Enders Game by Orson Scott Card

If you want to read one of the best books in Fantasy you generally read Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings.  Here you are introduced to Elves and Goblins, Trolls and Magic and all the other essential requirements of a fantasy series.

If you want to read good Science Fiction though you either read Dune or you read Enders Game.  While Dune tells the story of humanity in a time far in our future and the conspiracies that abound in that time, Ender’s game gives us a story that hits somewhat closer to home both in time and technology.

Ender’s Game tells the story of an Earth somewhat more advanced that our own, however on this planet, the people are scared, the Alien Formics (“Buggers”) have attacked several colonies and have simply destroyed the inhabitants without any attempt at communication.

The Buggers have decimated mankind.  In two battles the forces’ of Earth have only just managed to scrape through and it is only through the “gift” of one man that they won both battles.  Earth’s politicians and military realize that when the Buggers come back again, unless they have someone new to lead their forces they are destined to lose.

With mankind in a somewhat shaky truce in this time of Interplanetary war, the IF (International Fleet) has been formed to protect humankind.  With faster than light travel and communication now possible, the IF has developed a range of fearsome new weaponry to combat the Buggers but their lack of leadership is still paramount.

To combat this lack of leadership, Earth’s forces set out a program to find the best and brightest ... the world’s most talented children.  These youngsters are taken into Battle School at an extremely young age and trained to understand and use all the weapons of an Interstellar Space Fleet, so that the next generation of leaders can take the battle to the Buggers and save humanity.

Ender Wiggin is the third child in a time when only special circumstances allow families to have two children.  His birth was determined as necessary based on the gifted abilities of his siblings – neither of whom were quite right for Battle School.  Ender however is different – he has a gift for battle, one that might be the salvation of the human race in itself.