No joke - READ THIS BOOK!!! (Ender's Game - Orson S. Card)

Member Name: johnny8977

Product:	Ender's Game - Orson S. Card
Date:	11/03/02 (190 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Best book ever, Cannot stop its you've read it, Plot twist that makes you read it again straight away

Disadvantages: Nothing can match the first time you read it

OK, I am going to try and do justice to this book in the following opinion. If you read the book afterwards, you will realise nothing can do this book justice.

First things first, a brief overview. The story is set in the future after an alien race has attacked the Earth. Humankind was almost defeated and on the brink of defeat until one commander with exceptional tactical skills managed to single-handedly fight off the invasion. Because of the attack and the demonstration of what a good commander can achive, the Earth's military set about a program whereby all children showing above average intelligence are continously monitored through childhood and if found suitable, at around the age of 8, are sent to a space-station called Battle School to train to become the commanders of tomorrow for the Earth's proposed counter attack on the aliens.

The Ender of the title is Ender Wiggin, one such boy chosen. However, he is a third. Because of the Earth's population problem, parents are only allowed 2 children. However, because both Enders older brother and sister showed brilliant intelligence, Enders parents are allowed another child. Being a third child is a terrible stigma and adds to Enders isolation, which is one of the main themes of the book.

Ender goes to Battle School and excels in everything, despite being younger than most others. This leads to resentment amongst the other children.

I won't say any more about the story. If you read this book you will find out why and thank me!

I honestly cannot praise this book enough. I have read it 3 times and each time finished it in a day. It is so engrossing you just cannot stop reading. The style of writing is brilliant to read and you can read the entire book without seeing a single word. You begin reading and the story plays out in your head.

The story itself is brilliant. All you Sci-Fi phobes are sat there thinking "yeah, aliens and spaceships - h
ow boring and sci-fi", but all this is just an environment to put the story into. The central themes of isolation, hopelessness, destiny and childhood are masterfully interwoven into a story that no-one can fail to be awestruck by.

The story ends with a absolutley remarkable plot twist that will have you reading it all over again but from an entirely different point of view.

Please read this book. I guarantee you will not regret it.

Enders Game is followed by 3 more books, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide and Children of the Mind.

These are written differently to Enders Game and are not quite so easy to read. However, they are well worth reading as they complete the entire story. Enders Shadow is a book set at the same time as Enders Game and follows another Battle School pupil. Again, this is a good book, but not as good as Enders Game.

Overall, I cannot stress how much I want other people to read this book. You may be thinking I have shares in the publishing house or something the way I am carrying on. But I just want people to be touched the way I was went I first read this book. You will never, ever forget it.

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