Book report: Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
Humanity is in trouble. The Buggers, an insect-like alien race, have already attacked Earth twice, and Earth barely survived each attack. Now, Earth is preparing for the third invasion, knowing it will be hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned by the Bugger fleets.
A desperate search is on for a supreme military commander who can lead Earth’s meager forces against the impending invasion. In this society, children are routinely tested for the right psychological combination, and the best candidates are implanted with “monitors” for up to three years. The chosen few are selected for Battle School in a space station, and the best of those go on to Command School.
Andrew (Ender) Wiggin is one such child. Six years old when the story begins, he is small, weak, and nonviolent. He is tormented incessantly by his jealous, psychopathic older brother Peter, and defended by his loving sister Valentine. He’s the target of bullying and beatings at school. But his psychological makeup matches what the authorities are looking for, so he’s whisked away to Battle School with other similarly gifted children, probably never to return home.
Battle School is a relentless cycle of simulated battles and military instruction. These kids have no childhood, but are pushed nonstop in a Darwinian winnowing of the best of the best of the best. Ender is the finest strategist by far, eclipsing all other students, but that only earns him the hatred of his rivals.
This book is absolutely harrowing in its depiction of children hounded mercilessly. No weakness is permitted. Their lives revolve completely around the Battle Room and its simulated conflicts. There is no play or rest. They learn nothing of music, art, literature, or life beyond what is necessary to achieve success in the coming war. The teachers constantly ratchet up the pressure.
I can see how this award-winning book would appeal to readers, especially young readers. Nearly everyone feels inferior and harried, and Ender is a character who can take it all, who can withstand everything they throw at him and still win. If he can succeed, he will become this world’s messiah.
I can’t reveal the ending, except to say that there are two shocking twists. Both twists are absolutely grounded in the story and are perfectly logical and inevitable, but not at all predictable. But they take the story into a very different place entirely.
This book is required reading in some military academies, and I can understand why. Military strategy is a recurring element, as is the discipline necessary to win wars. The book touches on many philosophical points, such as whether the ends justify the means, and the relationship of volition to evil. Not to go into excess detail, but you can tell that the author has read Asimov’s Foundation trilogy.
Supposedly, there is a movie of this in the planning stages. It’s hard to imagine a movie about six-to-twelve-year-olds working. If it happens, I imagine something like THX-1138 Meets Harry Potter.
Highly recommended, if you like science fiction at all.
Humanity is in trouble. The Buggers, an insect-like alien race, have already attacked Earth twice, and Earth barely survived each attack. Now, Earth is preparing for the third invasion, knowing it will be hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned by the Bugger fleets.
A desperate search is on for a supreme military commander who can lead Earth’s meager forces against the impending invasion. In this society, children are routinely tested for the right psychological combination, and the best candidates are implanted with “monitors” for up to three years. The chosen few are selected for Battle School in a space station, and the best of those go on to Command School.
Andrew (Ender) Wiggin is one such child. Six years old when the story begins, he is small, weak, and nonviolent. He is tormented incessantly by his jealous, psychopathic older brother Peter, and defended by his loving sister Valentine. He’s the target of bullying and beatings at school. But his psychological makeup matches what the authorities are looking for, so he’s whisked away to Battle School with other similarly gifted children, probably never to return home.
Battle School is a relentless cycle of simulated battles and military instruction. These kids have no childhood, but are pushed nonstop in a Darwinian winnowing of the best of the best of the best. Ender is the finest strategist by far, eclipsing all other students, but that only earns him the hatred of his rivals.
This book is absolutely harrowing in its depiction of children hounded mercilessly. No weakness is permitted. Their lives revolve completely around the Battle Room and its simulated conflicts. There is no play or rest. They learn nothing of music, art, literature, or life beyond what is necessary to achieve success in the coming war. The teachers constantly ratchet up the pressure.
I can see how this award-winning book would appeal to readers, especially young readers. Nearly everyone feels inferior and harried, and Ender is a character who can take it all, who can withstand everything they throw at him and still win. If he can succeed, he will become this world’s messiah.
I can’t reveal the ending, except to say that there are two shocking twists. Both twists are absolutely grounded in the story and are perfectly logical and inevitable, but not at all predictable. But they take the story into a very different place entirely.
This book is required reading in some military academies, and I can understand why. Military strategy is a recurring element, as is the discipline necessary to win wars. The book touches on many philosophical points, such as whether the ends justify the means, and the relationship of volition to evil. Not to go into excess detail, but you can tell that the author has read Asimov’s Foundation trilogy.
Supposedly, there is a movie of this in the planning stages. It’s hard to imagine a movie about six-to-twelve-year-olds working. If it happens, I imagine something like THX-1138 Meets Harry Potter.
Highly recommended, if you like science fiction at all.
Comments