Title: Ender's Game (The Ender Quintet #1) Author: Orson Scott Card
Publisher: Tor Science Fiction, July 1994 (First published in 1985)
Number of Pages: 324 pages
Genre: Young adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia, War, Adventure
Setting: Command School
Plot: (Goodreads.com) 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.
Personal Thoughts: I read this book on recommendation from my husband, in preparation for the movie that was coming out. I have only recently been into science fiction books and this was one of my first ones... I've never read the Star Wars books but I love the movies... so I was expecting this book to be similar in some way. I was actually really surprised how much I liked this book, and how much I felt myself rooting for Ender.
Even though his character was so young, he was extremely intelligent and I found myself wanting him to show everyone what he could do and how fast he could learn. I found it easy to admire Ender and his ability to lead the other kids. This book focuses mostly on Ender and his growth through the game. His tactics are so creative and amazing as he works to accomplish winning. The game is created and played to 'break' these kids as they learn to become leaders. Until they realize that Ender can't be broken!
This story is for any one that can understand and relate to the fact that these children are not innocent by any means. They are fighting a war. A war Ender is learning to command.
Recommended Age Level: 14+
Rating: 4
