[Hijinks]

I just finished reading Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and enjoyed it. The book was short but was interesting and an easy read for breaks at work.

My question is, are the other books in the series worth the time or would I be better off considering it a stand alone book and moving on? If you have read some or the rest of the series I would appreciate your input.

[Andols]

I just finished reading Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and enjoyed it. The book was short but was interesting and an easy read for breaks at work.

My question is, are the other books in the series worth the time or would I be better off considering it a stand alone book and moving on? If you have read some or the rest of the series I would appreciate your input.

I actually like the Shadow series more than the first novel. Also Speaker and Xenocide are great books that are almost stand alone anyway.

With Children of the Mind you're on your own. If any work has mixed reviews it's that one.

[Fung Koo]

100% for sure read Ender's Shadow. It follows Bean through the same story arc as Ender's Game. Very cool.

The others were OK. Nothing I'd really rave about. Not as much to my taste.

[phil_geo]

I'll weigh in with I greatly enjoyed Speaker and Xenocide, but Xenocide ends in a cliffhanger. I felt that series could easily have been wrapped up in three books and that Card was just dragging it out. I was so insulted that I didn't finish the series.

I liked Shadow less than most other people - I found it very derivative and it did not make me want to read more.

[Andols]

I'll weigh in with I greatly enjoyed Speaker and Xenocide, but Xenocide ends in a cliffhanger. I felt that series could easily have been wrapped up in three books and that Card was just dragging it out. I was so insulted that I didn't finish the series.

I liked Shadow less than most other people - I found it very derivative and it did not make me want to read more.

Derivative in that it was based in the same world as Ender's Game? I found the Shadow series did more for Peter than any of the other books. I also enjoyed Bean for more than any other character.

[randar23rhenn]

I think the shadow series is better, but the rest of the ender series is definitely well worth reading

[Hijinks]

Thanks for all the info, I found a person at work who has the entire collection. Soon as he locates the books I will start reading the rest of the series.

[phil_geo]

Derivative in that it was based in the same world as Ender's Game? I found the Shadow series did more for Peter than any of the other books. I also enjoyed Bean for more than any other character.
I meant derivative in the sense that he was milking a story that was already told, and to me it felt like he was telling the exact same story with a different name for the main character. It didn't really feel like a parallel tale to me, just a retelling of Ender's game. In the brief gimpses you got of Ender, I would always think "Oh yeah, it was better the first time around"

I agree with you about Peter, that was the one undeveloped thread I wondered about in the first trilogy and wanted to see more of. I could tell it was coming in Shadow and it almost kept me reading, but not quite.

[Andols]

I meant derivative in the sense that he was milking a story that was already told, and to me it felt like he was telling the exact same story with a different name for the main character. It didn't really feel like a parallel tale to me, just a retelling of Ender's game. In the brief gimpses you got of Ender, I would always think "Oh yeah, it was better the first time around"

I agree with you about Peter, that was the one undeveloped thread I wondered about in the first trilogy and wanted to see more of. I could tell it was coming in Shadow and it almost kept me reading, but not quite.

I guess depending on if you prefered Ender over Bean, Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow will have mixed reviews.

The sequals to Enders's Shadow I found to be much more enjoyable than Speaker/Xenocide. Peter's political dealings and Beans subsequent involvement made for some great scenes and power plays.

[mirage2101]

Ender's game was great. Enders shadow and what came after were slightly different books, more political, I enjoyed those in a different way.
If you like Ender's game then shadow and sequals will be your thing.

I read speaker for the dead and well... It's a nice book, but it's only related to Ender in name. it could've been a complete standalone book.