Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

[Camilla]

Ender's Game (The Ender Quartet #1) by Orson Scott Card

4.28 of 5 stars - 643,981 ratings - 31,458 reviews

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Ender's Game is the winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

[Camilla]

I missed the movie, but thought I could read the book instead. I generally like scifi, so curious how I will feel about this one.

[Zaz, Mood Minion]

I find the book so much better than the movie. I liked it a lot, the hero really evolves and the story is really well paced :)

[Camilla]

I'm just a bit worried whether this will remind me too much of Insignia; the setting seems quite similar. But I'm looking forward to it anyway; probably would not have read it at least now without this challenge.

[Zaz, Mood Minion]

Ender's Game has similarities with the movie Starship Troopers. I read the book just weeks later after watching the movie, the atmosphere reminded me the book.

I don't know Insignia but yes, the setting seems similar. It could be interesting to see the difference between a new young author and someone likes Orson Scott Card who is now famous. I think he's a talented writer, I enjoyed his stories a lot because of their deepness, he writes books which make me think. I've to read more from him.

[Steven]

One of the big things about this book versus the movie is that the movie doesn't explain hardly anything. The book was by far better because of that.

If you watched the movie first, that's fine. However, the movie lends itself to the necessity of actually reading the book.

I've read this book several times, definitely worth the read. :D

[Camilla]

Just picked up the book from the library yesterday, so I'm all ready to go (maybe first finish the book from 1st week and start book of 2nd week though, LOL!).

[Arto]

I have seen movie and read graphic novel series. I think graphic novel was better than movie. If I remember correctly Card has said (also some others) that it is impossible to make a movie from this book. Usually it is true, that movie is inferior versus book, because every reader has imagined things in their own way and it is not necessary same way as director and screenwriter and others have imagined it.

I haven't read this book, because I haven't found time to include Ender's Shadow book in this read-a-thon. Maybe some day.

[Biana]

Steven wrote: "One of the big things about this book versus the movie is that the movie doesn't explain hardly anything. The book was by far better because of that.."

I read this book because I wanted to see the movie (Harrison Ford does that to me every time). I was very disappointed in the movie as the passage of time just could not be protrayed.

But in book form ....this is a favorite!

[Katie]

If you enjoy it, read Ender's Shadow before any of the other sequels. It compliments Ender's game so well.

[Steven]

Personally I love the Bean/Ender's Shadow saga... it gets a little political in the later of those 4 books but still good.

[Arto]

It was good, but not superb. Of course initial story began 1977 in scifi magazine and it was published 1985. So some things were little outdated and felt annoying. But same issues came with film and graphic novel too. For example in GN they flew in space with shuttle (which IRL flew their last flight few years ago). Of course it is always hard to imagine how technolgy will evolve or politics change in future.

[Camilla]

Need to start reading it, just finish off a few other books first.

[Arto]

Still 1st weeks book hanging, but started 4th weeks book. Some are just more boring than others.

[Camilla]

I've been lucky so far, have enjoyed the first two books.