Ender's Game Alive: The Full Cast Audioplay

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Full Cast Recording

Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Multi-Voiced Performance, 2014

Audie Award Finalist, Original Work, 2014

Experience Ender's Game as you've never heard it before! With an all-new, original script written by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game Alive is a full cast audio drama that reimagines the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning classic.

Ender’s Game Alive puts you into Battle School with young Andrew "Ender" Wiggin, as he trains to become the general who will lead Earth against the Formics, the alien "buggers". Removed from his family at the age of six, Ender must prove his strength and his leadership, even as he fights his own doubts. The stakes are nothing less than the fate of humankind.

Ender's Game Alive is performed by Kirby Heyborne, Stefan Rudnicki, Theodore Bikel, Scott Brick, Samantha Eggar, Harlan Ellison, Susan Hanfield, Roxanne Hernandez, Janis Ian, Rex Linn, Richard McGonagle, Jim Meskimen, Emily Rankin, John Rubinstein, Christian Rummel, and a full cast.

Directed by Gabrielle de Cuir

Original Score by John Rubinstein

Valentine's Theme by Janis Ian

Additional music and arrangements by Mark Mitchell

©2013 Orson Scott Card (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Listeners will feel surrounded by Card's sophisticated, high-stakes universe. With a stately musical score and video-game sound effects, this "re-imagined" production sticks close to the novel while offering listeners an entertaining new way to enjoy one of science fiction's best loved stories.” ( AudioFile)

No Buggers just Formics.

This version has been edited from the original version and become more streamlined with some of the finer details cut. I am sure that some of the purist will be disappointed with the edits and cuts but overall I still found the book to be enjoyable. It was like listening to an old time radio broadcast of a play being performed.

This is a classic by Orson Scott Card and is the first book in the Enders series. This was originally written as a standalone book but the author has gone back to expanded the universe. So if you enjoyed this one and would like to see what happens next there are several more books to follow this one. In Ender's Game humanity finds itself at war with space aliens that are basically giant bugs. I found myself forgetting at times how young the "soldiers" were. When Ender starts at the War School he is only 6 years old, but Ender and the other soldiers there are unlike any child you know. They are all genus children being trained to command an Army against hostile bugs. If you haven't read this one yet I would definitely pick this one up. Plus Hollywood is making a movie based on this book and is coming out soon.

Mixed Review

If you could sum up Ender's Game Alive: The Full Cast Audioplay in three words, what would they be?

Ender's game is one of my all time favorite books.

I have mixed feelings about this performance. Overall it's Ender's game, so how can you go wrong?

I have a couple criticisms:

1. If you have listened to the full version of the book done by Stefan Rudnicki you’ll notice that he plays Graff. It is a little distracting since his voice is so familiar from the whole audio book.

2. There are swaths of pauses with music and without. It hurts the pace of the performance.

3. There is a lot of fake tittering from the kids. It is kind of annoying. It make it sound like a kid's TV show.

4. A lot of material was cut out, but that is to be expected in something like this.

Positive things:

1. It is nice to have some additional details thrown in that were not in the original book. The extra info adds insight.

2. I like the integration of bits from Ender's Shadow.

3. I like the way they made Graff a more central character. He voices a lot of the things that were part of Ender's internal dialog that is impossible to do in a movie without a voiceover.

Not a lover of Sci-Fi but Loved this!

I don't usually listen/read science fiction, but the reviews for Ender's Game Alive were so good that I thought I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did! With having absolutely no background with the book, author and really even the genre, this audio book came alive and was a great listen. It was like listening to an acclaimed movie...very entertaining.

This is an excellent rendition of this story

First, allow me to say that I probably didn't experience this story like most of you did. I have read other novels by Orson Scott Card and loved them, but I never read Enders Game. My very first experience of this story was in this full cast audio play written by OSC himself. Only after I listened to this, did I read the novel itself.

That being said, I think this is likely the best version of the story you could possibly want. The audio play successfully captures the heart of the story and the struggles that Ender goes through. I believe the audio play also fixes some of the slightly weaker points of the story. In the novel you do get a bit more of the internal struggle of Ender, but in the novel I do not feel that he is portrayed as the truly unusual boy he really is. In the novel, he feels more like a kid of average intelligence who happens to get really lucky at times. The audio play captures everything that makes Ender really special.

The cast does a great job with the audio play, but there are a number of women voicing the boys at the school. It doesn't really ruin anything, but that does take a bit of getting used to.

You owe it to yourself to listen to this audio play. You won't be disappointed. Thanks to Audible for making it a reality!

brilliant as ever

Where does Ender's Game Alive: The Full Cast Audioplay rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I really enjoyed the dramatisation of the book. It makes me want to go back and listen to the original - becuase I enjoyed it so much!

Which character – as performed by Full Cast Recording – was your favorite?

Ender and Graff. I don't know who did Ender, but he had him just right in my mind. And Stephan Rudnicki is just brilliant in general and especially as Graff.

Amazing!! Made book come alive!!

What did you love best about Ender's Game Alive: The Full Cast Audioplay?

This is a first rate recording of the classic sci-fi book "Ender's Game" It was very entertaining with all of the various actors and sound effects. This story was rewritten by the original author himself and succeeded beyond my expectations. Whether you are already a fan of the book, or are reading it for the first time, this is the version to listen to. Get it now!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ender's Game Alive: The Full Cast Audioplay?

My favorite part is the ending, but I will not spoil if for new readers!!

Thoroughly enjoyed

Getting lost in this audio play made painting a whole lot more fun. I was in my own (or O.S. Card's) little world.

Radio Drama version of Enders Game

The story is abridged, and some details are added or changed, but it's a faithful adaptation of the book into a radio drama. I like to think it highlights different aspects of the same story, most notably the perspective of Graff and the people doing the manipulation of Ender.

This is what I am looking for from Audible

This story was already hard to put down. The fantastic cast and the addition of a Foley cast made this story come alive. I want to hear more audio plays from a full cast. Thank you audible.

An awesome story, brought alive

I fell in love with Ender's Game when I read it the first time while I was in the Navy. I have recommended the book many times over the years. I don't normally re-read books but this is one that I have and do re-read. I listened to this interpretation and it was excellent. Highly recommend it. AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY