Ender’s Game is a sci-fi novel written by Orson Scott Card that’s been adapted to a film starring Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Asa Butterfield, and Hailey Steinfeld, directed by Gavin Hood, whose American films, Rendition and Wolverine, have been underwhelming so far. It opens November 1st. Here’s the Wiki synopsis of the book:
Ender’s Game (1985) is a science fiction novel by American author Orson Scott Card. Set in Earth’s future, the novel presents an imperiled humankind that has barely survived two conflicts with the “Buggers”, an insectoid alien species. In preparation for an anticipated third invasion, an international fleet maintains a school to find and train future fleet commanders. The world’s most talented children, including the novel’s protagonist, Ender Wiggin, are taken at a very young age to a training center known as the Battle School. There, teachers train them in the arts of war through increasingly difficult games including ones undertaken in zero gravity in the Battle Room, where Ender’s tactical genius is revealed.
So… Starship Troopers, but younger, basically? And the bugs are a metaphor for the gays? I always find it weird when sci-fi works so hard on creating some crazy universe unto itself and then gives a key plot element a vague name like “Buggers” or “unobtanium.” “Here’s a mysterious robot powered by light that controls all life on the universe.” “Ooh, what’s it called?” “Eh, I dunno, a doohickey.”
