This is one that I'm rereading. Jamie was reading it, and we have two copies, so I started reading it again too. Last time I read it, I was seventeen, I had just finished AP English, but with a couple of weeks left in school, our teacher assigned us to read any book we wanted to. Since the normal coursework for AP English does not include Sci-Fi, I decided that I would read it, being tired of the regular reading of classics the curriculum called for.
I think that I really missed a lot my first time through. Perhaps the burnout from analysis and writing had something to do with it, I just really wanted a book that I could sit back and enjoy. I'm glad that I reread it because there really is a lot to think about.
Ender is a little boy alive during a time after the Earth has been invaded by an alien race. Fear from a third attack is rampant, so children are tested and if shown to have aptitude, and if they do, they are taken to a special school where they are prepared to be soldiers. Ender is one of these children. He seems to have a particular knack for seeing weaknesses and developing strategies, as well as leading. Which is exactly what the people in charge of protecting Earth from the Alien invaders are looking for. But, Ender doesn't want to be the person they want or think they need him to become. They back Ender into more and more situations where the only thing that he can do, because he wants to do what is best for mankind is to do what they want him to do. Eventually, he is exactly the person that the powers that be want him to be, despite his desires.
After all is said and done, Ender gets the chance to prove that he is more than what his training made him into. He gets the chance to choose something that will redeem him.
There are more books in the series, I'm debating whether or not to read them.
Disclaimer: This book has a lot of bad language, not really swearing, but kids trying to sound tough, which got old and really annoying very quickly, and there is rather disturbing violence in the book as well (at least it disturbed me).
4 comments:
My comment on further books in the series: If genetics matters and you are a supposedly professional writer, at minimum obtain the same level of education as a current high school graduate.
I have heard good things about this series. I'll have to read it!
Russ here: one of my all time favorites... and here is why:
Think about the way that Card addresses leadership, how do you achieve success, enders success came inspite of opposition by the heavy application of creative thinking to his obstacles. which led to one of my quotes that I use when I train soldiers: "the door is down." Those who have read it will get it, those who haven't should give it a read, I think I read this one last time in the time it took me waiting for my plane to get fixed so I could travel down to Florida... about 8 hours.
This book is great. The others in the series weren't as good but tie things up more. The first one is my favorite though.
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