Ender's Game (1977)

Wow, that was quite a story. This would be an awesome book for a book club. There are so many things in this story that one could sit down and discuss.

It was easy to read and hard to put down in places. There was at least two parts where I was able to guess what would happen next. But as I worked through the book, I kept saying how it was getting even more interesting. There are parts of this story that I'm sure I will be pondering for days.

My Son is reading it now and my daughter said she would start it soon. I am anxious for them to be done so we can have some conversations about this one. And there is a movie coming out very soon. I am anxious to see that.

To the author, Orson Scott Card, I say very nicely done. You tell a very good story. I look forward to reading more of your work. ( )

A great story, well told. Loved the characters, even though it was so different from what I've been reading recently. A great world to wade into. ( )

NA

And now we see why Orson Scott Card is such a famous writer. If you want to like him then read this book first and not his other books (see Enchantment and Sarah). Anyway, great book...not the greatest book...but a great book. ( )

Finally read this classic Sci-Fi novel. I got to know about Ender several years ago via the [b:Verre horizons: Nieuwe verhalen van de meesters van de science fiction|11507611|Verre horizons Nieuwe verhalen van de meesters van de science fiction|Robert Silverberg|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1306876472s/11507611.jpg|46244] (Dutch version of 'Far Horizons', which I haven't read completely yet), in which I liked the little story. Reading 'Enders Game' was mainly put off, because I thought it was part of a series and, as such, to not be read as stand-alone novel. But it can be perfectly read as a stand-alone; Orson Scott Card says so himself in the foreword/introduction.

Everyone knows by now what it's about, also because there was a film about it in 2013. In any case, Andrew Wiggin - Ender in the majority of the story - is a young kid, very young kid, who gets tricked into a government's plan to seek a new commander to fight aliens (Buggers, they're called), who threaten to destroy mankind. Ender is at a very young age monitored: the military are supervising him (and many other kids) for his behaviour (in school and elsewhere), his normal doings, his interactions with friends and family, ... and after some time he's deemed worthy for Battle School. His fighting a bullying kid in school is seen as self-defence, even though the kid didn't survive Enders kicking and beating. It wouldn't be his only victim.

His sister Valentine, with whom he gets along very well, and his brother Peter, who's a pain in Ender's butt, each treat him differently. Ender also doesn't get much support or care from his parents. All this makes the decision to leave much easier. But as they say in German, "Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof.". Ender has to follow a strict regime, has to shield himself against bullying and working hard (especially for a kid and in such circumstances). He gets pushed around, transferred to other groups, has to learn to be a leader really quick and face jealousy from others. Help from his supervisors is not to be expected. On the contrary: Ender get complimented in front of everyone, which makes him an easy target for bullies and jealous fellow soldiers (to use this term).

And so, Ender rises in rank, has to perform more and more battles, fight off others, ignore rumours, go on despite being tired, exhausted, beat up. At several points he wants to quit, but is then already so brainwashed and manipulated that the system of games (battles against other groups and on the computer) is what's keeping him alive, what's supporting him. In a way it reminded me of the 'Kung Fu' films with Mr. Miyagi. Or if you want, Star Wars with Yoda and Luke Skywalker. Always go on, become more and more focused, ... Never give up. And come to think of it: if Ender has been thoroughly manipulated, then his superiors are it as well, even though they perhaps don't really realize it, unlike Ender.

Back on Earth, Ender's brother Peter and sister Valentine decide to not sit still. They become political commentators, anonymously. Peter wants to rise in fame, wants to rule the world. Valentine is more peaceful, yet can't resist Peter's influence. But Valentine manages to escape and reconnect with the brother she loves/d, i.e. Ender.

In the end, it turns out it weren't games after all. Man had been fighting the new war against the Buggers since the beginning. But there's also a message, one that Ender finds out about as he explores one of the conquered Buggers planets. War has no winners, only losers. One of the many possible quotes from the book:

"If only we could have talked to you, the hive-queen said in Ender's words. But since it could not be, we ask only this: that you remember us, not as enemies, but as a tragic sisters, changed into foul shape by fate or God or evolution. If we had kissed, it would have been the miracle to make us human in each other's eyes. Instead we killed each other. But still we welcome you now as guestfriends. Come into our home, daughters of Earth; dwell in our tunnels, harvest our fields; what we cannot do, you are now our hands to do for us. Blossom, trees; ripen, fields; be warm for them, suns; be fertile for them, planets: they are our adopted daughters, and they have come home."

Several times I really felt sorry for Ender, could relate to him when he was being bullied, hailed by his superiors (which caused jealousy with others), ... How he fights back, as a kid, how he thinks and acts... perhaps it was a little exaggerated by Mr. Card, but then again, when you look at how kids are treated (and underestimated), it's not really a surprise. It's funny, somehow, that Card implemented the Internet, tablet pc's (the soldiers' desks), and other modern elements, which are now very common and normal.

A few more quotes:

"Ender didn't like fighting. He didn't like Peter's kind, the strong against the weak, and he didn't like his own kind either, the smart against the stupid."

"So the whole war is because we can't talk to each other.'
'If the other fellow can't tell you his story, you can never be sure he isn't trying to kill you."

"I thought commanders could order anything."
"They can order the moon to turn blue, too, but it doesn't happen. Listen, Ender, commanders have just as much authority as you let them have. The more you obey them, the more power they have over you."

And so on, and so forth.

'Ender's Game' has been a very interesting and thought-provoking read. Entertaining as well, of course, because that should be one of the first reasons for a story like this. And it's stand-alone, which means I don't have to read the next books in the series to know how it ends. Yes, Orson Scott Card has extreme views on gays, religion and what not, but let's not get into that. I also didn't find anything disturbing in that context in this book, or maybe it's because I overlooked them or have a different view on the matter that I wasn't really bothered by it.

In short: recommended read!

p.s.: There's some political stuff going on in the background, namely about the Warsaw Pact. See Wikipedia for more info. ( )