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Ender's Game

By Orson Scott Card

(324)

| Paperback | 9781904233022

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Book Description

Winer of the Hugo and Nebula Awards

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 bContinue

Critics

ENDER'S GAME by Orson Scott Card

ENDER'S GAME by Orson Scott Card Tor Books ISBN: 0765342294 Ages 9-12 324 pages ... (read full critics)

kidsreads published on Fri, 27 Aug 2010

18 Reviews

2 people find this helpful

My favorite book of all time. It is a dark, yet accurate, look into the human psyche, as well as an entertaining book for those who are not looking for anything deeper.

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Kal500200 said on Jan 28, 2008 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

What an excellent book! An incredibly fun and easy listen as narrated by Stefan Rudnicki and Harlan Ellison.

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Bibliobum said on Jun 22, 2008 about the Audio CD edition | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

Yet another classic sci-fi book. Don't know why it took me so long to pick it up. Awesome book.

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Avi said on Jan 25, 2008 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback

"Ender's Game", winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for best novel, tells us the story, set sometime in the Earth's future, of Ender Wiggin, a child who is trained to become the commander of the human fleet to fight against an alien life-form that has already invaded the Earth twice and was about to lea ... (continue)

"Ender's Game", winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for best novel, tells us the story, set sometime in the Earth's future, of Ender Wiggin, a child who is trained to become the commander of the human fleet to fight against an alien life-form that has already invaded the Earth twice and was about to lead us to extinction. Although, explained that way, it sounds like the typical action-packed science fiction novel written with an eye on the Hollywood money-making machine, the truth is that the book is far more complex than that. For starters, the future world it describes (an Earth divided among some major powers where they had little choice but to pull together to face the alien enemy, but where there are still plenty of skirmishes among the different nations; a society where even the most democratic-looking regimes are actually suffused with technological devices to control their citizens; a planet where couples are not allowed to have more than two kids, unless the Government grants them a special permission) sounds actually quite likely and realistic. Yet, this is not your typical dystopia. Far from that, the author portrays it all like a very livable place. It would appear as if we, humans, can adapt to everything. Likewise, the core of the novel is quite militaristic, but the author does not hide the nasty part of it.
Although sold as a coming of age book (as a matter of fact, it is recommended reading to many teenagers in American high schools), adults can
enjoy this book as much as anyone else. In that sense, it is no different than many of Hermann Hesse's books, for example. "Ender's Game" is both entertaining and intellectually suggestive, which is no easy task.

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Jesus Ortega Segura said on Apr 2, 2012 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback

Old Soul in a Child

As I get older, I start to forget how precocious some children could be and write them off too easily. In Ender's Game, children, who are trained to become military strategists to fight against alien invaders, are wise beyond their years, but we are constantly reminded of their vulnerability. ... (continue)

As I get older, I start to forget how precocious some children could be and write them off too easily. In Ender's Game, children, who are trained to become military strategists to fight against alien invaders, are wise beyond their years, but we are constantly reminded of their vulnerability. And it's this human condition that makes this sci-fi novel full of battling in zero-gravity and commanding starships relatable and endearing to the readers.
Ender, a military genius, coping with isolaton designed by the adults to push him to be the best, abuse from his older brother and now fellow students, pressure as the last hope of humankind, and his internal struggle of his identity and character is a complex and intriguing antagonist. Of course, he is not an ordinary child, but in him we learn to understand and even respect children as individuals, each with incredible strengths and weaknesses. They may be brilliant soldiers, but after all, they are human.
Even with a dark tone and serious themes, Ender's Game is still an exciting sci-fi novel set in a battle school in outer space, with thrilling games and fights, interesting characters, and the danger of the impending alien invasion. But it is the human element that is the heart and core of this story. That is why I think why this novel has become a classic since it was first published in 1977 and spawned a following series of sequels. And it is also the reason why any reader, not just the regular sci-fi fans, can enjoy this novel.

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Alice W. said on Feb 23, 2012 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback

A good book for a rainy afternoon

I really liked this book, it starts very quietly and then escalates until the pre-ending climax... to end then a bit undertone and cryptically. However, I am not that blown away as many others, but the story is solid, has very little low points and is quite fun.

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Ppalumbo1979 said on Mar 2, 2010 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback