Ender's Game

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is the tale of a young, boy-genius named Ender who was conceived by dictate of the government to be a military tool.  

At six-years-old, Ender Wiggin is taken away from his loving, but passive parents, his affectionate sister, Valentine, and his near sociopathic brother, Peter.  Ender is a Third, and therefore should not exist.  So when Colonel Graff shows up to take him away, it really comes as no surprise.  

Suddenly, Ender finds himself whisked away into space to Battle School where he will learn to fight for the fate of the human race against a third alien invasion.  There, Ender learns leadership, command, and battle skills.  He quickly establishes himself as the top soldier of the school and acquires all the prestige and isolation associated with that standing.  

The teachers, in an effort to quickly train Ender to be the best he can be, further his isolation from the rest of the group, causing him to work harder than anyone else.  There is no time to coddle Ender in any way.   He is the one they need, the only hope for saving Earth.  And if he can't do it, mankind is lost. 

Ender's Game surprised me.  As I've said before, I'm not usually into Sci-fi.  This book may have changed my mind.  Other than the ages of the characters not feeling realistic to how the minds of children work---even brilliant children---and the ending being tied up in a nice, neat, melancholy bow, I loved almost everything about this book.  The ant-like aliens were a little much and the hive mindset was fairly cliche, (this is why I don't do Sci-fi much) but I would easily read this one again, even if I probably won't continue on with the series.

My rating: 8 out of 10.