In 1985 Orson Scott Card wrote a book called
Ender's Game. In that year it won both the Hugo and Nebula Award for best Science Fiction novel. A year later
Speaker for the Dead was published by the same author and again won both prizes. Since then several sequels and prequels have been published creating what the fans call
The Ender Saga. Now almost twenty years later the first book has been the basis for a movie with a cast including Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley. The movie was launched in early 2013 in the US but in the Netherlands our patience is tested until January 2014.
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| Ender's Game |
In a way it is a pity the story is labelled as science fiction because for a lot of people that might be a reason not to read the book or watch the movie while this story deserves a wider audience than just SF fans. The SF-label is correct however since the story has all the characteristics: it includes futuristic technologies, space battles, travelling to distant planets and alien civilizations. The movie will probably include spectacular effects and I intend to see the 3D version if for no other reason than to experience the scenes about training in zero-gravity.
But for me the story most certainly is not just another SF-story and the awards are an indication that others feel the same way. The author uses the future technology and space-elements as a canvas for a story about leadership, loneliness, politics and building character. And also about how to relate to others especially with whom you have hardly any common ground. All of that in multiple layers and with several unexpected turns where things are not what they seem at first sight. The book is a real page turner and all the ingredients are in there for a great movie. I'm looking forward to it!
