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Ender's Game

Review

Ender's Game

Six-year-old Andrew "Ender" Wiggin sounds like a normal ordinary kid right? Wrong!  He is involved in a genetic experiment because he may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against the Buggers, an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human lives. His two older siblings Peter and Valentine were involved in the experiment too, but neither was found useful for the military's purpose because Peter was too violent, and Valentine didn't like violence altogether. Andrew gets into a fight with some kids at school who were making fun of him. The next day Graff, the director of the International Fleet Battle School hears about the fight and comes to his house. He asks Andrew if he wants to join the school. Andrew accepts the offer, and that's when his new life begins.

When "Ender" gets to the school, he quickly finds out that life there is very different. The school is up in outer space, you have no visitors, and you have no vacations or days off from school. Ender is placed in the Launch army. At first everybody dislikes him because Graff, his commander, treats him like he's the only smart one in the army. Ender doesn't like being at the school because he hasn't any friends, but he learns how to play the games and use the equipment. Just when he finally begins to make new friends and thinks that it's going to be enjoyable, Graff promotes him to the Salamander Army.

While in the Salamander Army, Bonzo Madrid, his new commander, is very mean to Ender. He won't let him play in the battles because he's afraid that he will mess up his team. Ender starts practicing with the Launchies in one of the battlerooms during their freetime. Bonzo finally allows Ender to play in the battles with the rest of the team. Ender starts to win all of the battles and earns a high position on the efficiency list. Then Bonzo promotes him to the Rat Army. 

Meanwhile, in another part of the story, Peter and Valentine are still in Florida where they live with their parents. They both want to take over the world. Stealing their father's citizen access pass and using the names Demosthenes and Locke, they begin to write really convincing essays on websites all over the world. Will Peter and Valentine be able to take over the world? Will Ender become a commander someday?

I liked this book because it made me think about what it would really be like to be in the military for a long time, and maybe the rest of my life. I couldn't have gone to the school as Ender did because I would have missed my family too much. What would you do? If you like reading fantasy books, pick up ENDER'S GAME and find out what happens to Ender and his family!

Reviewed by Ashley Hartlaub on July 15, 1994

Ender's Game
by Orson Scott Card

  • Publication Date: October 1, 2013
  • Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction
  • Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Tor Teen
  • ISBN-10: 0765338211
  • ISBN-13: 9780765338211