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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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What's not to love?

I've enjoyed this title four or five times now, over the course of 10 years. I don't think the audiobook is my favorite medium for this one, but it's a terrific story narrated well. The multiple voices are enjoyable and that format lends itself to the way in which the book is structured. A must-read for anyone from teens to adults; don't let the mediocre movie discourage you from diving in if you didn't like it in theaters.

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Fun and Easy Read

Ender’s Game reads very playfully and dramatically. It was fun to read and I found myself excited for the next time I was able to listen.

The content may not be suitable for the youngest of readers but would certainly be appropriate and engaging for young adults.

The story provides much food for thought on an individuals responsibility to a society as a whole and the consequences associated with those decisions.

Highly recommended.

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Favorite

This is still one of my favorite stories. I enjoyed listening to the audio just as much as I enjoyed reading it for the first time. I would recommend this to anyone.

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way better than the movie

I know people say that a lot but this book really is just so much better than the movie although I thought the movie was okay this book was great and I loved hearing about the authors process at the end

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Amazing!

This book was fantastic! I haven't seen the movie but this was a great read! I would recommended it to everyone!

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Ender's Game

Excellent book. Believable with a great ending.

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I am hooked

I had not heard much about this book other than what was in the other reviews here - but I found myself unable to focus on much else in my life until I had listened to this twice. It is a very well written book, surprising as such based on how it came to be (you will be told at the end), and will easily keep you interested. I have gone on with the series and continue to enjoy the writting and would recomend this to anyone needing to get away from reality for a while.

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Amazing book and an incredible story!

Excellent! I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to continue the series in this trilogy. Old family enjoyed this book!

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Third time around and it keeps getting better.

I just finished it for the third time. I really enjoyed the storyline and production. The novel really speaks to me.

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  • 04-14-17

Great story great performance

This is been one of my all-time favorite book since high school. I listen to it multiple times and always enjoy it.

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