Some books transcend time and impact people’s lives in a way that can’t be measured. Today we will be reviewing the blockbuster novel Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. Keep reading to find out what we thought of the novel and if you should read this classic sci-fi novel!
Ender’s Game Summary
In an unspecified date in the future, the human race is at war with an alien race called the Formics and referred to as “buggers”. The buggers attacked planet Earth 70 years ago and lost in the second invasion. Now, the I.F, short for International Fleet, is In search of the next commander who can defeat the buggers in the upcoming war.
Six-year-old Andrew “Ender” Wiggin is a “Third” which means he was the third child born into the Wiggin family and normally, families can only have two children at most. Ender’s two older siblings Valentine and Peter and he were all raised with the hopes of becoming the next commander. After his two siblings failed to meet the requirements, Ender passes after passing a morality-based tests.
Ender is taken to Battle School, a school that trains children to fight with advanced technology such as gravity manipulation. In Battle School, Ender and the other children are trained to fight each other using lasers that paralyzes its victim. It is up to Ender to outsmart his opponents and conquer every obstacle thrown his way so he can defeat the buggers.
The adults in the novel drive the children to extremes and force them to adapt to the school’s curriculum with little supervision. Ender tries to make friends and fit in but the adults believe that Ender needs to suffer to become the best commander possible. Their actions or lack of actions cause Ender to go into depression and feel isolated. Can Ender survive Battle School and I.F. or will they drive him insane?
Commentary
Ender’s Game is a book about morality, suffering, and love or lack thereof. Ender sees the worst of humanity and learns how to survive in a world where everyone wants to use him. That is very evident when I.F. uses Ender’s one weakness to keep him going.
While reading Ender’s Game, it is hard not be emotionally torn. The novel does not let you forget that Ender and the other kids are children and how absurd the whole situation is. However, because some adults believe this is the only way forward, Ender must pay the price.
Conclusion
I enjoyed this novel a lot and ended up reading it all in one day. It has a lot of amazing concepts and the humanity or lack thereof is what brings the book together. I whole-heartedly recommend this book and can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Speaker For the Dead.
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