Ender's Game

Special 20th Anniversary Edition

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki, Harlan Ellison, Gabrielle de Cuir

Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins

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)

Crowd Pleaser

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes because the production was absolutely awesome. I believe there were a couple of narrators but you lose track of them and immerse in the story.

What did you like best about this story?

Ender as a super smart kid.

What does Stefan Rudnicki and Harlan Ellison bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Probably dramatic effect.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh in a lot of places.

Very well done!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

The book itself (Nebula and Hugo award winner) needs no one's recommendation. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by the care given to the audiobook performance. The use of multiple voices to represent the multiple points of view in the story. The attention to casting (I cannot imagine a more empathic Valentine), and the nuance and creativity in delivery make this a very worthwhile listen. Easily five stars.

Classic book, give it a listen

I read this book when I was in high school, and the audiobook definitely does it justice. My girlfriend listened to this and really enjoyed it too, and she likes some, but not much sci-fi stuff. She really enjoyed it, wound up listening to it in about 5 days and can't wait to listen to the rest of the series.

Absolutely Amazing

I started this book at work and I was completely drawn into the story. The experiences and emotions Ender felt in battle school reminded me of my basic training days in the Army. The voice actors on this book were amazing and truely brought this book to life.

Excellent but misleading

Enders Game deserved to win the awards it did. It makes you believe in the child Ender and grips you, if not to the end, at least most of the book. The full cast promised by the special edition is disapointing and although there are different voices its not up to what you would expect from a radio play or title like Pulman's Dark Renown series. That aside its still a worthy piece of fiction and the narration is good, but not great.

Great story. Narration could be better

My cousin recommended this book to me. It was his favorite book. So, I decided to download the audible version so I could listen to it in the car at work.

I loved the story. Very thorough and compelling, yet not over explanatory. I, however, found the narration distracting. There are three different narrators in this audio book and they voice different parts of the book seemingly at random. The characters don't even have a consistent voice actor. On top of it all the voice acting was very awkward at some points.

I would definitely recommend the book. But, I would be weary of listening to this audiobook version. As it may hamper your experience. Especially if it is your first experience with the book.

Surprisingly Great

If you could sum up Ender's Game in three words, what would they be?

Yes I would listen to Ender's Game again because I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time around and wouldn't mind knowing the story better.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ender's Game?

The most memorable moments of Ender's Game were each time Ender had to quickly and effectively dispatch opponents. It was exciting and perfectly methodical.

What about Stefan Rudnicki and Harlan Ellison ’s performance did you like?

Although I am not sure who is who and that each character was done by multiple narrators, I enjoyed whomever narrated the first occurrence of Colonel Hyrum Graff. The voice fit the Colonel so well.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Ender's countless victories were all moving.

Any additional comments?

Ender's Game is an exceptional book and I have and continue to recommend it too all who will listen. I hope the film does Ender justice.

good old fashioned sci-fi

nothing cerebral or particularly sophisticated about this story. it's just good old fashioned fun sci-fi. I hadn't read this since high school, and I really enjoyed revisiting the universe. great pace, compelling narration and lots of fun!

A must read for all ages

I read this series when I was 11 years old and I loved it and I am glad that I discovered this series again. I can see why Ender's Game won Nebula and Hugo Awards, the story shows that how can humanity can lose it moral compass when it threaten. (the end justified the mean)

Gripping

First in the series, disturbing, enlightening and engaging.