The release of ENDERS-- the best SF gets in your head

The best SF books get in your head and won't get out. Since I read Starters back in the galley stages, it's been one of those books. As the mother of two young children, I spend a lot of time updating their vaccinations, and every time they get a shot I think of Starters. And that's what makes this duology so fantastic: the captivating premise. Lissa Price took a mundane fact of life—something we've all been faced with—and created an entire world from it. If the goal of science fiction is to raise questions about our lives then the best science fiction books fully explore the implications of the here and now.

So you can imagine my distress at having to wait soooo long for the sequel Enders, but my friends, the wait is over, and I for one am not disappointed. Starters was one of the most twisted and exciting books I've read in recent memory, and I've been dying to get my hands on Enders, especially after the gorgeous new covers were revealed. (Side note: seriously, how amazing are these covers? I saw them at Comic Con and squealed.)

Enders is perhaps even more cinematic than Starters, and I hardly thought that was possible. In fact, I really hope a film adaptation is on the horizon because it would kick serious butt. But back to the actual story, telling you about the plot of Enders would be a travesty. You must read it yourself and enjoy the wild ride, so instead I'm going to tell you why this book stands out amongst dystopian science fiction.

1. A fully fleshed-out science fiction concept. Personally I tend to think most dystopians fall under the science fiction category, but in Enders we get to really see the technology and also the implications of it. At times I was reminded of reading some of my favorite Philip K. Dick novels, and that is a high compliment.

2. A fearless heroine. Callie has a lot of tough decisions to face (what YA heroine doesn't?) but she doesn't sit around waiting for someone to make them for her. She takes action even though her situation is terrifying.

3. Truly creepy villains. I read Starters at my gym, and I remember looking up and realizing there were a lot of older people there. My mind immediately labeled them Enders. Sure, the entire population of Enders aren't evil, but there's something about Old Man that gets under your skin. Is there anything more distressing than the idea of your grandpa being a super villain? Yeah, I didn't think so.

In short, the wait is over and now you can read the whole story back to back. In fact, you can even grab Starters on Kindle right now for $2.99, so there's no excuse not to, and trust me, you want to.

Go get Enders at:

Your local bookstore

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Indiebound

Book Depository

Add it to:

Riffle

Goodreads

For more information about Starters, Enders, and the author behind them, visit www.lissaprice.com

Lissa has taught workshops at SCBWI and the La Jolla Writer’s Conference, and spoken on panels at ComicCon, WonderCon, WorldCon, Workstock, The LA Times Festival of Books and many more. She’s a member of SCBWI, SFWA, ITW, as well as one of the Apocalypsies, a group of 2012 debut YA authors. She also blogs at The League of Extraordinary Writers . She has lived in India and Japan, and once traveled completely around the globe over two years. Now she resides in Southern California with her husband, coyotes and the occasional deer.

Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. A recovering academic, she turned to writing her own books. In her free time she sits on the National Novel Writing Month Advisory Board, laughs (and cries) with her mom writers group, and watches too much Doctor Who (if that's possible). Gennifer lives in Poulsbo Washington with her family. You can find Genn online at www.genniferalbin.com/