Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Good day all,

Nah I know what your thinking, but I'm not that faster reader. Basically reading for me is 2hrs a day, 1 HR to work and the hour back. But I actually digested Ender's Game as an audio book.

I admit I've only listened to a couple, but I think this made the best use of the medium and coincidentally Mr Scott Card himself says it is his ideal medium. Their were multiple voice actors which I think helped give the different narrative perspectives in the book a nice tone.

Now usually you I don't even think of this when reading but this has so much dialogue and honestly i loved it. I love the long passages between each character.

Okay I've digressed enough now to the story haha. In a nutshell Ender or Andrew Wiggin is a child in the future and at the ripe age of six the International Fleet (IF) recruit him to lead the defense of Earth against the alien buggers.

Ender though is no ordinary six year old in case your wondering. Most of the book focus's on the brutal training regime and the military's attempts to continuously break and re-break Ender. I wont go into the details but it's a dark
Story definately not for kids.

Ended endures hell and like any kid just wants go home, but he changes and it's both sad and fascinating watch him develop and do things he never wanted or expected he could at the beginning.

The thing though that really got to me though was Ender's relationship with his sister Valentine. In the beginning Valentine protects Ender her younger brother from her cruel eldest brother Peter. Watching how the relationship changes as years go by growing up without eachother is really tragic. They both love each other more than anyone in the world and so the separation is even more punishing. I felt sorry for Ender as Valentine continues to move on with her life and dare I say at times seems to forget Ender. Ender never stops. Some of the best moments in the book for me were the times Valentine and Ender meet. Really it's a love story but not in the way we imagine love is and i think these sorts of relationships should be explored more often personally !

I won't give anymore away except info want to say a little about Colonel Graff. He I would say is the closest thing to a villain in this story. He is ruthless and is the one behind tormenting Ender into the perfect tool for the military. What makes him terrifying is that despite his affection for Ender he let's nothing get in the way of what he sees as his job and he always presents as cool and calm. Laughing off the suggestions of others that he is pushing Ender too hard. From the beginning he and Ender have a very unique relationship.

I remember vividly the first conversation as Graff is about to lead Ender away from his family. He tells him how he is a burden to his parents and even though they love him they will be glad to see him go. He also explains that in time they will forget one another. They will soon be perfect strangers. I found it chilling that he was telling a child all this, but it says everything about what the relationship is between them.

What can I say I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. In substance it is Enders story the stuff about the bugger to me is filler. It poses an interesting ethical question too I think.

Well that is Ender's Game an amazing science fiction book. I hear there's a whole Ender saga. I know I hate series but maybe in this case I'll make an exception.

So happy reading every body. Next Perido Street Station!