Mod 4 Ender's Game

Card, Orson S. Ender's Game. New York: TOR, 1991. ISBN 9780765342294

Summary:

Andrew “Ender” Wiggin is a not-so-ordinary six year-old boy. He is gifted, of course, as everyone in his family is. But, he is a third. A special circumstance. Not every family can have three children. Ender’s family is different, though. Ender’s older brother, Peter, and sister, Valentine are both gifted, but they did not pass the military standards needed for the perfect general. Ender is the last hope. He begins training immediately. Taken from his family at the age of six, Ender trains at Battle School, an off-planet site where training is a game and growing up is not.

Analysis:

Ender’s Game is a futuristic, dystopia science fiction novel. It begins on Earth, which is doomed to invasion by “buggers.” The military has been looking for a general to lead the army in battle in defense of the planet for more than one hundred years. In that time, technology has allowed space stations with on-demand gravity, instant communication between spacecraft, and life-like simulations. Ender, the smallest and smartest soldier, must learn combat, leadership, and self-preservation. There is no time for coddling, only learning. Ender learns self-defense tactics that keep him safe from the other soldiers who are jealous of his growing leadership abilities. Library Journal review says, “Aptest pupil ever Ender quickly rises to the top of Battle School, which has twice the nasty of any boarding school and all the charms of a snake pit.” The training takes place in a space station, where gravity is manufactured when needed. As Ender’s abilities grow, he is transferred to a small planet on the other side of the solar system to practice commanding a fleet of warships. Ender soon learns that the simulations here are more than a game.

Reviews:

School Library Journal 2008

"Despite Ender's age, this is not a children's novel. Its profound themes (and mild profanity) call for intelligent teens who appreciate a complex novel."

Awards:

Nebula

Hugo Award

Connections:

For more information about the author visit http://www.hatrack.com/

For discussion questions and study guides visit http://www.hatrack.com/research/index.shtml

For more information about the International Space Station visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

To listen to an audio excerpt visit http://us.macmillan.com/endersgame-card

If you liked this book, you might enjoy:

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

Owlflight by Mercedes Lackey

Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley

Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card

Cover photo:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780765342294&imId=42095598