Hugo Award Best Novel Winner
Speaker for the Dead
by Orson Scott Card
Summary
Orson Scott Card continues Ender Wiggin's story thousands of years later as he travels to a colony world where humans share the planet with a mysterious alien species called the pequeninos. Acting as a Speaker for the Dead, Ender investigates deaths and cultural misunderstanding that threaten both peoples. The novel turns from military action toward themes of communication, atonement, and the difficulty of truly understanding another species.
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Historical Context & Significance
Speaker for the Dead won the Hugo and Nebula in consecutive years to its predecessor, making Card the first author to take both awards two years running.