Ender's Game

Overall Rating- 5 stars

Another one of my favorites. I remember my one of my creative writing teachers once tried to explain the difference between genre-books and literature. He said that literature consisted of those books that don't just have a good plot, but that helped the reader see the world in a different way. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is, in my opinion, one of those books. It's a sci-fi book, but as I said, it is oh so much more. It follows the life of Ender Wiggin, a young boy genius. He is sent off to a school in space in the hope that he can save Earth from the "Bugger" invasion.

Ender's Game is the kind of book where you can take away whatever you want from it. You can just read it on the surface, and come away with a great adventurous, kill the aliens, yay for mankind story, or you can look deeper at the whole psychological aspect of the book. This is no happy-go-lucky kid, and there are some dark moments in the book. In fact there are a lot of dark moments in the book. Ender is just a troubled kid, but once you start seeing into his mind, you can't help but want to follow through with him until the end. There is a lot of symbolism in the book, but as I said, you can take it or leave it.

I've heard people compare Ender to lots of groups: gifted kids, unwanted children, etc, but I think the reason so many people like this book is because Ender's incredibly complex character allows so many people to relate to him. We've all at some time or other experienced the same kind of guilt, confliction, loneliness, and confusion as Ender. And his sincere, earnest nature makes him worthy of the empathy.

As far as maturity and everything, the book does deal with death, and as I said, there are some dark spots. But, dark as in the dark depths of the human mind. I first read this book when I was about nine, but every time I read it I take away something new. And also, in case you're worried, it's not all dark and depressing psychological baloney. There's plenty of zero gravity fighting and hilarious side characters. Great, great book from a great, great author. Definitely read it at least once.