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)

Ender's Game - But Was It Really His Game?

Ender's Game is a deeply complex and intriguing novel, that asks and answers a simple question. What would you do to save the world?

Ender's Game is set in the near future of Earth, in a world that has united in order to fight off the Alien menace known as the "Buggers". The International Fleet guards the Sol system, The Stratego commands the Solar System defence and the Hegemon controls the planet Earth.

In the emergency, every married couple is only allowed a maximum of two children, unless mandated by the military. Into this world is born Andrew (Ender) Wiggin, a 'Third'. Specially requisitioned by the military for his potential, Ender is thrust into the desperate world of the International Fleet Battle School. In this world he is one of the youngest but will he survive the infighting of the school and prove himself worthy of being a military commander. For all that matters in the battle school is "The Game".

Ender's Game is a masterpiece of writing and poses an intriguing question "What would be do or give up in order to save the world?". Ender's Game explores what would possibly occur if Aliens attacked Earth. What the human race would do to help each other, how would the battles be fought against a technologically superior race and what sacrifices would be needed to save the world.

Orson Scott Card has produced a master-work asking deep questions that truly ask us what it means to be human and why it is important. As indicated by my ratings this Audio-book is well read by a small cast of narrators who help provide depth and emotions to the characters within the story. This audio-book is suitable for Mid-teens upwards and has a engaging storyline of truly gifted children.

Dramatic Reading

This is not just an audio version of the book. This is a dramatic reading, by actors who were not reading but were portraying or acting out the various parts. The story is a well written coming of age story but rather than the usual teenagers, these characters are pre pubescent children who are forced to make adult decisions.
This adult Sci Fi book is suitable is also suitable for teens and pre-teens.

Gotta try this

I'm not generally a fan of science fiction, and only downloaded this because I saw the book listed on a "100 greatest books" list and wondered why a "science fiction" book made the list, and loved every second of it. An engrossing and haunting story that cemented made me take a second look at sci-fi as a genre. Great narrator, too.

Good enough!

The story of Ender and his journey to save the world from the buggers. Interesting story about an alternative future were intelligence is worth more that fire power.

Absolutely amazing story and production!

It was impossible to put down! Ender's game is sure to be considered a classic in years to come. Despite being written decades ago, the story doesn't date itself with too many descriptions and prefers to focus on its characters.

Ouch, this is a great book ...

This is a great books for young people and for the older ones too, like me.

I wish I had this book in high school. Do not "let the buggers get you down."

Classically, I would think it is a great book to read anyway, but if there is a long- term conflict in your life, read this book for sure. There HAS to be a way to resolve it...don't just be a victim.

Standard-Setting Sci-Fi

This story is one of the classics and defines what makes good science fiction: engaging, realistic characters, truly alien culture(s), a realistically-developed future society, and a problem that must be solved by humans who must fundamentally question what being human is about. Amazingly, it is also "clean" and safe for younger readers. If you've read it in your adolescence, listen to it again as an adult - there will be layers you've missed, I guarantee.

The narrators, despite clearly being adults, captured inflection and tone very well for all the children characters, and communicated complex sentences and ideas perfectly. I was never brought out of the story once, and was left wanting to keep listening even after my commute was done - if I could listen during work, I would have.

If you believe the plot begins to feel predictable, that is when it sets you up for a surprise. There is a coming-of-age but not a typical one, and it should make you reconsider your own arrival at adulthood and what you hold as your core beliefs and priorities. Even today, so many years after first being published, you might find references to Ender Wiggins in the popular culture; it is worth listening to this book to discover why for yourself.

First Auidobook

My first audiobook, and I'm totally blown away. Loved it from start to finish. Finished over the course of three days. If work didn't get in the way, I would have finished in one.

Ender's Game

I read Ender's Game when it was first published ... I loved it then and I love it even more, now. This recorded book is done with real style and taste, and it plays beautifully, adding to the subtleties and nuances very well. The story remains as fresh and enthralling as it was 20 years ago ... actually more so, now, since most people have had direct experience with video games and the internet. The whole scenario seems plausible, and because it does, people who read this should sit up and take better notice of the things going on all around them in this country and the world. The future is nearly here!

Worth it

This is now high on my list of all time favorite books. The plot is very well done and the characters are engaging. It kept my attention throughout and rewarded me at the end with a very thought provoking ending. An intelligently written book. (Well read, too).