'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card
Probably the best sci-fi novel I have ever read (with the possible exception of the Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy). Also one of the only sci-fi novels to move me to tears at the end. The ending is totally unexpected, and so powerful it feels like a sucker-punch to the solar plexus.

The novel itself focuses on Ender, a 6 year-old child prodigy, who may be Earth's only hope against an alien aggressor who had drove the human race almost to extinction some years previously. Although the protagonist is painfully young, the book is so well written that it doesn't affect your ability to feel empathy for the young hero. He is put through a gruelling training regime to craft him into the ultimate war leader, and you can't help but feel sorry for him, constantly alone and always having to fight for survival. The story is so tense, I had to bite my tongue at times to stop from shouting out loud.

Also (to anyone who has read the book) - how great would it be if the battleschool game was an actual televised event? It would certainly rekindle my lost passion for sports.

And, for those of you who want a bit of an intelligent review (there must be someone) the novel is essentially a meditation on the horrors of war, the fragility of childhood and the dehumanising tactics used by the military to prepare for battle. The themes raised will stay with you long after the book is closed, and who knows, it may even change the way you think about human conflicts. Or, you might think it's a fucking good read. Either way - you should read this book.

Anyways, apologies for length - I'll leave you with a quote:
-"Individual human beings are all tools, that the others use to help us all survive."
-"That's a lie."
-"No. It's just a half truth. You can worry about the other half after we win this war."
(Pavlov's Frog figures no-one really reads sigs anyway, Thu 15 May 2008, 20:57, 5 replies)

yes!
amazing book!
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Thu 15 May 2008, 20:58, closed)

Add
Stalingrad by Richard? Beevor, its a struggle, and an absolute horror to read (put it down a good dozen times ffeling sick) and paints war as the harrowing brutal slaughter it is but is also remarkable
(Halfy By light alone, Thu 15 May 2008, 21:04, closed)

Good, someone's mentioned it so I don't have to
It's just wonderful. I always wanted to write a screenplay from it.
( flatfrog Staring vacantly into space, Mon 19 May 2008, 9:57, closed)

One of my favorites
If you liked Enders game, I think you may also enjoy the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch

just incase you havent read it yet :)
(Patfish, Wed 21 May 2008, 22:43, closed)

Always loved it
Plus, how much wish-fulfilment is there in it for a child? Flying with laser guns! Playing computer games! Writing persuasively on the internet (before you knew the internet existed) and affecting the whole world! Plus, I totally did the whole identifying with the character and (possibly unfairly?) putting my siblings in the Valentine and Peter roles.

And then Ender gets tricked into killing an entire species, because only someone who knows them too well to want to kill them could do it :(
(Skittlemcfluff ......................, Thu 22 May 2008, 4:08, closed)