Ender's Game: From Novella to Novel to Feature Length Film

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My wife is a big Orson Scott Card fan. I've read and enjoyed some of his works, but not to the extent my wife has.

My first Orson Scott Card experience was with an audio cassette of Ender's Game, the novella-length version. I really enjoyed it. A few years later I read the novel and enjoyed it too. My wife and I will probably go see the film while it's still in theaters. But I do have a little apprehension.

From the trailer, it just doesn't seem to be the book I remember, the book I envisioned as I read it. Maybe it was the time (the late 1980s/early 1990s), but I envisioned Ender not seeing the ships for what they were, and more like a video game. That probably wouldn't work for today's audience, thus the special effects ships.

The novel also spent a good portion of time focusing on the games and tactics developed by Ender in the zero gravity arena, competing against other youth teams. The stress he was placed under and the bond that developed between those on his team, I hope that's retained in a significant way in the movie, or I suspect I'll be disappointed.

It's not that the movie couldn't be good if it varied greatly, but it annoys me when a book and movie share the same title, but that's about it. Sort of like Starship Troopers. I liked both the novel and the movie, but they didn't have a lot in common--other than the name.