Ender's Game- Ender's Saga book 1

Recently I finished Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and also saw the movie starring Harrison Ford (Colonel Graff) and Asa Butterfield (Ender and also Hugo from the Invention of Hugo Cabret)

I had actually wanted to read this when my teacher had brought to our school's book club a list of the top 200 bestselling books. We each whipped out our phones and started writing down titles of books we wanted to read. Ender's Game was one of the ones that really caught my eye.

But I soon forgot about requesting it from the library as time went on. That was until my best friend told me about it. At first I told her I'd read it, but I sort of forgot. Then she told me again and I requested it.

Here's a picture of the cover. (I read the newer edition with the prologue and credits which you can just skip over if you want)

Andrew (Ender) Wiggin is a Third, an undesired child. He spent most of his life being hated by his brother and all the other people he knew. He finally gets a chance at a new life when he is visited by Colonel Graff and Major Anderson who have come to recruit him for Battleschool. Battleschool is a place where students learn about Earth's (worst?) enemies the Formics or Buggers.

Battleschool is an area of high competition between students. The ultimate prize is to be accepted for Command School, a prestigious place where students are then trained in the art of tactical strategy before being evaluated to become commanders in the real war.

Can Ender face the competition for the highest ranking and avoid the daily threats from his peers while making his family proud?

Meanwhile on Earth, Ender's older brother and sister Peter and Valentine want to end an upcoming war between their country and Russia by posing as adults and writing on political forums. They use the code names Demosthenes and Locke so attention cannot be drawn to them.

But Valentine senses that something is wrong with the new Peter. He won't let her be a child anymore claiming that if Ender can become a soldier, why can't they become politicians?

But can Valentine seek help from the only person she trusts and still manage to please her brother?

My thoughts- (Contains Spoilers. Please read after you have read the book or seen the movie)

I thought it was a pretty well written story with loveable characters and a good plot. I can say it was a little slow at first but later on it got so interesting that I stayed up until 2 AM one night reading it. Consequence- My eyes were sore and I couldn't concentrate all day.

I have to say that I sort of enjoyed all the parts in the Giant's Den video game. When I saw that part in the movie, I was a little scared. You see, when I think up morbid things, I can deal with them but when someone else does the thinking, they tend to go a little overboard with the blood and I get disturbed. At least I wasn't scared out of my wits.

But what really scared me was the part where Ender sees the bloody Peter with the snake in his mouth at the End of the World. 

Ender is one of my most favorite book characters. He makes my heart flutter. His courage is amazing and he is a strong person despite the hurdles he's had to jump over. Never before have I seen a fictional character do what he did and come out to be such a composed person.