A review by aburnss
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 What a GREAT read! Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is a science fiction adventure novel set at an unspecified date in Earth's future where humans have had two wars with an alien species (buggers). In preparation for an anticipated third invasion, Earth's international military force conscripts young children, including Ender, to be trained as elite officers. I picked up the book after two separate coworker recommendations and I'm so glad I did. 

Reading this book took me back to my childhood- becoming engrossed in another world and flying through the pages (think The Giver, Tuck Everlasting, etc.). I enjoyed the themes of grappling with the darkness within oneself, sacrifices required to achieve excellence at ones own detriment, and the importance of others in shaping values and personality. These huge themes were all developed alongside Ender's growth and accompanied a fun and thrilling primary plot of a space battle school and pending war with aliens.

Some standout elements of the novel were the carefully crafted supporting characters that all played critical roles in Ender's life. Whether these roles were bully, comforter, friend, tyrant, or teacher, each individual was well-written. The motivations and personalities of each character added to the reader's understanding of Ender; they were clear without becoming overbearing. 

The descriptions of space school were another highlight. The writing style painted a vivid image of the students and the futuristic games they played. The no-gravity battle simulation was pure fun to envision, and the AI computer game that generated its own world and rules based on Ender's psychology felt like something that could become possible in the near future in our age of VR. 

The ending had a

fantastic, even if slightly predictable, twist- Ender unknowingly fighting the Buggers while he still believed he was playing a simulation. The realization in Ender and his later recognition of how he massacred a species that was no longer a threat to mankind added another layer of depth to his character. I appreciated the way that the novel wrapped up loose ends while still leaving some open questions for the reader.

I am hesitant to pick up the sequels to the novel as I doubt they could live up to the conclusion Card developed in Ender's Game. 

The themes of influence of others on our development was one of my biggest takeaways. Kindness and cruelty were equally important to Ender's maturation

and the International Federation's interference with some of these relationships shaped Ender into who they wanted and needed.. but at a price. At the end of the novel even Ender recognizes himself beginning to treat others with some of the cruelty that was imposed on him as he understands how this treatment formed him. The internal battle that Ender faces between excellence and kindness was so well written.

The only element of the novel that required a suspension of belief was Ender's starting age of 6 years old. Even in a futuristic world where children are genetically selected to maximize their abilities and potential for greatness, and even though Ender was the cream of this crop, it was hard for me to believe a 6 year old could

hack into a computer security system

. Who knows though, perhaps this level of genetic selection could create humans more with genius that now feels impossible. 

I would recommend this read to anyone looking for a fun space adventure that tackles big themes with ease.