First Meetings

In the Enderverse

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Gabrielle De Cuir, Amanda Karr, Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

First Meetings is a collection of three novellas (plus the original "Ender's Game") that journey into the origins and the destiny of one Ender Wiggin.

"The Polish Boy", a novella written especially for this collection, begins in the years between the first two Bugger Wars when the Hegemony is desperate to recruit brilliant military commanders to repel the alien invasion. In John Paul Wiggin, the future father of Ender, they believe they may have found their man. Or boy.

In "Teacher's Pest", also written especially for this collection, a brilliant but insufferably arrogant John Paul Wiggin, now an American university student, matches wits with an equally brilliant graduate student named Theresa Brown.

It is many years since the end of the Bugger Wars in "The Investment Counselor". Ender's reputation as a hero and savior has suffered a horrible reversal. Banished from Earth and slandered as a mass murderer, 20-year-old Ender Wiggin wanders incognito form planet to planet as a fugitive, until a blackmailing tax inspector compromises his identity and threatens to expose Ender the Xenocide.

Also here is the original landmark "Ender's Game", which first appeared in 1977.

First Meetings is Orson Scott Card at the height of his considerable powers, featuring his most compelling character.

©2003 Orson Scott Card (P)2003, 2004 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic reviews

"Character, setting, plot: Card does them all right, and makes it look effortless....For newcomers to Ender's universe and long-time fans, this book will hit the spot and whet the appetite for more." (School Library Journal)
"Even those who are intimately familiar with the concepts of the Game from later Ender books will be struck anew by Card's virtuosity. His powerful voice and startlingly clear vision will draw many new readers into a lifelong love of science fiction. This accessible collection will impress even non-sci-fi buffs, besides being a must-have for Ender saga devotees." (Publishers Weekly) "These stories demonstrate the assured scene setting, apparently effortlessly sustained suspense, and moral preoccupation with the responsibilities of kinship and friendship that distinguishes Ender's entire saga." (Booklist)

Great for fans (please stop the music)

Great stuff for fans, but definitely not a place to start with Ender (well, the original novella is a great place to start, but that's just a third of this download). Without knowing some details from the books, the resonance of these first meetings would probably be greatly diminished. Without an understanding of the larger structure, some listeners would likely not appreciate the full story.

I'm including an open plea to all audiobook producers: Please please please, if you must include music that overlaps the narration, LISTEN TO IT BEFORE FINALIZING THE PRODUCT! Often, this is a minor annoyance. In this book, it absolutely ruins the end of the Ender's Game novella. You can't hear half of what's being said. So a meaningful quiet moment is completely spoiled. I've never read a review where someone likes these musical overlays: I'm begging you to stop using them. It created a sad, sour experience at the end of an otherwise enjoyable listen.

Essential Backstory for Ender Fans!

Fans of <U>Ender's Game</U> and <U>Speaker for the Dead</U> will definitely want to hear <U><B>First Meetings: Four Stories from the Enderverse</B></U>. As I have stated with most of my short story reviews, audio books and short stories are made for each other and for fans of Ender, these four short stories construct a beautiful bridge between Ender's past before <U>Ender's Game</U> and between <U>Ender's Game</U> and <U>Speaker for the Dead</U>.

The original novelette format of <U>Ender's Game</U> is the third story in this four part collection and it is a great story, even in this pared down format. It just proves that <U>Ender's Game</U> is a terrific story that re-engages listeners everytime they play it. The remaining three stories are the best part of this collection though and my favorite is <U>Teacher's Pest</U>.

<U>Teacher's Pest</U> is the story of the meeting and very brief courtship of John Paul Wiggin and Theresa Brown. The very intriguing couple who become the parents of Peter, Valentine, and Andrew Wiggin.

<U>The Polish Boy</U> introduces us to the "non-compliant" Wieczorek family and the brilliant John Paul, whose genius will alter the course of the future, for both his family and the entire <B>Enderverse</B>. John Paul Wieczorek of course becomes John Paul Wiggin in <U>Teacher's Pest</U>.

This is a great collection of stories that is spectacularly narrated, as usual, by the Fantastic Audio crew. My only criticism of the audio production is the bumper music used at the beginning and ending of each story. I do believe my ears started bleeding at some point and the bumpers overlap the narration too far so that it is very hard to hear for several seconds at the beginning and ending of these stories.

Again, I can't recommend any group of short stories enough but these are terrific, especially for Ender fans. Enjoy!

Was good, but the music...

...in a few parts, the music was overpowering the voices, you could hardly hear the reader and when they spoke low, impossible. Who ever put this book and music to audible did a poor job.

If you (audible.com) want better reviews on this one, redo the sound or take the music out.

Other then that, I liked it. Gave an insight into a few areas I didn't know about. Such as where Jane came from, and Enders parents meeting.

Not Bad Bsides the Music

I have to agree with the other reviews that the "music" at the end/beginning of a section is to much it overpowers the book and you can barely hear the book at that point all and all it is not a bad series, the Ender's Game novella was not needed though.

Good Story; Bad Music

I enjoyed the stories themselves. It was kinda cool to see how Ender's parents got together. I also enjoyed the glimpse at Ender as a young man. The short story Ender's Game was fascinating to hear and compare to the book.

The one thing that I could not stand was the LOUD music playing over the storytellars at the begining and end of each story. Whoever it was at Audio Renaissance that thought this sounded good needs to have their head examined. Not only was it difficult to hear, but it was terrible music. Personally, I would prefer it if they never did this again, but if they had to, at the very least it should be set in the background and low enough so that it doesn't interfere.

Good Stories, Horrible Distracting Music

If you're an Enderverse fan, this is a great collection of short background stories that fill in some gaps that had been left open in earlier books. Each story covers a couple big gaps in the series without getting bogged down by the development of too many characters.

My only complaint with the whole series is the use of music in the recordings. Orson Scott Card, if you are reading this review, PLEASE for the love of humanity don't let your producers put music in the recordings!!! It's terribly distracting and it almost completely drowns out the words. I could hardly hear the last conversation between Anderson and Graph due to the piercing music. At least I think that's who the conversation was between. Since I couldn't hear them, I just had to assume they were planning out how to live their golden years after the Bugger War.

Bottom Line: the music can ruin and otherwise great addition to the Enderverse.

First Meetings: Four Stories from the Enderverse

For those already immersed in the "Enderverse" this is a fun listen. Probably the weakest of the four stories was the "Ender's Game" novella, only because the novel completely eclipses it -- but for those who have not read the short story and like the book, it is interesting to see the evolution of the narrative.
For those like me, who have re-read these books over and over again, the two stories about Ender's parents might hold some very slight anachronisms, but nothing that keeps you from enjoying them.
I most particularly enjoyed "Investment Councilor". It was a neat little insight into Ender's world and travels in-between "Ender's Game" and "Speaker for the Dead".

freaking terrible!

they got names wrong, they put in conflicting story lines to the main books, there's this stupid musical interlude between chapters that plays over the narration for a minimum of 30 seconds, loud enough that it's hard to hear the story for that time.
I love this entire series, this book seems like a terribly executed cash grab by someone who only vaguely knew the universe these stories were set in, and couldn't be bothered to look up the main character's name! IT'S ENDER WIGGIN, NOT WIGGINS.

Great addition to the saga.

Having been a long-time fan of the Ender series, it was really neat to listen to these stories as they filled in some of the details of the Enderverse. This book is highly recommended for anyone familiar with the series. The narration is top-notch, but the music that overlaps the beginning and end of each story almost drove me insane! The music was SO loud that it was almost impossible to hear what the narrator was saying. Please don't let this one flaw prevent you from listening to this otherwise fantastic audiobook. Great stuff!

...for the second time

I guess I didn't read the description carefully on this selection. This is just snipets of text from his other works in which characters "first meet." Sound dull and unimaginative? Well, that's exactly what it is!

A Treat For Fans Of The Enderverse

This is Scott Card?s short story telling at its best, typical Scott Card, which is good news for his fans. You are treated to a Scott Card dissertation, on sociology, which he draws to a questionable conclusion but it gets you thinking. A good listen but if you have never encountered Ender before it is, perhaps, not the best place to start.
The three new stories are evocative and entertaining. They took me back to my first encounter with Scott Card in ?Maps in a Mirror? and reminded me why I have avidly read everything he has written since. It is masterly stuff, great science-fiction, and does so leave you wanting more.
Scott Card seems to translate well to spoken word. Please sir, I want more!

Dreadful overpowering music!

The performances of the voice artists are as good as ever, but they are drowned out by terrible music which in places is louder than the voices! It’s an incredibly jarring and unpleasant sound. Sadly, you’re better off reading this yourself. Please, whoever mastered this audio- revisit and remove the music!

Pre-, during and post Ender's Game stories. So-so.

I have already heard or read Ender's Game and Speaker for the dead, so this is an abridged version plus a prequel as to how Ender's parents met and where his father came from.

The whole presentation is BADLY let down with music at the start and end of the stories or chapters. Why in whoever's name is that music louder than the speech??? It should be in the back ground. hence the three stars.

A nice addition the enderverse

I wasn't going to bothered initially, OSC'S work in the enderverse has been in steady decline with each novel being slightly worse than its predecessor.
The three short stories and the original Ender short story are a return to form and we're very enjoyable

Good Stories, but awful Music!

I really enjoyed this audiobook - in context of the whole series within the Enderverse.
...But the Music nearly drove me insane (played in-between, and over lapping the end and beginning of each story). It was so loud, that it was a struggle to hear the actual actors. Please please please do away with the music! Its not needed!

it's actually 3 hours long

So all in all I feel a cheated. I wasted a credit on this because it's just 3 chapters, roughly 3 hours long. I feel like I'm owed a book seeing as I've already bought Enders game.

Also, for the love of God, why Is there out of place, poorly edited music?! Audio renaissance. You suck

Not worth the buy. pirate it. listen to a bootleg YouTube version. even get the pdf online. just don't buy this audiobook. it will disappointed you.