A War of Gifts

An Ender Story

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Scott Brick, Stefan Rudnicki

From the #1 New York Times bestseller

At the Battle School, there is only one course of study: the strategy and tactics of war. Humanity is fighting an alien race, and we fight as one. Students are drawn from all nations, all races, all religions, taken from their families as children. There is no room for cultural differences, no room for religious observances, and there is certainly no room for Santa Claus.

But the young warriors disagree. When Dink Meeker leaves a Sinterklaaus Day gift in another Dutch student's shoe, that quiet act of rebellion becomes the first shot in a war of wills that the staff of the Battle School never bargained for.

Orson Scott Card's novel Ender's Game is the basis of the hit movie of the same name.

THE ENDER UNIVERSE

Ender series
Ender’s Game / Speaker for the Dead / Xenocide / Children of the Mind / Ender in Exile / Children of the Fleet

Ender’s Shadow series
Ender’s Shadow / Shadow of the Hegemon / Shadow Puppets / Shadow of the Giant / Shadows in Flight

The First Formic War (with Aaron Johnston)
Earth Unaware / Earth Afire / Earth Awakens

The Second Formic War (with Aaron Johnston)
The Swarm / The Hive

Ender novellas
A War of Gifts / First Meetings

©2007 Orson Scott Card; (P)2007 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

Critic reviews

“An undeniable heavyweight. . . . This book combines Card's quirky style with his hard ethical dilemmas and sharply drawn portraits.” —New York Daily News on Ender's Game

“Card has taken the venerable SF concepts of a superman and an interstellar war against aliens, and, with superb characterization, pacing, and language, combined them into a seamless story of compelling power.” —Booklist on Ender's Game

A nice little holiday story from the Enderverse

I always enjoy revisiting the Enderverse. If you feel the same way, this is a great little book. It's a sweet, short holiday story that takes place in the old, familiar Battle School and features Ender and the gang. It also introduces a new character, Zeck, and gives a little of his background.

It does get somewhat religious, but not enough for me to find it tiresome or offensive. If you've read the Ender series in depth, you're probably accustomed to the religious aspects of the books.

This story runs parallel with Ender's War and Ender's Shadow. If you haven't read at least one of those books, I highly recommend you do that first. If, however, you've read both of those and still want to hear more from the Battle School days, this is a neat book.

not good not bad

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

i thought the story was ok, but it doesn't make sence or add any thing to the endervers and when i finshed it i just sat there woundering why i wasted a credit on an ok story. on the other had as always the aditors did a great job.- dont by this try another ender book

Short and Sweet

Is the story too short
To spend a whole credit?
For the Ender enthusiast
You won’t regret it.

See your favorite characters
And learn someone new
He’s a treat to meet
And his story follows through

You’re in for some laughs
Inside the battle school
A War of Gifts
Is Card’s gift to you

Wholesome

A nice change of pace from the seriousness of cosntant conflict. There's still problems but it's nice to have a small story like this to change it up.

Too short

I thought this was a book when I used a credit for it. Turns out it's more of a short story or a novella. Performance is stellar as usual for these guys. Story isn't bad but pretty predictable.