Rating: - Listen to a well crafted story
For me there is nothing better than listening to a book on CD while chewing up a lot of asphalt during a road trip. I discovered this little gem 'Ender's Shadow, at the local library and became an addict to Ender, Bean, and the Shadow series as a result. For those of you that think you have to read or listen to Ender's Game first, don't worry Bean and his story stand up all by themselves with no problem.
The author 'Scott Card' has often stated that he believes his books are best when the story is spoken. No argument here. He uses multiple well known narrators including one of the very best Scott Brick. Fair warning is to be given however. Once you listen to Scott Card's Ender and Shadow series on audio CD, you will never feel the same about actually reading a book again.

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Rating: - Bean Rocks!
If you just finished reading Ender's Game, go to this one next as was recommended to me. This is the story of Bean, smallest member of Dragon army. The tale takes place during the same events as Ender's Game but from Bean's perspective. Loved it. Would have given in 5 stars but it took a little bit to get going. Enjoy!

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Rating: - All Bean and no rice make this a dull book
This is one of the most OK books I've ever read. While it's not bad, I didn't really find it all that good either. Keep in mind that I'm a long way from Jr. High/High school, which is the age range this book is intended for. If that's your age range, it's a totally different book. Knowing the ending of this alternate view of Ender's Game, I think it would be especially important to make Bean a bit more likeable. He's genetically gifted, and judges every bad decision, and basically everybody besides Ender as stupid. I was pleased to find that Bean gained some humility, he eventually uses his brilliance to help other people. He still makes mistakes, and a character like Bean who criticizes and condemns others for being "stupid" seems likely to put himself through the same torture when he makes mistakes, yet he doesn't. Bean, right out of the toilet, is the most obnoxious character I've ever experienced a point of view through. I realize he's just a kid, but he's still the type I would encourage to play in the street.

Bean's family was the worst addition to this story, and there are some coincidences involved with that which could make your stomach turn, it did mine. There is some severe cheesiness, but overall, a relatively decent story. I wonder why a kid from the Netherlands would seem so much like a kid from the US. Why is almost every ultra smart kid in this story European or Euro-American? Why aren't there any major Chinese or other Asian characters in here? There seems to be such a lack of smart kids from outside of the US and Europe? Hmmm...no Africans, and the only god represented here is the Christian/Mormon one.Lack of interesting character and culture give this book a mediocre rating in my book. Science? As if, this is OSC...remember? Not for everybody.

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Rating: - The author abondoned his storyline
I am amazed at all the positive feedback about this book. In Enders Game Card repeatly justifies the rigorous isolation and abondonment of Ender to achieve the type of commander needed to lead the final battle. But then in Enders Shadow Bean is able to replace Ender as commander without any of the trama that Ender was forced to endure. Bean is smart, clever and clearheaded "always" whereas Ender looks hesitant and overwrought, with Bean looking over his shoulder, he's been given the authority to decide if Ender is competent to lead or should he step in and take over command. Where does Bean get the experience to become Enders "supervisor?" I don't know but he is deemed fit enough with a couple months as a team leader to be fleet commander.

I think that Card has over time decided to "dumb down" Ender so that there can be remarks like "Bean is better than Ender." Enders Game was an emotional rollercoaster of deception, but Enders Shadow showed the greatest deception of Ender was by the author himself.

I just hope that Sherwood Smith doesn't deny Inda the way Card did Ender.

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Rating: - Bean Better Than Ender??? Possibly
While this book is consistent with the Ender is God view, Bean is a separate and uniquely intriguing character. His childhood is about as far from fairy tale as one can get and still be a child-safe book. He's got a brain unparalleled in the known world, which must have been a daunting task for the author to describe well, but somehow Orson Scott Card succeeds.

I would recommend reading Ender's Game first, but you could potentially read this book as a stand alone novel and it would still be fine. The author has a lovely way of presenting things, even if the bad guys are as cheap a sci-fi trick as buggers.