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Speaker for the Dead

Orson Scott Card

Nebula 1986, Hugo & Locus 1987, Internet Top 100

In some ways, the antithesis of Ender's Game. While the first book in this series revolved around militarism and war, this sequel emphasizes compassion and relationship.

While this stylistic shift loses some of the adrenalin-pounding excitement, it easily makes up the difference with deeper thought and stronger feeling. Ender's Game slowly weaves in subtle strands of mystery but in Speaker for the Dead the mystery ignites full-blown right from the start.

Again, Card seems to borrow from Heinlein and amplify the Mike of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress into an even more intriguing computer-characterization, Jane. In a delightful manner (s)he bridges the dichotomy between vast space and intimate, personal feeling.

Speaker may represent the pinnacle of Card's writing career. It grapples with a larger unknown than alien species and courageously confronts the notion and reality of death, an aspect of life more commonly ignored and run from in escapist entertainment. The rewards of this courage transform fear and loathing into meaningfulness and appreciation.

Speaking for the dead means speaking for life and the importance and value in all experience. A good lesson.

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