Last weekend I read Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card.

This book is significant to me for two reasons.

Firstly, it is the favorite novel, if not book, of my eldest brother Andrew, whom I love dearly. His high praise for the book is what compelled me to read the book the first time. Reading it the second time I drew new insights and enjoyed sharing them with him after.

Secondly, there is something captivating about the writing style of Orson Scott Card. It’s powerful and I aspire to convey the emotions of my characters in a similarly way to my readers.

Below, I’ve shared a few of my favorite snippets from the book.

Sometimes lies were more dependable than the truth.

“I can’t pretend I like the way they’re screwing around with us, but, I do like one thing – that I’ve got an army that can handle it.” After that, if he had asked them to follow him to the moon without spacesuits they would have.

The buggers always seemed to follow one basic strategy – gather the greatest number of ships at the key point of conflict.

“Same day! Nobody ever has two battles!” Ender answered “Nobody ever beat Dragon Army, either. This be your big chance to lose?”

Perhaps it’s impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be.

“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy – understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they love, what they believe and not love them the way they love themselves.”

He would be more useful as a name and story than he would ever be as an inconvenient flesh and blood person.

“Welcome to the human race. Nobody controls his own life, Ender. The bet you can do is choose to fill the roles given to you by good people, by people who love you.”

“We are like you;” the thought pressed into his mind, “We did not mean to murder, and when we understood, we never came again. We thought we were the only thinking beings in the universe until we met you. But never did we dream that thought would arise from the lonely animals who cannot dream each other’s dreams. How were we to know? We could live with you in peace. Believe us, believe us. “

Overall, I would give this book an 8.7 out of 10. Definitely worth the read.