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Ender's Saga (Graphic Novels)
Speaker for the Dead
The next chapter in the bestselling Ender saga is here! Ender Wiggin was 12 years old when he destroyed an alien race. Burdened with guilt, he wrote Speaker for the Dead and created a pseudo-religion that spanned the known worlds. Now an adult, Ender is called to investigate a murder committed by a new alien species with a seemingly gruesome nature. Can he uncover the truth before another species and more human lives are lost? Based on the award-winning novel by bestselling author and science fiction legend Orson Scott Card. Collecting ORSON SCOTT CARD'S SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD #1-5.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published January 26, 2011
47 people are currently reading
1876 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Johnston
63 books133 followersAaron Johnston is a New York Times bestselling author, comics writer, and film producer. He cowrote the novels Invasive Procedures, Earth Unaware, Earth Afire, Earth Awakens, and the other forthcoming Formic Wars novels with science-fiction legend Orson Scott Card.
He was also an associate producer on the movie Ender’s Game, wherein he makes a cameo appearance as an officer of the International Fleet. Blink and you’ll miss him.
Aaron’s comic credits include Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Formic Wars, League War, and Mazer in Prison, all for Marvel. His screenplay adaptations include Alvin Maker, Sarah: Woman of Genesis, The Multiple Man, Feed the Baby of Love, and others. His play Lifeloop, an adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s short story, was featured at Western Illinois University. A longtime stage improviser, Aaron is a former member of LA’s Improv Factory, Santa Clarita Improv, and the Garrens Comedy Troupe. He and his wife are the parents of four children.
He was also an associate producer on the movie Ender’s Game, wherein he makes a cameo appearance as an officer of the International Fleet. Blink and you’ll miss him.
Aaron’s comic credits include Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Formic Wars, League War, and Mazer in Prison, all for Marvel. His screenplay adaptations include Alvin Maker, Sarah: Woman of Genesis, The Multiple Man, Feed the Baby of Love, and others. His play Lifeloop, an adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s short story, was featured at Western Illinois University. A longtime stage improviser, Aaron is a former member of LA’s Improv Factory, Santa Clarita Improv, and the Garrens Comedy Troupe. He and his wife are the parents of four children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
May 10, 2013
Beautiful production of the novel in graphic format, and again, tears flowed from my eyes in memory of such a beautiful tale.
April 13, 2015
It's 3,000 years after Ender's Game, but due to the complexities of interstellar travel, we still have Ender, as a 35 year old man. Yay! He has become Speaker for the Dead, a position revered, and slightly feared, by this society. He is working at a University. Valentine is pregnant with her first baby, and he's looking forward to being an uncle. And then, he gets a call to speak the death of a researcher on the planet Lusitania. Much to Valentine's chagrin, he decides to go. The voyage takes only weeks for Ender, but 22 years for everyone else. By the time he gets to the planet, he knows that Valentine's baby will be a young adult, while he will not have aged at all. Despite the personal pain it will cause, he's still nursing guilt about the Buggers. There's a different alien life form on this planet, affectionately called the Piggies, and his sense of responsibility wins out. This is the story of Ender's time on Lusitania, attempting to find redemption for himself, while helping the humans who have colonized there. When he arrives, he finds the welcome less than warm, and there are unfortunately other deaths that need speaking.
I listened to the audio book, and at the end, the author himself talks about the fact that this was the book he intended to write all along--that Ender's Game was the intro he had to write in order for Speaker to make sense. While I loved this a tiny bit less than Ender's Game, it still pulled me in with it's wildly imaginative new world. Unraveling the mystery of the Piggies was great fun, and the character feel like old friends now. I can't wait to continue my adventures in the Enderverse!
I listened to the audio book, and at the end, the author himself talks about the fact that this was the book he intended to write all along--that Ender's Game was the intro he had to write in order for Speaker to make sense. While I loved this a tiny bit less than Ender's Game, it still pulled me in with it's wildly imaginative new world. Unraveling the mystery of the Piggies was great fun, and the character feel like old friends now. I can't wait to continue my adventures in the Enderverse!
July 15, 2015
This is a very solid work of sci-fi. Very interesting story. I enjoyed it. I probably won't read the other 3 in the series, but I enjoyed the first 2 enough!
July 8, 2023
Even better than Ender’s Game!
January 7, 2015
The sequel to Ender's Game. In the introduction, the author notes that it’s so much harder to write a hero as an adult as opposed to an adolescent. It showed – Ender was a cerebral hero, but not the emotional hero I could cling to in Ender’s Game.
The imagined races of creatures seem forced, and the conflict even more-so. But it is nothing if not creative, and the perspective it creates when you look at the whole and the parts of the alien ecosystems reminds me of what Carl Sagan used to sound like when he wrote about what alien life could be like on other worlds. And about that conflict - when you approach it from an alien point of view - yours - you're bound to misunderstand. That doesn't seem far fetched at all.
The imagined races of creatures seem forced, and the conflict even more-so. But it is nothing if not creative, and the perspective it creates when you look at the whole and the parts of the alien ecosystems reminds me of what Carl Sagan used to sound like when he wrote about what alien life could be like on other worlds. And about that conflict - when you approach it from an alien point of view - yours - you're bound to misunderstand. That doesn't seem far fetched at all.
May 3, 2015
This was a very interesting book in many ways - it binds the social sciences with the hard science of space travel, or perhaps science fiction as it stands today. The worlds that he creates before our eyes are incredibly real. My only criticism is that all the story lines are tied up neatly as the story ends. It's as if he finished the book with the speaking of the dead speech, then spends the rest of the time completing each story arc. These are still interesting but feels a little formulaic. This book argues for the acceptance of alien cultures, and perhaps in a deeper way, the importance of the social sciences in a world that treasures STEM. I think this should be on the reading list of all Phi Beta Kappa members and all liberal arts majors in general.
November 4, 2013
This is my far the superior read over Ender's Game. This is a great story and fantastic next chapter to the series.
October 24, 2023
Speaker for the Dead is one of my favorite books. (Yes, Card is an awful human being, and I will never, ever buy anything that he could ever profit from, and I have no idea how someone so terrible could write something so beautiful, but that book. Damn. That book is a revelation.) This graphic adaptation, however, is, eh. It misses what makes the book so special.
December 22, 2021
Winner of Hugo AND Nebula?! I was like, Count me in! But I should've read the prose version...
I was told so many good things about this novel, but I went in for the graphic novel to get a quick recap of the plot. And that's pretty much what I got. A quick perusal into Wikipedia also shows that some subplots have been nixed (Valentine's arrival in Lusitania, hello?).
This story stands more on an emotional arc that maybe didn't translate well into the visual form. And I read that OSC himself said this was an unfilmable novel.
There's only one main scientific concept and the rest is more police procedural. But it's been--what, five years?--since I've read Ender's Game and I couldn't revive the emotional investment I had for Ender...
Um, but the drawing's nice!
Anyhow, I do intend to read more of the Xenocide series. A lot of them are short stories, so they should be easy to go through.
Why am I going through with it anyway? Well, while revisiting the Three Body Problem trilogy by Liu Cixin ( this time listening to it) I read on reddit that the interstellar battle in the Dark Forest seemed to have been inspired by one of the books in the Xenocide series. So I'm curious to find it.
I was told so many good things about this novel, but I went in for the graphic novel to get a quick recap of the plot. And that's pretty much what I got. A quick perusal into Wikipedia also shows that some subplots have been nixed (Valentine's arrival in Lusitania, hello?).
This story stands more on an emotional arc that maybe didn't translate well into the visual form. And I read that OSC himself said this was an unfilmable novel.
There's only one main scientific concept and the rest is more police procedural. But it's been--what, five years?--since I've read Ender's Game and I couldn't revive the emotional investment I had for Ender...
Um, but the drawing's nice!
Anyhow, I do intend to read more of the Xenocide series. A lot of them are short stories, so they should be easy to go through.
Why am I going through with it anyway? Well, while revisiting the Three Body Problem trilogy by Liu Cixin ( this time listening to it) I read on reddit that the interstellar battle in the Dark Forest seemed to have been inspired by one of the books in the Xenocide series. So I'm curious to find it.
June 22, 2023
The amount of love I have for this series is indescribable. I adore having graphic novel versions so I can experience the stories in hours instead of days. Although I prefer the full novel version, this graphic novel is amazingly well done.
June 16, 2024
This is one of the rare sequels I've enjoyed more than the original title. Speaker for the Dead is "what happens next" after Ender's Game. Brilliant characters, brilliant ethics and politics, brilliant dilemma, brilliant book.
October 21, 2025
A very beautiful adaptation, this is one of my favorite books ever, and even tho there are gaps that could’ve been more explored (but that’s just me wanting more pages to read) this story brought tears to my eyes again as it always does.
November 7, 2022
Just so engrossing.
March 7, 2024
I want a Speaker for the Dead for my own funeral, one day.
May 16, 2015
I really, really liked this book! From the beggining Ender acts and feels much more mature, but Valentine seemed further more childish. Still do not like her. Well let's go into the book...
And finally, I have no simpathy for Libo AT ALL.
And finally, I have no simpathy for Libo AT ALL.
May 13, 2015
This is the sequel to "Enders Game" which is currently holding first place in all lists for best Sci-Fi Novel of all time. I must admit that 'Ends Game' did live up to the buildup. i could not put it down.
So, of course I'm going to continue with this series, so I got the other three books and delved into "Speaker For The Dead". I really do not like to spoil the story for readers who want to read the book, so I will talk in generalities.
Card introduces a couple new species of beings on a distant planet and a very good story starts developing. I was hooked, but by about 100 pages in I started to think, "Man - when is Ender going to show up in this book?" Ender arrives and is now in his 40's, which I thought was kind of wierd. He is still the interesting character that we all grew to love in the first book. Ender's role in the story is not as interesting as the developments with the new characters. The book was good enough for me to eagerly pick up book 3 and read it.
My main disappointment was that Ender went from little kid to a 40 year old guy. It seems that Card could have filled in a lot of interesting stories before this book and have a younger Ender in his late teens, 20's 30's etc. featured. Book 3, Xenocide was really disappointing. It gave me the impression that Card was getting paid by the word so he drug stuff out and it got extremely boring. I stopped reading book 4 "Children of the Mind" after 100 pages - then went on Wikipedia to see how the series ended. In my mind the series fell flat on its face and the dude totally blew a good opening idea. I have not read anything by Orson Scott Card since.
So, of course I'm going to continue with this series, so I got the other three books and delved into "Speaker For The Dead". I really do not like to spoil the story for readers who want to read the book, so I will talk in generalities.
Card introduces a couple new species of beings on a distant planet and a very good story starts developing. I was hooked, but by about 100 pages in I started to think, "Man - when is Ender going to show up in this book?" Ender arrives and is now in his 40's, which I thought was kind of wierd. He is still the interesting character that we all grew to love in the first book. Ender's role in the story is not as interesting as the developments with the new characters. The book was good enough for me to eagerly pick up book 3 and read it.
My main disappointment was that Ender went from little kid to a 40 year old guy. It seems that Card could have filled in a lot of interesting stories before this book and have a younger Ender in his late teens, 20's 30's etc. featured. Book 3, Xenocide was really disappointing. It gave me the impression that Card was getting paid by the word so he drug stuff out and it got extremely boring. I stopped reading book 4 "Children of the Mind" after 100 pages - then went on Wikipedia to see how the series ended. In my mind the series fell flat on its face and the dude totally blew a good opening idea. I have not read anything by Orson Scott Card since.
August 29, 2014
as graphic novel versions of the ender saga, this was decent. i guess i didn't expect too much since i wasn't blown away with the battle & command school graphic novels, though this was better. as always, the artwork is pretty incredible, but to fit all of this story into a graphic novel meant that the storytelling had to be truncated. things seemed to cut in and out, telling only the important parts of the tale. i do have to say that ender at 35 looks MUCH older, but then again, he's been through so much, who's to say that he can't look older than he actually is? and jane...looked nothing like i imagined in my head, but then again, she's never really described, so she potentially could look like anything/one.
reading this makes me want to read the original version again - i'm sure there are nuances that were missing from this version, but at the same time, some images in this version were much more powerful than any description orson scott card could've given (esp when it comes to the death ritual of the pequeninos). i don't remember getting as emotional reading the original speaker for the dead as i did when i could see the actual outcome as well as the anguish on ender's face.
my biggest gripe about the graphic novel treatment this time around is that there isn't as much expression in the characters as i'd like. perhaps it's because it's a work of science fiction (lots of computer-speak) that i'm lacking the warmth and humanity in most characters - emotions such as anger and jealousy are easily portrayed, but not those of love and kinship.
reading this makes me want to read the original version again - i'm sure there are nuances that were missing from this version, but at the same time, some images in this version were much more powerful than any description orson scott card could've given (esp when it comes to the death ritual of the pequeninos). i don't remember getting as emotional reading the original speaker for the dead as i did when i could see the actual outcome as well as the anguish on ender's face.
my biggest gripe about the graphic novel treatment this time around is that there isn't as much expression in the characters as i'd like. perhaps it's because it's a work of science fiction (lots of computer-speak) that i'm lacking the warmth and humanity in most characters - emotions such as anger and jealousy are easily portrayed, but not those of love and kinship.
June 17, 2013
Expanding on the lore paved by Orson Scott Card. Speaker of the dead follows Ender Wiggin post the 3rd Formic war. The universe is at figurative peace, yet all is not well with Ender. The sheer weight of a species extinction by his unknowing direct hand, has taken it toil on the now battled harden "child". Speaker of the dead is a redemptive love note to Ender's Game, an allegory of one's true nature over perceived reputation. Prominently it is about Ender and his sister Valentine. An adventure into a reflection of bugger culture, through the founding of the first colony on a former bugger world. We trace the power of colonisation, rebirth and redemptive qualities through expansion onto foreign worlds. This colours the first part of the book.
Fast forward 2000 years, enter from stage left the Pequeninos, the first sentient being found post the formic war. Ender and Valentine, based on the relativistic effects of light speed travels, are now the oldest people in the universe. Speaker of the dead changes heel and becomes a race against time to change the fate of this species. Ender vowing to himself never to have another species fall at the hand of the xenophobic tyrant humanity. Note this is a gross generalisation of the story, as this tale deals with a more mature and self aware Ender. No longer a victim, but a driving force of influence in the universe. It is a philosophical book, I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, only a more mature crowd who has the patience for ageing existential protagonists.
Fast forward 2000 years, enter from stage left the Pequeninos, the first sentient being found post the formic war. Ender and Valentine, based on the relativistic effects of light speed travels, are now the oldest people in the universe. Speaker of the dead changes heel and becomes a race against time to change the fate of this species. Ender vowing to himself never to have another species fall at the hand of the xenophobic tyrant humanity. Note this is a gross generalisation of the story, as this tale deals with a more mature and self aware Ender. No longer a victim, but a driving force of influence in the universe. It is a philosophical book, I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, only a more mature crowd who has the patience for ageing existential protagonists.
April 26, 2015
I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot more than the regular book version of Ender's Game. It is a lot easier to explain complicated sci-fi ideas in graphic form versus in print, at least in my opinion. The graphic novel is set about twenty-two years after the first book, and Ender is now a Speaker for the Dead, one that tells the truth about a dead person's life. While Ender's only aged an additional 22 years, because of light-speed travel, it is now 3500 years in the future. He is called to the remote planet Lusitania to find out the truth about the death of two Xenobiology researchers who studied the native inhabitants of the planet, the Pequeninos. They have been accused of murdering the two scientists, so it is up to Ender to figure out if that is true or not. The Pequeninos seem to know Ender's true identity and want him to leave the Hive Queen Egg (of the insect race, the Formics, which he killed off at the end of Ender's Game). What really happened to the xenobiologists? How are the Pequeninos connected? Recommended for ages 14+, 4 stars.
This was a very fascinating book. It was interesting that all the names were Portuguese sounding and that the Catholic Church was so prevalent there, and they were essentially the ruling class with the help of the Congress. The Descolada disease element was also intriguing, and that is even more true with the Pequininos (or "Piggies" as they are more coloquially known), their religion and birthing system. I hope there are more graphic novel versions of his books, if so, I would be very interested in reading them.
This was a very fascinating book. It was interesting that all the names were Portuguese sounding and that the Catholic Church was so prevalent there, and they were essentially the ruling class with the help of the Congress. The Descolada disease element was also intriguing, and that is even more true with the Pequininos (or "Piggies" as they are more coloquially known), their religion and birthing system. I hope there are more graphic novel versions of his books, if so, I would be very interested in reading them.
September 30, 2022
Much better than Enders Game.
October 26, 2012
I was astounded at how much I enjoyed this graphic novel. I liked it so much, in fact, I wished it was a bit longer. The art is awesome. The characters were well developed (although the Piggy character Human was a tad underdeveloped - whereas Jane was well represented). I don't like the depiction of the Formics (still buggers to those that have not delved into this new generation of the Ender Universe), but that is personal preference.
Truth be told, I wasn't a big fan of the original Speaker for the Dead. I know it was conceptualized before Ender's Game, and EG was written just so Card could write this book, but it marked the move from this compelling Middle Reader SciFi world to this philosophical world for adults and mature YA. And I didn't buy what Card was selling there. Similar, but not nearly as drastic, as the Dark Materials trilogy.
Well, reimagined as a graphic novel, I almost feel this is the medium it should have been in originally. The story translates phenomenally. Some of the more conceptual elements of the story didn't translate perfectly to art, but the creativity used in displaying them, such as the DNA, was well done. I would have liked a few more panels about the new world they were on, and the various local flora and fauna, but that's just nit picking.
Strongly recommend. I hope Marvel puts out the last two in the series also...
Truth be told, I wasn't a big fan of the original Speaker for the Dead. I know it was conceptualized before Ender's Game, and EG was written just so Card could write this book, but it marked the move from this compelling Middle Reader SciFi world to this philosophical world for adults and mature YA. And I didn't buy what Card was selling there. Similar, but not nearly as drastic, as the Dark Materials trilogy.
Well, reimagined as a graphic novel, I almost feel this is the medium it should have been in originally. The story translates phenomenally. Some of the more conceptual elements of the story didn't translate perfectly to art, but the creativity used in displaying them, such as the DNA, was well done. I would have liked a few more panels about the new world they were on, and the various local flora and fauna, but that's just nit picking.
Strongly recommend. I hope Marvel puts out the last two in the series also...
June 25, 2015
While there were interesting and thought provoking parts, I felt all-in-all uninspired by this one. The reader couldn't quite get into the main character's mind like they could in Ender's Game. Creating a sequel with such little investment in the previous book is a risky way to go. I wanted to feel more of a connection with the Ender I knew. I wanted the first story to matter more. If someone really wanted to read this book, but they felt like they had to read them in order...this is an example where I would say "it doesn't really matter."
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, especially where they were trying to figure out the Piggies' life cycle. Their culture, religion, and belief system were wonderfully crafted. I would have liked to see more involvement with the Buggers.
Based on this story, it will probably be a long while before I decide to continue the saga. I have a feeling that Ender's Game was one in a million. I understand Orson Scott Card felt exactly the opposite: that he wanted to tell this story, and Ender's Game was just an afterthought, a device used to introduce people (and maybe himself?) into the world he's created...but I just can't help but feel that story was the stronger of the two.
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, especially where they were trying to figure out the Piggies' life cycle. Their culture, religion, and belief system were wonderfully crafted. I would have liked to see more involvement with the Buggers.
Based on this story, it will probably be a long while before I decide to continue the saga. I have a feeling that Ender's Game was one in a million. I understand Orson Scott Card felt exactly the opposite: that he wanted to tell this story, and Ender's Game was just an afterthought, a device used to introduce people (and maybe himself?) into the world he's created...but I just can't help but feel that story was the stronger of the two.
November 30, 2011
Tavion Johnson 11-29-11 4th hour
Book Review
Ender was born in a family that was very highly educated people. They family was daft to military and their job is to save the world from destruction. Ender had a very special power it was a monitor that’s allows the military see things as Ender moves. Ender has brother and a sister his brother Peter hate him because he is a third and the military plan on making him a leader, his sister Valentine both of them had monitor and got them taking away. Also ender schoolmates made fun of him because he was a third and they bullies him so one day he got feed up with them and beat up the leader of the gang , now they are about to take his monitor from him. And sending him to military school, once he arrivals at military he is send to training to fight the boogers. After his first day of training he meets his house mother Ms.Dan, and he goes to dinner and sees how everyone is spilt up in to clicks. He makes a few friends among the way and he was promoted to Salamander Army.
Book Review
Ender was born in a family that was very highly educated people. They family was daft to military and their job is to save the world from destruction. Ender had a very special power it was a monitor that’s allows the military see things as Ender moves. Ender has brother and a sister his brother Peter hate him because he is a third and the military plan on making him a leader, his sister Valentine both of them had monitor and got them taking away. Also ender schoolmates made fun of him because he was a third and they bullies him so one day he got feed up with them and beat up the leader of the gang , now they are about to take his monitor from him. And sending him to military school, once he arrivals at military he is send to training to fight the boogers. After his first day of training he meets his house mother Ms.Dan, and he goes to dinner and sees how everyone is spilt up in to clicks. He makes a few friends among the way and he was promoted to Salamander Army.
May 26, 2017
This regards the Marvel adaptation, not the novel.
Far too much of the novel was cut out, and I suspect that if I was not familiar with the story I couldn't have followed this. Consider that the Ender's Game adaptation was collected in ten issues. I always felt that Speaker for the Dead was more involved and more complicated overall than its prequel, yet the adaptation is half the length. The Piggies' culture is glossed over; you get a tiny bit about their life cycle in the end but that's it. There is almost none of Ender's interactions with Nohvina and her children, and even less of these people when Ender isn't present. These excisions make the entire family appear to do a complete 180 in their feelings about Ender after one conversation. Furthermore, the philosophical distinctions between levels of alienness, which was a big part of the book, are just gone. Granted, some of the philosophical/religious overtones of the novel were kind of 'buh, what?', but they were also rather deeply ingrained to the story.
In all, a very disappointing adaptation of a fairly interesting novel.
Far too much of the novel was cut out, and I suspect that if I was not familiar with the story I couldn't have followed this. Consider that the Ender's Game adaptation was collected in ten issues. I always felt that Speaker for the Dead was more involved and more complicated overall than its prequel, yet the adaptation is half the length. The Piggies' culture is glossed over; you get a tiny bit about their life cycle in the end but that's it. There is almost none of Ender's interactions with Nohvina and her children, and even less of these people when Ender isn't present. These excisions make the entire family appear to do a complete 180 in their feelings about Ender after one conversation. Furthermore, the philosophical distinctions between levels of alienness, which was a big part of the book, are just gone. Granted, some of the philosophical/religious overtones of the novel were kind of 'buh, what?', but they were also rather deeply ingrained to the story.
In all, a very disappointing adaptation of a fairly interesting novel.
December 5, 2012
Why does my brother even own this?
ANYWAY. This surprisingly works well as a comic because, let's be real, the actual novel was too preachy and could use some streamlining; it's just that I wish the graphic novel were thicker, but ha, beggars, choosers, etc.
Nitpicks: Jane's character design feels too girlish and a little lazy, while Ender looks too old (he's supposed to be only 35 here, and I remember that his youth was an issue to a lot of characters in the novel, but I get that it's not an issue here). I'm more concerned about Jane, probably because I've already seen her illustrated in one of the Ender-verse short stories (where she's more of a woman) and therefore am a little biased. Maybe the artist wanted to emphasize her playful/teasing/sometimes insensitive side, which ultimately makes Ender snap? It does mesh well with the a narrative that doesn't give the reader a lot of textual exposition of the characters or their relationships, so it's not that much of a big deal.
ANYWAY. This surprisingly works well as a comic because, let's be real, the actual novel was too preachy and could use some streamlining; it's just that I wish the graphic novel were thicker, but ha, beggars, choosers, etc.
Nitpicks: Jane's character design feels too girlish and a little lazy, while Ender looks too old (he's supposed to be only 35 here, and I remember that his youth was an issue to a lot of characters in the novel, but I get that it's not an issue here). I'm more concerned about Jane, probably because I've already seen her illustrated in one of the Ender-verse short stories (where she's more of a woman) and therefore am a little biased. Maybe the artist wanted to emphasize her playful/teasing/sometimes insensitive side, which ultimately makes Ender snap? It does mesh well with the a narrative that doesn't give the reader a lot of textual exposition of the characters or their relationships, so it's not that much of a big deal.
June 22, 2016
Just read this book. Was a good read. A sequel to Enders Game, so Ender figured in it and figured nicely in it. Now he's no longer the ruthless bloodstained hero but the face of compassion and understanding. Apparently these are two sides of the same coin which is a dynamic that is expounded on in the book, pretty convincingly actually and it makes Ender all the more endearing.
I like the whole sciency hook to the story, the mysticism surrounding the piggies, an alien tribe. This development was intriguing and invoked contemplation, can we understand aliens, do we consider them human-like, etc. etc... Not the deepest of discussions but interesting nonetheless. Interesting mostly because of the suspense in this development, OSC is quite a writer.
Then there's the story of the colony, the community and the accompanying focus on the human condition. Feelings of longing, loving, losing and belonging, you know: all that good stuff, these are the main driving forces. So yeah, pretty nice book!
I like the whole sciency hook to the story, the mysticism surrounding the piggies, an alien tribe. This development was intriguing and invoked contemplation, can we understand aliens, do we consider them human-like, etc. etc... Not the deepest of discussions but interesting nonetheless. Interesting mostly because of the suspense in this development, OSC is quite a writer.
Then there's the story of the colony, the community and the accompanying focus on the human condition. Feelings of longing, loving, losing and belonging, you know: all that good stuff, these are the main driving forces. So yeah, pretty nice book!
June 8, 2015
I have not read beyond The Speaker for the Dead, but this book, both in Card's words in the introduction and through the writing on the pages, is the defining work of this story-line. As I read through the book I wondered how and if my reading of this as well as Ender's Game would be different if I had picked Speaker up first. Ender's Game does not stand alone. While Ender's Game feels like a skeleton (which it is when seen in the light of The Speaker for the Dead) Speaker has sufficient depth and creativity to turn Ender's Game into more. The Speaker for the Dead could stand alone, but Ender's Game gives it more depth: leading us through the path Ender tread to meet and become the speaker. I recommend reading them out of order in order to better experience the four types of life discussed in Speaker. And finally, if life can be divided into four types into which category does writing fall? Does it change throughout our lives? Do some humans only experience all or a few of the types?
May 2, 2012
Not as exciting as Ender's Game, but it deals with some interesting themes. I particularly liked how it addressed the concern any Star Trek fan will recognize as "the prime directive" - whether or not to disturb/taint a new species with information/technology/aid from one's own world. Card's take on this is so much deeper and blows Roddenberry's away.
Of course there's always Ender to love--who wouldn't? To me the fact that he was an adult didn't hamper the story in any way. I also liked the characters in the family that he came to know in the story, although the book had a good amount of foreign language in it which got a bit rocky at times for a single-language reader like myself.
I'm fascinated with the intelligent computer character Jane and probably will have to read the next book just to see if the world gets to find out about her and her "species."
Of course there's always Ender to love--who wouldn't? To me the fact that he was an adult didn't hamper the story in any way. I also liked the characters in the family that he came to know in the story, although the book had a good amount of foreign language in it which got a bit rocky at times for a single-language reader like myself.
I'm fascinated with the intelligent computer character Jane and probably will have to read the next book just to see if the world gets to find out about her and her "species."
October 1, 2013
Had a hard time choosing between 3 and 4 for this one... but it was a 3.6 so I rounded up. Didn't like it as much as Ender's Game, which seems to be the common consensus. I was actually really into it up until about half-way through, and then all the hype that got built up kind of died in the last 150-200 pages and I was left wanting something different, or something more, can't place it. The build up and the ending just weren't as exciting as I thought they were going to be.
The way he describes and develops the many relationships in the book is pretty great. The world he describes is impressive, and his imagination is really admirable. And there are a few mysteries solved mid-book that I really enjoyed.
Don't think I'd read it again though, which is sad because if you asked me half way if I would I'd say yes for sure.
The way he describes and develops the many relationships in the book is pretty great. The world he describes is impressive, and his imagination is really admirable. And there are a few mysteries solved mid-book that I really enjoyed.
Don't think I'd read it again though, which is sad because if you asked me half way if I would I'd say yes for sure.
December 11, 2014
I seriously enjoyed this book. At first, I wasn't sure if it would live up to Ender's Game, but it ended up being even better. It didnt have the thrilling battles of Ender's Game, but it still was an amazing book. I loved the evolution of Ender's character from the previous book. Ender is really a character that you admire: he's not perfect, but he's still a good person. It shows you that even if you mess up, you can still be a good person.
I also loved the creativeness of Card's alien species, the piggies. They weren't predictable, and they, in a way, teach the reader as well as the characters a lesson. I found the hierarchy of foreignness to be confusing at some times, and I had to keep looking it up, but this entire book was worth it. This book was really good, and there were a lot of sentences that I found myself highlighting because I just liked Card's use of the language.
I also loved the creativeness of Card's alien species, the piggies. They weren't predictable, and they, in a way, teach the reader as well as the characters a lesson. I found the hierarchy of foreignness to be confusing at some times, and I had to keep looking it up, but this entire book was worth it. This book was really good, and there were a lot of sentences that I found myself highlighting because I just liked Card's use of the language.
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