I'm surprised to hear someone say they like the shadow series more then the ender series... I must be missing something because speaker for the dead is the best book of all the ones you listed imo.
I don't think you're missing anything, it's just for me that my overall assessment in a series is highly influenced by the conclusion. And although I really enjoyed Speaker of the Dead, Children of the Mind was easily the worst book I read in 2022, and The Last Shadow (perhaps the grand conclusion of the original series) wasn't much better. BUT, I loved the ending of Shadow of the Giant, how it concluded Bean's story while also wrapping Ender into the conclusion in a beautiful way.
Same here, that took me off guard. But then xenocide was probably my favorite of the series and I haven't read the last shadow. So now it's going to make going over the shadows series again much more interesting 🧐😊 ty
Thanks for the shout out my friend! I appreciate you making this journey and documenting it for us - I love Ender’s Game, but other then checking out the first little bit of Speaker, haven’t gone any further. One of these days.
Thanks for the insight! I read Ender’s Game in third grade years ago, far before I likely should have, and have just decided to revisit it. I was completely unaware the series was so sprawling and I look forward to finishing it!
I don’t entirely disagree, but anyone interested in this series should absolutely read Speaker for the Dead. Just an absolutely amazing book and easily the best on in the series
I do enjoy your ultimate order since it is quite hard for me to acquire the other books, and I would extend that with the addition of Ender in Exile as well as The First Meetings in the Enderverse, I just feel like it completes it even more
I agree with your final order and also the not-good direction the main series went - DNF a few of those books. However I do think that while not as strong, Ender in Exile is worth reading, perhaps after your list.
The shadow series used to be my personal preference, but I just finished children of the mind and I absolutely loved it it’s tied for me for best between that and speaker for the dead
Finished Enders Game a couple weeks ago. Finished Speaker yesterday. Loved both of them. Speaker may be my favorite of the two. Taking your advice and jumping on over to the Shadow series now.
I love how you put this together. In my mind I've only committed to Enders Game and I'll see how I like it before/if I continue... if I do I'll use your ultimate guide.
Thanks very much for your advice on the reading order. I followed your advice and just finished The last shadow this morning. I feel like I finally got some closure that was 20 years in the making.
Speaker, Xenocide, Children of the Mind are amazing. They are just difficult. I always read the Formic Wars prequel novels before I read Ender's Game. Don't forget First Meetings, War of Gifts, and Intergalactic Medicine Show.
Thanks for the tip. I was starting Speaker and I was lost. I was like what the hell happened. I didn’t read Enders Game but needed to know what happened after the movie. They left me on a cliff hanger with the no resolution. Your tip is greatly appreciated. Especially since I am not a big reader. Thank you so much.
Just reread Ender's Game recently for first time since highschool. I remember starting speaker for the dead back then and not getting into it. I'm following your recommendation this time and enjoying Ender's Shadow so far.
For me, I have never read the Ender's Shadow series. I own all four Ender Quartet books. For me, I enjoy all of them, though out of all of those titles, Speaker For The Dead is the top book. I love how the main climax is not a battle, but Treaty negotiations, where everyone knows the truth about each other, at least as it came to their interactions since their first meetings. I love the interplay with all the characters, and especially in Children Of The Mind, the Hive Queen discussions with Human on human beings, and how the Little Doctor is resolved. That was totally a human thing to do. I enjoyed Xenocide for how Ching Cho and how Starways Congress altered her DNA, is the mirror to Jane and the Formic, which made Ching Cho an amazing villain for Jane.
I'm glad these books worked for you, but Card just lost me at the end of Xenocide. I would likely reread Speaker for the Dead again, despite my "ultimate" reading advice in this video.
I totally understand. The entire aua concept was confusing, but then WoT gave me a even more confusing concept, and explained it in such a way that I fully understood the concepts, and totally get what Card was going for.@@RedFuryBooks
You made the long anticipated video! Wonderful hearing your thoughts and what an interesting reading order. I’ve always heard praise for the Speaker of the Dead, but I loved the logic you explained in your preferred order.
I recall liking the shadow series as a kid because it was about much more grounded. I'm interested to see how I interpret it as an adult. Especially the political aspect which I didn't even think about as a kid. I am currently re-reading enders game and i am noticing Cards political opinions so much more.
Yes, the Ender's series definitely is a bit more philosophical than the Shadow series, and the Shadow series is more straight-forward and adventure-type sci-fi.
Very much agree with your preferred list. Though I did like Speaker and a collection called First Meetings. I pretty much gave up on Card after about 2000. Before that, I had read most of what he had put out. Loved his Alvin Maker series. It was so original. No one talks about it anymore
His later books are very much Dr Strange Multiverse of Madness. Required too much backstory to understand what was happening in the later books. Also, wasn't as good as the first. @@RedFuryBooks
The starting point would be enders shadow, and about half way through that book, it connects to the actual enders game book and the stories over lap, Enders shadow retconned some of beans story.
Thanks for the info! I read Ender's game as a summer reading text for school and decided to start the series. Also, why did you not include the prequel formic wars books? I'm currently going on the publication order as that will make the most sense context wise to me and Mr.Card probably intended his stories to be this way. This probably means the story will unfold the way it should but gaps filled in by future books are going to be a bit confusing.
I didn't include the Formic Wars because Card had a co-author. A lot of times when a famous author has a co-author on a book that's not so famous, it means the co-author really wrote the book.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it. The further I get away from this series, that's the one that I think about a bit more than the others. (Maybe in conjunction with my disappointments with what followed; there was so much potential set up there).
I've heard a few people mention that, including Michael over at Fit2BeRead. It was a solid read for me, but I just generally don't recommend it because where Card took the story after that book.
Hey thanks for putting this together. Interested in reading the series and going to follow your ultimate reading order. I would like to include speaker of the dead though as ive heard good things. If you were to include it in your ultimate reading order now where do you think you'd put it or where would be the best fit. Thanks!
Speaker for the Dead is definitely worth your time - just know that there will be some things unresolved. (Which is okay). I'd probably read it last after you finish the Shadow series.
Thanks for your reply, I think I'll read the ultimate reading order and then if I feel like going on I'll check out Speaker for the Dead, but if I'm happy with the conclusion maybe I'll just leave it there. Already started Enders Game and it's pretty intriguing in just these first few opening chapters!
😅bruh speaker of the dead is such an amazing book, and xenocide was also a fine read tho not full fleshed out, children of the mind yeah I didnt finish it, its a tough read. but everyone should read speaker I dont see how not.
Yeah, it was a hard decision to leave Speaker of the Dead out of my final reading order as it's definitely a really great book. It just falls apart after that IMO.
Damned, i just ordered nearly all the books published in german only so see here that the shadow series got only enders shadow translated. Came in contact with card due to the movie i really liked, especially the end of the ending so i read the book years after the movie hoping that the end of the end (sorry dont know how to avoid spoilers here other than that) had more to offer, sadly no so another two years after that i received the books today and was unsure if i should start with enders shadow or speaker of the dead. Guess ill crossread both now, hoping that enders shadow is a solid standalone book without cliffhanger.
I read the first trilogy and LOVED it. One of my favorite endings to any book series. But I found that I wasn't liking the 4th book and actually DNF'd that one early. I may come back to it at some point, though.
I noticed you didnt mention the prequils following Mazer through the first wars. I thought they were pretty good myself though I don't know if the last one came out yet or not
Ender’s Game is a top 5 all-time book for me. I thought Speaker for the Dead had a big dropoff in quality compared to Ender’s Game, but was still good. I found the beginning of Xenocide completely dull and stopped reading it. Does it get better? Are the sequel books worth reading?
Xenocide went off the rails at the end, which is why I can't recommend that series. I did enjoy the first 4 Shadow series books, though, so if you like Ender's Shadow, I can recommend through Shadow of the Giant. But stop there! :)
Interesting view point. I've only read the ender quartet and absolutely loved it all. Just listened to a full cast version of Ender's game and now want read them all in chronological order. Have you ever read the formic wars, what was your opinion?
I wish I would have followed your order. I read Ender's Game and then went to speaker and I had to push to finish that one. Which I know is a outlier because my friends that also read it loved Speaker more than Ender's game. But I'm now reading Ender's Shadow and it has renewed my enjoyment. IDK if I'll finish the shadow series, but I know I'm done with the Ender's books.
Yes, I have seen some people like Speaker more than Ender's Game, but I'm obviously not one of them. (Although I did like it, but hated the books that followed it).
@@RedFuryBooks one of my friends read the next book after speaker and now won’t read Enders shadow because he’s so mad at orson Scott card for that book.
My favorite sci-fi series is the Hyperion Cantos of Dan Simmons. But I hadn't read it when I made this video, so I was likely referring to Dune (the book, not necessarily the series).
I hadn't read that one, but was under the impression that it wasn't integral to the overall story. I think it was a Young Adult book inserted into the chronology.
Personally, I tend to agree that Ender's Game and the Shadow series are must-reads. However, I disagree with not recommending the three Ender sequels. They are excellent but more philosophical. The tragedy of Gloriously Bright, who transforms from a skeptic to utter believer when it is proven that her gods are the delusions perpatrated against her world is exquisite. There are other moments that I truly enjoyed, including the devastating guilt born by Ender for the Xenocide and his search for peace. The fact that he was never going to discover that for himself in life was a perfect culmination of Ender's Game. However, unless a person enjoys science-fiction such as Dune or Childhood's End, these books might not be for them.
I wish I could go back and add Speaker for the Dead to my ultimate order, as I do think about that one often. Still not a fan of where Xenocide took things at the end (although I liked the first 3/4 of it)
Thank you very much for doing this!! I have only read Ender's Game, but some day I may come back to the series, and now I know how to do it! I especially want to read Ender's Shadow.
Thank you, this was very interesting! I read Ender's game many many years ago, when I was in high school and loved it, and loved "speaker for the dead" even more. But than I tried Xenocide and it was terrible, so I didn't bother to continue. At some point I did try the Shadow series, but I didn't like it. But it has been a long time, maybe I should try it again. Do you think the series is relevant for adults who dislike YA?
I wouldn't say it's YA, but the Shadow books are generally a bit lighter in some of the darker themes. I'd say that if you tried Ender's Shadow again and it didn't work for you, then the rest of the series definitely wouldn't work either.
Just for the record, I did enjoy Speaker for the Dead, but Card lost me at the end of Xenocide. But I'm sincerely glad that you enjoyed the rest of them, they just didn't work for me.
Haha, yeah, I generally skip the books that are co-authored by a big name and someone unknown, as it's usually written by the unknown author, with the big name just tacked on there for sales. But I'll consider it! 😁
Hi! Do the books in the ultimate order stand for themselves? Can somebody who hasn’t read anything in the saga just take the ultimate order without needing any additional context?
I'm pretty sure I responded to you on Twitter, but if not, here goes! The only absolute is to absolutely read Ender's Game first. If you then want to see Ender as an adult and start a new series with him, go with Speaker for the Dead next. That book is great, but I feel it really goes downhill from there. If you want to start a new series which is overall better IMO, but starts with a different character, read the Shadow series starting with Ender's Shadow, after reading Ender's Game of course.
Thanks for your video. I loved the first two books in the quartet but had to put Xenocide down in the beginning as it was too intense. I'm now considering picking this series up again.
I haven't read the Formic books. If I so at some point decide to pick them up, it will be awhile. Reading all 11 of these last year has me wanting to read other things.
@@RedFuryBooks I understand and to be honest I haven't read them either but I want to read them and will read them eventually, both because I'm a Completionist and the fact that I'm genuinely interested.
@@godzilla5742 I normally am as well! But I also know that he wrote those books with someone else; oftentimes that means that he lent his name to another author to write the books.
1:20 one of the worst takes on the history of the platform... Until this video where you suggest that the strongest message of the entire series is Peter Wiggins character arc I have never heard of the last 3 books on this list, the last time I read them there were only 8 books in the series 4 ender books and 4 shadow books Enders game and enders shadow are the only 2 genuinely good books in the 8 I read, I thought speaker for the dead, xenocide, and children of the mind had some interesting story elements but overall I think enders time skip trilogy is skippable When I read enders game in highschool there was only enders shadow, which I think is a great companion novel to enders game, but the three shadow sequels are the worst of the first 8 books Ender Wiggin committed "genocide" by accident, trickery, those sins are the responsibility of the international military that used gullible children to do their war crimes Peter Wiggins war crimes are his own, he deserves all the hate he gets, he lives a long and successful if turbulent life couping and conquering nations turning the planet into one hegemony Peter only grows a jimminy cricket late into his life after doing all these pre-meditated war crimes and sins, and then he has his come to Jesus moment where he wants forgiveness and redemption for his sins, and he calls up his abused younger brother who was sent to exile for crimes he didn't commit knowingly to get a shred of undeserved salvation for his soul How is that the grand message of the series? Pre meditated war crimes are ok as long as you realize it after the fact and feel sorry on your death bad Not only are the shadow books morally aggravating, they are incredibly boring where the scifi turns into geopolitical politics and espionage and idyllic nationalism The story should be about the horrors and immorality of the military industrial complex, ender is the character that preaches kindness and peace throughout the galaxy, and while his sequel trilogy aren't as good as enders game and enders shadow, the story of ender Wiggin is still vastly better than Peter Wiggins
Hey man Im reading Enders game right now and really enjoying and im interested in why you think the three sequels should be skipped? Like I want to know how they differ from the first book exactly?
This Ender’s series analysis on the different reading order options was very well done. Thank you.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I'm surprised to hear someone say they like the shadow series more then the ender series... I must be missing something because speaker for the dead is the best book of all the ones you listed imo.
I don't think you're missing anything, it's just for me that my overall assessment in a series is highly influenced by the conclusion. And although I really enjoyed Speaker of the Dead, Children of the Mind was easily the worst book I read in 2022, and The Last Shadow (perhaps the grand conclusion of the original series) wasn't much better. BUT, I loved the ending of Shadow of the Giant, how it concluded Bean's story while also wrapping Ender into the conclusion in a beautiful way.
Same here, that took me off guard. But then xenocide was probably my favorite of the series and I haven't read the last shadow. So now it's going to make going over the shadows series again much more interesting 🧐😊 ty
I'm one of those people. Although I love both series, I adore Bean and prefer watching his journey.
Children of the mind could of been a decent book but I don't like the effect it has on his other books.
Thanks for the shout out my friend! I appreciate you making this journey and documenting it for us - I love Ender’s Game, but other then checking out the first little bit of Speaker, haven’t gone any further. One of these days.
Thanks for the insight! I read Ender’s Game in third grade years ago, far before I likely should have, and have just decided to revisit it. I was completely unaware the series was so sprawling and I look forward to finishing it!
Hope you enjoy it!
I don’t entirely disagree, but anyone interested in this series should absolutely read Speaker for the Dead. Just an absolutely amazing book and easily the best on in the series
I did enjoy Speaker for the Dead, I just loathed where the story went in Xenocide at the end.
I do enjoy your ultimate order since it is quite hard for me to acquire the other books, and I would extend that with the addition of Ender in Exile as well as The First Meetings in the Enderverse, I just feel like it completes it even more
I agree with your final order and also the not-good direction the main series went - DNF a few of those books. However I do think that while not as strong, Ender in Exile is worth reading, perhaps after your list.
The shadow series used to be my personal preference, but I just finished children of the mind and I absolutely loved it it’s tied for me for best between that and speaker for the dead
Awesome! I’m sincerely happy you enjoyed those installments more than I did!
Finished Enders Game a couple weeks ago. Finished Speaker yesterday. Loved both of them. Speaker may be my favorite of the two. Taking your advice and jumping on over to the Shadow series now.
I hope you enjoy Bean's portion of the story!
How did that work out for you?
I love how you put this together. In my mind I've only committed to Enders Game and I'll see how I like it before/if I continue... if I do I'll use your ultimate guide.
When you do let me know how it works for you!
Thanks for this video! I read Ender’s Game back in middle school and loved it and always meant to continue. Appreciate the direction!
Glad to help!
Thanks very much for your advice on the reading order. I followed your advice and just finished The last shadow this morning. I feel like I finally got some closure that was 20 years in the making.
Love this video. I’ve only read the first 2 and keep meaning to read all of them, so I’ll consider your order
I hope it works for you!
Thanks for the diffrent breakdowns its really given me a better idea of how to invest my reading time
Happy to help!
I love enders game...ive also read speaker of the dead and enders shadow but i loved all 3 so much..id love to read the restt
This is a huge help, thanks for putting this together!
Glad to have been some help!
Speaker, Xenocide, Children of the Mind are amazing. They are just difficult. I always read the Formic Wars prequel novels before I read Ender's Game. Don't forget First Meetings, War of Gifts, and Intergalactic Medicine Show.
I was kind of burned out and didn't read beyond the "core" Ender/Shadow novels, although I have a friend that loves the Formic Wars.
Thanks for the tip. I was starting Speaker and I was lost. I was like what the hell happened. I didn’t read Enders Game but needed to know what happened after the movie.
They left me on a cliff hanger with the no resolution.
Your tip is greatly appreciated. Especially since I am not a big reader.
Thank you so much.
Glad I could help!
Just reread Ender's Game recently for first time since highschool. I remember starting speaker for the dead back then and not getting into it. I'm following your recommendation this time and enjoying Ender's Shadow so far.
I hope you continue to enjoy Ender's Shadow!
For me, I have never read the Ender's Shadow series. I own all four Ender Quartet books. For me, I enjoy all of them, though out of all of those titles, Speaker For The Dead is the top book.
I love how the main climax is not a battle, but Treaty negotiations, where everyone knows the truth about each other, at least as it came to their interactions since their first meetings.
I love the interplay with all the characters, and especially in Children Of The Mind, the Hive Queen discussions with Human on human beings, and how the Little Doctor is resolved. That was totally a human thing to do.
I enjoyed Xenocide for how Ching Cho and how Starways Congress altered her DNA, is the mirror to Jane and the Formic, which made Ching Cho an amazing villain for Jane.
I'm glad these books worked for you, but Card just lost me at the end of Xenocide. I would likely reread Speaker for the Dead again, despite my "ultimate" reading advice in this video.
I totally understand. The entire aua concept was confusing, but then WoT gave me a even more confusing concept, and explained it in such a way that I fully understood the concepts, and totally get what Card was going for.@@RedFuryBooks
Publication order is really the best way to absorb the story the author intended.
Publication order is never a wrong choice.
Thank you for putting this together!
You made the long anticipated video! Wonderful hearing your thoughts and what an interesting reading order. I’ve always heard praise for the Speaker of the Dead, but I loved the logic you explained in your preferred order.
It didn't end up how I thought it would when I started this journey back in February!
Thanks for your insight on this series.
Glad to help!
I recall liking the shadow series as a kid because it was about much more grounded. I'm interested to see how I interpret it as an adult. Especially the political aspect which I didn't even think about as a kid. I am currently re-reading enders game and i am noticing Cards political opinions so much more.
Yes, the Ender's series definitely is a bit more philosophical than the Shadow series, and the Shadow series is more straight-forward and adventure-type sci-fi.
Thank you so much for this reading order recommendation; because I already own the books, I will take the second route you suggested.
Glad to be of help, and I hope you enjoy these books!
Very much agree with your preferred list. Though I did like Speaker and a collection called First Meetings. I pretty much gave up on Card after about 2000. Before that, I had read most of what he had put out. Loved his Alvin Maker series. It was so original. No one talks about it anymore
I haven’t read First Meetings but definitely do appreciate Speaker for the Dead. I just didn’t like where he took things after that.
His later books are very much Dr Strange Multiverse of Madness. Required too much backstory to understand what was happening in the later books. Also, wasn't as good as the first.
@@RedFuryBooks
THANK YOU!!!!
Great video! I might give this series another shot next year. I'll follow your reading order if I do
Best of luck with it!
The starting point would be enders shadow, and about half way through that book, it connects to the actual enders game book and the stories over lap, Enders shadow retconned some of beans story.
That would be an interesting reading experience.
Thanks for the info! I read Ender's game as a summer reading text for school and decided to start the series. Also, why did you not include the prequel formic wars books? I'm currently going on the publication order as that will make the most sense context wise to me and Mr.Card probably intended his stories to be this way. This probably means the story will unfold the way it should but gaps filled in by future books are going to be a bit confusing.
I didn't include the Formic Wars because Card had a co-author. A lot of times when a famous author has a co-author on a book that's not so famous, it means the co-author really wrote the book.
Speaker for the dead is the best book of all time with Enders game/shadow as context
Glad to hear you enjoyed it. The further I get away from this series, that's the one that I think about a bit more than the others. (Maybe in conjunction with my disappointments with what followed; there was so much potential set up there).
I just read Skyward by Sanderson and it's basically a copy of enders game lol
Ugh - sorry to hear that! Although I did love Ender's Game.
I read Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead. For some reason, I think I enjoyed Speaker for the Dead more.
I've heard a few people mention that, including Michael over at Fit2BeRead. It was a solid read for me, but I just generally don't recommend it because where Card took the story after that book.
Hey thanks for putting this together. Interested in reading the series and going to follow your ultimate reading order. I would like to include speaker of the dead though as ive heard good things. If you were to include it in your ultimate reading order now where do you think you'd put it or where would be the best fit. Thanks!
Speaker for the Dead is definitely worth your time - just know that there will be some things unresolved. (Which is okay). I'd probably read it last after you finish the Shadow series.
Thanks for your reply, I think I'll read the ultimate reading order and then if I feel like going on I'll check out Speaker for the Dead, but if I'm happy with the conclusion maybe I'll just leave it there.
Already started Enders Game and it's pretty intriguing in just these first few opening chapters!
@@wollyollyc enjoy!
😅bruh speaker of the dead is such an amazing book, and xenocide was also a fine read tho not full fleshed out, children of the mind yeah I didnt finish it, its a tough read. but everyone should read speaker I dont see how not.
Yeah, it was a hard decision to leave Speaker of the Dead out of my final reading order as it's definitely a really great book. It just falls apart after that IMO.
Damned, i just ordered nearly all the books published in german only so see here that the shadow series got only enders shadow translated.
Came in contact with card due to the movie i really liked, especially the end of the ending so i read the book years after the movie hoping that the end of the end (sorry dont know how to avoid spoilers here other than that) had more to offer, sadly no so another two years after that i received the books today and was unsure if i should start with enders shadow or speaker of the dead. Guess ill crossread both now, hoping that enders shadow is a solid standalone book without cliffhanger.
Oh man, I hope you can find translations for the rest!
I’ve only read the ender quartet and you’re right the end was garbage. I think I’ll try your reading order and see what happens.
I hope it works for you! I did enjoy the Shadow series.
Speaker for the dead is so much better than enders game. Im so confused
Thank you so much for this video! Have you read Red Rising? Would be interested in your thoughts either way, it's one of my top 3!
I read the first trilogy and LOVED it. One of my favorite endings to any book series. But I found that I wasn't liking the 4th book and actually DNF'd that one early. I may come back to it at some point, though.
I noticed you didnt mention the prequils following Mazer through the first wars. I thought they were pretty good myself though I don't know if the last one came out yet or not
I hadn't read those, as I was a bit burned out after reading all 11 of these in a year. Are they good?
@@RedFuryBooks I enjoyed them though I'm not sure what they add to the world
Ender’s Game is a top 5 all-time book for me. I thought Speaker for the Dead had a big dropoff in quality compared to Ender’s Game, but was still good. I found the beginning of Xenocide completely dull and stopped reading it. Does it get better? Are the sequel books worth reading?
Xenocide went off the rails at the end, which is why I can't recommend that series. I did enjoy the first 4 Shadow series books, though, so if you like Ender's Shadow, I can recommend through Shadow of the Giant. But stop there! :)
Sounds good. Thanks for the reply!
Interesting view point. I've only read the ender quartet and absolutely loved it all. Just listened to a full cast version of Ender's game and now want read them all in chronological order.
Have you ever read the formic wars, what was your opinion?
I haven't read the Formic Wars. I was burned out after reading all of these and haven't felt the desire to go back.
Merry Christmas to you and ur family 🎄❄️🎥
Thank you - you too!
I wish I would have followed your order. I read Ender's Game and then went to speaker and I had to push to finish that one. Which I know is a outlier because my friends that also read it loved Speaker more than Ender's game. But I'm now reading Ender's Shadow and it has renewed my enjoyment. IDK if I'll finish the shadow series, but I know I'm done with the Ender's books.
Yes, I have seen some people like Speaker more than Ender's Game, but I'm obviously not one of them. (Although I did like it, but hated the books that followed it).
@@RedFuryBooks one of my friends read the next book after speaker and now won’t read Enders shadow because he’s so mad at orson Scott card for that book.
@@Channel4Cas Yeah, I get it. I think my Xenocide review I called "UGH" because the end was so bad IMO.
@@RedFuryBooks I think I’ll just go watch your review so I don’t have to read the book.
Whats your first top book series over Enders?
My favorite sci-fi series is the Hyperion Cantos of Dan Simmons. But I hadn't read it when I made this video, so I was likely referring to Dune (the book, not necessarily the series).
Thanks for the video, just have one question. My app suggested I read “Fist Meetings” next. Any advice? I just finished children of the mind. …
Thanks
I hadn't read that one, but was under the impression that it wasn't integral to the overall story. I think it was a Young Adult book inserted into the chronology.
Personally, I tend to agree that Ender's Game and the Shadow series are must-reads. However, I disagree with not recommending the three Ender sequels. They are excellent but more philosophical. The tragedy of Gloriously Bright, who transforms from a skeptic to utter believer when it is proven that her gods are the delusions perpatrated against her world is exquisite. There are other moments that I truly enjoyed, including the devastating guilt born by Ender for the Xenocide and his search for peace. The fact that he was never going to discover that for himself in life was a perfect culmination of Ender's Game. However, unless a person enjoys science-fiction such as Dune or Childhood's End, these books might not be for them.
I wish I could go back and add Speaker for the Dead to my ultimate order, as I do think about that one often. Still not a fan of where Xenocide took things at the end (although I liked the first 3/4 of it)
Confused. Sounds like I should just do the ultimate order. As a new reader is my best bet chronological?
Sorry to confuse! Really the only big decision is whether to read Ender's Shadow or Speaker for the Dead after Ender's Game.
I think I ultimately want to read Enders shadow. I have already read the first book but I plan to do a reread
Thank you very much for doing this!!
I have only read Ender's Game, but some day I may come back to the series, and now I know how to do it!
I especially want to read Ender's Shadow.
Ender's Shadow is awesome! I hope you love it like I do!
Thank you, this was very interesting! I read Ender's game many many years ago, when I was in high school and loved it, and loved "speaker for the dead" even more. But than I tried Xenocide and it was terrible, so I didn't bother to continue. At some point I did try the Shadow series, but I didn't like it. But it has been a long time, maybe I should try it again. Do you think the series is relevant for adults who dislike YA?
I wouldn't say it's YA, but the Shadow books are generally a bit lighter in some of the darker themes. I'd say that if you tried Ender's Shadow again and it didn't work for you, then the rest of the series definitely wouldn't work either.
I have read all the books a few years ago, my top 2 were Speaker For the Dead and Children of the Mind. To each his own, I disagree with your opinion
Just for the record, I did enjoy Speaker for the Dead, but Card lost me at the end of Xenocide. But I'm sincerely glad that you enjoyed the rest of them, they just didn't work for me.
Where’s the first Formica war trilogy??? Get reading!!!
Haha, yeah, I generally skip the books that are co-authored by a big name and someone unknown, as it's usually written by the unknown author, with the big name just tacked on there for sales. But I'll consider it! 😁
Hi! Do the books in the ultimate order stand for themselves? Can somebody who hasn’t read anything in the saga just take the ultimate order without needing any additional context?
I'm pretty sure I responded to you on Twitter, but if not, here goes! The only absolute is to absolutely read Ender's Game first. If you then want to see Ender as an adult and start a new series with him, go with Speaker for the Dead next. That book is great, but I feel it really goes downhill from there. If you want to start a new series which is overall better IMO, but starts with a different character, read the Shadow series starting with Ender's Shadow, after reading Ender's Game of course.
Thanks for your video. I loved the first two books in the quartet but had to put Xenocide down in the beginning as it was too intense.
I'm now considering picking this series up again.
I hope you enjoy it!
Sir do you read Billy's summer by Stephen King
Is it worth reading
I don't love King's crime fiction, but Billy Summers is a pretty solid book.
Have you read the formic war books which all take place before all those other books? If not are you interested in reading them?
I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on those books.
I still have yet to complete the entire Ender/Bean saga, right now I'm on Speaker for the Dead and have just recently finished Ender in Exile.
I haven't read the Formic books. If I so at some point decide to pick them up, it will be awhile. Reading all 11 of these last year has me wanting to read other things.
@@RedFuryBooks I understand and to be honest I haven't read them either but I want to read them and will read them eventually, both because I'm a Completionist and the fact that I'm genuinely interested.
@@godzilla5742 I normally am as well! But I also know that he wrote those books with someone else; oftentimes that means that he lent his name to another author to write the books.
🥇Speaker for the dead
I'm glad you love it!
1:20 one of the worst takes on the history of the platform... Until this video where you suggest that the strongest message of the entire series is Peter Wiggins character arc
I have never heard of the last 3 books on this list, the last time I read them there were only 8 books in the series 4 ender books and 4 shadow books
Enders game and enders shadow are the only 2 genuinely good books in the 8 I read, I thought speaker for the dead, xenocide, and children of the mind had some interesting story elements but overall I think enders time skip trilogy is skippable
When I read enders game in highschool there was only enders shadow, which I think is a great companion novel to enders game, but the three shadow sequels are the worst of the first 8 books
Ender Wiggin committed "genocide" by accident, trickery, those sins are the responsibility of the international military that used gullible children to do their war crimes
Peter Wiggins war crimes are his own, he deserves all the hate he gets, he lives a long and successful if turbulent life couping and conquering nations turning the planet into one hegemony
Peter only grows a jimminy cricket late into his life after doing all these pre-meditated war crimes and sins, and then he has his come to Jesus moment where he wants forgiveness and redemption for his sins, and he calls up his abused younger brother who was sent to exile for crimes he didn't commit knowingly to get a shred of undeserved salvation for his soul
How is that the grand message of the series? Pre meditated war crimes are ok as long as you realize it after the fact and feel sorry on your death bad
Not only are the shadow books morally aggravating, they are incredibly boring where the scifi turns into geopolitical politics and espionage and idyllic nationalism
The story should be about the horrors and immorality of the military industrial complex, ender is the character that preaches kindness and peace throughout the galaxy, and while his sequel trilogy aren't as good as enders game and enders shadow, the story of ender Wiggin is still vastly better than Peter Wiggins
Thanks for your input.
Meh
I’m sure I can read the Wikipedia page and save myself a lot of time.
Hey man Im reading Enders game right now and really enjoying and im interested in why you think the three sequels should be skipped? Like I want to know how they differ from the first book exactly?
I’ve softened that stance a little as I do think Speaker for the Dead is really good. But I absolutely hated the end of Xenocide and what followed.