Decided that I'd review every book I ever read, one review per day. Note: there will be spoilers. Also, these are stream-of-consciousness reviews and my memory of some of said books may be more hazy then others: these aren't books I've read recently, just ones I've ever read in the past. Leave a comment if you like.
Review #1: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.
Hands down my favorite book of all time. Ender's Game is the story of young Ender Wiggin, who gets drafted into Battle School so that he can learn how to lead an army to defeat an evil alien race known as the Buggers (or Formics, as they were later renamed).
Okay, sure, the fact that they're called the Buggers must seem incredibly silly (especially in England I'm sure) but if you can move past that what we get is a brilliant commentary on the nature of war and survival.
Basically, for some unknown reason the Buggers invade the planet Earth and have since retreated back to their home world after they were defeated by Mazer Rackham. As the story progresses not only do we find out that Mazer is alive but also that the Buggers simply didn't know that killing humans was the equivalent of killing individuals, horrifying the hive-minded Bugger race.
This, to me, works as a commentary on how wars can start off as nothing more than a cultural misunderstanding, thus highlighting the horror of war.
Ender eventually must go up against a bully known as Bonzo Madrid and, in his desperation to survive, accidentally kills him (he also killed another child near the beginning of the book). Now, it's made very clear that he only went as far as he did because he didn't want to die, didn't want to get hurt. Human beings lash out at each other all the time and, paradoxically survival is both good and bad. Good in that you continue to live on and bad in that the other person(s) does not, and even an innocent would-be victim can do monstrous things for the sake of that survival.
Ender laments the deaths of his tormentors and, after killing almost the entire Bugger race, laments their deaths equally. Why? Because death is always a tragedy, even if it's the death of an enemy.
Now, in the MOVIE version of Ender's Game Bonzo lives while most of the Bugger race still dies, accidentally implying that the death of one human child is somehow WORSE than the death of an entire species. Which is...unfortunate. But in cases of both the book and the movie it's made very clear that war is hell, one that should not be glorified and should not be repeated if possible. War should only be fought in cases of survival and/or preserving our way of life. War is horrible, it is not peace, but it can ironically lead to peace.
I first read this book when I was about fifteen and, ten years later, I have yet to find another book that I can call its equal. I've read it three times and even own a copy of the unedited book (the one that infamously uses the 'N' word).
Now, I know about Orson Scott Card's political reviews and to that I'll say just this: when it comes to war and understanding the basic right to life for everyone, even current enemies, the man is a genius and should be praised for this enlightened viewpoint. Ender's Game, to me, is more than a book: it is a commentary on the nature of war and survival, redemption and the love of all life, even life that you culturally disagree with.
Rating: Five out of five stars.
Whew! This was fun! Tomorrow I'll be reviewing Eva by Peter Dickinson. Until then! Thanks for reading!
Review #1: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.
Hands down my favorite book of all time. Ender's Game is the story of young Ender Wiggin, who gets drafted into Battle School so that he can learn how to lead an army to defeat an evil alien race known as the Buggers (or Formics, as they were later renamed).
Okay, sure, the fact that they're called the Buggers must seem incredibly silly (especially in England I'm sure) but if you can move past that what we get is a brilliant commentary on the nature of war and survival.
Basically, for some unknown reason the Buggers invade the planet Earth and have since retreated back to their home world after they were defeated by Mazer Rackham. As the story progresses not only do we find out that Mazer is alive but also that the Buggers simply didn't know that killing humans was the equivalent of killing individuals, horrifying the hive-minded Bugger race.
This, to me, works as a commentary on how wars can start off as nothing more than a cultural misunderstanding, thus highlighting the horror of war.
Ender eventually must go up against a bully known as Bonzo Madrid and, in his desperation to survive, accidentally kills him (he also killed another child near the beginning of the book). Now, it's made very clear that he only went as far as he did because he didn't want to die, didn't want to get hurt. Human beings lash out at each other all the time and, paradoxically survival is both good and bad. Good in that you continue to live on and bad in that the other person(s) does not, and even an innocent would-be victim can do monstrous things for the sake of that survival.
Ender laments the deaths of his tormentors and, after killing almost the entire Bugger race, laments their deaths equally. Why? Because death is always a tragedy, even if it's the death of an enemy.
Now, in the MOVIE version of Ender's Game Bonzo lives while most of the Bugger race still dies, accidentally implying that the death of one human child is somehow WORSE than the death of an entire species. Which is...unfortunate. But in cases of both the book and the movie it's made very clear that war is hell, one that should not be glorified and should not be repeated if possible. War should only be fought in cases of survival and/or preserving our way of life. War is horrible, it is not peace, but it can ironically lead to peace.
I first read this book when I was about fifteen and, ten years later, I have yet to find another book that I can call its equal. I've read it three times and even own a copy of the unedited book (the one that infamously uses the 'N' word).
Now, I know about Orson Scott Card's political reviews and to that I'll say just this: when it comes to war and understanding the basic right to life for everyone, even current enemies, the man is a genius and should be praised for this enlightened viewpoint. Ender's Game, to me, is more than a book: it is a commentary on the nature of war and survival, redemption and the love of all life, even life that you culturally disagree with.
Rating: Five out of five stars.
Whew! This was fun! Tomorrow I'll be reviewing Eva by Peter Dickinson. Until then! Thanks for reading!
