A War of Gifts: An Ender Story (Ender)
by Orson Scott Card
|
|
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of A War of Gifts: An Ender Story.
discuss this book
friend reviews (0)
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
lists with this book
This book is not in any lists. Go add it to a list.
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 454)
Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
Fans of the Enderverse
For everyone who is a loyal Ender fan, this novella will not disappoint! In this interesting story of faith, we get to journey back to Battle School again. While the story centers on a new character from Rat Army, Zeck, many of my favorite characters from the original series are present, including Ender and Dink. I loved getting another glimpse at Ender's journey and Dink's non-conformity.
But, what makes this story compelling is the moral debates at its center. Zeck refuses to fight in Bat...more
But, what makes this story compelling is the moral debates at its center. Zeck refuses to fight in Bat...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
Well, I was excited when I heard of this story. Not only another Ender story but some current events thrown in. As it was advertised there would be some scandal about Santa Claus and Christmas in Battle School. There has been some such scandals in out recent history and probaly will continue. As for the book, I really enjoyed this story. I found many familiar elements. I also believe that folks who are not familiar with the Ender universe can still enjoy the book. One point of contention ...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2008
I don't understand why Tor would publish, in hard cover, what can generously be described as a long short story. I'm not sure it's even long enough to be classified as a novella. Is it for possible award nominations? I have no idea. I'm just glad for the public library, so I didn't have to shell out any money for the latest Ender story.
It was weird reading about Ender in Battle School again. The novels long ago brought him out of that world, but it was nice to have a story set there aga...more
It was weird reading about Ender in Battle School again. The novels long ago brought him out of that world, but it was nice to have a story set there aga...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
Sigh. If I can't have a full over-my-head drenching in the Enderverse, I'll settle for a brief novella-sized dip. As always, Card makes insightful points about what's behind faith and devotion, though this one's a bit more heavy-handed than usual. Short, too (sigh). I was hoping it would last well into my flight to Chicago, but alas, I started it when I got on the T in Cambridge and finished it before I got to the airport. Flight was delayed, too. Bummer.
Um, what's with the picture of the Ba...more
Um, what's with the picture of the Ba...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in October, 2007
A little strange that this came out in novel form - it is less than 100 pages long and printed in very large type. Supposedly, it is part of a series of Ender-universe shorts/novellas that Card is going to put on his website.
Having read the synopsis, I worried this would contain the polemical pro-christian (pro-mormon?) lectures of the later Ender-universe books about Bean. Although Card manages to slip in a few tweaks against secular suppression of religion, the overzealous old-testament ...more
Having read the synopsis, I worried this would contain the polemical pro-christian (pro-mormon?) lectures of the later Ender-universe books about Bean. Although Card manages to slip in a few tweaks against secular suppression of religion, the overzealous old-testament ...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in June, 2008
The first couple of chapters were baffling, but once I got into the story, it was a tightly-interwoven, very clever story set in the middle of Ender's Game.
Zeck is brought to the Battle School against his wishes and those of his parents, religious pacifists of a Christian-ish cult headed by Zeck's father. The story which unfolds is very moving, and this short novel is a must-read for folks who have read Ender's Game.
If you have not read Ender's Game, I think that you could also read and enj...more
Zeck is brought to the Battle School against his wishes and those of his parents, religious pacifists of a Christian-ish cult headed by Zeck's father. The story which unfolds is very moving, and this short novel is a must-read for folks who have read Ender's Game.
If you have not read Ender's Game, I think that you could also read and enj...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
Ender's game fans
This book really forms the bridge between the genius-child Ender of Ender's Game and the mediator-adult Ender of Speaker for the Dead and sequels. In that way it's kinda like The Book of Mormon that forms the bridge between the vengeful Jehovah of the Old Testament and merciful Jesus of the New Testament. Without this stor...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in October, 2007
Set at the Battle School, where gifted children who have been taken from their homes and families and cultures are trained to fight humanity's enemies and denied the cultural things that might keep them from working as teams, this short book explores how a few of the children attempt to recreate gift-giving and Christmas, even though such things are forbidden. It also explores how fanaticism can be a way of coping with unacknowledgeable emotions, and how love and acceptance and Ender's own insi...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
middle schoolers
In "A War of Gifts" Orson Scott Card tells of a brief moment at Battle School surrounding the Christmas holiday. We meet another idealistic character and learn a little more about some old favorite characters. I'm all for these short story insights to the Enderverse, so I recommend this book. Though, I must say that this book comes of as actually having been written for young children (middle-school and / or younger) as opposed to the many other Ender books which just happened to be...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2008
recommended to Jaifi by:
PattyThis review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2008
I was expecting an amusing playful tale about the genius kids of battle school teasing their teachers and passing gifts behind their backs. With an Orson Scott Card book, I should have known better - he doesn't seem to do amusing or playful. It was an interesting vignette about the life of battle school and a spotlight on the underground movement to thwart authority by refusing to participate in the fight for supremacy that battle school was designed to foster. More than anything, it made me ...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in July, 2008
Not Orson Scott Card's best, though not altogether uninteresting---just unnecessary. The brilliance and attraction of Ender's story throughout the series begun by "Ender's Game" doesn't require any sort of "companion story" to enhance its popularity, and if anything, this companion novel almost seems to detract from it. Short story or not, the tale is undescriptive and unappealing, and it holds almost no appeal other than that which it calls forth by virtue of being connected...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
No question the weakest book in the whole Ender's Game saga. The beginning dealt so much with religion I thought I was listening to a sermon. Needless to say, the beginning was longer than it should have been with too much emphasis on Zek, a main character, whom I cared little for. The Ender's series has already developed interesting side characters and there was no need to add Zek into the fray, especially when Zek really did not have much to say or do.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
Anyone who loves Ender's Game
Afraid that a book with the premise of "Battle School Christmas" would be overly saccharine or cute? Well, then, honey, you don't know your Orson Scott Card. Uncle Orson serves up a twisted holiday tale that reflects the harsh realities of Battle School but also affirms the strong life-affirming and compassionate moral ethos that fans of the Ender books have come to expect. It is, to be brief, "Battle School Christmas" as it should be.
Like this review?
yes
3 comments
Read in May, 2008
I'm a huge fan of Card's Ender series, so when I saw this at the library I snatched it up. This is a short book taking place in battle school. The students aren't supposed to be concerned with religion or culture, which isn't that big of a deal until one Christmas when they're flat out told they can't exchange gifts. Anybody knows that when you tell a kid no they will do just the opposite. I liked it, although it was a bit short.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in November, 2007
I wouldn't consider this book as a stand-alone novel. Or even a novella. It's almost like an extra few chapters taken from Ender's Game. I enjoyed it, but only because I love the Ender Universe so much. Any extra background information on the characters/Battle School is greatly appreciated. I'm even thinking about buying the journals that Card is doing online, each one featuring an Ender-verse short story.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in November, 2007
Really short (126 small pages). This small book is one of those that is probably just a short story by a famous author that happens to be released as a hardcover just in time for the holidays (for example: Grisham's "Skipping Christmas").
That said, I think it is a sweet, quick story. And I liked it, but didn't love it.
Readers who aren't familiar with "Enders Game" might not understand some of the story.
That said, I think it is a sweet, quick story. And I liked it, but didn't love it.
Readers who aren't familiar with "Enders Game" might not understand some of the story.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in April, 2008
A sweet little glimpse into Ender's world, without all the dense narrative and canon that makes the books amazing, yes, but also not exactly light reads.
A note inside implied that there are more of these side stories (and this one goes back to battle school, perhaps my favorite Card locale), so I may seek them out.
May also pick up Ender's Game again. Given today's international climate, it may be time.
A note inside implied that there are more of these side stories (and this one goes back to battle school, perhaps my favorite Card locale), so I may seek them out.
May also pick up Ender's Game again. Given today's international climate, it may be time.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
I picked this up on a whim just to read "an Ender story." It's short and easy to read.
It seems to be the Ender series equivalent of a Special Christmas Episode in a television series.
As for being an Ender story - Ender is in the book and plays an important role in its resolution, but it's not really about Ender and it does nothing to enhance or diminish the character of Ender.
It seems to be the Ender series equivalent of a Special Christmas Episode in a television series.
As for being an Ender story - Ender is in the book and plays an important role in its resolution, but it's not really about Ender and it does nothing to enhance or diminish the character of Ender.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
i always love hearing more from the original engers game. i love the way it takes you back into their world even if for a brief moment. and card writes in such a way that their is always some ting to figure out. it was not exactly what i thought it was going to be howeveri still enjoyed it. to me it was simple enough that it was just a missing chapter from enders game.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
