Thursday 8 May 2014

Book Beginnings #6: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Book Beginnings
is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader


Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

You can find more information and how to participate on your blog HERE!

"I've watched through his eyes.  I've listened through his ears.  I tell you, he's the one, or at least as close as we are going to get." 


Ender's Game
by Orson Scott Card
YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published January 1985 by Tor Books  


In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

My Thoughts
I did something I don't normally do.  I watched the movie before I read the book.  So, I was worried going into the book that I wasn't going to like it much, simply because I knew what to expect.  I did, however, find myself enjoying the story. 

This beginning tells a whole lot about the story and what goes on in Ender's world, but you don't find out exactly how much until later on in the book. 

6 comments:

  1. Sometimes reading the book before seeing the movie enhances the movie because you know more background about the characters. But sometimes it works the other way for me too. I like to cast the characters in a book I'm reading, based on the actors from the movie. I'm glad the movie didn't ruin the book for you!
    Here's the link to my Friday post: MOVING IN.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Sandra! I almost never enjoy the movie if I've already read the book because I'm comparing the two the whole time in my head :)

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  2. I have had this on my TBR for the longest time! I don't know what it is about sci-fi books that makes me so uncomfortable. Maybe I'l lwatch the movie before reading the book just to get me going :) Have a great weekend!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! I recommend both the book and the movie :)

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  3. Thanks. I've always wondered what Ender's Game was all about. The title is very popular.s

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    1. I had always wondered, too. It's one of those that you see everywhere and finally just have to pick up for yourself :)

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