Ender's Game

Ender’s Game is a fascinating science fiction tale written by Orson Scott Card which received many awards for best book of the year when it came out. The novel follows the life of Ender Wiggin, the youngest of three genius children (breaking a strict two children law). This story is one of those books you cannot put down as you want to keep finding out what happens next.

Ender is quickly discovered to be a strategical genius and is chosen to be sent to Battle School at a young age where he is quickly discovered to be the best in the school. Being labeled as the best isolates him from everyone and is kept all alone throughout school. It is very interesting reading all his battle strategies and how he continues to be the best student there, where he is quickly promoted at a very young age to Command school. At Command school he becomes the youngest student there and again is kept isolated for this reason. The story continues until he reaches the end of his class where he is put into an impossible simulated battle. After succeeding at the simulation, he learns it isn’t a simulation at all, and he had just won the war with an alien race called the buggers he was being trained for all his life. The news of wiping out an entire alien race, and learning about two humans he killed that was hidden from him puts him into a depression.

The novel brings up the issue of genocide, and destroying a whole group of an Alien race because both sides did not know what the other side was doing. I believe a huge message of the book is about the negative affects of drone military warfare and blind violence. Ender’s Game is a novel that really makes you think, all the while telling a very creative and unique story. It engrosses you from beginning to end, while you learn about all the battle strategies and formations that are used throughout. This is definitely one of the best science fiction novels written, and it is no wonder it received as many awards as it did.