The story follows the conflicts humanity faces towards three new intelligent species, one which they have quarantined on a single plant, one whose specifies was destroyed in the battle with humans, expect one remaining queen which carries the future of its species, and the humans still believe it to be dead. The other species is an artificial intelligence, who few know about but has enabled the human species to travel across the galaxy. Xenocide captures the feature of humans and their reaction to destroy as well as how religious faith can create both stability and instability. The humans in this universe fear any other potentially species and are threatening another Xenocide to protect themselves.
A continuation in the Ender Series. I felt the previous book Speaker for the Dead was lacking and ended on a cliffhanger that seemed interested and wanted to see the direction Xenocide would take.
“Isn't it possible, he wondered, for one person to love another without trying to own each other? Or is that buried so deep in our genes that we can never get it out? Territoriality.” Orson Scott Card
“The wise are not wise because they make no mistakes. They are wise because they correct their mistakes as soon as they recognize them.”Orson Scott Card
“I think you don't grow up until you stop worrying about other people's purposes or lack of them and find the purposes you believe in for yourself.” Orson Scott Card
“When you have wisdom that another person knows that he needs, you give it freely. But when the other person doesn't yet know that he needs your wisdom you keep it to yourself. Food only looks good to a hungry man.” Orson Scott Card
“Humans invent an imaginary lover and put that mask over the face of the body in their bed. That is the tragedy of language my friend. Those who know each other only through symbolic representations are forced to imagine each other. And because their imagination is imperfect, they are often wrong.” Orson Scott Card
“Every day people judge all other people. The question is whether they judge wisely.” Orson Scott Card