Imagine a futuristic earth-world where buggers and astronauts has replaced cowboys and Indians as children's make-believe game of choice, space travel has replaced automobiles, and the planet's citizens' primary concern is to defeat an alien race before it can annihilate them.

After the powers that be decide that his too cruel brother, Peter, and too mild sister, Valentine, don't have what it takes, a third Wiggin child, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin, is created in hopes that his intelligence, abilities and temperament will prove to be just right for his sole purpose in life: to become an officer in the International Fleet capable of defeating the enemy. Constantly watched (through the use of a device implanted in his brain) and tested, at age six, he is strong-armed into choosing to attend Battle School, where, they tell him, (p 24) "It's like playing buggers and astronauts-except that you have weapons that work, and fellow soldiers fighting beside you, and your whole future and the future of the human race depends on how well you learn, how well you fight." And where he won't be eligible for his first leave until he is twelve-years old. Might one small boy have what it takes to survive the rigorous training, defeat the buggers, and save the human race?

Ender's Game, especially in the detail and visual descriptions of the battle scenes, is a wonderful sci-fi story about a brave little boy who holds the future of the human race in his hands. With a relatively high incidence of profanity (illegitimate male, the hot place), violence (including death), and enough references to flatulence to tire even the silliest of children, the suggested age of "10 and up" might be a bit in the low side. Also good: The Giver by Lois Lowery, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (though sexist), and Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.

It is difficult to write a review on a book considered by many to be a modern-day classic of science fiction. I risk either falling flat in an attempt to give an honest, insightful review, or raving in a manner which invariably leads to disappointed hopes. I will err on the cautious side, therefore.

I think what draws people to Ender's Game is that it is as much psychological suspense as it is science fiction. Thus, readers who rarely enjoy SF are enthralled by Orson Scott Card's imaginative prose and engaging characters. Ender's Game is a fantastic introduction into a genre that is often classified as "nerdy." It can be enjoyed equally by hard core sci-fi fans and pedantic literary critics.

For any budding or even die-hard science fiction reader, this is a library staple. The storyline is so well crafted that it can be read again and again.

I first read Ender's Game in 9th grade English class. At the time, it was one of only a handful of books I actually enjoyed from my public school required reading list. I had never heard of Ender's Game or Orson Scott Card and had no idea what to expect from the book. I enjoyed it and read it in less than two days. (a big deal for me at the time)

When I was done reading it I was SHOCKED that I had read a Science Fiction book. Me, a Jane Austin junky.

It opened my eyes and broke all prejudice that Sifi is for geeky boys, it can be for romantic girls too.

Over 12 years later I still have great respect for the book and enjoy it just as much as when I first read it.

An alien species has twice attacked earth and nearly destroyed humanity, and now a third war is fast approaching. The hero of this story is a young boy with extraordinary military gifts. Ender Wiggin has a natural ability to plan and carry out strategy in three-dimensional space, but along with this, Ender has another, rarer quality: the right balance of empathy and self-sacrifice that enable him to act in the service of humanity (rather than himself), combined with a ruthlessness to do whatever is necessary to win not only the present war, but all future wars as well. (This is in contrast to his siblings, both of whom share Ender's remarkable strategic abilities; but while Ender's brother is cruel and sociopathic, his sister is soft-hearted, and neither would make a suitable soldier.)

Ender is removed from his family at the age of six and sent to the multi-national Battle School, where along with mundane subjects like math and history, students plan and act out mock battles in gravity-free chambers. Ender rises through the ranks more quickly than the other boys, making friends and enemies along the way, and graduates to Command School not a day too soon (and possibly, he is told, a few years too late). At Command School, the battle games reach a new level, and the eleven-year-old Ender learns that he is humanity's last best hope. (Meanwhile, back on earth, nations are threatening one another with war, and Ender's remarkable adolescent siblings are hatching a plot to rule the world.)

From this point the story moves fast, taking some interesting turns and revealing some suprises, as Ender learns the about the true nature of the war he is about to enter, and the alien species he must fight. The ending is all at once tragic and hopeful, horrific and ironic.

This is a fantastic book that inspired me to go our and read all of the Orson Scott Card books out there. He is a really talented writer. I heard they are making it into a movie but imdb does not have much on it. I had the pleasure to meet Orson Scott Card one time and why I don't agree with his political views, he was a great guy and remains one of my favorite writers.

Seriously. This book is the reason I ever began to read for pleasure. After a random grab from my English class' book shelf I was hooked. I couldn't begin to describe the many levels this book is amazingly amazing and won't try. But I will say again that this book started it all for me.

Ender's Game is a great book for all ages and genders. This book is the story of a young boy, Ender, who is blessed with super human intelligence. He is taken to an area in space called Battle School where the government has bred super human commanders. As the boy grows, you go with him on his journey where the adults isolate him and destroys every last mental gate so that the government can use him as the ultimate weapon. This book is a great book for someone who doesn't like books that take their time. This book jumps right into the action and engrosses the reader through the whole story. From when Ender is a six year old boy trying to fight his way through simulation battles, to when he is twelve years old sending his army into a battle that would save the world. I this book think could be a considered a classic.
Even though Orson Scott Card, a great Sci-Fi writer, has a great choice of words, sometimes his plots can become convoluted. Because he is trying to come up with a new world, parts of the book feel a little bit dense or overworked. In the parts where he is trying write about how Ender learns to fight and how he teaches others are almost too detailed. This wouldn't be a problem with the book since the rest of the book is fast paced. I enjoyed a book with a lot of plot, but, I think that he has created a world that is ingenious. You never feel that he is just rambling. We feel for Ender, even though he has been pushed beyond the brink, and feel he is still loveable and has a great voice.
In the end, Orson Scott Card has found a way to revolutionize Sci-Fi books. He can explain his world in a way that is meticulous and perfectly crafted. This is a great book and can be enjoyed by everyone.

I am not a fan of science fiction literature in general (though I love science fiction cinema), however I will be the first to suggest "Ender's Game" as a rather exceptional little novel. There's a lot to like in "Ender's Game", and while it's probably not the perfect novel many fans make it out to be, the characters are memorable, and the story moves along at a fair pace. Indeed, it becomes particularly engaging once you hit the middle, and anticipation builds as the story weaves towards a possibly cataclysmic end.

I am a freshman in high school and I thought that Ender's Game was a fantastic book. Ender is a six year old boy that gets taken into space to be trained for war. While it is hard to believe that a six year old is getting trained for war, it is amazing to read about everything these young children can do. The adults and the world leaders actually believe that the children have potential to help the world, instead of just being worthless children. Orson Scott Card describes the different places and events so well that you really get drawn into the book. It makes you feel as if you are there with the characters watching the story unravel itself. Card also brings in many different challenges and he shows how Ender copes with all the difficulties. An example is that Ender had many people that hated him and even wanted to kill him. When these people attacked Ender, he had no choice but to fight back. Even though his enemies were all bigger, stronger, and older than him he was still able to beat them by using his amazing strategist skills. All of the different plot twists makes the book very interesting and you never get bored while you read it. The book also shows how a very hostile alien race, the buggers, was planning to kill all of the humans, and take over Earth had some kind-hearted members that wanted to live in peace with the humans. Ender found a queen from the bugger race that survived and wanted to rebuild the bugger race to live in peace with the humans. This relates to our world today because it shows us that we should not stereotype against a group of people because even though some people are hostile it does not mean that every person with the same ethnicity is hostile.

This is an engrossing story of a young boy who has been selected for training at a space academy. Earth is under threat by aliens. The initial battles in space have not gone well. Earth's only hope is to find and train the leaders who can defeat the aliens in the few years breathing space that has been won before the aliens return. Children are evaluated to see if they have the qualities to be those leaders, and the few that show they are intelligent enough, determined enough, and ruthless enough are sent into space to be trained. The regime is brutal and brutalising, but the main character, Ender Wiggin shows compassion and regret as he is forced to take actions he would rather not. You feel for this small child who has the hopes of humanity riding on his shoulders.

Ender's Game


Orson Card Scott is an expert when it comes to science fiction. He knows how to attract young readers, like myself, to a good book. In Ender's game, he has a strong emphasis on children and in order for us to grasp the main idea, he shows things from their point of view.
Card, now in his late 50's, has been fascinated by military strategies and crucial roles of leaders in an army ever since he was in high school. He has spent two years as a Mormon missionary in Brazil and attended Brigham Young University. The idea of the Battle Room came to him when he was 16, but he chose not to write about the story till years later.
The book is all based upon the concept of games. All of the important concepts in the novel are interpreted on the idea of a game. The first way a game comes into the novel is "buggers and astronauts". This is a game played by Ender and his brother, Peter. All the kids in Ender's society, at the time, played the game. However, in Ender's case the game is more than it seems, because Peter hates Ender and beats on him upon the course of the game, so that Ender never wins. Later on, at Battle school, Ender faces two different types of games, the mind game he plays on the computer and the war games that he plays in the Battle Room. The final game is the greatest one Ender plays, where he is commander of the Third Invasion. He cannot sleep, his eating is scarce and he is forced to command the people he cares for (which causes the friendship bonds to break). The writer accomplishes a goal in this book by showing how sometimes, the playing of a game can have profound impact on life, and that the game can unexpectantly become reality.
This book was very well-written and had much strength. One strength is the relationship between adults and children (respectively in this book). Although many times in the book the adults manipulate/control the children, sometimes the children take over. For example, Peter and Valentine, two kids, dominate the worldwide political systems through adults in their forums. This book has no weaknesses.

This is simply one of the best books you will ever read. Five stars.

This book has become a sci-fi classic in a short time. Fast read and will always be remembered! Highly recommended.

I picked up a copy of OMNI magazine decades ago and read a short story by Orson Scott Card- I think it was "Unaccompanied Sonota". Brilliant! Around the same time I also recall reading (probably in OMNI) a precursor novella of Ender's Game as well as another story, "Songhouse", that became the novel Songmaster.

I have since given "Ender's Game" and other Card works to more people than I can recollect. It's like turning someone onto the Beatles. Card is that good.

My middle-school aged daughter (who has read everything under the sun from Jane Austen to Mark Twain) completed Ender's Game in 2 sittings and is almost finished with Speaker for the Dead.

She is now turning her friends onto the Ender universe. And so it goes with Card. Both adults and young adults appreciate his stories, style, and penetrating view of humanity.

My only complaint is with the truly awful cover on the current paperback edition (the one with the hand). The original paperback and hardbound editions have great covers, but the copy to get is the gift edition hardback which is budget priced (at just over 10 dollars) and also uses the classic cover.

I can't wait for my sons to read Orson Scott Card.

I picked up a copy of OMNI magazine decades ago and read a short story by Orson Scott Card- I think it was "Unaccompanied Sonota". Brilliant! Around the same time I also recall reading (probably in OMNI) a precursor novella of Ender's Game as well as another story, "Songhouse", that became the novel Songmaster.

I have since given "Ender's Game" and other Card works to more people than I can recollect. It's like turning someone onto the Beatles. Card is that good.

My daughter (who has read everything under the sun from Jane Austen to Mark Twain) completed Ender's Game in 2 sittings and is almost finished with Speaker for the Dead.

She is now turning her friends onto the Ender universe. And so it goes with Card. Both adults and young adults appreciate his stories, style, and penetrating view of humanity.

My only complaint is with the truly awful cover on the current paperback edition (the one with the hand). The original paperback and hardbound editions have great covers, but the copy to get is the gift edition hardback which is budget priced (at just over 10 dollars) and is definitely the best value for the money. It also uses the classic cover.

I can't wait for my sons to read Orson Scott Card.

I read a lot, and this is a book I can always come back to and I love it all over again. Even though it is an older book, it feels like it was written for our times. The desks are computers in the school, for example. I keep giving books to friends and family with diverse reading tastes, and they all love it so much that they won't give it back. If you are looking for a book that teaches heart, bravery, honesty, integrity, what it means to work as a team, and how to overcome adversity. . .you've found your book. It is simply amazing!

I don't use awesome for hardly anything, but I loved this book. I've re-read it off and on for years, and I don't re-read many other books.

Ender is a young boy who is sent to a military-strategy school to learn how to win battles. The book follows his training experiences as well as his journey to learn about, understand and destroy humanity's greatest threat(with a twist).

A great classic in science fiction.

Without a doubt Ender's Game is my favorite book. Since reading it in school I have reread it at least 10 times.

"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card

Many thanks to Borders and Barnes & Noble for allowing me to read this in the store while my wife checks out books and magazines for herself.
This is quite the story.
Ender is a genius. He has been followed by some 'monitor' (inside his head or skin? Or just hovering around him?), so the government/military can make sure of his growth and development as well as his safety. He has grown up in a normal enough family: Mother, Father, brother and sister. He has just started school and is adjusting to this new life. There is a stigma associated with excess children, the world being a closed system, it can only support so many people. One or two children is all that is normally allowed; a third is taking advantage of everyone else, and is given a very bad social stigma. This is what Ender is: a third. When the 'monitor' is taken away, nobody knows it is just another test for his quality or fitness to be who he has to be. He passes and is taken away, after appropriate fussing and fuming, from his family to command school. It happens to be miraculous how prescient and adept the teacher Graff is in helping Ender become great, but it is fiction, so I guess the author can have the story do whatever he finds necessary.
It is hard for us 'normal' folks to understand all a genius thinks, so Mr. Card does not go into that, he just gives the impression of quality and intelligence exhibited in the actions and conversations of the heroes. I have read this sort of thing before (Robert Henlein). There I felt that the heroine was not shown to be such a great genius, in fact, she showed some very silly mistakes, not at all what a genius would do, as far as I am concerned.
In the edition I read, Mr. Card wrote an introduction. It was funny how different people took the notion of exceptional children. A teacher said it was all bosh. A bunch of exceptional children said he really got the problems and attitude shifts they use very correct. But some of that is odd, because he puts Ender in a school of exceptional children, so why the problems, etc.?
Mr. Card developed a full story. He gave the characters something to do and problems to work out, and in the end you felt very good about the future of the characters.

Sadly, this took me ages to read. But when I finally got around to it, I was amazed and touched beyond words.

On the surface, this is a fairly typical sci-fi novel, but what makes it stand out as the modern classic that it has become is the deeply felt emotion. This remembers to be a book that is about people and how we treat one another.

A war is occuring, an attack on an alien species affectionately known as the Buggers who have attacked Earth twice before. Understandably Earth is sick of it and doesn't want to be wiped out this time. So they twist the Golden Rule and begin an army to make this aforementioned attack. To do this, they train young shoulders to be commanders, pilots, whatever. This is where the boy genius Andrew "Ender" Wiggins comes in.

We get to watch Ender go through incredible and heartbreaking training that forces him to be more than the little kid he needs to be. On top of that, we see intriguing perspectives of other characters that surprise us in their effects on the plot.

This is a well-written story that manages to be driven equally by both character and plot, with plenty of emotion and philosophy in both.

Basically, I bawled through this. It was that good.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is definitely not your typical science fiction novel. At first glance, I was reluctant to read it, "Oh boy, another version of Star Trek or Star Wars with a cheesy plot." I was wrong with Ender's Game! Although the book includes science fiction entities, it goes beyond them. What lies beneath is a book with a story filled with foreshadowing and twists and turns.

The plot of Ender's Game is filled with many climaxes and incidents. As we follow a young boy that is definitely not like the rest through Battle School, we experience the high points and low points of his life. This young boy, Ender Wiggin becomes the outcast of his peers due to his intelligence. "Ender noted quietly that this was the first time another Launchy from his own class had sat with him at a meal." (P.56). Ender is constantly caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and his unintentional antics result in him becoming the loner of his launchy group. As we watch Ender develop through his trials and tribulations of Battle School, it is quickly determined by the many that he will be the one capable of saving the human race from the aliens. Will Ender be able to live up to his potential while trying to live a typical life at school? You will have to see for yourself.

Ender's life at Battle School demonstrates his excellent abilities and potential. He immediately becomes the favorite of the teachers. This creates many enemies for Ender. In what becomes a good v. evil battle, Ender is forced to make decisions he may later regret. "You took him apart. I thought you were dead meat, the way he grabbed you. But you took him apart. If he'd stood up longer, you would have killed him." (P. 232)

The most intriguing aspect of Ender's Game is the foreshadowing. Each cadet at Battle School is constantly monitored by the teachers. Each decision and move they make can be scrutinized or praised by the teachers. If they do not meet the standards of the teachers, they can be sent home immediately. This is especially challenging for Ender. Every game he plays, his loneliness, his decisions are all observed. Even more so because the teachers believe Ender is the chosen one. He must be prepared to beat the aliens and save the human race. "But going for the open eye - like that - this is the one we want to put in command of our fleets? (P. 171)

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is a must read for anyone looking for some unexpected twists thrown into a science fiction theme. You are drawn into the main character, Ender within the first few pages. You personally experience Ender's ups and downs at Battle School. As Ender becomes the chosen one to save the human race from the aliens, will he rise to the occasion or will he crumble under the pressure? The lives of the human race are at stake and you can see the outcome by reading this book!

for such a long time. I have no clue how I missed out on this classic, but the story certainly stands the test of time as one of the best science fiction stories published. I thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to the series with the 20th anniversary edition audio book, narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, and other narrators including Harlan Ellison. Having multiple narrators perform the story made this a special listening event.

If you are new to this series or story, I would highly recommend you listen to the audio book version, as it is an exceptional story form the author has taken great effort and pride to make this presentation his best work.

So many reviews, not much more to say! What a great book/series this is. This title ranks up as my number one favorite book of all time. If I ever meet anyone new and we talk about books, this is the title I mention first and recommend the most.

I've read the book so often now that the pages are all dogged and frayed, but I actually love listening to the AUDIO book even more, if you can imagine that. Scott Brick, Gabrielle de Cuir, Stefan Rudnicki and the rest of the cast bring these characters to life. So much more so than a movie ever could for me. I highly recommend the audio book on top of the written book. The emotion and power of these voice actors pulls you even farther into Ender's Saga. I get tears in my eyes every time I listen to this story and experience Enders triumphs and tragedies.

I can't count the number of times I've been listening to this book and the time just melts away. I never want to stop until I get to the end. If this were the only book I got to read for the rest of my life, I'd die happy. No joke!

What a great book. Interesting, literate, and just wonderful. I finished it then started to buy more Orson Scott Card books. Ender is a fascinating Character. The book is great for adults and children. I totally recommend it.

I am writing this review to share my thoughts about this book, Ender's Game. First off my feelings about this book are mutual. I both liked and disliked this book.

First, what I disliked. I did not like how they treated Ender at the Battle School he was asked to go to. He was only six years old at the time he entered and the things he went through would have been tough for any preteen these days. Clearly what the Battle School was doing was trying to make him a better soldier but instead they just about ruined him for life. He would never be the same.

Second, what I somewhat liked. I did like how the book always kept me guessing and left me with questions that were eventually answered. I liked how Ender finally made some friends and became a great soldier.

Basic Outline of the Story:

This book is about a boy named Ender who is selected to go to a Battle School. We experience all of the hardships he goes through and all of the good things. We come to know both sides of him. The bad side most like his brother Peter and the good side most like his sister Valentine. Ender becomes a great soldier and is graduated to Command School. There he learns a lot of military tactics to fight off the enemies from a different planet, the "buggers".

This is what I basically thought and a brief outline of the story. I hope this was helpful to all viewers.

I kept seeing Ender's Game recommended by others but it seemed like a young adult type book so I moved on several times. I finally couldn't ignore the shear number of 5 star ratings for this book. It lived up to it. I devoured the book in a few days (fast for me.) I was surprised to find that I actually took some things away from this book that I used in dealing with people who work for me. What a fantastic story. Left me wanting more. I have already purchased "Ender's Shadow" and "Speaker for the Dead" - you will love what that means by the way - and can't wait to read them as well. The basic story line is aliens have attacked the Earth twice and nearly decimated the human race. The last time they attacked was about 80-100 years ago. In the meantime, humans have devised a way to identify and train a "super leader" to save us the next time the aliens attack. Ender is six years old when he is identified as a potential candidate. He is sent to battle school to learn to lead and fight, etc. He is basically pushed to his limits because he is our last hope. That's all I will tell you. The pay off was worth it for me. Enjoy!

This book is the first part of an astounding series of four books; Ender's game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide and Children of the Mind. Although interesting, deep and often fun in itself, Ender's Game serves a greater role of introducing the child Andrew Wiggan, his sister and brother Valentine and Peter, and the concept of another rational (the books use "sentient") Alien Species, known unaffectionately as "The Buggers". Ender is a sensitive but brilliant young boy whose combination of intelligence and desperateness for survival, and extraordinary empathy make him invincible in any setting, physical attack, mind games whatever. And hence set him up to be the potential saviour of the the human race in their war to the death against the Buggers. But this book is really a lot like "The Hobbit" is to "Lord of the Rings", and establishes characters who are in the later books a vehicle for astounding ideas and insights ranging across science fiction, physics, religion, psychology, romance, courage and self sacrifice. With a few small tussles between good and evil thrown in. I feel certain that in 100 yrs after their writing these books will be considered a pinnacle of a style of literary creation. Get reading

This is a terribly overrated book. The writing is dated, and card doesn't seem to have ever met any children. In one review Card says that "The ideal presentation of any book of mine is to have excellent actors perform it in audio-only format." Yeah, that's because he can't write well enough to give the characters any real depth, or, well, character.

Also, is it a coincidence is it that virulent homophobe Card has named his alien enemies "buggers?" I think not.

When you start the book you are immediately attracted to the main character. He seems interesting, and you want to know more about him. Usually authors have a hard time maintaing that interest. Orson Scott Kard is not only able to increase that interest, but keep you interested in every other character as well. This book has great ideas in it. I wanted to go into this book and do stuff like the characters. I wouldn't last long, and Orson Scott Kard makes that clear. Only the best of the best survive, and thats what makes this book intriguing. The smartest and brightest of earth's children must grow and learn and take on impossible tasks.

This is undoubtly one of my favorite books of all time. I've never read anything like it. It pertains to almost every one of my interests. I think Ender's game is special for everyone, everyone likes something about it that makes it the best book they've ever read.

Delightful twists, complex story telling, and superb character devolpment make this book something you will always remeber.

Ender's Game is, without a doubt, one of the finest works of science fiction ever written. I believe it is a book that no sci-fi fan should miss. Card is one of the finest story tellers of our time, and all people should recognize him as such.

Orson Scott Card's 'Ender's Game' is one of my favorite science-fiction novels. Reading about Ender's genius thoughts, and uncanny abilities really provokes my imagination. The ending is stellar, but the LDS religious undertones of the whole 'Speaker for the Dead' part is a bit offputting. However, the book is still awesome!

I wrote "possibly" because I'm only 2/3 of the way through. The only reason I continue to read it is because I keep thinking, "Surely, based on over 2,000 5-star reviews, something MUST happen to pull this book's fat out of the fire soon." The plot is thin, the characters are cardboard, the dialog would be laughable if it weren't so terrible that even laughing at it gives it too much credit, and I don't know what drove Card to have the 6-year-old boys running around naked half the time, talking about kissing each other's butts and how many pubic hairs they have between them, but he may be eligible for sex-offender registration based soley on this book. I've read there's a scene coming up where a bunch of naked little boys beat another naked little boy to death in the shower. Is this a work of science fiction or a description of a pedophilic snuff film? Also, Ender's genius is constantly hyped, but it seems like he's only a "genius" because every other member of the military is borderline retarded. "Hey, guys, in zero gravity, the terms 'up' and 'down' are relative! I'm Isaac freakin' Newton!" Seriously? No one in the long history of space travel had figured that out before Ender? Seriously?

Sheesh, this thing better have a good payoff, or I'm putting it in a paper bag full of dog feces and leaving it flaming on Card's doorstep.

...you won't regret this read. One of my top three favorites of all time.

I recently picked this book up and thought it would be fun to reread a little. I quickly got hooked in and had to finish it (which only took a few hours). I had forgotten how good a piece of fiction this book is.

The story is set in the future. Humans are confronted with an alien species and are training an army to defeat it. Part of the training is sending young kids to a battle school. Ender is one of the kids chosen to go to battle school. His adventures there are a great read. The sequels to this book (Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind) are also great, though not as good as the original. There is also "Ender's Shadow" which tells the story of another student in the battle school at the same time as Ender (thus, it is not a prequel or sequel). Ender's Shadow also has a couple sequels that are pretty good.

Orson Scott Card is a great writer and it's hard not to enjoy his books. If you have never read him, this is an excellent place to start. I have known many non-science fiction fans who have really enjoyed this book. An all-time classic.

Wow. I am a junior in high school now and I am recalling from the time when I first had the chance of reading the series thanks to a recommendation. I was looking online actually for the Twilight series but the Ender's Game kept coming up, which compelled me to see if I can buy the series.
The series is PHENOMENAL. Which is why even after three years have passed, I have always kept thinking of these books. The storyline, characters, and the themes will STAY with you long after you have finished the novels. It will have an impact on the ways you see the world, but King does not push the "moral" I guess, in any way, shape, or form.
I ADORE this books. I think Orson Scott King is an absolute genius and would recommend it to anybody- regardless of what their opinion of Science fiction.

No matter who I've loaned this book to, the response is the same. They all have given it rave reviews. In fact, this is the book that I've purchased the most copies of. You'd think that I would have learned after not getting the first few copies back. It is such a wonderful story that I cannot help but want to share it.
Please note that this is soft science fiction.

This book has been recommended to me by various people for the past fifteen years. The main reason is something like this: the Battle Room is really cool, and wouldn't it be fun to be a child military genius? My answer to that is no, not really.

The setup for ENDER'S GAME is something like the Third Punic War. Earth has already fought two wars with the unfortunately-named buggers (insectoid hive-minded aliens), and after winning both by the skin of their teeth they've sent an invasion fleet to wipe the buggers out. The galaxy's not big enough for the both of us, apparently.

Ender Wiggin is a six year-old genius who is taken away from his family to the orbital Battle School, where he and other child geniuses are trained to become the admirals and generals of the future. Ender, though only six, proves himself to be smarter than just about everyone else. He fights repetitive laser-tag games in the zero-G Battle Room, and demonstrates innovative strategies that might be clever for a child, but should be obvious to everyone else. He quickly rises through the grades of the school, playing ever more challenging and complicated games, until he becomes the supposed savior of all mankind. A subplot involving Ender's genius siblings basically taking over the world with the equivalent of political blogs is thoroughly unconvincing.

The main body of ENDER'S GAME is the dehumanization and manipulation of the child hero. He is made to suffer from age five up until he turns eleven at the book's climax. Only at the end, when he expresses remorse for all the terrible things he's done, does he actually become sympathetic, but by then it's too late.

The emphasis is on action, in and out of the Battle Room. Ender doesn't want to fight, but he always finds himself in situations where he has to, and the reader is exploited into rooting for Ender just as Ender is exploited into using his killer survival instinct for the benefit of others. The book ends just when it starts to grapple with the ethical issues it has conjured up, which for me was just when it started to get interesting. The worst people are let off the hook, and Ender is set up to be the next Messiah.

Card's style cuts out every adverb and adjective that might get in the way, leaving his prose spare and efficient and utterly devoid of personality. It's easy to read, but not particularly enjoyable. The dialogue is especially irksome, considering it takes up so much of the text. The children of Card's world do not speak like children of the real world, even allowing for the fact that they're all meant to be child prodigies of limitless intelligence. Ender and his friends are effectively mini-adults, acting and speaking in adult ways. Card assumes that if a child has a genius IQ, he therefore also has the emotional maturity of an adult. The dialogue given to actual grown-up characters is no better.

ENDER'S GAME is disturbing rather than fun. The simplicity of its style betrays the complexity of its subject. What worries me most is that the book's appeal might be founded entirely upon the premise of violent child geniuses waging sophisticated wargames against each other. According to the five-star reviews and the endorsements I've heard, that might not be far from the truth.

This book has been recommended to me by various people for the past fifteen years. The main reason is something like this: the Battle Room is really cool, and wouldn't it be fun to be a child military genius? My answer to that is no, not really.

The setup for ENDER'S GAME is something like the Third Punic War. Earth has already fought two wars with the unfortunately-named buggers (insectoid hive-minded aliens), and after winning both by the skin of their teeth they've sent an invasion fleet to wipe the buggers out. The galaxy's not big enough for the both of us, apparently. Don't be fooled: the stakes in this book are NOT the survival of the human race. That's a big fat lie spread by the military leaders in the novel, and propagated by the five-star reviews on this site.

Ender Wiggin is a six year-old genius who is taken away from his family to the orbital Battle School, where other child geniuses are trained to become the admirals and generals of the future. Ender, though only six, proves himself to be smarter than just about everyone else. He fights repetitive laser-tag games in the zero-G Battle Room, and demonstrates innovative strategies that might be clever for a child, but should be obvious to everyone else. He quickly rises through the grades of the school, playing ever more challenging and complicated games, until he becomes the supposed savior of all mankind. A subplot involving Ender's genius siblings basically taking over the world with the equivalent of political blogs is thoroughly unconvincing.

The main body of ENDER'S GAME is the dehumanization and manipulation of the child hero. He is made to suffer from age five up until he turns eleven at the book's climax. Only at the end, when he expresses remorse for all the terrible things he's done, does he actually become sympathetic, but by then it's too late.

The emphasis is on action, in and out of the Battle Room. Ender doesn't want to fight, but he always finds himself in situations where he has to, and the reader is exploited into rooting for Ender just as Ender is exploited into using his killer survival instinct for the benefit of others. The book ends just when it starts to grapple with the ethical issues it has conjured up, which for me was just when it started to get interesting. The worst people are let off the hook, and Ender is set up to be the next Messiah.

Card's style cuts out every adverb and adjective that might get in the way, leaving his prose spare and efficient and utterly devoid of personality. It's easy to read, but not particularly enjoyable. The dialogue is an especially irksome feature, considering it takes up a very large part of the text. The children of Card's world do not speak like children of the real world, even allowing for the fact that they're all meant to be child prodigies of limitless intelligence. Ender and his friends are effectively mini-adults, acting and speaking in adult ways. Card assumes that if a child has a genius IQ, he therefore also has the emotional maturity of an adult. The dialogue given to actual grown-up characters is no better.

ENDER'S GAME is disturbing rather than fun. The simplicity of its style betrays the complexity of its subject. What worries me most is that the book's appeal might be founded entirely upon the premise of violent child geniuses waging sophisticated wargames against each other. According to the five-star reviews and the endorsements I've heard, that might not be far from the truth.

Enders Game is a great book about the struggles of a young boy to come to terms with his specific set of abilities. This book should be in every school across the country.

There is little I can say about such a classic book that hasn't already been said by others, but after reading it for a second time with my brother, I just have to share a few thoughts.

Ender's game is not by any means a perfect piece of literature. It has it's flaws, and imperfections, and they are occasionally noticeable. Fortunately, these are vastly overshadowed by one of the most well thought out characters and stories I've come across in years. Ender feels very real and there are many times where it felt less like I was reading a book and more like I was experiencing it.

I'm a finicky fan of Science fiction. I love many aspects of the genre, but many authors have a tendency to get so caught up with the details or ideas about the future that I have trouble relating to the story. Ender's game isn't that way. It has a lot of futuristic Science fiction ideas, but they're done in a way that is fairly believable, but more importantly, the focus remains squarely on Ender's thoughts and feelings throughout the book. It's one of the few books I can recommend to friends that don't like Sci-fi.

Orson Scott Card is a GENIUS! Ender's Game was fast-paced and vividly detailed. It was so realistic, but had just the right amount of detail to keep you hooked. Never bored me at all. I loved it in 6th grade and still love it all these years later. This book converted me to a science-fiction lover, even though I didn't like to read much before. Wow! Definitely a 5-star book!

This is my favorite book! i read again in 2 days recently and i still picked up new things from it. its a great read for people of all ages younger people will like the action while as you get older you can appreciate the fine lines of an ethical struggle between the sacrifice of one for the good of many, and who decides what the good is. Hightly recommended!

The book presents a mirror through the eyes or a genius child which we use to look at our own trespasses. Is what we do to others and to ourselves really right?

This is an excellent book for young and old and I highly recommend it.

This is book one of my favorites and I've often lent it out to friends. They like it so much they lend it to their friends... so I've bought several copies over the years. This time I was unlucky: I ordered the paperback version that does NOT include the introduction. This introduction includes excerpts from letters sent to Card about their reactions to the story along with insight into the his intentions. The paperback version I'd chosen omits this, and instead puts a cheesy "reading guide" for young readers at the back. Luckily Amazon lets you glance at the table of contents -- I wish I'd checked!

do you like books? do you like characters with superhero-like abilities? do you like lasers that go pew-pew? Then you'll enjoy this novel.

What more can be said about this book that hasn't already been mentioned in the thousands or preceding reviews. The accolades are all well deserved. This book isn't just a science fiction classic, it's a classic work of fiction that transcends the genera, right up there with Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World. A must read.

I was compelled to write this review I guess just for the sake of writing a review. Recently I finished Ender's Game with a sigh of relief that I had finally plowed through this book and was done. I am not saying it wasn't good, just relieved of being compelled to keep reading. For me it rekindled a lost fire that had died out about a year ago after reading I am legend, I couldn't find a book that matched it, atleast in my eyes. But I picked this book up at a barnes and nobles while I was out of town and decided I would give it a try. As a reader of science fiction there is one thing that I have come to learn, to never believe the hype surrounding a book, no matter how many awards it has won, or the amount of praise it has gathered from the readers or critics. I almost let some of those critiques of the book deter me from reading it, but I read it none the less. Now that I told my story I will give you the actual review of the book from my own opinion. The book started out revealing almost nothing for the first few chapters but then I started to read it more and more until I found myself turning to the last page. It was good read and contains many different "morals" each one means whatever the reader wants it to mean. For me it was a powerful story of a the human nature and its will to survive, and in that human nature there lies within each of us the capacity for both good and evil sometimes hardly discernible until after the fact. Another moral that struck me was the fact that we aren't anything without hope and friends, we are social, and without those elements in our life we would give up and stop caring. The ending for me, left me with a slight feeling of unfinished business if you know what I mean thats why I give it a 4 out of 5 but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Also one thing you must remember if you do see any similarities between this book and some other book just let it be know that this was written in 1985 I believe, I have read some readers think this is just harry potter in space but what they don't understand is that harry potter is ender wiggins with magic.

I found this book to be pretty well written, relationally anyway. You can empathize with several characters at once in such a way that it helps you understand their interactions better and how they relate to and think of one another.

The real fun of this book is the psychology. You see the child and the adult in Ender and the others at the same time. Plus, not only is it a game for Ender and his teachers, but it is also a game for the reader. Ender's Game is really unique in the way the characters experience, experiment with, and exhibit leadership. You learn with them, and you question and test ideas with them.

The occasional mentions of religion were interesting, especially with the knowledge that the author was a Mormon. I love how Card was able to explore a life with subtle and hushed religions but how they impacted Ender and other characters at the same time. You could see the author seeking out what is in the core of the soul. Maybe we're all not that different in the end. Do we secretly find ourselves just as evil and depraved as others who may even have a reputation for it? Is there hope? Is there a way to be good again? What is it that spurs us toward purpose?

Warning to the reader, there are some graphic scenes of violence, but this is necessary for the plot and its underlying themes. Don't worry; there are plenty of fun scenes for the imagination as well though. The battle room scenes are especially fun as they force you not only to imagine the scene but to think through the logistics of it at the same time. Once again, you learn the elements of zero gravity and multiple dimensions at the same time as the characters.

Overall, the book is an excellent read even for those who aren't as interested in sci-fi. I am living proof. The end was a little overboard sci-fi for me, but I still enjoyed it as it brought good closure to the story and tied up some of the key themes. It's a fun and easy read (minus the violence which can be tough to stomach in one sitting), and I hope you will enjoy it. While it's certainly not my favorite book, I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Oh, and I have the author's definitive version (ISBN-13: 978-0-8125-5070-2). If you enjoy reading a lot and the relationship between the characters of a book and the reader, I highly suggest you read the introduction. :)

After a devastating war with an alien race referred to as buggers, mankind is in search of brilliant commanders to lead the next assault; Ender is one gifted six-year-old boy selected for Battle School, where he is trained to be mankind's only hope in war. Battle School is an immersive environment where Ender pitted alongside and against his peers in order to develop leadership skills, and is instructed to play a number of games in order to learn how to think and to fight. In the Battle Room, he learns to fight in a zero-g atmosphere and then conducts battles against teams of fellow students. An fast-learning and capable fighter, Ender is advanced through his courses at an incredible speed, and the rules of the Battle Room begin to break down as he is pushed, time and time again, to fight better against increasingly bad odds, all in mankind's desperate hope to find a commander before it is too late. The novel is incredibly intelligent, both in concept and in plot: the science-fiction elements, both in alien race creation and inventions such as Ender's games, are contentiously created with a rational explanation and useful purpose. The young children that make up the bulk of the characters are exceptionally gifted, and so sometimes read too much like grown adults--but Ender's development in particular takes into account his young age. The end of the novel comes as little surprise, but that failing is an unavoidable consequence of the way the plot is scripted. This is a famous, innovative, accessible text, and I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

I prefer some science in my science-fiction--at statement which seems self-evident, but too often falls short in books in the genre that have inadequate or flawed scientific reasonings. Ender's Game, however, contains science and integrates it seamlessly into the fiction of the novel as a whole. The alien race of the buggers is increasingly investigated and developed through the course of the book, and what Card reveals about them is original and logical. The games that Ender plays, and the course of Battle School itself, are equally well thought out and explained, without tedious detailed scientific sections but with complete integration into the course of the novel. The skillful intermesh of science and fiction is one of the things that makes the novel so successful, and I really appreciated it as a fan of the sci-fi genre.

The choice to make the main character and many of the secondary character children is an unusual one, and a mixed blessing. The children are gifted--exceptionally intelligent, and as a result, well-spoken, thoughtful, and often mature. As a result, they sometimes read as adults, which both undercuts their brilliance and makes them seem unrealistic as characters. It also makes the real adults seem stiff and fake in comparison; their dialog in particular is clunky and exaggerated to the point of melodramatic. Card does tackle some of these problems head on: he stages interactions between the gifted Ender and his normal, largely unintelligent peers, drawing attention to the differences between gifted and nongifted children, and has Ender's siblings discuss some of the difficulties that gifted children face when interacting with patronizing adults. On the whole, the age of the characters can throw the reader off and make the text seem unrealistic at points, but Card handles the difficulty as best he can, in particular in regards to Ender's character, who's progression, on the whole, is that of a brillaint but still immature gifted child.

Ender's Game is a classic text of the sci-fi genre, and when reading it it's easy to see why. The science is existent and well-developed, but seamlessly integrated into the course of the story. The text is well-paced and accessible--almost too accessible and, by the end, too completely explained and laid out--but as a result, the core philosophical issues of the book are openly and honestly presented. I found myself thinking about this book for days after I had finished reading it, and went on to pick up the sequel. To me, that's a sign of a good novel--one that captures the reader during the reading of the text, and continues to provoke his thought after the final pages. I highly recommend the book, even with its faults, and I was happy to have the chance to read it.