Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card 


Ender's Game Cover
Yes, another book in my long series of "Catching up with authors I should have read years ago." This book simply is one of the best I've read anywhere, period, science fiction or not. Though it's root comes from a short story from the middle 70's, it doesn't feel dated at all (ok - the Warsaw pact subplot could use a little updating.) In fact, it could have been written last year and still been as good. I cannot believe I've skipped over this one for so long.

From Ender Wiggin, the archetypical reluctant savior of mankind, to Mazer Rackham, the old veteran who skillfully pushes the unknowing Ender over the edge to do great things, the story puts together a seemingly non-stop series of what has become clichéd characters, but somehow they come off as originals. You cannot help but feel for Ender as he plays the endless games and suffers the torments of his lesser rivals - how he is truly upset after hurting others, yet his whole reason for being is to destroy an entire race. And you can completely relate as he begins the process of re-seeding the universe with the beings he thought destroyed.

If you've never read this, get it now, or you'll hate yourself later for missing out. A master work. Seriously.

Link to Amazon's book page. 

 

Posted: Mon - December 13, 2004 at 04:04 PM          

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