Ender's Game FAQ (Spoiler Heavy)

Ender's Game is a popular science fiction novel that takes place at some point in the future where mankind has narrowly survived two alien invasions and decides that their only hope is to take child prodigies and train them to lead the fight against a third invasion. The story focuses on Andrew (Ender) Wiggin, who is one of the prodigies.

Here are some frequently-asked questions regarding this amazing saga. But be warned, it contains spoilers (headings will contain warnings) with information that is best digested as one reads the Ender's Game novels.

Who Wrote Ender's Game?

Ender's Game was written by Orson Scott Card, a well-known science fiction writer. More on him later in this article.

What are the Best Orson Scott Card Books?

Ender's Game certainly tops the list in terms of popularity and influence. Most of Card's other most popular books are also part of the Ender's Game saga, These include Speaker for the Dead, Ender's Shadow and Xenocide. However, Children of the Mind and Shadow of the Hegemon are also very popular. Outside of the Ender's Game saga, you also have popular books like Seventh Son and The Lost Gate.

When Was Ender's Game Written?

While working at  BYU Press, Orson Scott Card wrote a short story called "Ender's Game" and in August 1977 it was published in an issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine. The novel was published in 1985, and in 1991, Orson Card released a new version to account for the Cold War's end (geopolitics play a huge role in the book's background story).

What Is Ender's Game About?

On its surface, Ender's Game is about a child prodigy named Ender being groomed to become a brilliant fleet commander. He is one of many genius children being trained to defeat a race of aliens who've invaded Earth before and are believed to be preparing for another invasion. Beyond this, Card pries deep into game theoretic scenarios and moral dilemmas regarding war, politics, deception, leadership and relationships.

How Many Pages Is Ender's Game?

The novel has 352 pages.

How Many Books Are In The Ender's Game Series?

As of 2018, 16 books have been released, with an additional 3 more announced. These are:

  • Shadows Alive
  • The Hive
  • The Queens

Is There A Sequel To Ender's Game / What Book Comes After Ender's Game ?(Spoilers)

Technically there are two sequels to the book, as it splits off into two sagas, both of which immediately follow the war with the formics. There is the Ender Saga, which follows Ender's space travels. There is also the Shadow Saga (sometimes referred to as the Bean Saga) which follows Ender's friend Julian Delphiki (known as Bean) as he returns to Earth and helps Ender's brother (Peter) in his attempt to assume control of and unite the countries of Earth.

Where To Watch Ender's Game

Ender's Game is currently available on Netflix. It can also be purchased on online streaming platforms like Amazon and Google.

What Order To Read Ender's Game (Spoilers!)

Your preferences will decide the ideal order in which to read the series. If you're more interested in the sci-fi aspect, then start with Earth Unaware, which takes place 100 years before Ender's Game, when the Formics first reach Earth. If you're a fan of Firefly then starting here is almost certainly the right choice.

If you're more interested in the rich storyline and a deep analysis of leadership, deception, politics, religion, etc then absolutely start with Ender's Game. From there you can either choose to follow the Ender Saga or the Shadow Saga. If you're more interested in space travel and interspecies culture shock and communication mishaps, go with Ender's Saga and then double back to the beginning of the Shadow Saga once finished. If you're more interested in geopolitics and the resumed bickering of nations that are no longer unified by the threat of the Formics, then read the Shadow Saga and once finished, start the Ender Saga. Then of course, double back to Earth Unaware to learn about humanity's first contact with the Formics.

How Many Chapters Are In Ender's Game?

The original novel contains 15 chapters.

Who Plays Ender In Ender's Game?

In the 2013 movie, Andrew Wiggin (Ender) is played by  Asa Butterfield.

Is Ender's Game A Series?

Yes, in fact it's technically three series. Ender's Game splits off into the Ender Saga and the Shadow Saga. There is also the First Formic War Trilogy, a prequel to the events leading up to Ender's Game.

Is There An Ender's Game 2?

Technically Ender in Exile would be the de facto sequel, as if follows Ender's life immediately following the end of the Formic war.

Who Is Orson Scott Card?

Orson Scott Card was born in 1951 and is an active member of the LDS Church. He's written several books (including some for children) and is a well-known and well-respected author in the science fiction community, though he also writes for other genres. His books Ender's Game (1985) and Speaker for the Dead (1986) won both Hugo and Nebula Awards (the gold standard in sci-fi). No one else has won both awards for two consecutive years.

It's interesting to note how Card's life makes its way into the novels.

For example, he was a missionary in Brazil. The world of Lusitania (the world where most of Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide takes place) is settled by ethnic Brazilians and the planet's official language is Portuguese and its religion is Catholic.

He is a very religious person (Mormon) and the book is heavy on the awkward relationship between government policy and religious practices (for example, many of the colonists leave Earth in order to live on a world where they can practice their religion without Earth-government interference, which includes a two-child limit policy).

Lusitania is populated by a sentient species the colonists dub the Pequeninos, a tribal species that resemble bipedal swine. Their life cycle and reproduction requires death and their life cycle includes a sacrificial "death and resurrection." It may also not be a coincidence that Card chose pigs (pork) as the animal the Pequeninos most closely resemble.

His politics, which are very "right wing" in terms of foreign policy and "left wing" in terms of economics completely show through in much of the book's commentary, including the thoughts of Colonel Graff.

Card lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, which incidentally is where Ender grows up.

How Long Is Ender's Game?

Ender's Game the novel is 352 pages long. The movie is 1 hour and 54 minutes.

Is There An Ender's Game 2 Movie / Is There A Sequel To Ender's Game Movie?

At this point there appears to be no plan for an Ender's Game movie sequel. Orson Scott Card has alluded to the difficulty in portraying much of the Ender's Game saga into movies (much of the content takes place in character's thoughts, not through 'action' and this makes it difficult to accurately portray in movies).

What Genre Is Ender's Game?

Technically Ender's Game is a science fiction novel and movie.

Where Can I Buy Ender's Game?

If they focus on selling books, they almost certainly have Ender's Game. You can certainly purchase it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble (either their physical stores or their website).

Is Ender's Game A Good Book (Spoliers!)?

This book has won Hugo and Nebula Awards, It's been praised as a contemporary classic and is on  The U.S. Marine Corps Professional Reading List.

That said, the book has recieved criticism. For example, some have claimed that it somehow promotes or at least glorifies Western expansion/imperialism. This only seems plausible however, if you stop reading the book before the final 20 pages or so, and it is even less plausible given the sequels.

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