Ender's World: Fresh Perspectives on the SF Classic Ender's Game

by Orson Scott Card (Editor), Janis Ian (Contribution by), Aaron Johnston (Contribution by)

Overview

Experience the thrill of reading Ender's Game all over again

Go deeper into the complexities of Orson Scott Card's classic novel with science fiction and fantasy writers, YA authors, military strategists, including:

Ender prequel series coauthor Aaron Johnston on Ender and the evolution of the child hero
Burn Notice creator Matt Nix on Ender's Game as a guide to life
Hugo award–winning writer Mary Robinette Kowal on how Ender's Game gets away with breaking all the (literary) rules
Retired US Air Force Colonel Tom Ruby on what the military could learn from Ender about leadership
Bestselling YA author Neal Shusterman on the ambivalence toward survival that lies at the heart of Ender's story

Plus pieces by:

Hilari Bell
John Brown
Mette Ivie Harrison
Janis Ian
Alethea Kontis
David Lubar and Alison S. Myers
John F. Schmitt
Ken Scholes
Eric James Stone

Also includes never-before-seen content from Orson Scott Card on the writing and evolution of the events in Ender's Game, from the design of Battle School to the mindset of the pilots who sacrificed themselves in humanity's fight against the formics

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781937856267
Publisher:	BenBella Books, Inc.
Publication date:	04/02/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	282,901
Lexile:	1110L (what's this?)
File size:	797 KB
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

Orson Scott Card is the author of the novels Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, and Speaker for the Dead, which are widely read by adults and younger readers, and are increasingly used in schools.

Besides these and other science fiction novels, Card writes contemporary fantasy (Magic Street, Enchantment, Lost Boys), biblical novels (Stone Tables, Rachel and Leah), the American frontier fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker (beginning with Seventh Son), poetry (An Open Book), and many plays and scripts.

Card was born in Washington and grew up in California, Arizona, and Utah. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Brazil in the early 1970s. Besides his writing, he teaches occasional classes and workshops and directs plays. He recently began a long-term position as a professor of writing and literature at Southern Virginia University.

Card currently lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife, Kristine Allen Card, and their youngest child, Zina Margaret.

Hometown:

Greensboro, North Carolina

Date of Birth:

August 24, 1951

Place of Birth:

Richland, Washington

Education:

B.A. in theater, Brigham Young University, 1975; M.A. in English, University of Utah, 1981

Website:

http://www.hatrack.com

Editorial Reviews

With an Ender's Game movie due in November 2013, this collection of essays about the classic science-fiction novel, edited by the controversial Card himself, should find a willing audience. Intelligent and perceptive, but leaning decidedly toward the hagiographic, the book includes pieces by well-known science fiction writers such as Mary Robinette Kowal, David Lubar, and Neal Shusterman; Card's former students and co-authors such as Eric James Stone and Aaron Johnston; noted military strategists like Colonel Tom Ruby, and John F. Schmitt; the famous songwriter and science fiction fan Janis Ian; and authors who share Card's Mormon faith, including John Brown and Mette Ivie Harrison. The book also features an Introduction by Card and, interspersed between the essays, his answers to various questions about the novel. Each essayist begins with a personal reminiscence of his discovery of Ender's Game before moving to a more focused topic. For example, Stone discusses the novel's problematic ending; Kowal examines Card's own rules for writing and how he breaks them; Janis Ian discusses the psychological importance of Ender being short; while Ruby examines his leadership skills. Card's many fans will find much to enjoy here. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Intelligent and perceptive . . . Card's many fans will find much to enjoy here."
—Publishers Weekly

"A chorus of writers and military experts weigh in on why Ender's Game is a work of genius . . . Strategist John F. Schmitt provides an account of the novel's significant role as a model for the Marine Corps' 'Maneuver Warfare' battle approach, and there's a perceptive discussion between writer David Lubar and his daughter, a high school teacher, about how Ender's situation and responses speak to teens . . . Other contributors recall with awe their first encounters with the story, offer detailed analyses of Ender's psyche and Card's writerly technical chops, demonstrate that Ender is a classic mythic hero, or mull over the nature and costs of victory . . . This tribute may have some appeal to readers with an analytical bent."
—Kirkus Reviews

Ender's World is a fun and thought-provocative read, evaluating not just the novel Ender's Game, but also its lasting effect on the science fiction genre. It provides a wide range of viewpoints and the contributors were well-selected, providing something, essentially, for everyone. If you're interested in brushing up on the story again before the movie releases later this fall, check out Ender's World for some new perspectives on this science fiction classic.
—GeekDad

From the Publisher

A chorus of writers and military experts weigh in on why Card's Ender's Game (1985) is a work of genius. They make cogent arguments. Strategist John F. Schmitt provides an account of the novel's significant role as a model for the Marine Corps' "Maneuver Warfare" battle approach, and there's a perceptive discussion between writer David Lubar and his daughter, a high school teacher, about how Ender's situation and responses speak to teens. Songwriter Janis Ian meditates on how Ender (and others) are underestimated because they're short, and Card's frequent co-author Aaron Johnston agrees, dubbing Ender a "short Clint Eastwood" (but with compassion). Other contributors recall with awe their first encounters with the story, offer detailed analyses of Ender's psyche and Card's writerly technical chops, demonstrate that Ender is a classic mythic hero, or mull over the nature and costs of victory. Card provides an introduction (not seen) and, between each essay, answers to frequently asked questions about the story and its characters. Most of Card's fans will agree with writer John Brown's assertion that trying to winkle out a literary work's "true meaning" kills it, but this tribute may have some appeal to readers with an analytical bent. (thumbnail author bios) (Literary criticism. 16 & up)

Kirkus Reviews