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The Authorized Ender Companion
The Authorized Ender Companion is a complete and in-depth encyclopedia of all the persons, places, things and events in Orson Scott Card's Ender Universe. Written by Jake Black under the editorial supervision of Card himself, The Authorized Ender Companion will be an invaluable resource for readers of the series.If you ever wondered where Ender went after he left Earth, before he arrived at Lusitania, you'll find the answer here. If you ever wondered how the battle room worked, you'll find the answer here. If you forgot the names of the people were who discovered the descolada, the answer is here. The history of Gloriously Bright's world? Here.The Authorized Ender Companion contains all that and more. There are character biographies, time-lines, colony histories, and family trees. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
433 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2009
21 people are currently reading
520 people want to read
About the author
Orson Scott Card
887 books20.7k followersOrson Scott Card is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is (as of 2023) the only person to have won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for his novel Ender's Game (1985) and its sequel Speaker for the Dead (1986). A feature film adaptation of Ender's Game, which Card co-produced, was released in 2013. Card also wrote the Locus Fantasy Award-winning series The Tales of Alvin Maker (1987–2003).
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 21, 2019
This is some piece of work - although I will admit the introduction by Orson Scott Card does give credit to other. You see in his intro he openly admits that the novel Enders Game pretty much came about by accident and as such continuity and background information was foremost in his mind. As a result the series has developed organically, however a huge online presence has helped him where memory alone would not have helped.
As a result this book has pretty much been the creation of others (and Orson is the first to both admit and praise that fact).
That said it does mean you have a huge body of work that really is as comprehensive as it is varied. I have read many in the series (although not all) and even I was finding things here I had either forgotten or did not pick up.
Admittedly this book does not cover the entire series (it does place itself in the time line though) as I believe there will be one more final book in the whole saga still to come. However it gives you a very in-depth insight to the worlds of Ender Wiggins.
This is not for the faint hearted or the casual reader though - it is first and foremost a huge encyclopedia with additional articles and information - which did not really fit in the book structure but was still of significance to warrant it being added at the end.
I will say though this is not a book you can read from cover to cover, more either sporadically jumping form one entry to another or in conjunction with the original books. I have done the former first but I think at some point I will be trying the latter too. Even so rifling through the pages in awfully tempting.
As a result this book has pretty much been the creation of others (and Orson is the first to both admit and praise that fact).
That said it does mean you have a huge body of work that really is as comprehensive as it is varied. I have read many in the series (although not all) and even I was finding things here I had either forgotten or did not pick up.
Admittedly this book does not cover the entire series (it does place itself in the time line though) as I believe there will be one more final book in the whole saga still to come. However it gives you a very in-depth insight to the worlds of Ender Wiggins.
This is not for the faint hearted or the casual reader though - it is first and foremost a huge encyclopedia with additional articles and information - which did not really fit in the book structure but was still of significance to warrant it being added at the end.
I will say though this is not a book you can read from cover to cover, more either sporadically jumping form one entry to another or in conjunction with the original books. I have done the former first but I think at some point I will be trying the latter too. Even so rifling through the pages in awfully tempting.
February 8, 2011
This is an encyclopedia of all things Ender. It is not meant to be read straight through, but referenced (although I did read it straight through because I wanted to know everything that was in there . . . and I have read the entire series and all the possible short stories and collections).
There are also a couple sections toward the back that describe the battle rooms, the design of the battle school, and the work of getting the story made into a movie. There is even a section where "friends" of Ender and the series wrote about the effect it had on them. I know a couple people who wrote in, so that was kind of fun to read.
There was lots of good information and insights (meaning that I hadn't realized the connections when I read - not that Jake Black added his opinions) in the entries.
This was an interesting way of reliving the stories, although I expect it would be funner for those who use it as an encyclopedia and reference it as they read or re-read the series.
I also would like to thank Jake Black for gifting me this book (it didn't really bias my review though). I never knew he lived just down the street from me. Cool.
There are also a couple sections toward the back that describe the battle rooms, the design of the battle school, and the work of getting the story made into a movie. There is even a section where "friends" of Ender and the series wrote about the effect it had on them. I know a couple people who wrote in, so that was kind of fun to read.
There was lots of good information and insights (meaning that I hadn't realized the connections when I read - not that Jake Black added his opinions) in the entries.
This was an interesting way of reliving the stories, although I expect it would be funner for those who use it as an encyclopedia and reference it as they read or re-read the series.
I also would like to thank Jake Black for gifting me this book (it didn't really bias my review though). I never knew he lived just down the street from me. Cool.
June 30, 2013
If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to Orson Scott Card's Ender books, including short stories published online and the side story Shadow series then this is an excellent book for you. Especially, as when it was published to know it is missing only one book (Shadows in Flight).
After an extensive encyclopedia of people and places, which includes story point highlights for each character, there is a summary of the novels and as I said the online short stories, and hard copy short stories. After that are a couple of sections outlining the effort to make Ender's Game into a film and the science behind Battle School, FTL communication and space flight.
I don't feel the need to read the remaining novels (I've read Ender's Game and First Meeting in the Enderverse). I know what happens to everyone , Ender, Valentine, Peter and Bean (and Petra).
I also get a good feel for Card's issues with religion and other matters with which I have significant disagreements with. I do disagree with much of Heinlein's politics and learned not to read his later work. I'm applying the same here to the remaining Ender's books.
My recommendation is to read Ender's Game, either the novel or the original novella as both are excellent. Then if you read this book you can skip the remaining novels in the series.
After an extensive encyclopedia of people and places, which includes story point highlights for each character, there is a summary of the novels and as I said the online short stories, and hard copy short stories. After that are a couple of sections outlining the effort to make Ender's Game into a film and the science behind Battle School, FTL communication and space flight.
I don't feel the need to read the remaining novels (I've read Ender's Game and First Meeting in the Enderverse). I know what happens to everyone , Ender, Valentine, Peter and Bean (and Petra).
I also get a good feel for Card's issues with religion and other matters with which I have significant disagreements with. I do disagree with much of Heinlein's politics and learned not to read his later work. I'm applying the same here to the remaining Ender's books.
My recommendation is to read Ender's Game, either the novel or the original novella as both are excellent. Then if you read this book you can skip the remaining novels in the series.
September 7, 2017
Next titles have appearances in this book:
- Polish Boy*.
- Teacher's Pest*.
- Mazer in Prison*.
- Pretty Boy*.
- Cheater*.
- Ender's Game* (short story).
- Ender's Games (novel).
- War of Gifts.
- Ender's Stocking*.
- Ender's Shadow.
- Ender's Homecoming*.
- Gold Bug*.
- Young Man With Prospects*.
- Ender in Exile.
- Shadow of the Hegemon.
- Shadow Puppets.
- Shadow of the Giant.
- Investment Counselor*.
- Speaker for the Dead.
- Xenocide.
- Children of the Mind.
* Short stories. The other ones are novels.
The book is a dictionary which lists alphabetically all the characters appeared in the so called Enderverse. Most of them have a little entry, but the protagonists have several pages, summarizing all their appearances in the titles above mentioned. Sometimes it's a bit repetitive, because each fact is repeated in the entry of all the characters involved.
Besides, the book has more topics: it details the look of the formics, the "Hundred Worlds" (planets and colonies settled by humans), slang in the Battle School, Ender and Valentine's travels, a time line for Ender (by Adam Spieckerman and Nathan Taylor) or the family tree of Ender (by Andrew Lindsay).
It also has a chapter devoted to elaborate a small summary of all the books and stories of the Ender series (the titles above mentioned). Later, Aaron Johnston relates their efforts to make a film based on Ender's Game, how he and Scott Card dealt with the script. Note: the book was written in 2009, and such a film was finally aired in 2013 (with Scott Card as producer and Johnston as associate producer, and a screenplay by Gavin Hood). And Stephen Sywak devotes twenty pages to explain the technology of Ender's Game, being this a very scientific chapter.
Finally, there are about thirty pages of "friends of Ender", letters written by fans of the series explaining how they come to Ender and how much they love him. A bit cloying.
- Polish Boy*.
- Teacher's Pest*.
- Mazer in Prison*.
- Pretty Boy*.
- Cheater*.
- Ender's Game* (short story).
- Ender's Games (novel).
- War of Gifts.
- Ender's Stocking*.
- Ender's Shadow.
- Ender's Homecoming*.
- Gold Bug*.
- Young Man With Prospects*.
- Ender in Exile.
- Shadow of the Hegemon.
- Shadow Puppets.
- Shadow of the Giant.
- Investment Counselor*.
- Speaker for the Dead.
- Xenocide.
- Children of the Mind.
* Short stories. The other ones are novels.
The book is a dictionary which lists alphabetically all the characters appeared in the so called Enderverse. Most of them have a little entry, but the protagonists have several pages, summarizing all their appearances in the titles above mentioned. Sometimes it's a bit repetitive, because each fact is repeated in the entry of all the characters involved.
Besides, the book has more topics: it details the look of the formics, the "Hundred Worlds" (planets and colonies settled by humans), slang in the Battle School, Ender and Valentine's travels, a time line for Ender (by Adam Spieckerman and Nathan Taylor) or the family tree of Ender (by Andrew Lindsay).
It also has a chapter devoted to elaborate a small summary of all the books and stories of the Ender series (the titles above mentioned). Later, Aaron Johnston relates their efforts to make a film based on Ender's Game, how he and Scott Card dealt with the script. Note: the book was written in 2009, and such a film was finally aired in 2013 (with Scott Card as producer and Johnston as associate producer, and a screenplay by Gavin Hood). And Stephen Sywak devotes twenty pages to explain the technology of Ender's Game, being this a very scientific chapter.
Finally, there are about thirty pages of "friends of Ender", letters written by fans of the series explaining how they come to Ender and how much they love him. A bit cloying.
December 28, 2017
five star rating.This is a fascinating companion and provides all the readers' curiosities that arose from Ender's Game. For my personal library- Highly recommended
Facts like recalling that Andrew Ender Wiggin was born the third child of John Paul and Theresa Wiggin and its meaning.
Ender's Game is also is a good read for kids and adults too- courage, survival, ambition, perseverance----
Facts like recalling that Andrew Ender Wiggin was born the third child of John Paul and Theresa Wiggin and its meaning.
Ender's Game is also is a good read for kids and adults too- courage, survival, ambition, perseverance----
July 27, 2018
A must-have if you can't remember every single detail on Ender's books.
January 7, 2021
Unfortunately, this companion fell pretty flat for me. It was so boring that I skimmed the rest halfway through and now some lucky teen at Goodwill will find it. It seems to be pretty geared towards background information surrounding the movie - which hopefully for most Ender’s Game fans, also fell flat. It had really helpful graphs and diagrams, but no original insight or intellectual depth.
I would recommend looking elsewhere for a better, long-lasting companion to keep on your bookshelf.
I would recommend looking elsewhere for a better, long-lasting companion to keep on your bookshelf.
November 12, 2009
Ok, so I haven't read the whole think cover-to-cover, but it's not really that kind of book. It's more of an encyclopedia of every character, place, and concept in the Ender series. There are also articles on how things work (like the Battle Room--with diagrams). My favorite section (disclaimer: because I'm in it) is the Friends of Ender section at the end of the book. Ordinary people wrote their stories of how Ender has changed their lives. Sounds a bit melodramatic, I know, but there are so many people who can identify with Ender, Bean, and the other characters and who have become stronger because of their association with the book series. Mine is the third story and details the transformation of classes and individual students as we read Ender's Game my first year teaching English.
Because it's an encyclopedia of sorts, you might find it quite repetitive. Bean's and Petra's entries, for example, are nearly identical. There have been a number of typos, including an entire entry (Children of the Mind of Christ--kind of important) omitted.
If you can't remember what the deal is with Han Qing-jao, what a jeesh is, or which of Ender's step-children did what, this is a marvelous resource for any Ender fan.
Because it's an encyclopedia of sorts, you might find it quite repetitive. Bean's and Petra's entries, for example, are nearly identical. There have been a number of typos, including an entire entry (Children of the Mind of Christ--kind of important) omitted.
If you can't remember what the deal is with Han Qing-jao, what a jeesh is, or which of Ender's step-children did what, this is a marvelous resource for any Ender fan.
February 16, 2010
I’m a fan of Orson Scott Card’s Ender series and was delighted to find this companion! I’m slowly re-reading the series and it’s opened up my eyes as well as refreshed my memory on some of the characters and events! The pictures that are included in The Technology of Ender’s Game, were very detailed and made the picture that was in my mind clear up. Black went into exclusive detail of every event, character, giving us a useful encyclopedia that needed to be created. This book provided a great insight to the Ender’s Game. If you are just beginning to read the series, this is definitely a must have! & If you have already read the series than you should def get your hands on a copy because the detail and insight will def blow your mind! This companion NEEDED to be written and thanks to Jake Black it has! I give this novel 4 out of 5 paws!
April 5, 2010
I didn't read it all...it's encyclopedic, after all. It's best enjoyed when reading the novels and you come across a reference that has been faded by memory.
There are a couple interesting essays, including one on the different of interpretations of Ender which have come up during screenwriting, and one on the technology in the Enderverse.
There are a couple interesting essays, including one on the different of interpretations of Ender which have come up during screenwriting, and one on the technology in the Enderverse.
March 10, 2012
Although comprehensive, the entries themselves are not annotated as to which book the information is taken from. Entries for major characters are lengthy and provide the "cliff notes" version of their life story as found in the numerous books in the series.
Interestingly, the weirder parts of the story (philotes, etc) remain just as incomprehensible. >.<
Interestingly, the weirder parts of the story (philotes, etc) remain just as incomprehensible. >.<
June 21, 2013
Very detailed, if not necessarily that interesting.
November 18, 2013
A good way to remember what happened to everyone in the shadow and ender series.
May 11, 2014
I especially loved the chapter on "The Technology of Ender's Game."
Because I wrote it.
Because I wrote it.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews