Ender's Game

Let me tell you about why I am so excited for the Ender's Game movie that comes out in two weeks. Let me preface this with the fact that Orson Scott Card is a total douchebag whose personal views should never, ever, actually be taken seriously.

His books, however, are brilliance that deserve to live on in our memory and be read forever. I have recommended, and purchased, Ender's Game for to many, many people since I first read it in high school. I tell each and every one of them that it will change their life.

And it does.

See, Ender's Game is not just about a cool game played in an anti-gravity chamber (though, admittedly, that is really frickin' sweet).

It's about a kid who has a greater understanding of life and humanity than most people can ever hope for.

This kid is born because his government ordered him, tortured by his psychotic older brother, convinced that he's a source of shame for his parents, taken away from his family to a school where his teachers ostracize him from his classmates. His life is shit and he's only six.

But the thing is, he's brilliant. He simply goes through everything trying to win. Everything is a game and he's just playing to beat his enemies.

It's such simple, childish logic. But somehow he grows to understand humanity better than his masters. I cannot fully explain the beauty behind it. It can only be understood through reading this book.

But I am so excited to have this more widely distributed. No, I'm not happy knowing that it's going to be marketed towards a younger audience who will only be there for battle room. No, I'm not happy knowing that 75% of the movie will be battle room and they will have to skip so many of the deep, meaningful, scenes from the book.

What I am, is hopeful. Because there is a chance that some kid, enthralled by the movie, will go pick up this book. I'm hopeful that they will see how horrifying it really is. I'm hopeful that they will read the words:

"I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves."

And I'm hopeful that there will be tears falling from their eyes like there were mine. Because that means that they get it. They get what the story is really about. It's not about the game...it's about the other player. 

I just, ugh, it's so good. Please read the book. It's so wonderful.