Orson Scott Card

 

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       Orson writes a mixture of genres but is best known for his Science Fiction. And the best known of his books is "Ender's Game". Originally a short story that has expanded into a series of more than a dozen connected novels with myriad associated short stories, it is one of Science fictions great series.

       The novel "Ender's Game" itself deals with a young boy, a genius, thrust into a brutal world of military training as the forces of earth train children to lead the armies of the future in a battle against superior alien forces that are on their way. A rather typical Sci-fi idea but briliantly handled as all is not as it seems and there are politics and other issues that are the point, not really the story. Ender is a blindingly well realised character and it is his struggle with his situation that makes this story compelling. It is paralleled with the story of his siblings back on earth: his brother and sister represent the two extremes of Ender's character who can only succeed by working together and tempering each other's natural direction.

       It's hard to describe this book without making it seem somewhat disappointing unless some of the plot is given away in the telling. I wouldn't want to do this. Suffice it to say that I have handed out copies of this book to friends many times and al of them have not been sci-fi fans but loved this book. It truly is unputdownable. It is not a sci-fi book; it is a tale told in a sci-fi setting and the science is minimal and secondary. I recommend it to you unreservedly.

       Of his many other novels there are some gems and some les good but all are well crafted and highly readable. Lost Boys  and Seventh Son perhaps being the best, though others might argue for Pastwatch and many others.

Review posted by: Opal Archer

 

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