Card's Speaker for the Dead, published by Tor Books in 1986, serves as the sequel to Ender's Game. In this continuation, Ender grapples with themes of evil and empathy while seeking a suitable home for the surviving eggs of the queen from the species he annihilated. His actions aim to prevent the extinction of another intelligent race. This novel also received both the Nebula and Hugo Awards. In 1991, Tor Books released Xenocide, the third installment in Card's Ender series. Here, Ender endeavors to save his adopted world from a lethal virus. The final novel in the series, Children of the Mind, published by Tor Books in 1996, features Ender in a more secondary role. The plot centers on a mission to stop a deadly virus from decimating Earth, with the main characters being two beings created from Ender's consciousness and memories, named after his brother and sister.

Card showcases his talent for symbolism and allegory in the "Tales of Alvin Maker" series, a fantasy saga set in a magical version of America. The series' first novel, Seventh Son (1987), narrates the story of the seventh son of a seventh son, who has the potential to become a defender against evil through his magical abilities. This initial novel addresses the issue of religion in America.

Subsequent books in the "Tales of Alvin Maker" series include: Red Prophet (1988), which highlights the treatment of Native Americans; Prentice Alvin (1989), which tackles issues of black slavery; Alvin Journeyman (1995), where Alvin returns to his birthplace to confront accusations made by a girl; and Heartfire (1998), which again explores themes of ignorance and racism.

Isaac Asimov's Foundation (1951) is the first novel in the original Foundation trilogy, which also includes Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation. The story is set in a Galactic Empire where Earth is nearly forgotten, and the administrative planet is on the brink of collapse. Only one individual recognizes the impending crisis and is prepared to address it.

One of Card's inspirations, Bruce Catton's Mr. Lincoln's Army (1962; "Army of the Potomac Trilogy," Vol. 1), documents the early years of the Civil War and the conflict between the Armies of Virginia and the Potomac. The Army of the Potomac undergoes a significant transformation from a group of inexperienced soldiers to a seasoned army.

Frank Herbert's intricate science fiction masterpiece Dune (1965) tells the story of a young man who rises to lead a desert people because they believe he is the prophesied messiah.

The Child Buyer (1960) by Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Hersey, revolves around a stranger from a corporation who arrives in a small American town with the intention of purchasing a child prodigy from his family to groom him for intellectual pursuits.