Helpful Score: 6
Children of the Mind, fourth in the Ender series, is the conclusion of the story begun in the third book, Xenocide. The author unravels Ender's life and reweaves the threads into unexpected new patterns, including an apparent reincarnation of his threatening older brother, Peter, not to mention another "sister" Valentine. Multiple storylines entwine, as the threat of the Lusitania-bound fleet looms ever nearer. The self-aware computer, Jane, who has always been more than she seemed, faces death at human hands even as she approaches godhood. At the same time, the characters hurry to investigate the origins of the descolada virus before they lose their ability to travel instantaneously between the stars.
Helpful Score: 4
If you've read the other books in the Ender series, you must read this to wrap up the loose ends. However, I found this book harder to get into than the others in the series. It just seemed even more far-fetched. STILL, you can't leave the fate of Lusitania undecided, and this book was not a disappointment - just not as wonderful as the others in my opinion.
Helpful Score: 2
The superb conclusion of the Ender series by the brilliant visionary writer Orson Scott Card. Not as good as Xenocide, but nonetheless a fitting conclusion to an amazing series.
Helpful Score: 2
This finale is definitely more interesting and more action-packed than the last two of the quartet. However, none of the three lives up to the Ender fame.
Helpful Score: 1
My all time Scott Card favorite is still the first one, Ender's Game.
Helpful Score: 1
Once again, Orson Scott Card runs the gamut of the sciences in a single story--biology, politics, psychology, even philosophy--and takes us into fascinating new ideas and concepts. This man never runs out of steam!
Helpful Score: 1
Awesome story and series! Loved it!
Can't wait until the last book bringing the two series' back together
Children of the Mind is not Card's best work. This is Orson Scott Card enjoying spinning out an idea, seeing characters to the end of their troubles, and catering to his die-hard fans. It plays well enough if you really love the Ender characters, but it is a fair distance from being literature.
Interesting book with a good premise, but a little preachy at points for my taste.
It is not as good as the prior Ender books
My least favorite of the four - but still worth reading I think. Agree that the God Whispers are excellent.
Ender's Game is a classic, but "Xenocide", "Children of the Mind" and "Speaker for the Dead" are nothing like the first book. But, good on a standalone basis.
I always enjoy OSC's sequels, because they take you places and get you heavily involved with humans and other species. It's interesting, and will keep you involved, particularly given the complex mental aspects of the books. Well worth it!
This is the conclusion of the four book Ender series.
Fourth book in the Ender's Game saga
The conclusion to the Ender Quartet. (I haven't read it)
