“Ender’s Game,” a 352 pages novel written by Orson Scott Card
in 1985, is a work of science fiction that is widely regarded as young adult
fiction at its best—a recommended read on the Marine Corps Reading List since
its publication. Though the novel’s setting is sci-fi proper (alien invasion
anyone), science is meager throughout; there is a story and quite a nice plot,
but nothing new on the sci-fi front. What ultimately enticed millions of
readers and brought the novel its fame is Andrew ‘Ender’ Wiggins, the
protagonist himself and the humanistic themes exploited here and there. The
hugely popular novel has grown into twelve novels, twelve short stories and 47
comic issues.
The novel opens on-almost-a post apocalyptic world: earth had
barely survived two invasions by the aliens: the ‘buggers.’ Belligerent
factions of the world are miraculously united and decide that the best defense
lies in attack. So, they plan to shift the battle to land of the buggers before
the next wave of invasion. Everything is set: warships and veteran soldiers and
the incredible secret weapon—but what lacks is the ‘one,’ the ultimate
commander. The military authority searches the masses, and eventually
conscripts every promising child. The youngest of a string of genius siblings,
Ender, is picked at the age of six.
What follows is the quintessential ‘coming of age’ novel; however,
Ender is much younger, and the themes are more mature and universal.
OS Card’s prose is curt, more on the dry side; dialogue is plenty,
yet bland and impersonal and not as smart as the characters are supposed to be.
The themes discussed throughout the novel are universal and the writer does a
nice job being ambivalent most of the time. However, commercial sensationalism,
constantly justifying and sanctifying the protagonist, and the implausibility of
the subplot (one in which brother-sister domineering of Earth by fake personas)
are major plunders that eats glory out of this work and bereaves it a ‘classic’
status.
The novel is an enjoyable read, especially the first hundred
pages and the last fifty. Recommended reading for the coming of age youth,
especially those looking for an inspiration.
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