First Meetings: In the Enderverse (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "John Paul hated school..." (more)
Key Phrases: snitch program, toon leaders, population laws, John Paul, Battle School, Ender Wiggin (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up-Andrew "Ender" Wiggins, a brilliant leader and tactician and destined to save Earth by destroying an entire alien civilization at the age of 12, was first introduced in Card's "Ender's Game" in Analog magazine (1977). That novella, plus three other stories (including one never before published) make up this appealing and entertaining collection of tales, all dealing with first meetings that played significant roles in the life of Ender Wiggins. "The Polish Boy" introduces his extraordinary father, John Paul, who manages at the age of six to trick the Hegemony into bringing his entire family from Poland to the United States. "Teacher's Pest" is the story of how John Paul meets and romances the equally brilliant graduate student Theresa Brown. Finally, in "The Investment Counselor," a mysterious accounting program named Jane appears just when 20-year-old Andrew Wiggins needs help figuring out both his taxes and what to do with the rest of his life. All four stories use the future setting as a framework to explore various issues of religion, government control, population limits, education, and moral responsibility. Character, setting, plot-Card does them all right, and makes it look effortless. The graphic novelesque illustrations will appeal to teens. For newcomers to Ender's universe and long-time fans, this book will hit the spot and whet the appetite for more.
Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library
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Review

<DIV>"[An] appealing and entertaining collection of tales....For newcomers to Ender's universe and longtime fans, this book will hit the spot and whet the appetite for more."--School Library Journal on First Meetings

"Showcases Card's talent at developing the inner life of a character. Even those who are intimately familiar with the concepts of the Game from later Ender books will be struck anew by Card's virtuosity. His powerful voice and startlingly clear vision will draw many new readers into a lifelong love of science fiction. This accessible collection will impress even non-sci-fi buffs, besides being a must-have for Ender saga devotees."--Publishers Weekly on First Meetings

"These stories demonstrate the assured scene setting, apparently effortlessly sustained suspense, and moral preoccupation with the responsibilities of kinship and friendship that distinguishes Ender's entire saga." --Booklist on First Meetings
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Tor Teen; 1st edition (August 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765308738
• ISBN-13: 978-0765308733
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #322,072 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

116 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant anthology of Ender short stories, September 3, 2003

By	Patrick L. Randall "Big Irish Guy" (Silver Spring, MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The `Ender's Saga' and its most famous beginning, "Ender's Game", are among the most revered science-fiction series of all-time. While Card did a marvelous job chronicling the life and times of Ender Wiggin in the first four novels of the `Ender's Saga', and richly enhanced that universe with his subsequent three-book "Ender's Shadow" series, one could not help but think that there might be more than need be told. Enter "First Meetings in the Enderverse", an anthology of four short stories that give even greater insight into Ender's world.

One of the four short stories included in "First Meetings..." is the actual original "Ender's Game" short story. Card wrote this in the mid-1970's and expanded it into the award-winning novel everyone knows in the early to mid-1980's. Here, fans of "Ender's Game" can read Card's original vision and appreciate how the full novel came to be. The other three shorts tell some fascinating tales. The first one deals with the life of Ender's father, John Paul Wiggin, when he was a little kid, not much older than Ender at the time of "Ender's Game". Without revealing too much, here, it can be said that the events of young John Paul's life explain a great deal about what came to pass for Ender a generation later. The second tale advances John Paul to college age and reveals how John Paul and Ender's mother, Theresa, came to meet and fall in love. The final tale (after the original "Ender's Game") bridges a period of time between the ending of "Ender's Game" and its amazing sequel "Speaker for the Dead". The mystery of how Ender and his constant virtual companion, Jane, came into each other's lives is explained and it makes for an amusing anecdote.

Once again, Card continues to show a brilliant grasp of human emotion and personal interactions in bringing these shorts to life. He doesn't get bogged down in the existentialism that plagued "Children of the Mind". He sticks with elements that make this saga great.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Filling in the blanks; Ender's mom and dad and more, September 11, 2005

By	Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

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This book of short stories contains material that will interest fans of Orson Scott Card's "Ender" series. There are two stories about Theresa and John Paul Wiggin--how they met and how John Paul grew up in Poland. These will be meaningful especially to readers of the parallel sequel to "Ender's Game", the Shadow series.

Also included is the ORIGINAL "Ender's Game." This is really fascinating. I have to say, the writing is very inferior to the revised and novelized version of this original short story. But for those who love the book, you have a glimpse into writer's craft. How did Card deepen each character? How did he revise his conversation and exposition? Good lessons here for any budding writer, and great for those who love the Ender's series as you can see the development of the books from an average short story to a thrilling series of books.

The short stories end with a small tale about a tax collector dealing with Ender as he roams from planet to planet after he leaves Earth. This is meaningful for the last in the Ender's series (Shadow of the Giant.) And it's a good story in itself.

Recommende for fans of the Card series.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fill in the holes of the Ender saga, November 28, 2004

By	Billy Hollis (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: First Meetings in Ender's Universe (Mass Market Paperback)

Ender's parents never got their due in the original Ender's Game novel, but Card began developing them as fascinating characters in Ender's Shadow and its sequels. If you've only read Ender's Game, you probably think of Ender's father as a simpleton, and his mother as... well, as nothing, really, because there's so little about her in the book.

But of course, there's a contradiction in that. How could two people of average intelligence produce three super geniuses (Ender, Valentine, and Peter)? Ender's Shadow began to resolve that problem by presenting them as being very smart, but hiding their intelligence so they did not overshadow their children.

This book goes back in their lives before they got married. In the father's case, it begins when he is a small boy. Besides developing two great characters, numerous holes in the original novels are nicely resolved - the religion of Ender's parents and how that plays into the fertility laws, how Ender's family got to America, and how the family was induced to produce kids like Ender.

Another character's genesis is also covered in the final story - the computer program Jane, who will be familiar to readers of the Ender's Game sequels. It's a short, satisfying read, and very much in Card's distinctive style.

Finally, there is the novella that started it all. I read this when it first appeared, and this award winning story motivated me to get the Ender's Game novel as soon as it appeared. If you like the Ender universe, you really ought to read this just to see how it all got started. Be warned - there are some inconsistencies with the novel. But they are minor, and it's interesting to see the evolution from the novella to the novel.

This is a short read. It is suitable for teens and adults - the same audience as Ender's Game, really. If you liked any of the Ender series, you really ought to get this.