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)

A must read, along with the entire Ender series!

Card is my favorite author and he continually proves why. If you liked Ender's Game, you will want to continue on Ender's voyage with him and see how this character adapts to human interaction and being faced with a problem that is no longer just a game to him, but real in every aspect. To see each character's introduction and how all their stories grow and intertwine with each other is amazing. Card always finds a way to transport you to this whole other world and be immersed in each character and plot twist in a way that you almost forget it is just a story as you read it!

Brilliant

What did you love best about Speaker for the Dead?

Enthralling concepts with a great plot

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ender proved to Be multi dimensional

What about David Birney and Stefan Rudnicki ’s performance did you like?

The performance gave it depth and theatrics

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

You are never really dead

Outsanding story seemed slow at first and then wow

What made the experience of listening to Speaker for the Dead the most enjoyable?

This story was well crafted. It started out without any apparent link to Enders Game and then it twisted back and was woven into one of the best stories I have ever encountered.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked Jane in this story. She is dynamic and develops as a teenager.

What about David Birney and Stefan Rudnicki ’s performance did you like?

Well put together.

Great follow up to the initial Ender's Story!

What did you love best about Speaker for the Dead?

The Speaker of the Dead answers the question which we most have at the end of a great story, "What happens next?" You spend a lot of time becoming intertwined with characters and then there's the climax and falling action, and the story is over. Well, now we know what happens to Ender & Val and what their next great adventures turn out to be!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jane

Would you listen to another book narrated by David Birney and Stefan Rudnicki ?

Yes

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

Nothing extreme.

Any additional comments?

I didn't prefer the various narrators, trading off sections. I think this only could have been better if the various narrators read specific a character's dialogue throughout the book. Otherwise, loved the story, and enjoyed the reading.

A Solid Addition to the Ender Saga

I was looking for more of Ender and Card delivers, if after a long introductory movement.

Overall the story is strong, moving, and philosophical. The book circling around classic sci-fi themes like the shape of "humanity," the challenges and opportunities of difference, and the limits of scientific knowledge. Card also draws a sharp eye on the weight of a single human life, and how shows how even a life of poor choices affirms the gift of life.

The main weakness of the book is typical of Card, or perhaps his choice of characters: to much thinking or exposing how the world works and not enough invoking the physical presence of the world his characters inhabit. In Ender's Game, we might forgive him for the castrophobic setting, but in Speaker of the Dead we visit an alien world. I am disappointed for all the weight the means for Ender and the Hive Queen, I get little more than a 70's Dr. Who sketch of the setting, and nothing that viseral that remains even after multiple listenings.

I look forward to reading more of this universe Card has created.

A Masterpiece

Love it! Probably my favorite book. The characters are so great, and the story is told so well. I think its even better than Enders Game.

My Life Changed

What other book might you compare Speaker for the Dead to and why?

Above anything I have ever Read.

Any additional comments?

People, this is one of the books the whole human race needs to read. The lessons in this book are really how we should be treating each other and a human race. I am NOT a Church going person, do not remember the last time I stepped in one. So the other reviews that complain on the sermons are just off base. This book is about some much more.

If you are looking more a continuation of Ender's Game, this is not it. This book it and sequels deal more with political, geo political, metaphysical and philosophical teachings. In todays society of absolute compliance, this story brings in a much more tolerant society.

Ender dives down into the Root Source of each problem and helps people see both sides of a story. If we as a society could do this, the world would be a greater place.

After war

This book was very good at showing the side effects and after effects of war I enjoyed it. I do think they need to get rid of the music randomly playing during a tense moment it didn't bother me too much but seemed unnecessary.

good treatment of my favorite sci-fi novel.

this is my favorite sci-fi novel and I was afraid I'd be disappointed by the audiobook version, but I thought they did a really good job. the afterward in the authors own voice is a really nice Easter egg for fans.

Ender’s Game was written so THIS story could be told

I am in love with this story. With all of the stories. This book has so much depth to it, each and every character (and there are a LOT of characters) is explored right to its very core. Empathy and understanding of humanity shine bright through the brilliant storytelling.

10/10 would recommend to anyone I know. Even if sci-fi isn’t your norm, give the Enderverse a chance. You’ll learn a lot about yourself.