Best Orson Scott Card Books

Ender's Game

The Ender Saga • Book 1

by Orson Scott Card

Card examines childhood manipulation and military ethics through Ender's tactical brilliance at Battle School, where children train for interstellar warfare through elaborate games.

More about this pick

Card examines childhood manipulation and military ethics through Ender's tactical brilliance at Battle School, where children train for interstellar warfare through elaborate games.

Ender's Shadow

Ender's Shadow • Book 1

by Orson Scott Card

While Ender commanded armies, Bean—a street-smart child genius—survived through pure intellect, revealing the hidden machinations behind humanity's most crucial military training.

More about this pick

While Ender commanded armies, Bean—a street-smart child genius—survived through pure intellect, revealing the hidden machinations behind humanity's most crucial military training.

Speaker for the Dead

The Ender Saga • Book 2

by Orson Scott Card

Now calling himself Speaker for the Dead, Ender investigates tensions between human colonists and the alien pequeninos, seeking truth that might prevent another xenocide. Card shifts from military action to philosophical exploration, examining guilt, redemption, and the complexity of inter-species ethics.

More about this pick

Now calling himself Speaker for the Dead, Ender investigates tensions between human colonists and the alien pequeninos, seeking truth that might prevent another xenocide. Card shifts from military action to philosophical exploration, examining guilt, redemption, and the complexity of inter-species ethics.

Shadow of the Hegemon

The Shadow • Book 2

by Orson Scott Card

After Ender's victory, his brilliant former classmates find themselves trapped as weapons in Earth's renewed conflicts—a sharp pivot from space opera to geopolitical thriller.

More about this pick

After Ender's victory, his brilliant former classmates find themselves trapped as weapons in Earth's renewed conflicts—a sharp pivot from space opera to geopolitical thriller.

Pathfinder

Pathfinder • Book 1

by Orson Scott Card

Time isn't linear when you can see every path a person has ever walked, and Rigg's strange gift threatens to unravel his world's carefully hidden secrets. Card builds a fascinating magic system around temporal perception and consequence.

More about this pick

Time isn't linear when you can see every path a person has ever walked, and Rigg's strange gift threatens to unravel his world's carefully hidden secrets. Card builds a fascinating magic system around temporal perception and consequence.

Xenocide

Ender's Saga • Book 3

by Orson Scott Card

Card escalates the Ender saga into three-way philosophical warfare between humans, pequininos, and the Hive Queen over a virus that could destroy all life.

More about this pick

Card escalates the Ender saga into three-way philosophical warfare between humans, pequininos, and the Hive Queen over a virus that could destroy all life.

Seventh Son

Tales of Alvin Maker • Book 1

by Orson Scott Card

Young Alvin possesses rare magical gifts in an America where folk remedies and hexes actually work, making him a target for forces that fear his potential.

More about this pick

Young Alvin possesses rare magical gifts in an America where folk remedies and hexes actually work, making him a target for forces that fear his potential.

Children of the Mind

Ender's Saga • Book 4

by Orson Scott Card

Card concludes his philosophical space opera with Jane's evolution from computer intelligence to something transcendent, while Ender confronts the consequences of his xenocidal past across alien civilizations.

More about this pick

Card concludes his philosophical space opera with Jane's evolution from computer intelligence to something transcendent, while Ender confronts the consequences of his xenocidal past across alien civilizations.

Shadows in Flight

The Shadow • Book 5

by Orson Scott Card

Bean and three of his children flee to space, hoping time dilation will give Earth's scientists generations to cure their engineered genes. They become forgotten in their ship while Earth moves on without them.

More about this pick

Bean and three of his children flee to space, hoping time dilation will give Earth's scientists generations to cure their engineered genes. They become forgotten in their ship while Earth moves on without them.

The Worthing Saga

Worthing #1-3

by Orson Scott Card

Jason Worthing's complete saga spans from Capitol, where the wealthy use Somec technology to live one year for every ten, to his later colonization efforts. The miracle of extended life creates a society where only the rich and powerful truly live.

More about this pick

Jason Worthing's complete saga spans from Capitol, where the wealthy use Somec technology to live one year for every ten, to his later colonization efforts. The miracle of extended life creates a society where only the rich and powerful truly live.

Red Prophet

Tales of Alvin Maker • Book 2

by Orson Scott Card

Card reimagines early America where folk magic is real and Native Americans possess powers that could prevent westward expansion. Alvin Maker's growing abilities become the key to stopping a war that could reshape the continent entirely.

More about this pick

Card reimagines early America where folk magic is real and Native Americans possess powers that could prevent westward expansion. Alvin Maker's growing abilities become the key to stopping a war that could reshape the continent entirely.

Prentice Alvin

Tales of Alvin Maker • Book 3

by Orson Scott Card

Card deepens his alternate American mythology as teenage Alvin learns blacksmithing while wrestling with mysterious powers that could reshape the frontier world around him, if he can master them without losing himself.

More about this pick

Card deepens his alternate American mythology as teenage Alvin learns blacksmithing while wrestling with mysterious powers that could reshape the frontier world around him, if he can master them without losing himself.

Alvin Journeyman

Tales of Alvin Maker • Book 4

by Orson Scott Card

Gifted Maker Alvin Miller works to create a better America using his supernatural talents, but the destructive force known as the Unmaker threatens everything he's building.

More about this pick

Gifted Maker Alvin Miller works to create a better America using his supernatural talents, but the destructive force known as the Unmaker threatens everything he's building.

Heartfire

Tales of Alvin Maker • Book 5

by Orson Scott Card

A woman who sees souls as burning lights must navigate her destiny apart from her husband in Card's magical America. Their separation drives both toward their greatest challenges yet.

More about this pick

A woman who sees souls as burning lights must navigate her destiny apart from her husband in Card's magical America. Their separation drives both toward their greatest challenges yet.

The Crystal City

Tales of Alvin Maker • Book 6

by Orson Scott Card

In Card's magic-infused colonial America, Alvin Maker attempts to fulfill his destiny by creating a perfect city. The series finale explores whether utopia is possible or desirable.

More about this pick

In Card's magic-infused colonial America, Alvin Maker attempts to fulfill his destiny by creating a perfect city. The series finale explores whether utopia is possible or desirable.

Cruel Miracles

Maps in a Mirror • Book 4

by Orson Scott Card

Orson Scott Card explores moral consequences and cruel ironies across this science fiction collection. Stories that examine humanity's capacity for both creation and destruction.

More about this pick

Orson Scott Card explores moral consequences and cruel ironies across this science fiction collection. Stories that examine humanity's capacity for both creation and destruction.

Master Alvin

Tales of Alvin Maker • Book 7

by Orson Scott Card

After six books of watching Alvin grow into his powers, Card finally reveals how the Maker's journey ends in this long-awaited conclusion.

More about this pick

After six books of watching Alvin grow into his powers, Card finally reveals how the Maker's journey ends in this long-awaited conclusion.

More of the Best of Science Fiction and Fantasy

by Richard Curtis, Arthur C. Clarke, Siddig El Fadil, Karen Joy Fowler, Joe Haldeman, Roger Zelazny, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Nana Visitor, Orson Scott Card, Robert Silverberg, Robin Curtis, John Varley, Claudia Christian, Lawrence Watt-Evans

Ten carefully selected tales from genre masters like Arthur C. Clarke and Orson Scott Card showcase science fiction and fantasy at their most inventive.

More about this pick

Ten carefully selected tales from genre masters like Arthur C. Clarke and Orson Scott Card showcase science fiction and fantasy at their most inventive.

Pretty Boy: The Story of Bonzo Madrid

Ender's Saga short stories • Book 4

by Orson Scott Card

This Ender Universe story examines the childhood of Bonzo Madrid, revealing how parental love can become destructive force shaping one of Battle School's most challenging students.

More about this pick

This Ender Universe story examines the childhood of Bonzo Madrid, revealing how parental love can become destructive force shaping one of Battle School's most challenging students.

The Folk of the Fringe

by Orson Scott Card

While nuclear war devastated the coasts, biological weapons destroyed American culture—except in one Rocky Mountain refuge where old values take new forms.

More about this pick

While nuclear war devastated the coasts, biological weapons destroyed American culture—except in one Rocky Mountain refuge where old values take new forms.