Alexander's Reviews > Ender’s Game
Ender’s Game (Ender's Saga, #1)
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** spoiler alert **
I read this novel because it was often the favorite novel of students of mine, and I wanted to understand why. I should mention that I love science fiction, and have read it avidly since I was barely more than a child. I'm not by any means some kind of anti-sci-fi snob.
The first thing that bothered me is that the novel sets adults against gifted children in a way that strikes me as bizarre. Adults are essentially evil but teachers especially. The children are inherently excellent, capable of helping each other in trying to figure out just what the adults are hiding, which is, in this case, a vast and secret war they are tricking the children into fighting for them. This was perhaps the hardest to believe of all the things thrown at the reader, and interestingly, it is hidden from you until the very end, though you can guess at it before then.
What disturbed me the most is that the writing is terrible---far too much happens internally, inside the character's head--it's an emo space opera, basically--and one of the most interesting events of the book is nearly buried and the presentation of it is rushed, because it is near the end. There are many points in the battle scenes where it is impossible to understand what's happening. And the penultimate plot event, where it's revealed all of the games were not..games...could have been handled more interestingly. But the novel was overdetermined, things happening only because the writer wants them too and not because they feel inevitable, and so too many of the arrows point in the same direction. By the time Ender meets Mazer, his final teacher, my eyes rolled back into my head at the implausibility of it all.
And it's worth mentioning the thing no one prepared me for was the bizarre homoerotic subtext built into the book as well, a subtext that is sometimes just a plain old supertext, on display, right beside how women in this novel are to be loved distantly and kept from real knowledge, and turned against themselves, so they can then be used to compel others.
It creeped me out and I'm gay.
I'm also a former 'gifted child', and was tested and poked and pushed, all of these things, made to study computer programming when I didn't want to, and I made myself fail out of their program to get away from them. But I found no commonality with the gifted children here, not as I have in other stories about gifted children, say, like Salinger's Glass family. Also, these kids are all jerks.
I do hand it to Card for the ideas in the novel: blogging? Yes. It's in here, well before anyone was doing it, and it ...matters a lot, and in the ways blogging matters. Also the idea of an institution that runs on the manipulation of its populace into a distant war with an implacable foe, as a way of controlling people. And a society that has no privacy at all, not even in dreams. This novel does offer a dark picture of what life is like under these terms. Also, the idea of how a hive-mind would think differently, without language, and the complications of communicating with someone like that, that's brilliant also.
I wish it had been revised--that the battle scenes were clearer, that the movement of the novel's action, the way the 'buggers' are in a race to try and communicate with Ender before he kills them, that this were more obvious to the reader, and not a surprise whipped out at the end, so that it could have lent tension to the scenes of the games and manipulation, which were only boring. And Ender's decision, to be the Speaker for the Dead, that struck me cold, because in the end, the buggers were only trying to do what everyone else in his life were doing to him: poring over what makes him tick and trying to get him to do their bidding.
The novel contains a rant against style at the beginning, added by Card, called 'literary tricks' by him. I think the most interesting thing about it is that given the millions sold, it is proof that story matters more than style, even as convoluted and badly formed as this one is. In the end what matters is the questions the novel raises and the implications of the questions, and that the novel really is about something at its core, behind all of the badly rendered fight scenes. I admire style, don't get me wrong. I love it. But it would appear you can get by without it.
The first thing that bothered me is that the novel sets adults against gifted children in a way that strikes me as bizarre. Adults are essentially evil but teachers especially. The children are inherently excellent, capable of helping each other in trying to figure out just what the adults are hiding, which is, in this case, a vast and secret war they are tricking the children into fighting for them. This was perhaps the hardest to believe of all the things thrown at the reader, and interestingly, it is hidden from you until the very end, though you can guess at it before then.
What disturbed me the most is that the writing is terrible---far too much happens internally, inside the character's head--it's an emo space opera, basically--and one of the most interesting events of the book is nearly buried and the presentation of it is rushed, because it is near the end. There are many points in the battle scenes where it is impossible to understand what's happening. And the penultimate plot event, where it's revealed all of the games were not..games...could have been handled more interestingly. But the novel was overdetermined, things happening only because the writer wants them too and not because they feel inevitable, and so too many of the arrows point in the same direction. By the time Ender meets Mazer, his final teacher, my eyes rolled back into my head at the implausibility of it all.
And it's worth mentioning the thing no one prepared me for was the bizarre homoerotic subtext built into the book as well, a subtext that is sometimes just a plain old supertext, on display, right beside how women in this novel are to be loved distantly and kept from real knowledge, and turned against themselves, so they can then be used to compel others.
It creeped me out and I'm gay.
I'm also a former 'gifted child', and was tested and poked and pushed, all of these things, made to study computer programming when I didn't want to, and I made myself fail out of their program to get away from them. But I found no commonality with the gifted children here, not as I have in other stories about gifted children, say, like Salinger's Glass family. Also, these kids are all jerks.
I do hand it to Card for the ideas in the novel: blogging? Yes. It's in here, well before anyone was doing it, and it ...matters a lot, and in the ways blogging matters. Also the idea of an institution that runs on the manipulation of its populace into a distant war with an implacable foe, as a way of controlling people. And a society that has no privacy at all, not even in dreams. This novel does offer a dark picture of what life is like under these terms. Also, the idea of how a hive-mind would think differently, without language, and the complications of communicating with someone like that, that's brilliant also.
I wish it had been revised--that the battle scenes were clearer, that the movement of the novel's action, the way the 'buggers' are in a race to try and communicate with Ender before he kills them, that this were more obvious to the reader, and not a surprise whipped out at the end, so that it could have lent tension to the scenes of the games and manipulation, which were only boring. And Ender's decision, to be the Speaker for the Dead, that struck me cold, because in the end, the buggers were only trying to do what everyone else in his life were doing to him: poring over what makes him tick and trying to get him to do their bidding.
The novel contains a rant against style at the beginning, added by Card, called 'literary tricks' by him. I think the most interesting thing about it is that given the millions sold, it is proof that story matters more than style, even as convoluted and badly formed as this one is. In the end what matters is the questions the novel raises and the implications of the questions, and that the novel really is about something at its core, behind all of the badly rendered fight scenes. I admire style, don't get me wrong. I love it. But it would appear you can get by without it.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
January 1, 2008
–
Finished Reading
January 11, 2008
– Shelved
Comments Showing 1-50 of 58 (58 new)
message 1:
by
Adam
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rated it 2 stars
Feb 26, 2008 07:57AM
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Alex, I recommend this article on the book by another North Carolina writer, John Kessel, "Creating the Innocent Killer: Ender's Game, Intention, and Morality" http://www4.ncsu.edu/~tenshi/Killer_0...
I really enjoyed the book when I read it—I was 16 or 17 and liked the short story version, too. Although on a simplistic level, reading it as a kid in Scotland, the enemies being called buggers made the sexual politics of the novel pretty plain. I read anything by him (historical/religous romance? Sure!) for a while until they started creeping me out—some of his short fiction is messed up! Some in creepy ways, some in interesting ways.
The novel is a fascinating case study as it sells and sells (Bookscan says it's #1 on the science fiction charts this week (2500 copies sold) and they have it at almost 2 million sales so far) and yet it also drives people crazy. Oh well.
I really enjoyed the book when I read it—I was 16 or 17 and liked the short story version, too. Although on a simplistic level, reading it as a kid in Scotland, the enemies being called buggers made the sexual politics of the novel pretty plain. I read anything by him (historical/religous romance? Sure!) for a while until they started creeping me out—some of his short fiction is messed up! Some in creepy ways, some in interesting ways.
The novel is a fascinating case study as it sells and sells (Bookscan says it's #1 on the science fiction charts this week (2500 copies sold) and they have it at almost 2 million sales so far) and yet it also drives people crazy. Oh well.
![Randy Mulder](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1320644488p1/275966.jpg)
I heard he had made comments that denounce homosexuality?
I got the whole homoerotic feel from the content too.
Maybe it's creepy because he's in the closet.
Does an in the closet author send bizarre messages because of their repressed feelings?
Anyways, besides the psycho-social analysis of an author and his book, I would say he still got my attention with the internal dialogue of the main character. I don't mind that this is a twist on reality. Fiction is about...what if...
What if there will be a time when kids will think adults are up to no good and they have the special ability to out do them?!
You think this is farfetched?
I'm gay and have dyslexia. For some people growing up was all about not trusting others...even parents.
I think a lot of people can relate to getting away from where they grew up. Getting away from their family. Some people literally have to escape where they live to survive on their own at age 14. They go to school in big cities, find strangers to live with...and finally they get a job and place of their own. Some parents are darn right evil!
Have you looked around you? Have you talked to people about their past?
I have found countless people that had to escape their abusive parents, with or without special needs, in order to be themselves and survive. While they were kids they had to sleep with doors locked, sleep outside in the rain in their own backyard etc. and then go to school and church pretending everything is okay. Remember, kids and teens can have horrible lives and, therefore I can understand why they can be tough sometimes.
You try living with adults as a child wherein you donot know what the next day will bring all year round....from birth to your teens.
I think he hit these feelings right on the nail!
Brave author!
![Izy Betancourt](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1347681179p1/12843156.jpg)
It doesn't try to set up the adults as enemies but expresses the views of adults from a child's perspective. & usually from a gifted child's perspective they are either stupid or lack morality. The teacher's aren't being evil but trying to raise soldiers not human beings. And the best way is to ignore certain morals & teach/train them with a lack of compassion.
The whole of a story takes place in the mind because that's how Over-analytical people tend to be. Many tend to be the Introverted type, preferring to sit with a good book than join in with the group.
There is nothing Homoerotic about it. Except for the Sailor humor. When men live together in groups for a long time shame dwindles and their genitals are the butt of every joke.
The women being loved/admired from a distance the traditional "Hero's Dilemma" They love some one but protecting them takes priority, the way a soldier leaves his country to protect his family. And adds further to it with the idea quite a few have, relationships are distractions.
I personally have been considered gifted from a young age & found solace in this book, spending my time around other gifted children I still didn't fit in. And this book almost mirrored it, taking many ideas and views I had since I was a child it was my favorite, until I read Ender's Shadow.
![Ryu](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1360445327p1/10388449.jpg)
With one of the first chapters of the book, Ender KNOWS that adults lie to him to hide things from him. He already knows that he should believe the opposite of what they tell him. But, that doesn't even stay true throughout the book. In the school, he thinks that the teachers are going to be there to help him no matter what. The story goes back on itself throughout the entire book. That just goes to bad writing.
I completely agree with the lack of details. The battles were so vague, and when he did describe anything, it was mostly confusing. I think he is just not a good action writer. He doesn't know how to write those types of scenes, therefore he doesn't. I do agree with leaving things to the imagination, but this book is lacking just enough.
Yes, there is obvious homoerotic subtext in this book. Which is weird, because yes, Card is mormon and a bigot. With that being said, anyone's idea that since it's the future, that it would be free of sexual distraction is incorrect. Card clearly states in chapter 3 that women are not equal to men. There is no "co-ed" in the school. One girl made it, therefore that means she isn't a girl. Again, the homoerotic subtext.
There is so much more to rant on about this book, but you did such a great job in your review to state them. Thank you!
![Llalania](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1332867855p1/8423893.jpg)
![rameau](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1341336616p1/4884555.jpg)
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![Decker](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1310932371p1/3800553.jpg)
Please tell me this is meant ironically.
![Llalania](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1332867855p1/8423893.jpg)
While I agree with you to a point, I just have to point out that it's not possible for authors not to include their opinions. It just kinda comes out when you write.
![Alexander](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1577467418p1/145922.jpg)
![Marshall](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1442469454p1/3706913.jpg)
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You said "The first thing that bothered me is that the novel sets adults against gifted children in a way that strikes me as bizarre." I can't disagree more, and I thought saying something like that meant you read the letter but not the spirit. And then you went on "Adults are essentially evil but teachers especially". That's the point. You're a teacher, and that's why you couldn't read the spirit. I mean, the story mentions almost no teacher, except Maze. So I think you refer to Graff. I don't think anybody loves Ender more than Graff does, with the exception of Valentine. But it hit the wrong vibe in you with the teacher stuff, so you chose not to see the meaning behind the story.
You found a "bizarre homoerotic subtext". I had no idea where could you find that.. until I read you're gay. Again, it hit the wrong vibe in you. As the whole gifted child thing did: you were a gifted child, too.
I honestly think half way around the book you forgot about Ender and started to read about yourself. Which is a pity, since I think it's an amazing story, a place where deep philosophical discussions about mankind take place. And "Speaker for the Dead" is even better. But I guess you're not interested on it, right? :)
I enjoyed your review because I like to see several sides of the story, not just mine, and you wrote it very well. But I think you're wrong, dear Goodreads' mate :)
![Alexander](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1577467418p1/145922.jpg)
![Joey](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1561310403p1/10200884.jpg)
![Llalania](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1332867855p1/8423893.jpg)
![Nick Almand](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1442650631p1/15648738.jpg)
'kaaaay.
![Joey](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1561310403p1/10200884.jpg)
![Jessica](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
![Ali](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
"far too much happens internally"
i got sick of sentences like those;
"and he felt this way, and he felt that way, he was not afraid of that, he missed her....bla bla bla blaaaaaaaaa!"
and also i had guessed the amazing super surprise end before almost 30 pages from the end!
this book is totally waste of time. i will think again when i decide a book to read next time.
![Nick Almand](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1442650631p1/15648738.jpg)
![Adrian Bernardino](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1355994664p1/15640171.jpg)
![Alexander Fényi](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
![Brian Surratt](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1537974226p1/13126771.jpg)
And then when we both end up in the principal's office, we both get the same punishment. Even though it was clear that he was the instigator. So, from that experience I also learned to distrust and not rely on teachers to keep me safe. A lesson Ender learns as well.
Finally, he estranged from his parents because he's a Third and the contract they entered into in order to have him. He's a genius kid amongst brilliant siblings. He's alienated from the other students because he's a Third and the government monitor. Given all of this, the heavy use of an internal voice seems completely appropriate.
![Catherine Metzger](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1361595831p1/17731885.jpg)
![Deon](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
I do agree with the comments regarding the last few pages of the book. It seems as if Card needed to create a springboard for the sequel and went about it a bit hastily and superficially. All in all, though, the book isn't that bad.
![Vasanth](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1336075273p1/9249553.jpg)
![Marta](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1610295943p1/25497095.jpg)
![Delaney](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
![Keary](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
![Keary](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
Next time you read the book count the number of times he mentions little boy asses in the first 50 pages. Hint: It's more than a few.
![Delaney](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
I have read this book several times and not once did I think that card was gay when he refers to the boys asses. I think that it adds in the realistic effect of the book. When they were nude it was supposed signify Enders vulnerability, and if you were bothered by it then why did you give it such a high rating.
Next time you make a comment please make sure that you have all the facts strait. Hint: Bonzo was killed when Ender jumped up and jammed Bonzo's nose into his brain. (you may not have read Enders shadow but it clearly states that you comment is wrong)