I got the complete Ender series including “First Meetings: In the Enderverse” as a late Christmas present. However, I’m not sure what order I should read them in. On this website OSC lists both the chorological order and the order of publication but offers no advice as to which way would be best. I would appreciate some advice.
Posted by Matt Lust (Member # 3031) on :
eh it really depends on your tastes.
I perfer to read the Ender focused books (Ender's game, Speaker, Xenocide, Children) in succession then move onto the Shadow Series and read those in succession.
Posted by rcorporon (Member # 2879) on :
I always prefer to read books in the order that the author wrote them, but this is just a preference.
I don't think that there is a "right" and "wrong" way to read them.
Posted by AstroStewart (Member # 2597) on :
I would personally read the Ender focused books first as well, just because I like them better (Ender rocks! hehe). I read the books in the order of publication and that seemed to work fine for me, but who knows...
Posted by Ray (Member # 2415) on :
I read them in the order of publication, but when I re-read them in a few more months, I'll probably read them in chronological order, just to see how it flows.
But like everyone else said, it's personal preference. I like all the books, and most of them stand on their own fairly well.
Posted by x__sockeh__x (Member # 3069) on :
Hm..I read them in this order: Ender's Game Ender's Shadow Shadow of the Hegemon Shadow Puppets Speaker for the Dead Xenocide Children of the Mind Shadow of the Giant That's just me though. I would've read SotG sooner, but it wasn't out then. =) I love the Bean series (Bean is the best!). I haven't read First Meetings yet (Hoping to soon, though.), but I'd probably read that after the Ender series, if I were you.
Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :
Read Ender's Game first. That's really all that matters.
Posted by Matt Lust (Member # 3031) on :
Unless you're an absolute chronological freak and read First Meetings.
Posted by dreadlord (Member # 2913) on :
yay.
seriously, I've read everything but First Meetings & SotG. loved them. I personally read it the first time in order published, but then I'll read them however I want.
I just read the Harry Potter series backwards, just FYI.
yay, again.
Posted by Epic Dave (Member # 3064) on :
EG first. That's the key. To someone gifted (or cursed) witha free slate on the series, I recommend ES right afterwards. Then, pick a storyline and commit to it. I'd go with the Ender books, just because the allusions made during the Shadow books seem weird otherwise. If you read the Ender books first, the Shadow books have details to give you an "oh yeah..." sort of feeling. FM? Polish Boy and Teacher's Pest-Read them midway through the shadow books. Maybe post SP Ender's Game- Read it after EG or ES. The two different versions of the same characters are interesting. Investment Councilor- Read it after SFTD.
Posted by TheMaia (Member # 3231) on :
You have to read the Enders Game series first before you begin the Shadow series because once you are introduced to Bean you begin to see Ender in a completely different way. And that would ruin the rest of Enders books. Well not really ruin. But there are just some things that are added to Enders story so that you can understand Bean better. But once you finish all of the Shadow series you must read Enders Game again. Because even though you don't want to know Bean's side until you read all of Ender's, you have to see what Ender was going through looking at it with Bean's perspective. Anyway that is what I would do.
Posted by Aalanya (Member # 3263) on :
I would suggest waiting on Bean until you've finished Speaker for the Dead at least. I read Ender's Shadow before Speaker and ended up getting really depressed because I had fallen even more in love with the characters.
But if you wait on Bean until after reading all of Ender, it's like going back and visiting old friends.
Posted by Wusong101 (Member # 3320) on :
Aalanya, you are so right. That's what I love about all of these books. It really is like going back and visiting old friends. OSC has a marvelous way of creating characters that I seem to really connect with.
Posted by RCSHIELDS (Member # 3362) on :
Because I'm a contemporary of OSC I had little choice but to read the Ender series in published order. I do believe, however, that Elan is correct, read Ender's Game first, the order after that will become obvious to you.