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Ender's Game  By  cover art

Ender's Game

By: Orson Scott Card
Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki, Harlan Ellison, Gabrielle de Cuir
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Publisher's summary

Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut - young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister. Is Ender the general Earth needs?

But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game is the winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

Browse more titles in the Ender Wiggin series.
©1977, 1985, 1991 Orson Scott Card (P)2002 Fantastic Audio, an imprint of Audio Literature

Critic reviews

  • Nebula Award Winner, Best Novel, 1985
  • Hugo Award Winner, Best Novel, 1986

"'Intense' is the word for Ender's Game." (The New York Times)

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What listeners say about Ender's Game

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Good

I liked the story. It took me a while to get into the story but it ended well.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Addictively brilliant

There should be warning on the cover of the Enderverse series stating that once started life will take a backseat until its done.
Doesn't get better.

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A great read and and even better listen..

I first read this book in High School. Throughout the years I have listed to this book many times since it is one of my favorites. The story is great and its all viewed from the point of view of Ender. If you have not read this book, do so and then read/ listen to Ender's Shadow, the book about Bean Enders 2nd in command. These 2 books go well together. I have recommended this book many times to friends and I now recommend it to you.

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A forever classic and a lifetime performance...

One of my personal favorites performed by stellar giants. Among all the stories I carry forward through life I find this one remains a compelling demonstration of the author's true depth.

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Good book and my thoughts...

I saw the movie years ago and enjoyed it. I had been telling my boys (12 & 7 at the time) I wanted them to read the book. But not having read it myself I wasn't setting a good example so I pulled the trigger and purchased a soft copy for my (our) summer reading list.
Since we take long car rides in the summer I wanted to also get an audible version as well. I've just finished the audible and like it very much. The story flowed nicely and the writer speaking at the end shed new light on things I hadn't noticed before.
I would def recomend this book to anyone not only sci-fi buffs but kids in that transition phase in life.

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Interesting story

Good read although it's definitely geared toward a younger audience. I was not familiar with this work so it was a pleasant surprise. Looking forward to the next installment.

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The ends justify the means

Whether or not you agree with the philosophy, Ender's Game is at its core about the ends justifying the means. Beyond that, this story is at least as captivating as audio as it is in print. The writing is intensely visual and the narration brings it fully to life.

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English has no words of praise sufficient enough.

This specific rendition and reading of Ender's Game is sublime; tragedy, soul-deep love, an empire of grief, wisdom, and hope.

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Classic

A sci fi classic with superb narration!

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Fantastic Facism

A kid's sci fi with real depression. It won't bug you. Great start to the series.

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