Best Seller Books: Ender's Game Review

This was a book recommended to me by a friend who also happened to tell me the ending before I read it.Remind me to give him a nasty stare!
Anyway, this book starts off with a rather long introduction which the author wrote himself about his influences and motivation for writing Ender's Game.The author has had the idea of a Battle Room since he was sixteen.Only much later did he piece together the story of Ender and his mission to save the earth.
Ender Wiggin is a special boy.He is the youngest (6 yrs old when the story starts) of a family of child geniuses (Peter being the eldest, then Valentine).This story is set in the future where aliens (called Buggers because of their physical and mental traits) have tried to invade the earth twice.Twice the Earth defeated them, but at great cost.The government is scrambling to make sure this never happens again by training the next set of star fleet commanders from childhood.
In this futuristic world, only the government could sanction the birth of a third child (for population control reasons).In a way, Ender was born for a purpose.Peter and Valentine were both tested for giftedness and they both possessed it; however, he was ruthless and evil, and she was too soft and kind.Ender was a perfect balance of decisiveness and innocence, and so chosen from the beginning to go through Battle School.It is in Battle School that Ender learns military strategy and the history of wars between the Earth and the Buggers.It is also in Battle School that Ender makes friends and molds the perfect platoon leaders.
What's really unique about this story is that Ender is forced to grow up so quickly by the "adults."The teachers of the school and high government officials all have one thought in their minds.And that is to eliminate the alien threat at all costs.Even if it means sacrificing the health and sanity of a child.Ender is subjected to so much isolation and abuse throughout the story, that I felt really bad for him.He has to learn to think like an adult through the eyes of a child.His biggest fear is becoming like his brother Peter (who, in Ender's eyes, is a cold blooded killer -- keep in mind that we're talking about the thoughts of a child who hasn't even reached puberty) is slowly becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy as he matures.The ending of this story is just amazing.I will not give it away!
I recommended this book to a 13 year old boy before having finished the book.Now I'm thinking twice about my recommendation.Although this book's main characters are children and centers around the premise that child geniuses will save the world, there are a lot of adult themes and references to ancient history that probably only an adult would appreciate.I believe references to the Warsaw Pact, the League of Nations, Locke and Demosthenes will confuse the younger readers.Also the themes of murder, deception, isolation, rules of engagement in battle might be viewed as inappropriate by parents for their kids.With this in mind, I urge the reader to consider the maturity of the intended audience before recommending this book even though this is a terrific story.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Ender's Game (Ender, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]