Orson Scott Card brings us back to the very beginning of his brilliant Ender Quartet, with the novel that begins The Shadow Series and allows us to reenter Ender’s world anew.With all the power of his original creation, Ender’s Shadow is Card’s parallel volume to Ender’s Game, a book that expands and complements the first, enhancing its power, illuminating its events and its powerful conclusion.… its powerful conclusion.
The human race is at War with the “Buggers,” an insect-like alien race. The first battles went badly, and now as Earth prepares to defend itself against the imminent threat of total destruction at the hands of an inscrutable alien enemy, all focus is on the development and training of military geniuses who can fight such a war, and win.
The long distances of interstellar space have given hope to the defenders of Earth–they have time to train these future commanders up from childhood, forging then into an irresistible force in the high orbital facility called the Battle School.
Andrew “Ender” Wiggin was not the only child in the Battle School; he was just the best of the best. In this new book, card tells the story of another of those precocious generals, the one they called Bean–the one who became Ender’s right hand, part of his team, in the final battle against the Buggers.
Bean’s past was a battle just to survive. He first appeared on the streets of Rotterdam, a tiny child with a mind leagues beyond anyone else’s. He knew he could not survive through strength; he used his tactical genius to gain acceptance into a children’s gang, and then to help make that gang a template for success for all the others. He civilized them, and lived to grow older.
Bean’s desperate struggle to live, and his success, brought him to the attention of the Battle School’s recruiters, those people scouring the planet for leaders, tacticians, and generals to save Earth from the threat of alien invasion. Bean was sent into orbit, to the Battle School. And there he met Ender….
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Parallel story to Ender’s Game following Bean’s life. Bean becomes more and more important in the Ender’s Shadow books.
This is my personal favorite out of all of the Ender books. Bean is Card’s most original and compelling character, but the story is also full of vivid characters, great action, and deep thought about profound giftedness and its effect on the problems of power, responsibility, psychopathy, compassion, love, and commitment to others.
Card wrote Ender’s Game as a novice. As good as that story is, this is the work of a mature writer at the peak of his powers, and it is fascinating to see how much more he gets out of the same basic story on the second pass.
Great book with great characters.
Author is very true to the characters some cliches but a great read unlike any sci-fi books I’ve read, glad it is not vampires witches or werewolves
An outstanding story told from a different perspective. Fast paced, told in a dynamic fashion. Great read hard to put down.
Follows the great Ender tradition. Lovely
Very good sci-fi.
Great addition to the Ender series.
Part of a great series
This novel was all that I had hoped being a huge fan of Enders game. If you enjoyed the original you will not be disappointed except when you finish it in one setting, or very close to it
a must-read for fans of Ender’s Game.
I don’t believe the future society as depicted or the alien race. However, many of the characters were so well-written I did not care.
Great how author tells the events of his previous book, “Ender’s Game” but from the viewpoint of one of the key characters. It does not take from first book, but instead gives insight to what was happening.
I wanted more after reading the Enders Game series. This book provided it.
Even better than Ender’s Game!
Great series, but you must read them in order. Start with Enders Game.
Find out all about Bean from before battle school! Iit’s one of the most unique takes on a near-dystopian future earth that I’ve ever read. Card really knows the minds of his characters!
“Shadow” Series, like the Ender Series & Worthing Saga, are Orson Scott Card’s best work. Original, imaginative, & entertaining.
It is interesting to see so clearly defined how each of us sees the world through a unique set of eyes even if the facts of the story are the same for all.
This is the parallel book to Ender’s Game, written from Bean’s point of view and as usual Orson Scott Card knocks it out the park! I started this book thinking I’d read a few chapters that night and by the time I came up for air the birds were out singing, just had to know what would happen next (even though I knew most of the story from Ender’s point of view). Doesn’t matter if you haven’t read Ender’s Game, this is just a GREAT read.