Ender Series

Ever read a book that is good in spite of its author's controversial reputation? Card has landed himself in a lot of hot water for his political commentary, primarily driven by his personal religious viewpoint. This has alienated many fans. In spite of this, his Ender series is so good you shouldn't be dissuaded from reading it, despite the author's intrusive mormon ideas that leak through his pen. This is a series (rather the first book, Ender's Game) that seems to top pretty much every best 'sci-fi' list out there. And of course, there is very good reason for this. This series began as a militaristic science fiction short story that was published in the August 1977 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Card expanded the short story into the novel Ender's Game that was published in 1985. Think Lord of the Flies set in space with an alien threat, advanced computers, military strategy and guns thrown into the mix. What you don't get in a lot of science fiction is an authentic portrayal of children in the primary role and focus of the story. Card delivers. In fact he does this so well that it doesn't freaking matter what he says or does outside of the book. Read him anyway. The book is recommended reading for the American Marine Corps as a study in military training. Yeah, it's that good. The novel won both the Hugo and Nebula awards. There are five additional novels in this series plus another novella. Most people love the first book and the sequel (Speaker for the Dead) the best. The sequel is a radically different sort of book though. The other books in the series (and novellas) are good enough reads, but lack the brilliance of the first and second books. It's rare to find a series that remains strong the whole way through. The movie "Ender's Game" is due for release in late 2013. So, read the damn series.