SF Club Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card Buy book: $7.19
In the sequel to "Ender's Shadow, " Earth and its society are irrevocably changed in the aftermath of Ender Wiggin's victory over the Formics. But Peter Wiggin, Ender's older, more ruthless brother, sees that any hope for the future of Earth lies in restoring a sense of unity and purpose.
I've read this one already. It was a pretty quick read. I hope he writes one more to this series. Orson Scott Card is great. If you like the Ender and Bean books, you may want to try the Alvin Maker books which comprise another good series.
Personally, I never really liked any of the "Ender" books by Card. Working with kids everyday, I don't feel the characters are written true to form. While the world is interesting...the characters aren't. I'll probably pass on this one.
Having read just much of Card's work, I can say that enough is enough. I, too, have worked with kids extensively, and while Card did well by Ender in _Ender's Game_ (his best of the entire series, IMHO), his kids never really act or sound like kids. Instead, they sound like adults in kids' bodies, and I never have bought it, though I was willing to go along with Ender in the first book of the series simply because the idea was fresh.
Like many series, however, characters and situations can be tired, or wear out their welcome, and that is the case here. The universe simply isn't compelling enough to sustain yet another series.
charaters not interesting? characters not true to form? you may work with kids, but that doesnt mean you understand them. and dont reprimand me cause most of you would consider me a kid, by age. if a genetically altered boy who is smarter than anyone on the planet whose life is shortened because humans hve to chose between life and intelligence. with long life come stupidity. whith extreme brillaince comes a shor life. i believe your days are more numbered than ours.
I have read all of Orson Scott Card's books except this one. I know from the others that it has to be as good. I loved the Ender books. His characters are interesting and complex and his plots are amazing! He knows computers and psychology. If you want to read something you could never have imagined, read OSC!
I have a hard time getting into a book that is a sequel to something I never read. I have heard of Orson Card but just never had the opportunity to read any of his work. Maybe I will someday. When you are a Star Trek fan it is hard to try something else.
The kids in the Ender books DO act like adults in kids bodies because their IQs are off the charts. That's why they were chosen. I have worked closley with some kids in the "gifted" program and they don't act like most kids their own age because they are so smart.
I think the draw of Orson Scott Card is that he takes a situation that might happen at some point and explores an extraordinary facet of that reality. The children in "Ender's Game" and it's spinoffs don't act like comtemporary children. Children that grew up in a society warring with our most horrific pictures of monsters are going to be different. Add in the hovering government presence over child rearing techniques and religion and the brain washing of Battle School, these children are changed.
Is OSC's projection of these children incorrect? I don't think it matters. It was a facinating series and he is unafraid to delve down into conscience, hearts and minds of execptional characters that struck a chord in me.
As far as Bean books go, I think it is more of the same. We are now looking at these children that were never supposed to have a future and don't have much of thier pasts. They were turned into weapons and now they are trying to be used again though guile or loyalty.
Shadow Puppets adds in Bean's battle with his humanity, mortality and the possibility of abandoning the woman he loves and cursing his children with his fate.
