Dedicated with affection to Jorge Sáez Criado and an unimportant woman.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Ladies and gentlemen first of all I apologize for how dense my last criticism has been. I would have liked them to have been much shorter, but I tend to go too long. This book, which I'm going to comment on, also has history. Years ago in the happiest time of her life of 2006-2007 I met a person I loved her very much, and I spent nine wonderful months with her, and we talked about everything. That person liked some fantasy books. That person bought me Robert Jordan's "New Spring" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... and taught me to appreciate the value of the movie Nightmare Before Christmas and it was a difficult task, because I hate Halloween (for me it is the feast of all Saints and the desperation of the transhumanists I celebrate the resurrection of the flesh. Not the revivification of dead meat) nor am I enthusiastic about this pagan Christmas that we celebrate, become a feast of consumerism, and stripped of all its original meaning, consisting of the Good News, and the coming of Christ into the world. But you could say, like that alleged Arabic saying that served to present the King Kong film "Beauty Dominated the Beast." I keep nebulous memories, and my memory is less reliable than that of Gene Wolfe's "Soldier of the Fog" (than Latro's) https://www.goodreads.com/series/4945... , however I remember that she was a person, that she liked science fiction and her favorite novel was "The Game of Ender" it took me a while to seize it, but I finally got it, and that person proved to have great taste. Despite some anachronism. Who would have thought of the fall of the evil empire and the Soviet Union? This does not mean that communism has fallen, which unfortunately is still very much alive and I am not concerned that it is present in China, Vietnam, Laos, Cuba, and Venezuela, where it is most alive and strongest is in Western Universities, and the souls of our children are taking away. However, it did not age worse than other sagas like "Blade Runner" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... I must recognize, than the Orson Scott Card saga. That said it's unforgivable, don't have it on my dystopia list. What fascinated me was that future world where the government imposed a birth check, like the one in China today. In fact, I put the case of Ender (who was allowed to be born, because the government knew that he could win the war) along with that of Tanis (which was the result of a rape) https://www.goodreads.com/characters/... or the case of Miles Vorkosigan Vorkosigan https://www.goodreads.com/characters/... that due to sabotage he suffers from fetal malformations, and is a duse, but the danywith the most privileged brain, and capable of that remote galaxy. Her mind is more powerful than blasters, and Rynesme whose pregnancy meant the death of the mother, although a friend of mine has told me that this example should not work, as Bella Swann may have Rynesme, because she becomes a vampire. So it's almost a lifelong death https://www.goodreads.com/series/4536... but it doesn't matter all the cases cited are cases that I used, to justify my pronounful hypotheses. Not only was I touched by Ender's peculiar birth that as I said he remembered his legislation to which Deng Xiao Ping established in China, and that would deny his abortion theses the interesting Steven W. Mosher (perhaps one of the wisest and experts in the scourge of overpopulation, which is an instrument of elites and plutocracy, reneging the spurious thesis of liberalism so that people do not have children). Steven W. Mosher dismantles these neo-Malthusian fallacies with incontrovertible data and with great brilliance https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...# ). Another thing, that touched me about the Ender saga was the care that Orson Scott Card put in the attention of gifted children. As my good friend Krisi Keley would say https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... although he did not refer to this saga, but to Suzanne Collins' trilogy of The Hunger Games https://www.goodreads.com/series/7375... were poor children subjected to a terrible world. I really liked the approach he gave to gifted, early children, in fact, the Ender saga might interest teachers, and educators, for these cases. The characters were fantastic as Bynum Graf the general in the service of the government, who commanded an academy, to win a war against the insectors (the formic war) (this is reminiscent of Robert E. Heinlein's novel "Starship Troopers" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... ) that adults had not been able to win. that the adults had not been able to win. I was also fascinated by the mysterious Mosher Rakaham. It was also interesting to analyze the other two members of the Wiggins family. The sadistic Peter, who would then not be as bad, nor as violent, as might be understood, and the sensitive and affectionate Val. I also liked other ender comrades such as Alai, Dink, Petra Arkanian, and especially the interesting Bean, which in the end will give rise to his own story, but always from the very long shadow of the Hegemon. Another thing, which fascinated me, when I read it was how he predicted Orson Scott Card the huge impact that social media and online forums were going to have. But the best thing about Ender's saga was in the moral dilemmas of the characters, and in their great humanity, which they possessed thanks to the author's religious beliefs. That's what I liked most about "The Ender Game" I kept having flaws, like the author's Hispanophobia. We can see it in the character of Bonzo Madrid, , and in his saga of Alvin Maker (which never got this alternative story, or ucronía I liked) https://www.goodreads.com/series/4041... I still like dislike disregarded about Orson Scott Card is that despite being a Seventh-day Adventist he was always very respectful of the Catholic Church, and I despite the fact that I do not like seventh-day Adventists. I recognize my great debt to them, and how much they have done for me. I think of Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weiss with their wonderful saga of the Dragonlance https://www.goodreads.com/series/4931... (a luminous saga, and more accessible than "The Lord of the Rings" would have been a good decision for J.R.R. Tolkien to follow the model of Dragonlance. Yet J.R.R. Tolkien is https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... a better writer than they are), https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... in fact they also don't look very anti-Catholic, as Tracy Hickman is friends with my admired Karina Lumbert Fabian (the famous creator of the Vern Dragon) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... . My sister, despite the harsh reviews, which she is now receiving is a self-confessed fan of the Twilight series and Stephanie Meyer and "Host" also liked it very much https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/series/4536... and a writer, which I can't wait to read is David Farland, but only one book was taken from her Saga of Runelords and unfortunately the publisher who edited it Factory of the books broke :-(. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... . Once the praise of Mormon fiction is done, and I recommend that the Catholic fantasy writers apply the story, and imitate and improve the model of their Protestant colleagues, because even though we have great authors in this genre. This is where the Protestants lead us up. But going back to "The Shadow of the Hegemon" the second dedicated to Bean's character, which according to sci-fi expert Miquel Barceló https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and I think, that I agree with him. Bean is as interesting a character as Ender. Maybe even more. In fact Orson Scott Card did something, that few writers have done. Perhaps J.R.R. Tolkien with "The Search for Erebor" recounted the original story, or at least the first chapter of "Hobbit the Unexpected Talk" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... Gandalf's point of view. I think, so did his compatriot Stephanie Meyer, recounting Bella Swann's first book, and Edward Cullen from his point of view. This technique, if I don't fail, the memory is called retelling. I bought the book at the balance price in Castile comics, and I had it saved for a long time. There were two things that encouraged me to read it. First Orson Scott Card had been invited to speak for Celsius, and many free speech friends. He was boycicotfored for his opinions. On this subject, my friend Manuel Alfonseca has spoken a long time https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... many of this data I have taken from a writing he published on the subject entitled "Christianity in fantasy and science-fiction literature" arantxa.ii.uam.es/~alfonsec/docs/dia7... I don't know if he'll have it in English, you'll have to ask him. My friend Manuel Alfonseca complains that we are becoming less and less free, and that our world looks more like the one that immortalized Ray Bradbury in his saga "Farenheit 451" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... I am in a line closer to Juan Manuel de Prada https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... . I think our world is more like Aldous Huxley's "The brave new world" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... It is no longer pursued as much by repressive methods as in totalitarian regimes. It is now pursued in the name of tolerance, and to safeguard the rights and freedoms granted to us by interested elites. This persecution, and the power of lobbyists mostly of progressive ideology, has already been denounced by Paul Johnson in his wonderful book "Humorists" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9... has never had such a guarded control, as this time by progreland, has never been less free than now. So much so that you could say as Manon Roland "Freedom how many crimes are committed in your name" The same freedom that these lords use to boycott and attack Orson Scott Card's person, and his books was used by me, to say, there is no writer, who deserves a tribute more than Orson Scott Card. Not only for his wonderful books, but also for his great knowledge of the genre of science fiction and the great patronage that makes this genre. I wish he wasn't so Hispanic, but as a whole Orson Scott Card is currently one of the great American and world writers, and angerthe crows, buggs, envious, and petty. The second reason, which led me to read "The Shadow of the Hegemon" was that my friend Jorge Sáez Criado, for me one of the best future budding Spanish writers (a white blackbird) considered this book, as one of the best books I had read last year. The second reason, which led me to read "The Shadow of the Hegemon" was that my friend Jorge Sáez Criado, for me one of the best future budding Spanish writers (a white blackbird) considered this book, as one of the best books I had read last year. We had had Jorge Sáez Raised https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... In all the books to which I put five stars this year there is a feeling of transcendence and great morality, and that is what I liked about this great risk that Orson Scott Card puts on us. In that the former companions of Ender are kidnapped, and must be saved by both Bean and Peter Wiggins. We see that politics, and military campaigns will be the destiny of this novel. Bean is shown as a great strategist at the height of Cazaril, and Miles Vorkosigan. There are iconic moments such as the conversations of Bean and Sister Carlotta your mentor. Also the first face-to-face between Bean and Peter Wiggins (his uncomfortable ally), perhaps one of the best moments is personal dialogue with Peter Wiggins' mother, where the author's beliefs and mixed marriage, which form, are explicitly discussed. The dinner scene is also a prodigy, and tactical and military maneuvers. It's also fascinating how well the Asian world Orson Scott Card knows, and the incredible plot twists. I was also sorely scared of the death of some character, and devastating news, which does not kill Bean, but rather makes her stronger and more resolute. Peter Wiggins' takeover is also fascinating almost as the Louis XIV of Visconti. What are the flaws? ignorance of Orson Scott Card's Catholic faith. If a person is not Catholic, but believes in good faith can be saved, as C.S. Lewis shows in "The Last Battle" with Emeth, and Premminger with The Cardinal. Orson Scott Card's Hispanophobia, by Orson Scott Card, although in the epilogue he speaks well of Cortés and Pizarro. The villain Achilles' dialogues with Petra Arkanian (very surreal and unpleasant, rather than two children, no matter how psychopathic are non-adult children), and boys are released so soon. I liked the ending in Brazil and there is much more to solve, but what I liked most is the brilliant epilogue of Orson Scott Card, which shows that this book has been written by an undisputed master of science fiction.

this book is pretty cool. being the sequel to the greatest orson scott card book of all time: ender's shadow, which is the completion to ender's game which is the 2nd best book i've ever read. it is about a genetically altered human boy genius named bean who's house explodes while he is on a vacation in his homeland of greece. When they come back to their vacation home, they find it demolished and begin looking for a suspect which is, of course, bean's arch nemisis achilles. There are a couple places where i think I could have said something better then the characters9 bean's talk with ender's mom, for example, but enough world changing things are found in it that it all turns into a game of risk, and trust me, i LIKE risk. anybody just browsing for a book to read should pick this one up and read it... it takes about 8 hours of constant reading to finish it, though so the size may not be imposing to losers who just get on goodreads cause there teachers make them. read it or eat it (whatever the heck that means).

for me this spinoff series proves that OSC deserves a place with the greats and that is a hill i’ll die on

Shadow of the Hegemon is a great sequel to Ender's Shadow. There are two main themes in this book. One of the main themes of this book is that you can always find friends even in the darkest places. This is shown by many characters in the book, such as Virlomi, a former Battle School graduate (also a captive of Achilles), when she helps Petra, a fellow captive, contact the main character, Bean, at the risk of her own life. It is also shown in the Chinese colonel, who is very honorable and always carries out orders without deception or any other form of trickery. This is important because it is set in a time when nobody can be trusted, and most, if not all, the governments are corrupted. It also helps the theme because Bean and the colonel, while not becoming friends, have a mutual non-aggression pact, which means that as long as their objectives don't contrast, they won't get in each other's way.
The other theme in this book is that true friends never betray each other.
The main character, Bean, teams up with another Battle School graduate, Suriyawong, and uses an army to do right instead of wrong. They try to rescue Petra from the evil clutches of Achilles (pronounced ah-SHEEL), and this supports the theme because along the way, Bean's previous friends, such as Sister Carlotta, are always helping him along the way. And Suriyawong could've chosen to betray Bean, which would get him more benefits, but instead, he chose to stay by Bean's side and fight with him. Also, Petra, who Bean met in Battle School, who they were trying to save, even when captured by Achilles, did not help him even at the risk of death. Overall, this was a great book, filled with action.

The follow up to Ender's Shadow, this unfortunately showcases Card's tendency to write sequels for the sake of growing a successful franchise, even when the stories don't quite merit it. This is not a bad book, but it suffers in comparison to its predecessor.

Again, this book showcases many of Card's strengths: internal character monologoues reveal mostly well developed characters with psychological foibles; moral and religious discussions/debates; strong young adults. But, as with the first book, Bean, by design, can't be as good a character as Ender (whose shadow does indeed hang over this and the following books, despite Ender himself being completely absent), and he just doesn't resonate with me as much as Ender did. Furthermore, the stage on these remaining Shadow novels has been expanded, and Card doesn't do as well on the large scale as he does with the small. The politics, intrigue, and wars just aren't as interesting as they would be in the hands of writers like le Carre, Ludlum, or Clancy. They just come off as a bit too pat. And the genius children card is just too overplayed. There was a good reason for it in Ender's Game, a reason that required the protagonists to be as young as they were. But now, back on Earth, we're in an environment where there should be several decades worth of Battle School grads on the world stage. Yes, Ender's jeesh had the benefit of working with Ender, and maybe that gives them an unexpected edge. But they shouldn't be *that* much smarter than everyone around them. Older Battle School grads do have more experience than they do, and at least some of them must be as smart as the lesser members of Ender's jeesh, and presumably the best of those former grads will be in positions of power at this point in time. And we shouldn't have to be reminded as often as we are that they're smart. And finally, Achilles just isn't that great a villain.

That all comes across as a bit harsh. The book *is* a page turner, and its entertaining enough. Its simply not up there with Card's best.

I have a BookTube channel where I review books, give reading suggestions, and more! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/dragonarmybooks

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Reread 10/07/21

Yeah, this is a good one. A very good one. The war in space has ended and the war on earth begins. The brilliant kids from Battle School have all been returned to their respective nations as national treasures, valued for their tactical minds and training. However, Ender's jeesh have been kidnapped and it looks like the person behind the kidnapping might have been a fellow student of Battle School. What unfolds is a "real-life game of Risk," as I mentioned in my previous review down below.

I've always enjoyed the Shadow series, but I think I enjoy it more with age. So many of the global details used to fly over my head, but I didn't feel that way as much this time. It's also interesting because there's really not much "sci-fi" to this story outside of it being futuristic. It's a very different kind of literature from OSC, but it still demonstrates his strengths in telling very engaging personal stories.

I love Bean. I love Petra. I love Suriyawong. I even love Peter (but I'll never forget nor forgive what you did to those animals when you were younger--you're still a monster).

This is a wonderful story with wonderful characters and unbelievably believable (see what I did there) actions and reactions of countries in the wake of a world-changing war against an alien species. Mankind will continue to be mankind, with all the good and bad that entails.

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A big real-life game of Risk.

I had never heard the Shadow Series explained in this manner until Card did it himself at the end of the audiobook. It's also interesting that Card always intended for his books to be listened to and suggested that was the best way to take in his stories anyways. This was the first time I listened to the novel, and while it is in no way perfect, it is a good audiobook.

There's a lot of "global happenings" in Hegemon that make it difficult for me to keep up with. I get confused between what's going on with China and what's happening in Thailand and what does India have to do with Pakistan, etc. Nevertheless, the narrative portions are so juicy. So many mind games. So many daring maneuvers. So many plans and ploys and devious plots that sometimes work and are sometimes foiled.

We get Bean and Petra and Suriyawong and Virlomi and even a shoutout to Mr. and Mrs. Wiggin and, unfortunately for all of those people, we get a lot of Achilles. I continue to love and appreciate the authenticity of characters and the underlying tragedy that will continue to haunt the characters I care for most throughout the rest of the series.

I liked it. I didn’t love it. The villain doesn’t live up to the monumental expectations placed upon him.

This is my second book by Orson Scott Card (born 1951) and he is still to disappoint. I think he is a born-storyteller as I haven’t met anyone like him who wrote a book Ender’s Game in 1985 and after 25 years, it is now a full length series branching into several two excellent sagas, i.e., The Ender’s Saga (7 books, 9 short stories) and The Shadow Saga (4 books published called Bean Quartet, 2 forthcoming). So 11 books so far with related 9 short stories is something that I have not seen yet done successfully and artfully by any authors whose works I’ve so far encountered.

After the Formic Wars, Ender Wiggins has to remain on self-exile in another planet as nations are fighting to get hold of him for their selfish interest. However, his 10 equally-brilliant classmates at Battle School have to go back to Earth. Among these is Bean, his toon leader in Dragon Army and at the Command School and Petra who was the commander in the Phoenix Army and toon leader at the Command School. The story is practically about the struggle for world dominance after the Bugger War, in which the Battle School children, as well as Ender’s brother, Peter Wiggins a.k.a., Locke are involved. With Bean as this novel’s protagonist, obviously, since this is part of the Bean Quartet, he needs an equally-strong antagonist. Enters Achilles who Bean imprisoned in the previous book, Ender’s Shadow so Achilles stages a revenge here starting with the imprisonment of the remaining classmates of Ender. Afterwards, he plots to kills Bean and his family. In a move to defend himself, Bean aligns himself with Sister Carlotta and later in the story with Battle School graduate from Thailand, Suriyawong. On the other hand, Achilles found an ally with the forces of Virlomi, also a Battle School graduate from India.

I have to stop here because if I tell you how they fought, I should already click the spoiler alert and since this is a sci-fi/fantasy, telling you everything is not right. Suffice it to say that this is a good sequel to the Ender’s Shadow and compared to Ender in Exile, I liked the fact that the scope has broadened to other countries. It shows Orson Scott Card’s awareness on world politics and the dynamics of the struggles of different powerful countries. However, his being a Mormon preacher (thanks, Wikipedia) also shows with the heart-tugging dialogues. I particularly liked the one between Bean, an orphan like Achilles, and Ender’s mother.

n  Bean:n   “I do not understand why you are happy being a mother when they did not give you anything but pain? Ender is in exile. You lost Valentine there too. And Peter has not give you anything but grief…”n  
n  Ender’s Mother:n  ”The joy of being a mother is in grieving. At least I have them. How about you, who do you have?”n

I may be an old man but I am not ashamed to admit that I still feel some thrill in reading this book. However, what really sticks to me are these kinds of line. These lines that pinch my heart.

I can wait to read more and more Orson Scott Card’s books. Maybe I should read Ender’s Game next. The one that starts all of these.

Orson Scott Card has a natural talent for stretching a novella into a novel. Pages and pages of dialogue simply regurgitate things we already know. Ideas and themes are thoroughly beat into your brain by sheer repitition. I find myself skipping entires pages without consequence because there is no content there. Between the fluff, however, is an engaging story. The consequences of sending all the student of Battle School back to Earth is fascinating and Card capitalizes on this. Poltiics and military are not usually my interest, but I found the subjects accesible and captivating in this format.

Per usual in the Ender series, all the children are geniuses and all the adults are morons. It can be a little hard to swallow sometimes, especially Peter's rise to world leader as a teenager and 12 year olds commanding entire armies despite appearing no more brilliant than a typical (adult) general. As the characters age, we see them mature and face new obstacles of puberty and hormones. Petra and Bean's story are a big part of why I'm continuing to read despite my annoyances.

Achilles in particular is just bizarre. He's constantly touted as a charismatic genius, bending entire nations to his will, but all we ever see of him is a psychotic killer who acts solely by force. You never see HOW he manages to get anything done (other than violence, of course), unlike Bean, Ender, and Peter. Even more frustrating is (SPOILER) how everyone views him as a villain who must be stopped at all costs, yet no one bothers to kill him when the opportunity arises. Pride, ambition, honor, damsels in distress, and deus ex machina always get in the way. Just kill him already - the world is at stake! It's seems clear his survival is a plot device to fuel additional sequels. Bah. Guess I'll have to continue reading to find out what happens!

This book does not aim for the lofty highs of “Ender’s Game”or “Ender’s Shadow”. However, it is still an enjoyable read and progresses Bean’s conflict with Achilles. This book has the unpleasant task of laying the groundwork for future installments in the conflict, such as setting up new characters, and establishing the setting of Earth in more detail. I would not anticipate ever rereading this book but I am still looking forward to what’s in store for our characters next.

I was underwhelmed by Ender's Shadow, but this book was much better! The characters are more fully developed, and we learn more about their thoughts through their conversations and internal dialogues. There are plenty of action-packed scenes that quicken the story's pace.

This book takes place after Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, when the kids from Battle School have returned to Earth. Now that the threat of the Buggers is gone, the nations have begun vying for political and military supremacy, exploiting the young geniuses from the Battle School. Several of the kids appear throughout the book, but it mainly follows Bean and Petra as they interact with Peter Wiggin and Achilles.

I really liked learning about Peter Wiggin. He's mentioned throughout the Ender books, but his character is only developed enough to fill his role as Ender's brother, and he seemed supernaturally powerful in his political manipulations. In this book, Peter is a teenager struggling with his role as the anonymous Locke, desperately trying to figure out how to return political stability to Earth.

Another part I liked was when Bean meets Mrs. Wiggin, Ender and Peter's mother. She's honest with Bean about how much she knows about her children, and how she feels about them. This was a welcome change from the other books, where you hardly know the Wiggin parents.

This book is a must-read for fans of Ender's Game and the other Ender books!

This was fascinating! As I am sure I have said in reviews for previous additions to the Ender series, I love seeing how the characters minds work. They are all so genius. This addition was a particular treat because the earthly war was something not previously visited in this series. So far, two books had been set in Battle School, and three had been regarding the planet Lusitania and saving the native species, the Pequeninos. I was surprised to see the characters caught in this new and exciting situation and how they handled themselves. All their skills put to the test. And I was not disappointed with their performance.

But, further exploration of the character Achilles is what I found most interesting. I never would have expected the lame bully from the streets of Rotterdam in the beginning of Ender's Shadow would grow to be such a driving force in the next installment, let alone in the world of the book. He does not have my sympathy. He is not a tragic hero. He is not a bad guy who is only half bad so you let him hang around. He is an evil psychopath. But he somehow managed to be one of the most attractive fictional psychopaths I've heard of. I half wanted him to keep Petra, just to be able to have more scenes of them trying to figure each other out. But, I knew if he did she would soon be dead. His fatal flaw. I am glad his story was left open to more possibilities. Definitely my favourite of the Shadow series so far. I look forward to reading the next volume with great anticipation.