Ender's Shadow (Ender, Book 5) by Orson Scott Card
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.14 You Save: $2.85 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.49 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Ender's Shadow (Ender, Book 5)
Book Review: "The Ender Strikes Back" - Even Better than the Original
Summary: 5 Stars
Just as the second Star Wars film "The Empire Strikes Back" is a more sophisticated and complete film than the first, so too is this follow-up to Ender's Game a more satisfying novel than the original.
I was originally suspect that this book would be a blatant and shallow attempt to cash in on the phenomenal success of Ender's Game. But fortunately, after seeing the reviews on Amazon, I was convinced to give it a read. Thank goodness I did.
First of all, attempting to base an entire novel on the retelling of a well-known story from another character's perspective is a bold move and a daring proposition. The move pays off in spades for Card. Even though I had read Ender's Game and was well aware of how the story was to unfold, I was still riveted by Bean's character (Bean is Ender's "Shadow") and his contributions to the ultimate mission. I actually found this story more believable and well-constructed than Ender's Game itself. In particular, the explanation behind and the characterization of Bean's extraordinary intelligence made more sense to me than that of the Wiggin children. I think this novel clearly benefits from Card's brilliant evolution as a sci-fi author in the years between Game and Shadow.
Don't try to put the Shadow cart ahead of the Game horse though. Make sure you read Ender's Game first. Just know that when you are finished, you will get to experience the whole thing over again on another level.
Book Review: H. Durnan's Book Review
Summary: 5 Stars
Every kid dreams about going into space. In Orson Scott Card's novel, Ender's Shadow, this dream becomes reality for a boy called Bean. A street urchin in the city of Rotterdam, he has always had to fight for is own survival. So when he passes the International Fleet's intelligence tests with flying colors, going to Battleschool in space allows him to concentrate on studies rather than survival, though this is only the beginning of his fantastical adventures. Bean meets Ender, a boy who is destined for greatness. With Ender as his commander, Bean learns about the exciting "game" played at Battleschool, and his aptitude leads him to further thrilling events.
Ender's Shadow is a great read for most middle schoolers and adults. Bean's intelligent insights are provocatively complex, yet simply expressed and easy for younger readers to understand. The plot is bizarre and new, but the futuristic element makes it believable, and the fact that Ender's Shadow contains only a slightly different story from Card's previous novel, Ender's Game, but in a different perspective, will draw fans of Ender's Game to this book. Readers will recognize some of the dialogue from the other book, but will be pleased with new exchanges between Bean and Ender as we see how Bean views his commander. Fans of science fiction (and most other books) will devour this glorious retelling of Ender's Game from a fresh new perspective.
Book Review: A Great Tale of Survival
Summary: 5 Stars
Ender's Shadow is a parallel novel. I wouldn't call it a sequel because a sequel is what happens after the previous book. This book was just a different version of the story, Ender's Game, told from a little boy named Bean's point of view. At first, the character Bean seems empty and emotionless, living in poverty and seemingly not having a future. Although small for his age, he manages to survive only because of his extraordinary intellect. To Bean, the only thing that matters is the sole thing that matters to any animal; survival. He manages to be discovered and sent to Battle School, a school for future commanders of the International Fleet, the only defenders of Earth from the space aliens, Buggers. To many, he was saved from hunger and a fruitless life, but little did anyone know, the real danger only lied ahead for the little boy. Orson Scott Card depicted a great tale of survival of the fittest, morals, and even had religious aspects. This book was a very compelling read. It was one of those `can't-put-the-book-down-because-I-want-to-know-what-happens-next' kind of books. I would definitely recommend Ender's Shadow to anyone who's interested in science fiction or psychologically challenging reads. Two thumbs up!
Book Review: the "WIGGIN"
Summary: 5 Stars
Open Ender's Shadow and you are trapped. Card's Sci-Fi puts you in the shoes of the tiny bean. You could be sitting on garbage cans looking for food or getting a confession of killing from a Serial killer. Bean will lead you out of this world.
Bean is a genius who lives on the streets of Rotterdam fighting a battle to survive. Sister Carlotta finds him after he convinced a crew led by a girl called Poke to make a bully to protect them and prepares to send him to battle school. When Sister Carlotta hears of the civilized crew she quickly comes to see if one of them is smart enough to lead the forces to protect earth or, in Bean's case the shadow of the supreme commander a boy named Ender.
When Bean secretly witnesses Achilles' murder of poke for embarrassing him he promptly tells Sister Carlotta who ships him off to battle school. When Achilles joins battle school he gets admission and sends him to a mad house. I recommend this book to anyone with a hunger for action.
Card's Ender's Shadow is not merely a book but a work of art. Card starts chapters with a behind the scenes peek. Ender's shadow is a perpendicular to Ender's Game and is part of a "series within a series".
Book Review: Another wonderful story
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading Ender's Game, I had that sadness that you have when a wonderful book is over, and it's hard to imagine any other book being quite as good (although there is always the hope); then I heard about Ender's Shadow, a book that was parallel to Ender's Game. Intrigued, I downloaded Shadow onto my Kindle and have just finished reading it, all in one day. The quick read isn't so amazing -- it's an easy read, with that wonderful, plain, evocative style -- but the pleasure was unexpected. The story of Bean is so imaginative, and fits so well with Ender's, that it's not a letdown from Ender's Game at all; in fact it just enriches it. What an achievement for an author, to create a world large enough that he could reorient himself so well within it.
Delightful!