Sherrie, to try and answer some of your questions about the book. I finished it Friday and didn't like the book until the end. I am not a huge sci-fi fan. And you are right about Peter and Valentine...Peter was thought to be too mean and too uncontrollable and Valentine was thought to be too nice. Ender is a third and his parents had to get special permission to have him. They wanted him to have some of Valentine's traits and some of Peter's killer instincts. That is why he made it so far...he was the perfect combination. As far as his parents, they had to sign a contract that if they had a third, then he would be "the systems" and they could do with him whatever they wanted. Hope that clears up some of your questions.
Randy