I'm pretty sure Card intended to condemn the wanton violence; either that, or the later books (which I also hugely prefer) were revisionist on the topic. He nev

I'm pretty sure Card intended to condemn the wanton violence; either that, or the later books (which I also hugely prefer) were revisionist on the topic. He never characterizes Ender as anything but a monster, at best, he's an ignorant monster; the period between Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead is an explicit search for redemption. Ender's Game was meant as a prequel, as I understand it, rather than to stand on its own. That said, I've stopped recommending anything in the Ender books. There's just not enough there anymore.