Ender’s Game (Ender's Saga, #1) in The Alternative Worlds

May 29, 2013 Steelwhisper rated it did not like it

Shelves: science-fiction, wiaa

Heh, GR just ate my review...

1.5* not rounded up, because I do not at all feel charitable towards this book.

I seem to have had a bad stretch these past months with recently written fantasy or science fiction books. Be it A Game of Thrones, Mockingjay or Ender's Game: I find myself ending up disliking most if not all of the characters to such an extent, that I can say I loathe them with all my heart. There's no fun in reading then.

I but skimmed this book from roughly 60% onwards, because it becam ...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Ryandake rated it it was ok

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 07, 2013 Perri Oldfield rated it it was amazing

I gave this book five stars for two reasons - one being that it was one of those special books that I had to tear myself away from reading and two that it was one that lingered on my mind for some time once finished.It has been a while since I have come across a science fiction novel that has had this effect on me, but Ender's Game was so well executed that the plot kept me intrigued through-out and keen for the outcome. The characters were interesting although I found it difficult sometimes to ...more

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Jan 13, 2014 Leann rated it really liked it

Note: Tiny Spoilers. Nothing big.

I found Ender's Game to be a very interesting book. Although it did have some of the typical aspects of a dystopian society, it did have a nice twist on the idea that the government was using the kids to win the Bugger War. However, I feel like Card could have further explained the Warsaw Pack, the League, and everything that involved the governments on earth. I found myself getting really confused in this area of the book, and the only thing I could pick up th Note: Tiny Spoilers. Nothing big.

I found Ender's Game to be a very interesting book. Although it did have some of the typical aspects of a dystopian society, it did have a nice twist on the idea that the government was using the kids to win the Bugger War. However, I feel like Card could have further explained the Warsaw Pack, the League, and everything that involved the governments on earth. I found myself getting really confused in this area of the book, and the only thing I could pick up that was about the Warsaw Pack was that it was affiliated with Russia. One of Card's habits is to just tell the story, and hope the reader picks up things as s/he reads along. While sometimes I do like this type of reading, I do think it is necessary to further explain certain topics.
On the good side, Ender's Game is a very unique book, and Card knows how to keep you reading. It really gives an idea on how humans today would react to an alien invasion or interaction, and the complications we may face if this ever happens. The failure to communicate between the humans and buggers was a very interesting, and accurate, idea of what would happen if a situation similar to this would ever happen.

Now as for the movie that was released in 2013... I was highly disappointed. Since Ender's Game is a fairly long book with many important parts, it deserved to be put into two movies. Instead, the producers decided to cram it all into one movie, and did it quite horribly. The battles in which Ender participated in Battle School is a very important part in the book. He participated in more than 10, but the movie crammed it all in one. It took away one of the main idea's in the book (How Ender progressed throughout Battle School, how he trained his army and accomplished many battles despite how unfair the rules were.)
The producers just barely brushed the very main idea of the whole story, which is how the instructors, teachers, and even the government used, lied to, and tested Ender to the point of exhaustion (HINT:BIG SPOILER ALERT!!!!::::) so that they could use him to defeat the bugger's without him knowing. Of course, they got that point across, but not to the point to where viewers who had not read the book would not understand.
They also did a very poor job of the Battle Room in the Battle School. In battles, they did a poor job of showing both armies and how they were battling against each other. ALthough in th ebook, it is meant to be dark and hard to see, it should not be that way for the viewer of the movie.

Overall, the book was awesome. The movie was not. ...more

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