deliver. Fear not the dreaded romance, which takes over many worthy works of thrilling writing, for there is NO ROMANCE to be had. None. Nada. Zilch. And I LOVED ever non-lovey-dovey moment of it!!
This book does an excellent job of world-building whilst not going into so much detail that the entire book is focused on it. Also, which I find most important, though this book is the first of five, it does a wonderful job of standing alone, and you need not continue reading if you don't wish to do so. It ties up the story beautifully with only the little things to wonder at. This book makes an excellent novel, but for those who wish to know more, feel free to read on, because there are four succeeding books to follow Ender's Game.
This book has many attributes to it that I've noticed in some of my favorite Dystopian Trilogies: Youngest known Prodigy being America's only hope to win the war (Legend), children competing against one another-the scoreboard (aka their performance levels) determining their rank (Divergent), the threat of creatures overtaking the world with only a child to save it (Razorland), etc. It makes me wonder if each of these authors didn't read this same book before and use some reference to it in the making of their own books.
Anyway, the characters:
Andrew "Ender" Wiggin is the brainchild of his family, but then again, so are his older brother, Peter, and sister, Valentine. What makes Ender different from his siblings and valued by the International Fleet is his fine balance of nature; He's equal parts compassion and ruthless leader. All the better a weapon to wield.
Valentine Wiggin is the middle child and harbors a strongly compassionate nature. Too compassionate to be of any use to the I.F. She plays to the hopes of others, making them believe anything she wants them to. She is the metal which separates Ender and Peter, having kept Ender from his brother's wrath for over 6 years. She is fiercely protective of her brother, and for her, Ender would save the world.
Peter Wiggin is the oldest of the three and always believed his purpose in life was to rule the world. He is infinitely and eternally jealous of his smarter younger siblings and vicious in nature. He lives his life enforcing the natural fears that lie in the hearts of others. Only God knows what he would do with that fear. For this reason, the I.F. never gave him a second look, believing him too dangerous to have on board. All the more reason to hate his youngest sibling.
The day that Ender loses his monitor will be the beginning of the end of life as they know it. Ender is taken into space to train to be a soldier/commander for the army against the 'buggers.' His only conviction for going is that his birth has no purpose except for this: Ender was breed a Third; born to be the perfect weapon against the 'buggers.' He will strive to prove his worth and to fight so that maybe one day, he might live in a better world without war, along with his much adored sister. So he trains. The fate of the world may very well rest in his hands, and the I.F. will do anything to make sure that he doesn't know it.
Ender faces many trials and challenges on the road to becoming what he was born to be. He faces them in isolation and with determination. He is alone, but he is not without the skills needed to thrive under any and every circumstance. Ender is the hero of his time, knows it, and will fight to prove it to the world, as well. When the final battle comes, the 'buggers' won't know what hit them, and Ender won't know that he had.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an adventurous and open mind; To any who would like something different; To those who love action, because this book sure does deliver. Fear not the dreaded romance, which takes over many worthy works of thrilling writing, for there is NO ROMANCE to be had. None. Nada. Zilch. And I LOVED ever non-lovey-dovey moment of it!!
This book does an excellent job of world-building whilst not going into so much detail that the entire book is focused on it. Also, which I find most important, though this book is the first of five, it does a wonderful job of standing alone, and you need not continue reading if you don't wish to do so. It ties up the story beautifully with only the little things to wonder at. This book makes an excellent novel, but for those who wish to know more, feel free to read on, because there are four succeeding books to follow Ender's Game.
sammilynnebob's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
willand90's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
kaamezcua2's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia
codysseus's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
forroan's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
4.0
a good, quick read! I kept forgetting they’re all just kids and it’s definitely kind of a sad book if you keep that in the forefront of your brain, but otherwise the strategy component and insight into the characters’ minds made this very enjoyable for me!
the ending is also a bit disturbing when you realize ender has just committed mass genocide over a misunderstanding, but I think that’s addressed well and seen through an appropriate lens at the end when ender realizes
_amy_leigh_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
5.0
Fun to read again with Oli
aj_humphreys's review against another edition
5.0
Foremost, I found this book somewhat terrifying, now as an adult. A six-year-old, born with a rare precondition outcasting him from society, grows up in the household of a sociopath, while the international space military spies on every conscious and subconscious moment of his life. His only chance at escape is if said space military deems his mind valuable to the upcoming third war against the alien “Buggers.”
If that isn’t an unsettling existence enough, the military shows up on his doorstep and whisks six-year-old Ender Wiggin into space with the newest batch of cadets joining the orbiting “Battle School” for future Commanders. There, he’s immediately ostracized, then psychologically and physically tormented for years on end at the hands of both his peers and administrators.
That said, I LOVED the pacing and story telling. It’s an absolutely wild narrative encircling a family of little Sherlock Holmeses. But now, as a thirty-something, I better understand the adults. However, I sympathize with Ender so much more than ever before. It almost feels unfair to sit idly by as this kid endures each ordeal, one after another.
All for a pay-off that I’d hear-out arguments against. But, I don’t believe I’d be agreeing with a single devaluation of the ending.
I found it too endearing and morally unsettling. Many of the political and ethical themes present throughout the story remain highly relevant to this day. And it’s all grounded in the internal workings of a six-year-old prodigy losing his innocence. It both humbles and endears the point of it all.
Was it worth it?
My only complaint is regarding the unbound narrator switches, exclusive to the audiobook. Otherwise, I can’t wait to go back and visit Bean in Ender’s Shadow with my next audible credit.
If that isn’t an unsettling existence enough, the military shows up on his doorstep and whisks six-year-old Ender Wiggin into space with the newest batch of cadets joining the orbiting “Battle School” for future Commanders. There, he’s immediately ostracized, then psychologically and physically tormented for years on end at the hands of both his peers and administrators.
That said, I LOVED the pacing and story telling. It’s an absolutely wild narrative encircling a family of little Sherlock Holmeses. But now, as a thirty-something, I better understand the adults. However, I sympathize with Ender so much more than ever before. It almost feels unfair to sit idly by as this kid endures each ordeal, one after another.
All for a pay-off that I’d hear-out arguments against. But, I don’t believe I’d be agreeing with a single devaluation of the ending.
I found it too endearing and morally unsettling. Many of the political and ethical themes present throughout the story remain highly relevant to this day. And it’s all grounded in the internal workings of a six-year-old prodigy losing his innocence. It both humbles and endears the point of it all.
Was it worth it?
My only complaint is regarding the unbound narrator switches, exclusive to the audiobook. Otherwise, I can’t wait to go back and visit Bean in Ender’s Shadow with my next audible credit.