Ender's Shadow (Ender Series, Book 5)

At least once in everyone’s life, they sit down at a table, and are served a dish so succulent and delicious; they forget everything that is happening around them. The only feeling they register is happiness. Pure pleasure. Eventually, they finish the meal, and stare down at their plate. First, they think about how amazing the meal was, recounting the various traits of the dish that made it good. Then they call the waiter and order another. Reading Enders Shadow is very much like that experience. Orson Scott Card is a Master Chef, cooking up great works of literature, like its well-known partner, and now a major motion picture Enders Game.

The book is about Bean. In Enders Game he is portrayed to have been Ender’s sidekick, and a very flat character who has very little to do with the plot. In Enders Shadow he steps out of the shadows, and his struggle from getting from the streets of Rotterdam to saving humanity in Battle school is revealed. In a way, it portrays Ender and Bean as polar opposites, with Ender encountering very little resistance and sailing to success, while Bean has to climb mountains upon mountains to achieve his goals.

The book starts at the same time as Enders Game. Half of the book is background in Beans childhood and his rise to power, while the other half is the portrayal of Enders fight against the aliens through Beans eyes. Even on the streets of Rotterdam, you see how shrewd he is. By the time, you finish the first couple of chapters, you find out how he politically maneuvers fellow children who live on the street like him. Even though it seems like he is weak and useless, through Beans eyes you can see how he works quietly in the background, making it look like he has very little to do with what is going on, but in reality has control over everyone.

Much like Enders Game, as you read you feel as if you are a part of the book, as if you were standing right behind bean as everything is happening. Soon, it is as if you are in their universe, and the characters in the book are your imaginary friends. However, like all imaginary friends, you have to say goodbye to them someday. You feel a sense of sadness when you shut the work, mostly because you have to say goodbye to all the adventures. Only a few books can illicit strong emotions from me, and this is one of those great works of literature that does.