The GOT Book Club

[degsy]

Enders Game by Orson Scott Card

View attachment 130489

Blurb
Andrew "Ender" Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast.


This is not a new book to me, I read it a couple of years after it was published in the late 80's. About 6-7 years ago I watched the film adaptation (Harrison Ford). Couldn't remember the book that well at the time, so I couldn't really compare the film to it, the zero G battle training was the main thing I remembered from the film. So as this book is on so many modern top ten Sci-Fi lists I decided to grab the ebook and give it a re-read.
Considering it was written in the mid 80's the story stands up a lot better than the majority of 30-year-old sci-Fi. I think the writing is good and it's an interesting story, especially with the inclusion of his siblings. However, the story arc involving those two gets silly imo and does nothing for the story except make the book longer.
There are parts in it that nowadays would be deemed unacceptable by society's standards. The author has been involved in some controversies, (he is a bit scummy) over the years which I discovered grabbing reviews for this post.
That said, on a 2nd reading, albeit with a gap of 30 years, the book is a lot better than I remembered, I still don't class it as a top book, certainly good but not a top 10, unlike on a lot of peoples lists.
I was a tad worried that I would find it to be more a young adult book, but to be fair it's still a decent read. I would say that if you do read it then do not watch the film adaptation, the book has a lot more substance and you will come away from the film thinking about all the stuff that was left out.
If you haven't read it then it's worth a go, some suspension of belief is required due to some plot holes, and also some parts of it could be construed as offensive (certainly in the edition I read)


Reviews
1. On its surface, it is a great story about a young boy who goes through tremendous struggles. On another level, it is a brilliant psychological character study and an observation of group dynamics. On still another level it was an intelligent allegory for violence and bellicosity in ourselves and our society. There is a listopia list that calls this the best science fiction novel. Mmmmm, maybe. I can see why someone would say so. I have heard where military organizations have assigned this for cadet reading.
2. This has to be, hands down, one of the best science fiction books written. Ender's Game is set in a disarmingly straight forward sci-fi setting: a near-future earth threatened by a hostile alien species with superior technology that seems determined to destroy the human race. The story centers on a young boy who is drafted into an all-consuming military training program at the age of 6. The program he's inducted into seeks to forge a new generation of military commanders out of gifted children
3. 225 pages about a boy playing video games, battling in zero gravity, and learning about how the military works? I can work up some interest for these things, but there has to be some characters I care about. However, how exactly am I supposed to find compassion for a boy who goes from one task to another never failing and always being the best at EVERYTHING, and not because he works hard to achieve his greatness, but because he was genetically engineered to be the best? Where is the conflict and character growth here I wonder?
4. I was shocked when I learned that my English teacher was going to include Ender's Game in the class curriculum. In an Honors level class, it seemed like the predetermined focus were the works of Shakespeare and Homer - not a story about little boys fighting aliens in space. After reading the novel I realized that the book contained some deep themes about society, such as a man's ability to protect himself and individual rights versus social welfare. While it wasn't my favorite book read in school this year, Ender's Game provided an interesting look at an alternate future.

It's not as brilliant as a lot of reviews/lists make out.

Price
ebook £5 paperback £7 - worth it if you haven't read it

This is book one of a series, I will probably swerve the others, this one is enough for me.

iirc, he had a brother, a much more interesting character

 

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

I’m half way through the brothers karamazov by Dostoyevsky. Possibly the most boring book I’ve ever read.

Bloody hell. What do you usually read?

 

[Walter Ego]

Bloody hell. What do you usually read?

Classsics mainly. Not sure why. Maybe I’m trying to be clever. Well in know I am but the truth is most of that 19th century stuff is just dry as fcuk and isn’t really worth the effort.

 

[LostLegend]

Currently around half-way through this.
Haven't read a great deal of fiction lately, but fancied something a little less taxing to read on my workday breaks.

The story begins with a man waking from a coma on a spacecraft with no memory of who he is, where he is or why he's there and soon finds that the rest of the crew are dead.

I'll say no more as it's one of those books that's built around intrigue and mystery and you find out snippets of the story throughout as the character has flashbacks to the events leading up to his current predicament. It's had me hooked from the first chapter.

It's written by the same guy behind 'The Martian' and has a fair few similarities. Hard-Sci-fi outer space hi-jinks with plenty of wisecrack humour, although it does a few sudden twists and turns more than The Martian does.

Enjoying it so far any way

Finally finished this.

While I enjoyed this for the most part, it gets seriously bogged down for the second half.

The problem is that it starts so strong. The mystery of the where, how and, why the protagonist is where he is along with the flashbacks offering snippets of info was genuinely compelling. Once the first act is out of the way though, the plot seems to get bogged down.
It's pretty science heavy, like The Martian, but the problem is, while it's a useful device to move the plot along, the story ends up as a continuous loop of "disaster strikes, protagonist potters around in his lab to avert further disaster*

As I said, I did enjoy this overall, mostly for one main aspect which I wont spoil here *AMAZE* ( ) it just loses a lot of momentum after the first act for me.

 

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

Classsics mainly. Not sure why. Maybe I’m trying to be clever. Well in know I am but the truth is most of that 19th century stuff is just dry as fcuk and isn’t really worth the effort.

Fair enough mate. The Brothers is considered one of the best novels ever written - I couldn’t say because I haven’t read enough books. I did love it though.

If it’s not worth the effort just sack it off...

 

[Mr. Johnny Lennon]

His Warlord trilogy is a work of art imho. Mrs Thumpety-Thump loves the Last Kingdom series more, but I reckon his Arthur books are better than anything else he's written.

I love the Sharpe novels too, spent a month in India years ago visiting some of the battlefields mentioned in the early books.

The Sharpe series is such a guilty pleasure of mine. So entertaining, not horribly written but nothing too great.

Honestly think the Warlord trilogy is very good, was planning on a reread but got enamored with the Aubrey-Maturin series this year (just started book 15).

 

[Bishop Thumpety-Thump]

The Sharpe series is such a guilty pleasure of mine. So entertaining, not horribly written but nothing too great.

Honestly think the Warlord trilogy is very good, was planning on a reread but got enamored with the Aubrey-Maturin series this year (just started book 15).

My Dad loves O'Brian but I struggled to get into them if I'm honest. Maybe I need to give them another go.

 

[Mr. Johnny Lennon]

My Dad loves O'Brian but I struggled to get into them if I'm honest. Maybe I need to give them another go.

This is my third go at it so I completely understand. Stumbled upon a podcast (lubber's hole) that goes through each book, listening to that after finishing a book has helped immensely.

It took me a while but framing these not as "naval war books" but as "character driven books" helped me get over the hump.

Edit: I think my initial issue (other than the naval jargon) was forcing this heroic image onto the main character Jack. While he's a great captain, he's also a fat dude that loves horrible jokes and laughing at his own bad puns.

 

[Walter Ego]

Talking of Sharpe. Many moons ago when I was ploughing through that series, me and the Mrs had gone out on the lash and had a particularly heavy session. I remember lying in bed trying to get to sleep and the room was spinning. I suddenly blurted out “What would Sharpe do in this situation?” to hysterics from my wife. Even to this day, some 20 odd years later, if anything comes up that’s a bit tricky she’ll ask me “ What would Sharpe do in this situation?“ lol
I guess you had to be there

 

[Walter Ego]

Fair enough mate. The Brothers is considered one of the best novels ever written - I couldn’t say because I haven’t read enough books. I did love it though.

If it’s not worth the effort just sack it off...

I never sack off anything. It’s something weird I know. Every book I’ve started I’ve finished.

 

[LostLegend]

In April of 1846, twenty-one-year-old Sarah Graves, intent on a better future, set out west from Illinois with her new husband, her parents, and eight siblings. Seven months later, after joining a party of pioneers led by George Donner, they reached the Sierra Nevada Mountains as the first heavy snows of the season closed the pass ahead of them. In early December, starving and desperate, Sarah and fourteen others set out for California on snowshoes, and, over the next thirty-two days, endured almost unfathomable hardships and horrors.In this gripping narrative, New York Times bestselling author Daniel James Brown sheds new light on one of the most legendary events in American history. Following every painful footstep of Sarah's journey with the Donner Party, Brown produces a tale both spellbinding and richly informative.

Something a bit heavier this time.
I listened to a podcast about this a few months back and this book was highly recommended by the host.

Really liking how deeply descriptive the book gets on the surroundings. The towns they pass through with the sights and smells and the vibrant colours and vistas when out in the wilderness. Really gives a vivid image of the stunning countryside these horrific events took place in.

 

[COYBL25]

In April of 1846, twenty-one-year-old Sarah Graves, intent on a better future, set out west from Illinois with her new husband, her parents, and eight siblings. Seven months later, after joining a party of pioneers led by George Donner, they reached the Sierra Nevada Mountains as the first heavy snows of the season closed the pass ahead of them. In early December, starving and desperate, Sarah and fourteen others set out for California on snowshoes, and, over the next thirty-two days, endured almost unfathomable hardships and horrors.In this gripping narrative, New York Times bestselling author Daniel James Brown sheds new light on one of the most legendary events in American history. Following every painful footstep of Sarah's journey with the Donner Party, Brown produces a tale both spellbinding and richly informative.

Something a bit heavier this time.
I listened to a podcast about this a few months back and this book was highly recommended by the host.

Really liking how deeply descriptive the book gets on the surroundings. The towns they pass through with the sights and smells and the vibrant colours and vistas when out in the wilderness. Really gives a vivid image of the stunning countryside these horrific events took place in.

Like the sound of that.

On my reading list

 

[Terrarian]

Nearly finished Way of Kings, took me a while to get into it as it tends to bolt all over the show but enjoying it now.

 

[Deleted member 48881]

Now reading

 

[Efcjake]

Enders Game by Orson Scott Card

View attachment 130489

Blurb
Andrew "Ender" Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast.


This is not a new book to me, I read it a couple of years after it was published in the late 80's. About 6-7 years ago I watched the film adaptation (Harrison Ford). Couldn't remember the book that well at the time, so I couldn't really compare the film to it, the zero G battle training was the main thing I remembered from the film. So as this book is on so many modern top ten Sci-Fi lists I decided to grab the ebook and give it a re-read.
Considering it was written in the mid 80's the story stands up a lot better than the majority of 30-year-old sci-Fi. I think the writing is good and it's an interesting story, especially with the inclusion of his siblings. However, the story arc involving those two gets silly imo and does nothing for the story except make the book longer.
There are parts in it that nowadays would be deemed unacceptable by society's standards. The author has been involved in some controversies, (he is a bit scummy) over the years which I discovered grabbing reviews for this post.
That said, on a 2nd reading, albeit with a gap of 30 years, the book is a lot better than I remembered, I still don't class it as a top book, certainly good but not a top 10, unlike on a lot of peoples lists.
I was a tad worried that I would find it to be more a young adult book, but to be fair it's still a decent read. I would say that if you do read it then do not watch the film adaptation, the book has a lot more substance and you will come away from the film thinking about all the stuff that was left out.
If you haven't read it then it's worth a go, some suspension of belief is required due to some plot holes, and also some parts of it could be construed as offensive (certainly in the edition I read)


Reviews
1. On its surface, it is a great story about a young boy who goes through tremendous struggles. On another level, it is a brilliant psychological character study and an observation of group dynamics. On still another level it was an intelligent allegory for violence and bellicosity in ourselves and our society. There is a listopia list that calls this the best science fiction novel. Mmmmm, maybe. I can see why someone would say so. I have heard where military organizations have assigned this for cadet reading.
2. This has to be, hands down, one of the best science fiction books written. Ender's Game is set in a disarmingly straight forward sci-fi setting: a near-future earth threatened by a hostile alien species with superior technology that seems determined to destroy the human race. The story centers on a young boy who is drafted into an all-consuming military training program at the age of 6. The program he's inducted into seeks to forge a new generation of military commanders out of gifted children
3. 225 pages about a boy playing video games, battling in zero gravity, and learning about how the military works? I can work up some interest for these things, but there has to be some characters I care about. However, how exactly am I supposed to find compassion for a boy who goes from one task to another never failing and always being the best at EVERYTHING, and not because he works hard to achieve his greatness, but because he was genetically engineered to be the best? Where is the conflict and character growth here I wonder?
4. I was shocked when I learned that my English teacher was going to include Ender's Game in the class curriculum. In an Honors level class, it seemed like the predetermined focus were the works of Shakespeare and Homer - not a story about little boys fighting aliens in space. After reading the novel I realized that the book contained some deep themes about society, such as a man's ability to protect himself and individual rights versus social welfare. While it wasn't my favorite book read in school this year, Ender's Game provided an interesting look at an alternate future.

It's not as brilliant as a lot of reviews/lists make out.

Price
ebook £5 paperback £7 - worth it if you haven't read it

This is book one of a series, I will probably swerve the others, this one is enough for me.

The sequels do get a bit mad, if you liked the book I would reccomend just reading the summaries for curiosity's sake.

The original is a really great story though once you get over the main characters all being about 6-8 years old.

The movie wasn't terrible and features Ben Kingsley as a maori which was quite the interesting choice but I thought it was alright.