| SF Reviews by Aaron M. Renn | By Author - By Title - By Date Reviewed |
Conclusion: Recommended
[ Warning: This review contains major SPOILERS for Ender's Game. Those who have not read that volume should NOT read this review. ]
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I've always suspected that Card wrote Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide to get back at all the people like me who cheered when Ender wiped out the Buggers. Believe you me, if I'd been the one who got ahold of that Hive Queen cocoon, I would have stomped that bitch into a greasy stain on the sidewalk. Uh, wait a minute, my genocidal rage is getting the best of me. As I was saying, I think Card proved me wrong with this one, or else he feels we've had enough penance. Ender's Shadow not only parallels the story line of Ender's Game, it also echos the same writing style and tone. He lets those of us who want to enjoy this as a mindless, sadistic adventure to do so, while dropping in a few subsurface themes of a more serious note. There is far less of a serious nature in this novel than in it's precursor though. In fact, this book is mostly just mind candy. But at least it's pretty darn tasty mind candy.
Ender's Shadow is the story of Ender's companion Bean from his days as a homeless beggar on the streets of Rotterdam to Command School. Bean is one smart guy. In fact, he's so smart and savvy that there are a few people at Battle School who think he might be the one to take on the Buggers instead of Ender. Of course we know that doesn't happen, but Card does a masterful job of keeping us interested in his life even though we already know how the story turns out. The two main ways he manages this are by bringing back things from Bean's pre-Battle School past, and putting a new twist on some things we thought we knew in Ender's Game. As it turns out, Bean played a far more critical role in Ender's success than we believed him to. Though of course that's obvious without even reading the book. If it weren't, why would Card have even bothered?
I don't consider this Hugo material - though I'm sure some people will - but it was a quick and enjoyable read. As you might expect, Card leaves a door open for a sequel big enough to drive a Mack truck through, so I wouldn't be surprised to see another episode in the life of Bean coming up soon.
%A Card, Orson Scott %T Ender's Shadow %I Tor %D 1999-09 %G ISBN 0-312-86860-X %P 379 pp. %0 hardcover, US$24.95
Reviewed on 1999-09-13
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