Speaker for the Dead

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: David Birney, Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

In the aftermath of his terrible war, Ender Wiggin disappeared, and a powerful voice arose: the Speaker for the Dead, who told the true story of the Bugger War. Now, long years later, a second alien race has been discovered by Portuguese colonists on the planet Lusitania. But again the aliens' ways are strange and frightening...again, humans die. And it is only the Speaker for the Dead, who is also Ender Wiggin the Xenocide, who has the courage to confront the mystery...and the truth. Orson Scott Card infuses this tale with intellect by casting his characters in social, religious, and cultural contexts.

This, the author's definitive edition of the sequel to Ender's Game, also includes an original postscript written and recorded by the author himself, Orson Scott Card!.

Browse more titles in the Ender Wiggin series.

©1986, 1990 Orson Scott Card (P)2002 Fantastic Audio, an Imprint of Audio Literature

Critic reviews

• Hugo Award Winner, Best Novel, 1987
• Nebula Award Winner, Best Novel, 1986

"The most powerful work Card has produced. Speaker not only completes Ender's Game, it transcends it." (Fantasy Review)

Great performance - intellectually moving story

First of all the people who read this book did an amazing job! It is a fully immures I’ve experience and I wouldn’t cut a thing.

The story was written while he was writing Ender’s Game. It’s a good counter point to the philosophy and discovery of humanity that Ender’s Game presents. It asks us to take a clear look at life (through this sci-fi world) and see it for what it is (the good, bad, and ugly) and find it valuable none the less. I’d recommend this book to all my friends.

True master piece of literary art!

This book is absolutely amazing in every way. Character development is amazing the intertwining of multiple races was brilliant and pleasing to the heart and soul.

Amazing.

This book is not Ender's Game. It is nothing like Ender's Game. It is it's own entity. So when you start reading it, don't stop if it's not what you expected. The story is slow to start but turns into something special. Sure it may be far fetched at times but that's Orson Scott Card, that's what he does. The characters are intriguing and special, each unique with their own personalities, the story is carefully constructed and artfully organized into what can only be described as a masterpiece. Read it. You will not be disappointed. The performance of the readers is phenomenal as well. Highly recommended!

confusing voice acting, amazing story

The voice acting was confusing at times because of how different people would do different people's voices instead of being consistent with who is doing someone's voice

Different but Good

Overall, a good Orson Scott Card read. I’ve read Ender’s Game a dozen times and found this book to not carry over some of the central themes (like military and tactics) to this book.

Well done except

The weird out of place music - I think it was supposed to be chapter end, but it's out of sync, so it plays at the same time as the narrator.

So good!

Best book in the series. So imaginative and powerful. I loved every second of it.

liked it better than enders game

really well written sequel. it goes in a different direction but I really like it.

Incredible book. Pretty good storytelling.

I’ve read this book, and I love it. So my experience listening to it was wonderful. There were moments however, when I felt the female voice was too slow and dramatic for my taste. She draws the words out in a very forced way, which chances the pace of the book in a way I didn’t appreciate. The other readers voice gave you a chance to get lost in the content of the book, which I enjoyed very much. The notes from the author at the end were also very enlightening. Definitely recommend Speaker for the Dead and all the other books in the series.

Fantastic book and reading

Enjoyed listening to this book on a couple long road trips. There are a few slower parts as compared to Enders Game, but it's also a more nuanced story.