Earth Afire

April 1, 2013
Scott and Johnston explore human ignorance and compassion through a tapestry of galactic warfare in the second volume of the Formic Wars trilogy, collectively a prequel to Ender’s Game. After the independent asteroid mining ship El Cavador is attacked, Victor Delgado escapes and joins State Official Imala in warning mining magnate Ukko Jukes and Earth’s scientists of approaching hostile insectlike aliens called Formics. While diplomats seek a peaceful solution, Rena, a matriarch from El Cavador, gathers her surviving people aboard a scavenger ship, and damnable villain Lem Jukes, Ukko’s son, plans to overtake the Formic ships and defy his father’s iron grip. Against this operatic backdrop, heroic Lt. Mazer Rackham and his special forces stand alone against the deadly insectoids. Card and Johnston craft cinematically detailed environments for their space miners, thieves, and outcasts, probing the inner mechanics and conflicts of various groups. Social upheavals and political ineptitude are realized through rich characterization and brisk action, marrying the genre staple of alien invasion with conflicts of conscience.

June 15, 2013

Victor Delgado arrived on Earth in time to warn the planet of the approaching alien ships, but not in time to convince the ruling powers that any danger existed. Only when the first ships arrived over China and destruction rained down from the skies did the world take notice, and only Lt. Mazer Rackham of the New Zealand Special Air Services (NZSAS), along with the Mobile Operations Police, is willing and able to cut through red tape and take direct action against the buglike aliens known as the Formics. Card's second novel (after Earth Unaware) in the series chronicling the world conflict that precedes the award-winning Ender's Game is an action-filled tale of fighting men (and a very few women) and ordinary people who come together in extraordinary circumstances. VERDICT Card's strengths lie in his storytelling skill and his ability to create likable, strong, yet flawed characters, and fans of his Ender stories should flock to this prequel series. [The film version of Ender's Game, starring Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, and Asa Butterfield, is scheduled for release this November.--Ed.]

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 29, 2013
With a stellar cast of narrators, this prequel to Card’s sci-fi classic Ender’s Game is a rollicking, rollercoaster ride of an adventure. Set more than 100 years before the events of the Ender Quintet, this second part of the trilogy describes the beginning of the Formic war. With a brutal invasion that catches Earth by surprise, the Formics establish a strong foothold in China and proceed to rain death and destruction on the planet. A diverse group of people, including both military personnel and civilians, struggles for survival and endeavors to fight back against the invading hoard. From the very beginning of this audio edition, the almost-nonstop action is delivered perfectly, keeping listeners on the edge of their seats. At the same time, the narrators manage to bring a large and diverse cast of characters to life with a sharply realized array of distinct voices and accents. The standout performance belongs to Stefan Rudnicki, who offers up a pitch-perfect rendition of Mazer Rackham, a New Zealand special ops officer, as he, along with a young refugee, labors across a war-torn Chinese countryside toward a nail-biting showdown with the invaders. The audiobook ends on a major cliffhanger, leaving listeners chomping at the bit for the next installment. A Tor hardcover.