Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"This book was fine and was good as a kids' adventure book: a rant."
This book was not well-written in terms of character development, use of language, and generally in terms of authorial choices that took me out of my suspension of disbelief. It was entertaining, though, and a younger version of me would have loved this book. I only wish I could have come to it at age 12 or 13.
If you're an adult who loves sci-fi, you might think as you read, as did I: "This is Starship Troopers, only not as good." Or you might wish for more le Guin or Aasimov in OSC. In addition to the aforementioned reasons, I also found that the character not facing a real challenge until the final 20% of the book was dissatisfying for me as a reader interested in realistic characters overcoming challenging obstacles. The whole übermensch-type, go-it-alone, jesusy protagonist bothered me a lot, too. So this last thing is more about taste than objective standards.
In any case, as I said, this would have been an amazing book had I come to it about 25 years ago and without having other experiences in this genre of literature.
And I thought it's only Japanese who has the sick mind to put the burden of saving humankind in a hand of 14 year old. I should find the meme that pointed it out. And yes, watching anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Gundam series sure gave me better insight while reading this book.
Ender was younger than Shinji Ikari when he destroyed the whole buggers planet. Three years younger to be exact. But his preparation made him ready to fight whatever battle thrown at him. Unlike Shinji who went berserk on his first fight inside his Eva. Ender isn't a complicated character at all. He just wanted to be loved. Being born as a third, something that's equal as being a shame. I bet in Ender's world, being a bastard is better than being a third. So you can cheer now, Jon Snow.
I think everyone have experienced what Ender felt. And I don't mean being pushed to the limit to reach certain objectives. But the urge to feel loved, to feel accepted. I mean, at that age, 6-15, we started to identify ourselves with people around us. We started to make friends, socialize, or not to socialize, depend on our preferences. I even heard/read somewhere that a psychopath/sociopath tendencies were shown around this age.
I'm not gonna hype over the movie, as it's being a movie... Well, some details were obviously left out and changed, as it happened in many other movies. But I wish to know more about what happened on earth while Ender was busy with his trainings. There were glimpses here and there from Valentine's point of view about what she and Peter were doing, creating a fake identity over the network and gained a certain reputation. But how... the details... I wanna know more on how they're doing it. The propagandas they wrote. I guess I should continue to the next book to find out (if there's any).
Ender was younger than Shinji Ikari when he destroyed the whole buggers planet. Three years younger to be exact. But his preparation made him ready to fight whatever battle thrown at him. Unlike Shinji who went berserk on his first fight inside his Eva. Ender isn't a complicated character at all. He just wanted to be loved. Being born as a third, something that's equal as being a shame. I bet in Ender's world, being a bastard is better than being a third. So you can cheer now, Jon Snow.
I think everyone have experienced what Ender felt. And I don't mean being pushed to the limit to reach certain objectives. But the urge to feel loved, to feel accepted. I mean, at that age, 6-15, we started to identify ourselves with people around us. We started to make friends, socialize, or not to socialize, depend on our preferences. I even heard/read somewhere that a psychopath/sociopath tendencies were shown around this age.
I'm not gonna hype over the movie, as it's being a movie... Well, some details were obviously left out and changed, as it happened in many other movies. But I wish to know more about what happened on earth while Ender was busy with his trainings. There were glimpses here and there from Valentine's point of view about what she and Peter were doing, creating a fake identity over the network and gained a certain reputation. But how... the details... I wanna know more on how they're doing it. The propagandas they wrote. I guess I should continue to the next book to find out (if there's any).
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ender’s Game is held in extraordinarily high esteem in sci-fi circles and it is seen as one of sci-fi’s best specimens. But is it really?
In my opinion, it just missed the mark.
This week, I will be reviewing Ender’s Game, the book, not the movie. But, well, you could say I did review the movie, as it was perhaps one of the most faithful adaptations… ever.
Because of that, it has the exact same problem that shoved it out of the esteemed position of being legendary, in my opinion.
For me… it was the plot.
But I will get into that, after I rate its best aspect…
Btw, I now have a YouTube channel under Veronwë, where I dive into everything storytelling, including turning these reviews into videos… with the added bonus of an age rating.
Follow me if you like a detailed breakdown, rather than the monosentence majority of reviews on this platform XD
So… on with the review.
Characters: 10/10
I mean, it is called Ender’s Game. Ender, or his born name, Andrew, is the highlight of the story in a cast of extraordinary characters. Orson Scott Card perfectly demonstrated what I have been saying ever since I started this channel. Please, have competent protagonists. They are so much more interesting and less bland than a main character who is led around the nose by everybody. People might think, “Oh no, we mustn't do that, or it might be difficult to make him an underdog.”
Well, I shall just say the truth. Use your creative mind.
I love protagonists who have powerful strengths and debilitating weaknesses, who have a constant battle in themselves between the two.
This generates respect, which is, I think, even more important than likeability.
Peter and Valentine are perfect examples of personifying the themes in the story. This is how I create characters in my stories, I make them represent the different ways of handling the thematic question. The thematic question in Ender’s Game, ultimately, is the dangers of intelligence.
Peter represents the psychopathic, manipulative side, while Valentine represents the more compassionate, but less effective side.
So, Ender has to choose. Should he become the best of the best, while sacrificing his humanity for the sake of Earth, or should he be more compassionate, but be less effective at the same time.
The fantasy game is what forced him to confront this question.
This is where Ender’s Game shines.
With that over, the supporting characters, like Bernard, Petra, and the rest serve their purpose in stressing the theme. In the end, that is what supporting characters should be.
Phew, now with the good stuff out of the way, lets get into the weakness… the enormous hole…
Plot: 5/10
I mean, it was all pretty solid until that darn plot twist.
You might be saying, “That plot twist was shocking, forcing the themes to a head!”
But I would reply with… “Orson Scott Card built an expectation that there would be more, that this was just the beginning of the war against the buggers, that Ender would go and would actively participate in the fight.”
In the end though… It left me disappointed. There would be no Admiral Training, this was the end.
Just… Mr. Card, you should really have split Ender’s Game into two books instead, the first would have been the training, the second finishing the training and fighting the buggers.
We had that expectation, and he threw it out the window in favour of a shock. I mean, he handled it well, it served the story by forcing the settling of the question, creating catharsis.
But, when I put the book down, I said… “Meh. I was expecting more.”
This is why it failed to reach legendary status in my eyes.
But it is what it is. Orson Scott Card continued the story with a bunch more books in this world, but, well, they weren’t important enough to attract a lot of attention.
Worldbuilding: 7/10
The world was pretty solid. I especially liked the influence of the bugger invasion on the language, provoking the creation of many new idioms.
The rest of the world had some interesting politics happening, especially Peter’s rise to power, with the help of Valentine. This showed a disturbing picture of how easily a psychopath can become a powerful political figure.
What drove the rating down, though, was how distant it felt from Ender’s view, as all of our attention was on his commanding presence. It had little to do with the actual theme of the story.
The fantasy game, though, I would include more as a character than a part of the worldbuilding. Extraordinarily strange, how alive it feels.
But now, onto the…
Overall: 7/10
Technically 7.5, but I always round down when it comes to ratings.
Ender’s Game is an excellent read, as well as a perfect study on how characters should be made. The three siblings had 4d personalities, making them perhaps some of the best characters of all time.
But that ending left a very bad taste in my mouth, ruining most of the experience.
Despite that, I would encourage you to read it, as it has shaped sci-fi into its most modern form.
So, until next review,
Veronwë
In my opinion, it just missed the mark.
This week, I will be reviewing Ender’s Game, the book, not the movie. But, well, you could say I did review the movie, as it was perhaps one of the most faithful adaptations… ever.
Because of that, it has the exact same problem that shoved it out of the esteemed position of being legendary, in my opinion.
For me… it was the plot.
But I will get into that, after I rate its best aspect…
Btw, I now have a YouTube channel under Veronwë, where I dive into everything storytelling, including turning these reviews into videos… with the added bonus of an age rating.
Follow me if you like a detailed breakdown, rather than the monosentence majority of reviews on this platform XD
So… on with the review.
Characters: 10/10
I mean, it is called Ender’s Game. Ender, or his born name, Andrew, is the highlight of the story in a cast of extraordinary characters. Orson Scott Card perfectly demonstrated what I have been saying ever since I started this channel. Please, have competent protagonists. They are so much more interesting and less bland than a main character who is led around the nose by everybody. People might think, “Oh no, we mustn't do that, or it might be difficult to make him an underdog.”
Well, I shall just say the truth. Use your creative mind.
I love protagonists who have powerful strengths and debilitating weaknesses, who have a constant battle in themselves between the two.
This generates respect, which is, I think, even more important than likeability.
Peter and Valentine are perfect examples of personifying the themes in the story. This is how I create characters in my stories, I make them represent the different ways of handling the thematic question. The thematic question in Ender’s Game, ultimately, is the dangers of intelligence.
Peter represents the psychopathic, manipulative side, while Valentine represents the more compassionate, but less effective side.
So, Ender has to choose. Should he become the best of the best, while sacrificing his humanity for the sake of Earth, or should he be more compassionate, but be less effective at the same time.
The fantasy game is what forced him to confront this question.
This is where Ender’s Game shines.
With that over, the supporting characters, like Bernard, Petra, and the rest serve their purpose in stressing the theme. In the end, that is what supporting characters should be.
Phew, now with the good stuff out of the way, lets get into the weakness… the enormous hole…
Plot: 5/10
I mean, it was all pretty solid until that darn plot twist.
You might be saying, “That plot twist was shocking, forcing the themes to a head!”
But I would reply with… “Orson Scott Card built an expectation that there would be more, that this was just the beginning of the war against the buggers, that Ender would go and would actively participate in the fight.”
In the end though… It left me disappointed. There would be no Admiral Training, this was the end.
Just… Mr. Card, you should really have split Ender’s Game into two books instead, the first would have been the training, the second finishing the training and fighting the buggers.
We had that expectation, and he threw it out the window in favour of a shock. I mean, he handled it well, it served the story by forcing the settling of the question, creating catharsis.
But, when I put the book down, I said… “Meh. I was expecting more.”
This is why it failed to reach legendary status in my eyes.
But it is what it is. Orson Scott Card continued the story with a bunch more books in this world, but, well, they weren’t important enough to attract a lot of attention.
Worldbuilding: 7/10
The world was pretty solid. I especially liked the influence of the bugger invasion on the language, provoking the creation of many new idioms.
The rest of the world had some interesting politics happening, especially Peter’s rise to power, with the help of Valentine. This showed a disturbing picture of how easily a psychopath can become a powerful political figure.
What drove the rating down, though, was how distant it felt from Ender’s view, as all of our attention was on his commanding presence. It had little to do with the actual theme of the story.
The fantasy game, though, I would include more as a character than a part of the worldbuilding. Extraordinarily strange, how alive it feels.
But now, onto the…
Overall: 7/10
Technically 7.5, but I always round down when it comes to ratings.
Ender’s Game is an excellent read, as well as a perfect study on how characters should be made. The three siblings had 4d personalities, making them perhaps some of the best characters of all time.
But that ending left a very bad taste in my mouth, ruining most of the experience.
Despite that, I would encourage you to read it, as it has shaped sci-fi into its most modern form.
So, until next review,
Veronwë
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found the suspension of disbelief required to accept that a group of preteens are political and tactical masterminds was too high to stomach. I think I would have assimilated the story better if the characters had been aged up a little. Every so often I would remember that Ender is 10 years old and it was jarring.
Um wow. WAYYY better than the movie I watched as a kid. Couldn't put it down!
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced