Ender's Game - Page 5

David Munch · 09-27-2010, 04:32 AM

I'm just finishing up on Ender's Game right now.. And this thread got me confused! Should I read the next book as published (Speaker) or should I read it chronological (A War of Gifts)?

DoctorOhh · 09-27-2010, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Munch

I'm just finishing up on Ender's Game right now.. And this thread got me confused! Should I read the next book as published (Speaker) or should I read it chronological (A War of Gifts)?

Personally I recommend reading them in the following (Chronological) order, the whole series is an excellent read and fits together best this way. The below books indented were recently released books that fit best as indicated, but they can be read after the main series as well or in the case of the short stories "The Polish Boy" and "Teacher's Pest" prior to the first book.

Ender's Game
Ender's Shadow

A War of Gifts: An Ender Story
This short story takes place during Ender's Game. It was obviously a Christmas gift to Orson Scott Card's readers a couple of years back. I enjoyed this book. It is not critical to moving forward with any series but reading it after Ender's Shadow might be a good spot as it starts you thinking about Earth's future events.

First Meetings in Ender's Universe
Read the 1st two stories now. These two stories actually predate Ender's Game and could be read first, but gain a little context if read now. They do add depth to characters in the following books and should be read prior to continuing.
The Polish Boy
Teacher's Pest

Shadow of the Hegemon
Shadow Puppets
Shadow of the Giant
Ender in Exile

First Meetings in Ender's Universe
Read the 4th story now.
Investment Counselor

Speaker for the Dead
Xenocide
Children of the Mind

First Meetings in Ender's Universe
Read the 3rd story (optional) this is the original Ender's Game short story. You could read this now to see how Card developed/changed the characters between this short story and his novel. Do Not read this prior to the novel of the same name.

Luke King · 09-27-2010, 06:28 AM

I thought Ender's Game was great, though some time after I read it I found another one in the series - one that had been written later, but was supposed to fit after the first book, and had something to do with the last chapter of Ender's Game. I don't know which one it was, but it turned me off the whole series.

After having a look at this thread, I might try again, and follow dwanthny's order. Ender's Shadow sounds interesting.

Georgiegirl2012 · 09-27-2010, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenieliser

So, I'm not typically a sci-fi fan, I usually stick to just plain fiction. But my husband talked me into reading Ender's Game. IT IS SO GOOD!! So right now, even if you aren't a scifi reader-write this down: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and get reading it immediately! You'll love it!!

Any one else been surprised by a great book in a genre they generally aren't into?

I'm not normally drawn to sci fi, but do read it occasionally and I think Enders Game is now on my list. I have found this which may be of use to those of you like me, are not natural sci fi readers (although love it on TV)

http://www.waterstones.com/wat/image...i_guide_09.pdf

David Munch · 09-27-2010, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

Personally I recommend reading them in the following (Chronological) order, the whole series is an excellent read and fits together best this way.

thank you. Enders shadow it is.

dapriuk · 09-29-2010, 02:43 PM

Read Enders Game and Enders Shadow ages ago, , I thought they were both every good and easily bore repeat readings.

Quote:

Any one else been surprised by a great book in a genre they generally aren't into?

Not a different genre but David Brin's Uplift War certainly impressed me with what I felt were highly original ideas.

nyrath · 09-29-2010, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dorino

Orson Scott Card is a great author. Just don't read any non-fiction from him.

seconded.

Penforhire · 09-29-2010, 07:35 PM

I think the series is at its best when only a few characters are interacting. I did not enjoy his world politics and world-at-war coverage quite as much. Felt pedantic to me.

David Munch · 10-01-2010, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Munch

thank you. Enders shadow it is.

Okay, that didn't turn out as planned. Turned out one guy at work had read the entire series twice, and he got me convinced that i should read the books as the author intended them to be read. Also, I wouldn't run into any problems with characters that the author would expect me to know already.

sweevo · 10-01-2010, 02:42 AM

I've just finished reading Shadow Puppets, and it seems to me the series should have stopped after Ender's Shadow.

OSC is putting more and more theology in his books - having a nun as a character didn't help. And the final confrontation at the end of Shadow Puppets was just pitiful. Not to mention that at times it felt like reading anti-abortion propaganda.

I'll probably read Shadow of the Giant just to finish the series, but really, you can safely skip the last three.

jhempel24 · 10-01-2010, 03:02 AM

The best way I can describe Enders Game is it's a Sci-Fi book for people who aren't fans of Sci-Fi, or it's "your mom's sci-fi" because even my mom, who can't comprehend science fiction, LOVED it. It's a very human story.

It was the first Sci-Fi book I read, I was 10, and at that time I HATED reading. But once I read this book I was hooked. I've got the entire series, and they are all autographed (except the short story books).

I will agree with sweevo though, the last few books were a chore to read.

sweevo · 10-01-2010, 03:57 AM

Wow. It turns out there series is a lot more convoluted, with all these short stories:

DoctorOhh · 10-01-2010, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Munch

Okay, that didn't turn out as planned. Turned out one guy at work had read the entire series twice, and he got me convinced that i should read the books as the author intended them to be read. Also, I wouldn't run into any problems with characters that the author would expect me to know already.

The author didn't intend anything? The Shadow series was written well after the original and fit into the 3000 year gap between the first and second books.

Quote:

Question: What's the "preferred" order of reading the Ender series? (link)

Answer:
Preferred order ... depends on what you mean by preferred, and who's doing the preferring.

You can read them in the order written - Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind, then Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant. Or you can read them in chronological order of story beginnings, which is Ender's Shadow, Ender's Game, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind.

But in truth it doesn't matter, except that you should read Xenocide right before Children of the Mind, since they are really two halves of a single continuous story. In most of my books, I include all the information you need.

That's the author's official answer. He lends a little more insight in the forward to Ender's Shadow. So read them in any order you want, I let you know the order I felt works out the best, but don't be fooled into thinking the Author has a preferred order.

DoctorOhh · 10-01-2010, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweevo

OSC is putting more and more theology in his books - having a nun as a character didn't help. And the final confrontation at the end of Shadow Puppets was just pitiful. Not to mention that at times it felt like reading anti-abortion propaganda.

If you thought this was propaganda then you look at the world through a very narrow lens, but to each his own.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweevo

I'll probably read Shadow of the Giant just to finish the series, but really, you can safely skip the last three.

The folks looking in can safely skip the whole series but they would be missing a great read. But as you stated some folks are overly sensitive to certain subjects, seeing propaganda around every corner. If those reading fall into this category then they should, at some point, make the call and move on.

sweevo · 10-01-2010, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

If you thought this was propaganda then you look at the world through a very narrow lens, but to each his own.

Warning - spoiler (but you'd probably already know this from reading the back cover - the Publishers Weekly summary mentions this - and from the previous book)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orson Scott Card

He had to get his babies back. Whether they should ever have existed or not, they existed now, each with its own separate genetic identity, each very much alive. Until they were taken, they had been nothing to him but cells in a solution-all that mattered was the one that would be implanted [...], the one that would grow and become part of their family. But now they all mattered. Now they were all alive to him, because someone else had them, meant to use them.

He even regretted the ones that had been disposed of. Even if the test had been real [...] what right did he have to snuff out their genetic identity, just because he oh-so altruistically wanted to spare them the sorrow of [...]

Suddenly he realized what he was thinking. What it meant.

Sister Carlotta, you always wanted me to turn Christian-and not just Christian, Catholic. Well, here I am, thinking that as soon as sperm and egg combine, they're a human life, and it's wrong to harm them.

Well, I'm not Catholic, and it wasn't wrong to want children to grow up to have a full life [...]

Would Sister Carlotta condemn him for that? Had he committed a mortal sin?

10-01-2010, 02:42 AM	#70
sweevo Groupie Posts: 197 Karma: 6848 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony PRS-650, Kindle Touch	I've just finished reading Shadow Puppets, and it seems to me the series should have stopped after Ender's Shadow. OSC is putting more and more theology in his books - having a nun as a character didn't help. And the final confrontation at the end of Shadow Puppets was just pitiful. Not to mention that at times it felt like reading anti-abortion propaganda. I'll probably read Shadow of the Giant just to finish the series, but really, you can safely skip the last three. Last edited by sweevo; 10-01-2010 at 03:55 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Seriously thoughtful Ender's Game in the K-5 Library - Really?	cearbhallain	Lounge	23	12-07-2013 12:34 PM
Chess game?	omro	iRex	2	07-06-2009 06:29 AM

09-27-2010, 04:32 AM	#61
David Munch Scholar Posts: 1,008 Karma: 3999312 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kobo Libra H2O + iPad Air 4	I'm just finishing up on Ender's Game right now.. And this thread got me confused! Should I read the next book as published (Speaker) or should I read it chronological (A War of Gifts)?

09-27-2010, 06:28 AM	#63
Luke King Member Retired Posts: 173 Karma: 200000 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle 2	I thought Ender's Game was great, though some time after I read it I found another one in the series - one that had been written later, but was supposed to fit after the first book, and had something to do with the last chapter of Ender's Game. I don't know which one it was, but it turned me off the whole series. After having a look at this thread, I might try again, and follow dwanthny's order. Ender's Shadow sounds interesting.

09-29-2010, 07:35 PM	#68
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I think the series is at its best when only a few characters are interacting. I did not enjoy his world politics and world-at-war coverage quite as much. Felt pedantic to me.

10-01-2010, 03:02 AM	#71
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	The best way I can describe Enders Game is it's a Sci-Fi book for people who aren't fans of Sci-Fi, or it's "your mom's sci-fi" because even my mom, who can't comprehend science fiction, LOVED it. It's a very human story. It was the first Sci-Fi book I read, I was 10, and at that time I HATED reading. But once I read this book I was hooked. I've got the entire series, and they are all autographed (except the short story books). I will agree with sweevo though, the last few books were a chore to read.

10-01-2010, 03:57 AM	#72
sweevo Groupie Posts: 197 Karma: 6848 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony PRS-650, Kindle Touch	Wow. It turns out there series is a lot more convoluted, with all these short stories:

Advert

Advert