Helpful Score: 4
I actually preferred "Ender's Shadow" to the original "Ender's Game". While I relate better to the character of Ender, Bean's experience was far more interesting due to his larger emotional range in comparison.
Anybody who is looking to read this book should be made aware that this isn't just a rehashing of the original book. Card seems to have put a lot of thought into it. What Ender experiences in comparison to Bean is different, despite the fact that they go through the same rigorous training. Bean has a different point of view on it all, since he isn't as innocent as Ender.
This book would probably stand well on its own, if the one has not read the original.
Anybody who is looking to read this book should be made aware that this isn't just a rehashing of the original book. Card seems to have put a lot of thought into it. What Ender experiences in comparison to Bean is different, despite the fact that they go through the same rigorous training. Bean has a different point of view on it all, since he isn't as innocent as Ender.
This book would probably stand well on its own, if the one has not read the original.
Helpful Score: 3
This book is an excellent companion to Ender's Game. It retells the story from Bean's perspective, and does so with an amazingly little amount of repetition.
This book was amazing! I picked it up years after reading the original Ender's Game and loved every minute of it. It was a good refresher on the detail of the original story line, but with unexpected twists that were unrevealed from Ender's perspective. A must read if you loved Ender's Game!
Helpful Score: 2
Revisit the best for enders game with a new perspective. I have read the whole ender series and liked Enders Shadow more then any other book in the series, short of the original. The book is so good it ends up being a short read.
Helpful Score: 2
Andres "Ender" Wiggin was not the only child in the Battle School; he was just the best of the best. Here is the story of another of those precocious generals, the one they called Bean--the one who became Ender's right hand, his strategist and his friend. Neat Sci-Fi!
Helpful Score: 2
Not as good as Ender's Game, but it's an interesting retelling from Bean's point of view. If you haven't read Ender's Game, read it first and if you don't like it, don't bother.
Helpful Score: 1
If you loved Enders game you'll love the tale retold from Bean's pov.
Helpful Score: 1
The "Ender's Game" story told from the perspective of Bean.
Helpful Score: 1
Good addition to Card's "Ender" series. If you liked Ender's Game you'll like this. not as stunning but still enjoyable.
Helpful Score: 1
If you liked Ender's Game, you'll enjoy seeing the story from little Bean's viewpoint. It's at least as good as the original story.
Helpful Score: 1
Very enjoyable story. Must read this if you've read Ender's Game.
I enjoyed this one more than Ender's Game (and I enjoyed that one a lot). Bean, while supposedly very different than anybody else, is a very effective Everyman.
Any of the Ender series is great.
I really love Orson Scott Card because you really don't know whats going on until you read it. its unpredictable!
Fans of Ender's Game who couldn't follow with the increasingly (for me anyway) strung out series will love Ender's Shadow. It's a great companion piece to the original, although it doesn't quite have the lingering power of the original.
The plot is similar to Ender's Game naturally. However, the plot twist in Ender's Game is written plainly in Ender's Shadow, making it have less of an impact. While I did enjoy this book as much as, if not more than, Ender's Game, I would recommend reading Ender's Game first due to the mentioned difference in perspective on the story.
After I finished "Ender's Game," I was hesitant to read "Ender's Shadow." There was just something about the first book that grated on me. So I put off the second for many months.
I feel "Ender's Shadow" is far better than the first book, the one from Ender's perspective. "Ender's Shadow" is all about leadership, a topic I feel very strongly about. I know that "Ender's Game" is suggested reading in some branches of our military. In my opinion, "Ender's Shadow" should be *required* reading.
I feel "Ender's Shadow" is far better than the first book, the one from Ender's perspective. "Ender's Shadow" is all about leadership, a topic I feel very strongly about. I know that "Ender's Game" is suggested reading in some branches of our military. In my opinion, "Ender's Shadow" should be *required* reading.
read the rest of this great series first
Once again, Orson Scott Card shows his depth of understanding of the human heart and psyche. While not as moving as Speaker for the Dead, Enders Shadow still contained several poignant moments. Pretty soon, we are rocketing up to Battle School with Bean who has to learn a whole new way of life, including friendship and trust. Even though I already knew the outcome of the many confrontations from reading Enders Game, it was still nail biting suspense to see them through Beans eyes. Of course, there were a number of events that happened in Beans life that are not in Enders Game, keeping the reader interested even though the books ending is known.
My one complaint with this novel is that cleverness and knowledge seem to by accentuated in Beans character, even beyond what I would allow for a genious kid. Without spoiling anything, there is a scene where Baby Bean hides in a small thing of water for several hours. Now, putting aside the brain power and knowledge necessary to do so successfully, a hairless being that small needs to be concerned about hypothermia. These instances were few and small, but still I feel they detracted a bit from the overall novel, especially since I know what Card is capable of in Speaker for the Dead.
The audio production and narration was superb. The same crew played a role in this novel and that helps greatly in enjoying such a large branching series in audio format. Stefan Rudnicki, always a favorite, was Graff and he plays him so very well. It was great to have Gabrielle de Cuir and Scott Brick along for the read also.
My one complaint with this novel is that cleverness and knowledge seem to by accentuated in Beans character, even beyond what I would allow for a genious kid. Without spoiling anything, there is a scene where Baby Bean hides in a small thing of water for several hours. Now, putting aside the brain power and knowledge necessary to do so successfully, a hairless being that small needs to be concerned about hypothermia. These instances were few and small, but still I feel they detracted a bit from the overall novel, especially since I know what Card is capable of in Speaker for the Dead.
The audio production and narration was superb. The same crew played a role in this novel and that helps greatly in enjoying such a large branching series in audio format. Stefan Rudnicki, always a favorite, was Graff and he plays him so very well. It was great to have Gabrielle de Cuir and Scott Brick along for the read also.
excellent! wonderful to go back to bean's character!!! love this book!!!
Another exceptional book by this brilliant science fiction writer, who is at least as adept at characterization as at plot. The story of Bean parallels the story of Ender, and is a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a child genius.
Pretty good, a great sequel in the series. Orson Scott Card is an awesome author.
This was a great book. It deals with bean's perspective of events that occurred in Ender's game. This book is definitely recommended by me to anyone who is interested.
i LOVED it!
Orson Scott Card delves headfirst into character development in this parallel novel to "Ender's Game". Excitement & reflection intertwine to create a psychological book that calls into question the status quo. A different perspective on the same story makes this an excellent read.
A good followup to Ender's Game... more in the spirit of the first book, unlike the rest of the series.
Another great book in the Ender series, told from Bean's POV. Hard to put down.
Loved it!! Excellent companion book to Ender's Game
Well done
Not quite as good as Ender's Game but still pretty darn good.
The ENDER series has won numerous S.F. awards. They are all good reads.
This is the fifth book in the Ender series.