Ender in Exile

September 29, 2008
Set between Card's Hugo and Nebula–winning Ender's Game
(1985) and Speaker for the Dead
(1986), this philosophical novel covers familiar events, but puts new emphasis on their ethical ramifications. In the wake of his victory over the alien Formics, 12-year-old military genius Ender Wiggins is hailed as a hero, but governments opposed to the International Fleet, which trained him, intend to portray him as a monster. Ender winds up as titular governor of one of the new human colonies, where he struggles to adapt to civilian life and ponders his role in the deaths of thousands of humans and an entire alien species. His agonized musings aren't always sophisticated but possess a certain gravitas. Fans will find this offering illuminating, and it's also accessible to thoughtful readers new to the series.

December 22, 2008
This new tale in Card’s ever-expanding Enderverse tackles Ender in the months following his saving Earth and his eventual exile by those he saved. As he reconciles his act of “xenocide,” Ender re-establishes his relationship with his sister, Valentine, while also trying to create stability on a newly established colony planet. While Ender finds himself with many potential enemies, they pale in comparison to his own inner antagonist. Though Stefan Rudnicki dominates much of the text, additional cast members embody different narrative voices within the story. Rudnicki performs well; his knack for sliding between prose and voices, both male and female, is aurally hypnotic. His deep, resonating voice skillfully employs timing and emphasis to elicit great emotion from the text. Card reads the afterword, in which he explains that though this book contradicts Enderverse continuity, this still remains the “real story.” A Tor hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 29).