Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. T. Doherty Associates, 1985.Ender Wiggin must save the world. Ho-hum. Another fantasy plot of brilliant hero against aliens bent on genocide. But this would be selling this excellent novel short. Ender's Game transcends genre and like all good literature explores the human condition.
This amazing book delves into the life of genius Ender Wiggin who is drafted into Battle School for training to help defend mankind against destruction by the alien Formics ("Buggers"). Ender rapidly outpaces any of his classmates resulting in him being placed in Command School. His meteoric success causes resentment and jealousy among his peers, so Ender is seen as either a threat or as superior and leads a lonely existence save for his brief interludes with his sympathetic older sister. *Spoiler Alert*
In a harrowing climax, Ender is told he will have to pass a grueling final exam that consists of realistic war games against the Buggers. Not liking who he has become through his increasingly violent training, Ender decides to violate the rules of engagement in hopes of getting expelled from his program. What he does not realize is that the "exam" is reality and when he annihilates the Buggers, he has saved mankind.
I do not like fantasy. I mean, I used to not like fantasy. If this is what fantasy is like, then sign me up! This was a riveting, fast-paced thrill ride. But more than that this was an introspective work of tremendous skill. Ender as reluctant killer, Peter as sadist (for reasons he later reveals) and Valentine limited by her gender are brilliant, deep characters. Exploring universal themes such as loneliness, Card has created a classic.
Recommendations:
I do not like fantasy. I mean, I used to not like fantasy. If this is what fantasy is like, then sign me up! This was a riveting, fast-paced thrill ride. But more than that this was an introspective work of tremendous skill. Ender as reluctant killer, Peter as sadist (for reasons he later reveals) and Valentine limited by her gender are brilliant, deep characters. Exploring universal themes such as loneliness, Card has created a classic.
Recommendations:
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
Ender's Game is most often compared to this classic of science fiction/fantasy. See what you think of the comparison. Follow a futuristic military recruit as he is trained to become one of the elite forces in the universe so that he can fight to save mankind.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
A juvenile title, this new novel offers a mysterious school for genius children as its setting. After passing a series of enigmatic tests, gifted children are asked to infiltrate a strange academy to discover what threat it hides.
Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
Readers interested in the plight of "innocent killers" like Ender being being pressed into war, might find this heart-rending memoir interesting.
Paid to Play: An Insider's Guide to Video Game Careers by Alice Rush
Want to see what it takes to play video games for a career, but not actually have inter-galactic consequences? Check out this gaming resource.
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