"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card was a novel that I initially had my suspicions of but grew to love as the story unfolded. Set in an unspecified future where space travel and colonization are unremarkably part of human achievement, in the world of Ender's Game, Earth has already repelled two alien invasions and is expecting a third. In preparation, the worldwide government seeks a great military strategist and tactician. A highly specialized selection and education system is established. The military monitors potential children for their first few years and send the most promising to 'Battle School' at about the age of six.

Andrew 'Ender' Wiggins is one of those selected. A third child allowed to be born - in a world where strict population control restricts families to two children - because his two older siblings also showed promise, Ender meets all the intellectual and psychological requirements. He is sent to an orbiting space station with other young candidates and begins a training regimen that will last for years.

While a story of much action, twist, turns and physicality, Ender's Game also confronts a number of themes. Ender is tormented about doing harm to others, about being passive in the control of authority figures, and about being driven to win above all else.

However, there are a few things that distracted me. First and foremost was the naked boys. I found this detail to be creepy. Why did they have to be naked? Why mention it?

Second, the dialogue disappointed me. The short prologues of Col. Graff's conversations in front of most chapters were stilted. The tone and style of the dialogue of the young children were off-kilter. And, the slang of the young children seemed badly rendered: was it supposed to be a parody of 'Ebonics'?

Third, the novel seemed to suggest a philosophy where killing without being personally aware was excusable. As long Ender as was kept from knowing, then he was beyond guilt. Was he?

A short novel, Ender's Game nonetheless stays with you after the last page: a very good read.

Ender is a Third. The third child in a family in a world where only two children are allowed. He lives on an earth which is populated beyond capacity and friction is stirring the planet and its countries into a state of unimaginable tension. Yet for now they are united, however tenatively, against a force which has captured all of humanity's fear. The Buggers are a insect-like race that once launched an attack on planet Earth, and were closely fended off. Everyone lives in terror of the day when they return to try again to take our home. Ender, being a brilliant young child, is sent to Earth's Battle School in outer space, to learn to one day take down the Buggers should they ever choose to launch a second attack.

Ender's Game is in many different ways, a very brutal novel. Ender is a genius and is discriminated against by his classmates. He is also a child and is treated as such by the adults in his life, in spite of his brilliance. His sympathetic sister, Valentine, is separated from him at the very beginning, leaving him feeling very alone. When Orson Scott Card needs to display something - emotion, pain, or violence - he pulls no punches. Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy also requires a different way of thinking - with unrealistic scenarios, you need to think of ways to make things work. In Ender's Game, you can see this talent in action. However, do not be misled by it's "Young Adult" categorization. I definately mean "Young Adult" with this one, the content is definately too heavy for anyone younger than at least 13. These are books that while the main character is a child, you need to be developed in mind to catch most of the material.

While each piece written in this series by genius Orson Scott Card is deeply fascinating, Ender's Game can be read alone. However if you choose to pick up the rest of the series, don't expect to stop. This is one of my favorite series of all time, in any section, and I have yet to find another that holds a candle to this one.

This book is absolutely amazing!!