Book Review – Ender’s Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Cover Artist: Mark Salwowski
Publisher: Orbit
Binding: Paperback
Publication Date: 2007
Probably Card’s most famous book and something of a science fiction classic. There are several different version of this story. Ender’s Game started as a short story published in analogue in 1977. It was then expanded to novel length in 1985 and in 1991 a slightly revised edition was published which is the one I read. People say you either love of hate this book. I can confirm that. I found it absolutely revolting and very powerful at the same time. I’ll probably express my self a bit more strongly that I otherwise would in a review.
The 1991 version is preceded by an introduction by Card. In the first paragraph of it he suggests you skip it and go straight to the story. I say take him up on that. The rest of the introduction won’t make all that much sense until you’ve read the book and as he suggests, Card really doesn’t have much to add to the book.
Ender’s Game shows signs of being conceived in the 1970s. It is set in a future world where the Soviet Union has survived. The world is still divided into large power blocks. Under the threat of two alien invasions the world managed to form a unified defence force aptly named International Fleet (IF). Decades ago the second “bugger” invasion (I certainly hope the aliens have a better name for themselves) was brought to a halt by the hero Mazer Rackham. Now, preparing for a possible third invasion, the world is desperately looking for a new hero.
IF is not leaving the emergence of this next Rackham to chance. They are actively looking for the brightest emerging military minds and their most promising candidate is the hyper intelligent Andrew “Ender” Wiggin. At the tender age of six Ender is accepted into Battle School where his teachers go to great lengths to isolate Ender from his family and fellow students. Ender lives up to his potential and develops into the best soldier the school has ever seen. But the price is extraordinarily high.
When put like that the plot isn’t really that shocking of a science fiction novel. Where Ender’s Game derives it’s reputation from and where my dislike starts is with the way they go about teaching Ender. Ender’s game is filled with a series of profoundly unethical actions, all justified by the fear of another invasion by a species nobody has managed to communicate with. It is suggested by one of the characters that this lack of communication means the species cannot be ruled out as a threat and must therefore been destroyed. All are aware of the nature of their actions but for their personal reasons all are willing to pay the price. Not in the least Ender, who is pretty much being lied to at every turn and is smart enough to realize it. Some people think this book is a shining example of leadership in a crisis, I think that if we ever sink this low the aliens had better take us.
Does that mean it is a bad novel? Strangely enough no. It has been a while since any piece of fiction pissed me off quite so much. You can say a lot of things about Ender’s Game but it definitely moved me. Even with all the lying, manipulating, abuse and plain insanity there was not a moment I seriously considered putting down this book. That is probably where the genius of Ender’s Game is. Whether you love or hate it, Card will manage to move you with this particular novel. It is one of those stories that will be read and read again a century from now.
So even if it is a revolting book I am going to suggest you read it and then proceed to ritually burn it. Despite this glowing recommendation I will admit I am considering skipping the sequel.
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