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)

Thank you!

I am so glad that you included the extra material narrated by the author. How lovely to have a chance to gain some insight into the author's thoughts.

Original and Satisfying

What made the experience of listening to Ender's Game the most enjoyable?

The narrator's captured Ender's emotional turmoil and moral dilemmas perfectly.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character had to be Ender's sister. She was patient and kind but also thoughtful and devious.

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

They were able to personify the characters and reflect the depth of emotion that I would read but never truly understood until voiced aloud.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

To some it's a game; to Ender, it's his life

Any additional comments?

When I first purchased this book I was not sure what to expect. I had heard of Card from a number of friends and after reading this book I can see why he his "Enderverse" has become the cult success that it has. He has created a whole universe comparable to that of Roddenberry's Star Trek with an emotional depth that left me wanting more. I will certainly be purchasing others in the "Enderverse" and I can't wait to see what else I may experience.

First time ever I liked the movie better.

Any additional comments?

I surprised myself, I always enjoy the book more than the movie and there were definitely elements of this book that were better, and you get more detail, and so forth, but overall you get the best parts of this story from the movie. My favorite parts were learning more about Valentine and Peter and their escapades and also the more detailed mind games.
The narration was very good and you get the feel for the characters. I would say it's worth the listen for sure.

Fun Fun Fun!

What did you love best about Ender's Game?

It was a good science fiction story. Card did a great job to capture the tasks and life of a boy, not a man, which is difficult to do. Everything was good except the over-guilting of Ender towards the end of the story. Otherwise, the protagonist was great and the story was good.

Any additional comments?

Too bad Speaker for the Dead did not carry the continuation of Ender's game well.

Amazing in audio form!

Wow! If you have read this book (or not), do yourself a favor and get the audiobook. If any book was meant to be heard instead of read, this is it!

Was Never a Reader

What did you love best about Ender's Game?

The overall story always changed up and never felt dry

Who was your favorite character and why?

Bean such a little punk but in a good way

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

The character voices they give match just about what i had imaginde they would sound like love it

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

It had an unexpected turn that caught me completely off guard Mind Blown!

Infinitely better than the movie!

What did you love best about Ender's Game?

The book brings you full cycle from Ender's beginning to many of his training experiences and, finally to the conclusion of the war and the psychological effects of 'winning'.

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

Mostly enjoyed the description of his training battles.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

Ender.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Read the book... it'll make more sense!

Simple, Fun, & Intelligent

Where does Ender's Game rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Enders Game is one of the better audiobooks i've listened to.

What did you like best about this story?

Enders Game is a fun adventure. It is an escape from reality and takes to to new and adventurous places.

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

Stefan and Harlan are great narrators.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I enjoyed the book as a whole work, beginning to end.

amazing. amazing. amazing.

narrators were outstanding, great emotion and appeal. book was very outstanding to read, and I can't wait to continue the series

Written or spoken, still one of my favorites

I read this book once a year as it is one of my favorite books of all time. The characters are well-defined, and I find myself rooting for the protagonist throughout. The audible version is equally as amazing as the written version. Stephan Rudnicki's voice is wonderful. He maintains a perfect pace, pitch, and tone throughout.