Ender's Game by Card, Orson Scott - 1984

New York: Tor Books, 1984. Advance Copy. Unbound Sheets. Near Fine. 272 pp. Duplicated typescript. Advance review copy from the author's manuscript, preceding the first edition which was published in 1985. Loose sheets printed on rectos only, with letter from publisher dated June, 29, 1984 to Hugo Award winning science fiction author Thomas Disch requesting him to write a blurb. Later inscribed by Orson Scott Card on the first page reading "Dan [Breen], Tom Disch didn't review it, but then it wasn't for him ... Best, Scott", and signed again by Card in full on the third page. Also laid in is a color print on Kodak paper of the art used for the cover of Speaker of the Dead, Card's 1986 sequel to Ender's Game, inscribed on the verso, "To Dan -- a generic cover -- but it sold books, eh? [signed] Orson Scott Card"; a promotional photocopy is stapled to the verso of the print. Provenance: from the collection of Daniel (Dan) Breen, noted collector of rare science-fiction and fantasy works.

This is the earliest available format of the author's break-out science fiction novel, which went on to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards, and served as the basis for the 2013 film bearing the same name. From the acknowledgements page, "Portions of this book were recounted in my first published science fiction story, "Ender's Game," in the August 1977 Analog, edited by Ben Bova; his faith in me and this story are the foundation of my career." Card goes on to thank his friend and literary agent, Ben's wife, Barbara Bova.

Though Disch did not blurb Ender's Game, he later went on to write that Card was "[Robert A.] Heinlein's true heir [...] because of his knack for attack-dog narratives, his fertile invention, and the moral conviction he brings to his work." A fantastic and important science fiction relic, marking the genesis of Card's illustrious career.