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What are readers saying about Ender's Game (Ender Wiggins Saga)?
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-03 11:59:00.
(Language: English)
  
I really enjoyed this book and actually read it slowly. somewhat amazing, I know. I loved... the immediacy of it. and despite the potiental for the children being 'too adult-like' it didn't feel that way to me. I guess I related to them in some way. I also loved cards' ... Read Morecomment in the introduction: "Why else do we read fiction anyway?...I think most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we are hungry for another kind of truth: the mythic truth about human nature in general, the particular truth about those life communities that define our own identity and the most specific truth of all: our own self-story. Fiction, because it is not about somebody who has lived in the real world, always has the possibility about being about ourself." I actually underlined it- I know I'm a dork- b/c it really hit home for me. It also really reminded me of C.S. Lewis' and Joseph Campbell's ideas of myth and mythical quests. What can I say? I have to find out what happens next... onto "Speaker for the Dead."
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-02-25 09:07:47.
(Language: English)
This is IMO the beginning of my si-fi career. It opened up for me the millions of possibilities there are for the forward looking individual to indulge in. there are no witches, elves, warlocks, or magical creatures of any kind, I do like my fantastic worlds too but this book is more than that, more than si-fi it is a journey of a little boy growing, and dealing with adult issues from the age of 6. The journey is simply a venue for a fantastic voyage (pun intended) through thousands of years of human future history. Overall it is a book of many genera and great for the well read individual as well as the one that has many intrests in their library.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-09-09 07:14:32.
(Language: English)
This is a science fiction novel that transcends the genre. I've had trouble convincing non-nerds to read this one, but none that I have regretted it. It's a terrific story about a boy who is tapped to join Battle School where he's to learn tactics to fight off an alien invasion that may or may not occur. I know, that sounds like a geek fest, but you'll have to trust me on this one. The characters are genuine and there is thinking involved with their development. There are several sequels and the story is re-hashed from another point of view, but none are as good as the original.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-06-08 02:50:04.
(Language: English)
It was difficult to completely believe that such a young person could be the savior of humankind. The book was, however, gripping and compelling. I especially love how O.S. Card draws the reader into battle scenes. As one who skims long descriptions of anything, and even short descriptions of battle, I found myself astonished time and again by how captivating every word in this novel is. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-19 07:45:24.
(Language: English)
I think Orson Scott Card wrote an unpretentious masterpiece. The prose doesn’t sound complicated for a teen and not flat for an adult appraisal. Card succeeded in conciliating these two demands. However, there is a critical omission about the card’s style of writing. There’s few description of places and characters. You can’t know whether someone is blond, tall, thin, however… The author provide few information to allow reader’s mind to sense the environment of the plot. In addition, the end of the book, although startling, doesn’t seem believable. That’s not a big fault, however, since the book was supposed to be read by teenagers. In spite of that, I found the book delightful.
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Robbie posted a review at 2009-07-19 06:36:35.
(Language: English)
I read this a really long time ago, but it's an amazing book (and a great series on total). It's a fun story about these kids that train in battle, Ender being a particular genius, and what happens as a result. It's emotional, well thought out, and the beginning of a great series (a trilogy follows, in the same vein of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and the trilogy that follows here is much more adult, and much more satisfying, than Ender's Game). Very highly recommended.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-08-02 11:52:17.
(Language: English)
It's a sci-fi book but it's not really about sci-fi. It's about Ender, a genius kid who is six years old, and he's the last hope for the human race against aliens. So they take him away from his family and ship him off to a military school and turn absolutely everyone against him, and he has to cope with all his classmates who hate him, all the teachers against him, all the odds they set against him and prove he's the best. Ender's game is probably my favorite book I've read, although I don't read much. The book is more about how he deals with all these things, how he feels and not as much about an alien attack. It's a great story.
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Matt posted a review at 2009-04-21 10:46:27.
(Language: English)
My only problem with this book is that, I'm sorry, these are not children. But their is the whole genius factor, which helps to suspend your disbelief. That being said. There really are very few books that are this good. The story of Ender at battle school alone would have stood just find on its own as a great book. But the story of Peter and Valentine's Political takeover via the Internet was so amusing and at the same time brilliant. Possibly the best Sci-fi book of all time.
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-06-06 10:39:19.
(Language: English)
Written for kids but I recommend it for a more mature reader (14 or older). Card examines the morality and causes of war. He also has great insights into human nature and ambition.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-05-08 09:52:38.
(Language: English)
One of the best sci-fi reads having tremendous character development especially that of Ender ,the lead character who is a genius.It showcases his transition as he graduates out from battle school at a young age and is asked to commandeer a large fleet in a battle against the invading buggers.How he undergoes rigorous training,the simulation games that he is subjected to,form the crux of the story.The book also contains violence in a way it highlights Ender's shrewdness,agility as well as physical strength apart from acumen.There are surprises in the novel and even though the end can be predicted,the book is a compelling read.Recommended.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-02 08:00:42.
(Language: English)
Jeffrey Ahn Ender’s Game I read Ender’s Game, a science fiction by Orson Scot Card, for my Outside Reading Book Report. This novel is about a young boy named Ender and his journey through hardships of life. Overall, I thought it was a very entertaining book with some parts that felt as it the author was dragging on with the flow of the plot. Ender Wiggins, the protagonist, is born in a family of child geniuses and has always had great expectations from the people around him. At that time, the military is waging a war against the alien races of the outer space, and the military recruits him to join the war. Only the very elite and most competent soldiers can join this force. However, the Colonel has to lie to Ender about his parents to recruit him and makes him feel that he is not very loved by his family. This influences Ender to join the war effort. During this time he and his siblings are under a complete surveillance. In the military, Ender often has to play a simulation war game for training purposes. What Ender does not know is that the game is actually real. Whenever Ender is playing the game, he is commanding the whole army and destroying the Buggers in reality. The military does this on purpose because they believe that Ender will not be able to fully utilize his tactical genius and follow the best winning strategy if he knows that he is dealing with real human lives. There always is a chance that Ender will try a sub-optimal strategy to save human lives. Eventually the military accomplishes what it has wanted – a victory over the Buggers. Ender ultimately finds out what he has done and feels a dramatic emotional pain and shock. What I liked about this book is that it is not just a fun kids’ book but has a deeper meaning. It explores a child's unstable psychology, mainly caused by isolation and depression. Before Ender is recruited to the military, he always has a tough time with his brother, Peter who has never been selected by the military and always been jealous of Ender. Knowing Ender’s tendency to breakdown mentally, the military uses this to make him become a stable unit of the organization. Also the fantasy game that all recruited soldiers participate in is used to take control of the most sensitive part of their brain. Being the most unstable one, Ender is led to experience great despair. His instability is clearly sown when he leaves the military and devotes his life to helping the Buggers after he is deceived in the final war. It’s quite weird because Ender had been the one who had destroyed them. Ender reminds me of many high school students in today’s society. Many students receive pressure from their parents, teachers, and many people around them. Ender also lives through lies and secrets and never has a chance to really feel the true meaning of life, as everything seems like a game to him. I am worried this may be the exact same case for many high school students who are close to being addicted to online games, a fantasy world. I hope many people will read this novel and perhaps realize the danger of such addiction, especially among the teenagers.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-06-18 11:12:16.
(Language: English)
In this first book of the Ender series, Earth has been attacked by insectlike aliens that almost destroyed life on the planet. The government has begun breeding geniuses to train as military commanders. Ender Wiggins becomes Earth's last hope. Ender struggles to reconcile his humanity (the way he is like his sister, Valentine) with his ruthless desire to succeed (the way he is like his brother, Peter). Ender's training involves playing computer games, in addition to live war games with his battalions. In the final game, Ender discovers that all is not as it seems. Then he is left to deal with the consequences of his actions. What I especially liked about this book is Ender's struggle to be a successful soldier while still holding onto his humanity. Nothing scares him more than the thought that he may be like his sociopathic brother, Peter. The book also raises questions of duty and responsibility. Is a crime committed while following orders still a crime? Highly recommended, especially to fans of science fiction.
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Cheng posted a review at 2009-04-06 12:21:32.
(Language: English)
It is really a wonderful book.this scientific book tells us about one kind of future we mankind may have in the future.in that kind of world,the human technology has reached a very high level compared with the standard now.however,the things happened in the same way as nowadays: when there are threats,(like the strong buggers in this book),they will unite together and fight for the same goal.but the day when the threat has eliminated, human beings will start fighting between themselves again.fighting against other humans has become an instinct of humans.also,there is an inherent desire to slaughter inside human bodies.everyone is a killer indeed. In this book, the writer also described many distinct characters to us.evil and cunning Peter,mild and clever Valentine,tough and gifted Ender,and many other figures including Ender’s parents,teachers,friends and enemies.they all have their own characteristics so the story looks very real.In this story,the main character,ender,is a genius which was half made by scientific technology.he has a contradictory characteristic.on one hand,he loves peace and never tries to attack others first;on the other hand, he beat two child who attacked him first and hit them to death when they had already lost the ability to continue attack him.through this,the writer wants to show the weak point in human instinction.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-07 06:01:30.
(Language: English)
Easily one of the best scifi, I have ever read, its amazing how when personal computing was not even in its infancy, Card brilliantly envisions tablet computers, role playing adventure games, internet discussion forums, online identities management surveillance and what not. Reminds me of the beautiful discovery Hitchhicker's was. Although both of them aren't comparable Ender's game is far more cleverer. Card touches various primal human tendencies while talking about future I am dying to see when this comes out as a film(which it may soon). Throughly recommended.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-04-16 07:45:24.
(Language: English)
I don't like sci-fi, especially when it's about wars in space. I don't like male main characters. I don't like books about children. I LOVE this book. It is both action-packed and thought-provoking, futuristic and relevant for today. This book is supposedly for young readers, yet it asks questions all of us need to consider, questions about what it means to be alive and what it means to take a life, questions about childhood,innocence, and greater responsibility, and, above all, questions about what it means to be part of the human race.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 08:47:36.
(Language: English)
I read this back in high school and early college and really loved it. I read through it in one sitting and never saw the ending coming. That momentum was enough to pull me through the trilogy (which I remember as so-so) and the first Bean novel, which I liked. Revisiting it now, 10 years later, was weird. Knowing how the book ended didn't help, but I also noticed a pretty major lack of character development. The supporting characters were paper thin and even Ender seemed oddly shallow. Anyway, it wasn't as bad as rewatching Goonies (don't do it), but revisiting Ender as an adult certainly lowered, but didn't completely decimate, my opinion of the book.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-05-15 04:30:19.
(Language: English)
It's good but I'm surprised that it's considered great. Worth a read but I didn't find it awe inspiring like so many who've reviewed this book before me. It felt as nothing more than a few hundred pages leading up to the "gotcha" moment without any real humankind revelation as a result in my opinion. The aliens back story is weak and did little to lead me to feel any sympathy or interest in the ending. Most of the characters beyond Ender were given a limited description/character as they entered and exited the story line. The subplot of his siblings felt tacked on with no actual relevance to his story. Honestly, their story would have been better suited if it was extracted from Enders Game and given their own separate telling. A rise to power through popular but anonymous public commentary is an interesting idea especially in our world of online social networks and blogs. Read it but move on...
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-04 08:12:54.
(Language: English)
The only reason I bought and read this a few years back was because it was recommended to me by this guy I had a bit of a crush on in London. Though the crush didn't turn into anything, I did get a pretty good book from it. Ender's Game is a superbly clean and fluid story and though it may not satisfy my love of rich prose, it does satisfy my inner Sci Fi Geek. Hidden away in the American-Angst Dialogue are some real imaginary gems, carried quite wonderfully by a story that will consume your attention for at least a few hours.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-17 03:57:56.
(Language: English)
A science fiction classic, although I hadn’t read it before. (I stopped reading sci-fi about 25 years ago, fwiw.) I mentioned it to my daughter, who said, “Who wants to read a book about war?” I would argue it’s about gifted children and the pressure society puts upon them. (Of course, it’s unfair to sum up the book in a single sentence.)From the preface, I learned that Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy is structured on Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The book also has a good bit of military strategy distilled from Bruce Catton’s books on the Civil War.A very entertaining read, with more character development than you [or a snooty literature major such as myself] might expect.
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A Reader posted a review at 2012-03-09 06:34:27.
(Language: English)
Easy read; adventurous; my students always love to read this book because the action is continuous; I taught this in my Science Fiction course and it was perfect.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-19 06:30:37.
(Language: English)
At first I thought it was some cheesy sci-fi book. I wanted to finish what I started, though, so I kept on reading. What I found as I turned each page was the innocent, honest, hurting mind of a young boy whose face was recognized by all, but whose heart was neglected by most--a boy who had everything and, at the same time, absolutely nothing. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to delve into the topic of humanity, is in dire need of someone who understands the pain of loneliness, or is simply wanting to read a good book.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-27 07:48:38.
(Language: English)
I just love reading this guy's work!! Ender's Game is a wild ride! Also try Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide. Orson Scott Card has a wonderful mixture of several good qualities. First, he's an excellent writer. As a novelist, I have enjoyed few others as much as I enjoy him. Secondly, his work contains "grace" undertones which are a joy to think through. Lastly, the characters which he introduces to his readers are believable, real, gritty people. BIG FUN.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-18 11:05:06.
(Language: English)
This has been one of my favorite books since I was about 12 years old. Card's brilliant and gripping language lures any reader like the penultimate potato chips . . . its hard to put down. Its inspiring and evokes feelings like, "yeah, I could like, uh, save the world too." Card grasps so many different person's personalities with rattling detail and writes books that boys especially will love. Recommend the entire series and it's parallel series. This is also considered one of the top 10 SciFi books of all time by many lists.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-07-17 12:35:17.
(Language: English)
I first read this book when I was about 12 years old and I've read it a couple times since then and it is STILL my favorite book of all time. For me, Orson Scott Card is somewhat hit-and-miss with his books but this particular novel (one of his earlier books) is far and away the best. It is a science fiction book but that is not the focus. The sci-fi setting is really just the setting to tell and amazing story about gifted children being trained to be generals in a war and what they go through. Orson Scott Card's greatest strength is his ability to write about children without treating them like kids. I highly recommend this book to anyone from 10 years old through adulthood since it resonates with all of us and will have something different for everyone.
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Hu posted a review at 2009-03-03 09:39:50.
(Language: English)
It is my first time to read the book --- ender’s game, which is written by Orson Scott Card. Though my English now is still not very good, I have understood the book approximately. In my own opinion, it is a very interesting science fiction story. The book tells about a story about a genius called “ender Wiggin”. “That’s a name?” I thought when I first saw the word .and It is. ‘Ender’ is a special name, which means finisher. Actually, in the book, ender was a finisher. Though he was young, he finished the Third Invasion between the mankind and the aliens. The background is that at time, there is another kind of animal called “bugger” in the space. The buggers were a bit like ants on earth. There had been two wars between the mankind and the buggers. And the Third Invasion between the mankind and the buggers is coming soon. So a great commander is needed to command the human’s fleets to beat the buggers. Ender was a third, which means he is the third children of the family. And he had a brother peter and a sister valentine. The three pupils were all geniuses. Due to his great intelligence, at 6 years old, ender was selected to train to become a fleet commander to protect earth from an alien invasion. The training takes place at a distant Battle School in space where the young and brilliant Ender is repeatedly pushed to his limits to mold him into what he is needed to be, in order to make him to the best condition as soon as possible. Then, after the long time of training, the war came, in a very unique way, until it was finished. The war came out in a form of a game, and even ender himself was not aware the enemies he killed in the games were the buggers, since it is the game he used to play to train his commanding skills. And the people did not tell him that was the real war, instead they told him that that was the final exam of his training of commanding. Ender saved the world of mankind, and at that time, he was only 11 years old! And I did not realize it until it was over. It is quite amazing and unexpected, however very logical and thus believable. When Ender recovers, Valentine convinces him to leave on the first colony ship to another world. On this colony, Ender discovers an unborn bugger queen who can communicate with him through a psychic link, which means communicate without language. She tells him that her race was not aware that humans were sentient creatures. The bugger defeat in the Second Invasion awakened them to humanity's true nature, and they had resolved never to attack Earth again. Realizing his crime, Ender writes a book under the pseudonym "Speaker for the Dead" entitled The Hive Queen, wherein he tells of the compassion and pain of the bugger race In the last chapter of Ender's Game the entire premise of the book is shaken and we are set up for the next stage of Ender's Life in the sequel, Speaker for the Dead. I have heard that The Ender Wiggin series is actually five books, with Ender's Game representing maybe 5% of the total, more like a prologue. I think the whole series must also be fantastic. In this world there is so much room for story and character development, and I can not imagine what will happen later. So I have decided to finish the whole series in this year. During the reading of the books, I have discovered that to the people who trained ender to command, ender was only a tool of them to win the war. However, ender himself did not like to battle, and he did not want to kill the burgers. The ending that the unborn bugger queen who communicated with him through a psychic link said that they had resolved never to attack Earth again. And after that ender took the queen with him and tried to revive it. To me, it makes me think that in each war in the history, most people did not want to have war. Most people preferred peace. Overall, I think this is a very interesting and meaningful novel. I have learned a lot and I have had a good time reading the book.
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