Post by BellaSwan on Sept 23, 2008 2:00:19 GMT -5
Ender's Game
by Orson Scott Card
Imagine it's sometime in the future and the Earth has been at war with an alien race twice before. Now it's time for the Third Invasion and the government has chosen its new military leader. Imagine that leader is a child who was groomed by the government from the age of 6 to lead the planet against the aliens. And that child is 11 when he leads the fight.
Welcome to Ender's Game.
In this novel by Card, we follow the path of a young boy named Andrew Wiggin, who prefers his nickname, Ender. We meet Ender the day that he has his government-placed monitor removed. We learn that Ender has a hard life. Born out of neccessity only, Ender is a Third - meaning his parents were allowed to have him only after his older two siblings did not pass the government tests. As a Third, he is teased by his big brother and by the kids at school. Only the monitor, which let the people watching know what was happening, had protected Ender. When it was removed, his life got a little more dangerous.
But apparently, he passed the tests, and soon Colonel Graff comes to take Ender away to Battle School. So at 6 years old, Ender is taken from his home and family to begin a life designed for combat. Since the government believes he is "The One" who will lead them successfully against the aliens, Ender's path is not easy. Colonel Graff quickly sets him apart - publicly - from the other students and Ender is forced to make his own path at the school. The colonel hopes that this will make Ender into a better leader.
We follow Ender through the many levels of the Battle School. We learn about his feelings and his thoughts, his fears and dreams and nightmares. Card very smartly lets us see Ender's struggles, both physically and mentally. The reader cannot help but be absorbed and deeply attatched to the character. And eventually, in the end, we follow him into battle.
I have to say, this book was easy to read. The storyline flowed seamlessly and I couldn't stop reading. However, the material was a bit difficult for me at times. After all, I was reading about a 6 year old facing very mature situations and feelings. There was some violence at times and I admit that thinking through the mind of a 6 year old into those situations was a bit tough for me. And when I cried at the end, it was from relief that it was finally over.
Having said that, I did very much enjoy the book. There's something to learn about testing your limits and the strengths you possess. If you can't learn that from this book, then you're hopeless. Card created a vivid world with endearing characters that will stay with me for a long time. And thankfully, there's a whole series that will allow me to stay with them for a while.
Rating out of 10 - 8
by Orson Scott Card
Imagine it's sometime in the future and the Earth has been at war with an alien race twice before. Now it's time for the Third Invasion and the government has chosen its new military leader. Imagine that leader is a child who was groomed by the government from the age of 6 to lead the planet against the aliens. And that child is 11 when he leads the fight.
Welcome to Ender's Game.
In this novel by Card, we follow the path of a young boy named Andrew Wiggin, who prefers his nickname, Ender. We meet Ender the day that he has his government-placed monitor removed. We learn that Ender has a hard life. Born out of neccessity only, Ender is a Third - meaning his parents were allowed to have him only after his older two siblings did not pass the government tests. As a Third, he is teased by his big brother and by the kids at school. Only the monitor, which let the people watching know what was happening, had protected Ender. When it was removed, his life got a little more dangerous.
But apparently, he passed the tests, and soon Colonel Graff comes to take Ender away to Battle School. So at 6 years old, Ender is taken from his home and family to begin a life designed for combat. Since the government believes he is "The One" who will lead them successfully against the aliens, Ender's path is not easy. Colonel Graff quickly sets him apart - publicly - from the other students and Ender is forced to make his own path at the school. The colonel hopes that this will make Ender into a better leader.
We follow Ender through the many levels of the Battle School. We learn about his feelings and his thoughts, his fears and dreams and nightmares. Card very smartly lets us see Ender's struggles, both physically and mentally. The reader cannot help but be absorbed and deeply attatched to the character. And eventually, in the end, we follow him into battle.
I have to say, this book was easy to read. The storyline flowed seamlessly and I couldn't stop reading. However, the material was a bit difficult for me at times. After all, I was reading about a 6 year old facing very mature situations and feelings. There was some violence at times and I admit that thinking through the mind of a 6 year old into those situations was a bit tough for me. And when I cried at the end, it was from relief that it was finally over.
Having said that, I did very much enjoy the book. There's something to learn about testing your limits and the strengths you possess. If you can't learn that from this book, then you're hopeless. Card created a vivid world with endearing characters that will stay with me for a long time. And thankfully, there's a whole series that will allow me to stay with them for a while.
Rating out of 10 - 8
