Ender's Game

This novel is somewhat different than his short story that I read many years ago. There seem to be a few discrepancies with the science/technology/biology in the prequels, but they're so minor that it might be my faulty memory. The scenes in this story are a horrific depiction of cruelty between children and military cruelty to soldiers when they believe the ends justify the means. Usually when the protagonists are exceptional children, it's easy for the story to devolve into the Disney-esque style where children run circles around the adults who are depicted as stodgy, inept bunglers. This novel avoids that trap.