Brought to you by, Michael G D’Agostino at A Life Examined, this is a time of the month (the last Friday) where you can republish an old post of yours that maybe didn’t get enough attention, you’re really proud of, or you think is still relevant, etc. I’ve chosen to share old book and movie reviews because those are always relevant.
Originally posted Thursday, November 8, 2012.
Ender’s Game (Ender’s Quartet #1) by Orson Scott Card
This is the story of an earth on the brink of, yet another, alien invasion that the humans refuse to be unprepared for. While the people of the world are at peace for the most part, everyone holds their tongues and hopes for best, knowing that the savior the planet seeks will probably be someone’s child. This is essentially a military drama that takes place in the presence of intergalactic space travel, about the conditioning of super smart children, who will grow up to be the heroes of the future.
The reason I am so enamored with this book is because it points out all the obvious truths, people refuse to acknowledge, in a way that’s easy to accept and almost comforting. This is one of those stories that points out, just how far “the human” is willing to go to preserve itself as a species, with or without politically correct means. I know this all sounds vague to someone who hasn’t read the book, but trust me, this is how it is.
People question and debate as to whether there are hidden meanings in such children’s classics as The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, but there are no hidden meanings in this story. The reader is immersed in world of juvenile hormones and aggressive needs for praise, but that’s just the surface. From page one, readers get to know Ender and his internal struggles, as well as, his exterior battles, and begin to relate to this “child” in a way they wish they could relate to their co-workers, families, and friends.
Anyone who knows anything about me or has followed me for half a second knows that I’m a proud geek, so when I come across a story like Ender’s Game, I’m ready to put my geekness to the test. This is a great story for three reasons. It has “an old wise man” or mentor, a loner/outcast “super” hero, and something that’s never been done before happens. Whenever a story has all three of these traits, it’s pretty much guaranteed to be a 5 in my book (Thank you George Lucas).
I like the fact the when Ender’s Game comes to an end, the story feels complete, but there is no big stretch to seeing that there could be and is more of the story to tell. This book seems like a children’s book, but there is so much more to it. The whole family could appreciate it, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Before there was the Hunger Games, there was Ender’s Game.
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13 replies on “#FlashbackFriday: #Scifi #Book Review: Ender’s Game”
Sounds good, but I haven’t read it. I haven’t even seen the movie.
Maybe someday.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Of course the book is better. Hope you give it a try.
I have never read it nor seen the movie. I know, geek-fail!
I feel bad about not having read more in the series, but at least I’ve read the first one. You should give it a try.
I’m sure I will eventually.
This is the first thing I’ve seen or read on the book that makes me think I might like to read it. Well done!
I’m glad to hear that. It’s really not at all what the marketing and movie make it out to be.
This book has been on my list for a while. As a fellow geek, I would have to say those are qualities I enjoy in a story 🙂
Well, I hope it doesn’t disappoint, whenever you get a chance to check it out.
Going by your review, this would be a good read, even for those of us who aren’t much into sci-fi. The characters sound interesting!
This is pure sci-fi, but with so much else going on and greater themes at play than simply space battle, it really is worth a read.
I loved Ender’s Game! It’s such a great book, one that I would definitely reread one day.
I think I might reread it this winter.