Ender's Shadow (Ender, Book 5) by Orson Scott Card Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Ender's Shadow (Ender, Book 5)
Book Review: Not Free SF Reader
Summary: 5 Stars
Second man strategy psychology.
Card has done something rather impressive here and taken his superb novel Ender's Game and approached it again from the angle of the second most important character.
It details Bean's history, as well, growing up as a runt kid in Europe, near-starvation, and getting by in gangs on his brain alone.
You get to see the psychology of the young man as he goes through the same training programs, but as a far more streetwise and self-aware individual than Ender, the military leaders have decided to use him as a backup and support mechanism, while letting him more in on what is going on.
Book Review: I have one gripe
Summary: 5 Stars
Pretty much everything about this book is fantastic, I only have one problem, Card changed his view of Bean. There is no doubt in my mind that from Ender's game to this, Card completely revamped Bean. You see this in the areas that the books overlap as Card tries to explain what Bean was really thinking or doing, and I just knew that he was full of it.Book Review: A Painful Revision of a Masterpiece
Summary: 2 Stars
Ender's Game is a much-loved science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card. It is well-written, has surprise twists, and contains characters readers can identify with. It is also a near-perfect example of a stand-alone novel - the vast majority of loose ends are tied up, redemption is found, and readers generally go away content.
So where's the problem? Well, most authors, once they've had a major success, seem to be unable to leave their popular creations alone. Ender's Game gained a decent (but not nearly as good) sequel in _Speaker for the Dead_. Then came the disappointing _Xenocide_ to continue the series. Finally, _Children of the Mind_ rewrites what seems to be established facts in the series' universe. In the end, many readers are left scratching their heads and feeling disappointed; they are almost envious of their friends that decided to avoid the three follow-up books and read something new.
BUT THE SERIES DOES NOT END THERE. Card continues the saga (and opens up a new avenue for sequels) with _Ender's Shadow_. This book takes us back to the original Ender novel by following the life of Bean, a character established in Ender's Game. The "new" material on Bean (primarily his early life and genesis) is both clever and interesting. When Card brings Bean to Battle School and covers the same events in Ender's Game, however, he fails horribly - because he changes and revises the events in the original masterpiece to fit his new work. For instance, the beginning chapter conversations in _Ender's Game_ simply do not make sense if _Ender's Shadow_ is correct. Established events are impossibly distorted to the point where they seem artificial. Worst of all, the character of Ender is trashed and diminished in order to make the new hero, Bean, seem more necessary.
This is one of the few books I wish I could unread - not because I want that portion of my life back, but because it damages my view of a much-better work. I can not recommend this book to anyone that has already read (and enjoyed) Ender's Game.
Book Review: on going tale
Summary: 5 Stars
For any reader who thinks they understand the whole story here is a book that lets you look though the eyes of another character and gives you insight to a tale you already know the ending to. Book Review: Enjoyable but not without its flaws
Summary: 4 Stars
Ender's Shadow is an enjoyable read, and I recommend it to those who would like to spend more time with Ender, Petra, Bean, and our friends from Ender's Game.
The main flaw in this novel is conceptual. Broadly speaking, the premise of this book is the familiar mantra "everyone thinks they're the main character," invoked by writers to remind themselves that villains, supporting characters, and even The Barman At The Inn should be people with their own motivations, goals, and perspectives and not just convenient robots for advancing the plot. The way this develops in the novel is more along the lines of "Bean is actually way smarter than Ender and everyone else." Bean, formerly supporting cast, has become the main character... and he overshadows everyone in the supporting cast, new and old. His nemesis is a new character who seems to be Evil and Unlikable for no particular reason than to provide Bean with a nemesis.
The biology technobabble requires significant suspension of disbelief for anyone well-informed about child development. It's a plot point that a particularly gifted, undersized infant is strong enough to lift the cover of a toilet tank.
Despite these flaws, it's a fun romp in the world of Ender.