# Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

10 Hacker News commenters recommended Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it as a classic science fiction novel that they call timeless and prescient on tech and social topics. Critics say the main character gets little real development.

## Why people recommend it

- Personal favorite for many readers (3 comments): "One of my favorite books. Spoiler, read the book." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49031699)) "I loved Ender's game and The Shadow series" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49319774)) "Loved Ender's Game when I was younger" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49905586))
- Recommended alongside other classic sci-fi (3 comments): "There are a few that do, like Left Hand of Darkness, Ender's Game, Hyperion" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48930027)) "I second Ender's Game, The Martian, and Project Hail Mary." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47805566)) "Ender's Game and Foundation are timeless classics" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48161154))

## What people warn about

- Novel seen as awful (1 comments): "The novel Ender's Game was awful." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47869103))
- Novella only alright for some (1 comments): "The novella was an alright time, though." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47869636))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir](https://hackerapproved.com/p/project-hail-mary.md): 117 recommend
- [There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm](https://hackerapproved.com/p/there-is-no-antimemetics-division.md): 98 recommend
- [Blindsight by Peter Watts](https://hackerapproved.com/p/blindsight.md): 96 recommend
- [Dune by Frank Herbert](https://hackerapproved.com/p/dune.md): 82 recommend
- [Accelerando by Charles Stross](https://hackerapproved.com/p/accelerando.md): 71 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250773024?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9781250773029) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card", https://hackerapproved.com/p/ender-s-game/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).