My latest read was Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I was referred to read it by a friend a few years ago and since it became an official film as of this past weekend it seemed about time to read it.
It is set in the future and follows the life of Ender Wiggin, a 6 year old boy who, it seems, has been predestined to be the world's savior. After prior attempts, the government in power during this time is convinced that Ender is the leader they have been looking for to help fight against an alien life form known as the buggers. Humans have joined together in their fight against these extra terrestrial invaders and now that they believe Ender is their answer, it is time to train him to be the best commander the world has ever seen.
"Ender Wiggin isn't a killer. He just wins-- thoroughly"
The entire novel is very militaristic. That is the entire point of the story. It is children who are sent to military school on a space vessel and are taught to fight and command an army. The best and brightest of these students end up leading their own armies and only the very best are likely to graduate and be sent to command school.
As it is already expected of Ender, he is pushed harder than any other student: emotionally, mentally, and physically.
This novel was definitely a page turner. It was exciting, thrilling, violent and captivating the entire time. And I love when you are unable to predict where the story will end up going. However, my issue with the story was who Ender became. He was seen as this world savior and put into the military school and then isolated from any kind of real or meaningful relationships. Even in the games that the students would play, he was only respected or beaten down but he never is able to develop a true friendship. Even when he refers to certain characters as them having a special kind of connection it still seems so artificial.
And I knew all of this was going to happen. In fact the novel makes it clear from the beginning that this is how he would end up; isolated from any deep and meaningful relationships. Yet it still bothered me so much. I just believe if you were molding someone to lead the world to peace by commanding an entire fleet of military personnel that there would be more than respect there to encourage trust between the commander and his men. I think there would need to be an emotional bond.
"Humans are free except when humanity needs them"
What broke my heart about the story entirely was that it seemed in order to save the world, Ender would be forced to strip all his humanity. It's as if he was the means to the end. If we want the world to survive as we know it, he must give up his life. (don't misinterpret my words as a spoiler because it's not what you think).
"I've lived too long with pain. I won't know who I am without it"
Perhaps it was the tragedy of it all that made the novel so enticing. Nevertheless, I'm excited to continue on to the next novels by Card. (Note to readers: This story goes off in different directions either following a character named Bean in Ender's Shadow, or follow Ender in Speaker For the Dead)
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