Ender's Game Part I

I don't have a lot to say thus far except this is definately a strange book. I felt like I had no idea what to think for the first three chapters and was a bit confused by what I perceived to be fantasy and was supposed to be reality in the book. Still, by the end of Chapter 5 I was feeling more involved and I'm now curious to see what happens to Ender at this new school of his. Though did anyone else feel like they were readin a child's copy of something akin to Brave New World? Also, did anyone else feel almost dizzy when they described the whole gravity or non-gravity experience on the shuttle? Personally I felt like a dunce trying to figure out what seemed natural to Ender.

I have to admit I felt pretty sorry for Ender thoughout most of the book so far. It sounds like he's had it hard his whole, be it short, life and will continue to have it pretty hard throughout the rest of the book as "they" whoever the heck "they" are, throw challenge after challenge his way to make him the best possible leader, fighter and "hero." I wanted to cry when he had to leave his sister and didn't even feel he could turn around and wave to the camera. I really hope that they allow the poor kid to have some friends up there at space training camp or whatever it is.

I also found myself reacting very negatively to the society presented in the story. The fact that Ender was a third child and thus shunned of course got my hackels up, being currently pregnant with my own third child. It made me sad to think of a society so controlled that having more than two children was shunned...but then I suppose China and its one child policy isn't that far off when you think about it. Perhaps the scariest thing is seeing nuances of our own modern society reflected in a science fiction book written 30 years ago. To reiterate an earlier point, the experience seems reminicient of Brave New World. I just hope things turn out well for the poor little boy that everyone seems to shun (except the commanders of course).