ORSON SCOTT CARD
1977
324 pp.
Science Fiction
Summary
Decades ago, the buggers attacked. Then they attacked again. The next wave may spell the end of humanity's existence. Ender, a genius child, is in training to become the leader of the human forces in the next war with the buggers. But will the training itself break him -- or his enemies kill him -- before he graduates? And is even Ender enough of a leader and strategist to beat the buggers once and for all?
Appeal characteristics
- Plot: One major plot, with one distinct subplot occasionally developed (and one semi-subplot, not really a plot but a trajectory followed by other characters that we see unfolding as well)
- Characterization: Character-focused -- emphasis is on Ender's thoughts, emotions, and experience
- Characterization: All major characters are genius children
- Characterization: Most characters other than Ender (and Valentine?) seem a bit sketched out -- they feel like real people and yet we do not know a whole lot about them; Ender is very clearly the center of this book
- Frame: Some ethical questions are raised (e.g. relating to destroying other species, the ethics of profoundly damaging one person to save the human race, etc.) but are not very deeply explored -- although the text is open enough to allow the reader to do that thinking/exploration on his/her own
- Pacing: Card gives us several scenes from around the same time period, then skips forward by months to years at a time; as the book goes on the gaps in time are greater
- My Noting: Books entry on Ender's Game: (not available currently; at the time of this posting notingbooks.com was down)
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