5 comments about Rebekah: Women of Genesis.

1. This novel by Orson Scott Card about the life of the matriarch Rebekah, is at once moving and engaging.
   Unlike some novels, such as Sarah by Marek Halter and The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant, where the women are portayed as worshiping idols and other gods, she is shown as a strong women, devoted to the service of Yahweh since she was little, as are the other matriarchs in the Women of Genesis series.
   Card has done a great job of filling in the gaps and bringing the women of the Bible to life.
   The digressions from the Biblical account are not major and are, I believe, in the overall spirit of the Biblical account.
   As a believing Jew, I did not find anything incongruent or objectionable in this book, although it is written by a Mormon.
   Rebekah loses her mother as a baby, and is brought up under by a doting father, by her simple-minded and devoted nurse Deborah. She is also close to her brother Laban.
   Her beauty is renowned and she has a headstrong and powerful personality temprered by an innate compassion.When she is seven years old an accident renders her father, Bethuel, deaf. She rejects marriage to a wealthy nobleman Ezbaal, because he worships pagan gods, and not Yahweh, and is by a strange series of events reunited with her mother Akyas, who was sent by Bethuel shortly after Rebekah's birth.
   
   Later she knows, through G-D, when Eliezer meets her at the well, that it is her destiny to go with him and marry Isaac, and go's with Isaac to dwell at the home of his father Abraham at Kirjath-arba.
   The love between Rebekah and Isaac is great but it is strained by the rivalry with his brother Ishmail, and the domineering nature of Isaac's father,. Abraham. She falls pregnant after twenty years, and in a dream is visited by her great ancestors Seth, the son of Noah, and Eber, and several others of whom she knew less. They inform her she will give birth to twins " You have two great men inside you, two mighty nations, two ways of life, and the one will be stronger than the other, and the elder will serve the younger".
   Not long after the twins Jacob and Esau are born, their different natures become apparent. Jacob is good natured and obedient, while Esau is wild and wilfful. Rebekah favours Jacob and Isaac favours Esau. Esau hunts and kills the animals, while Jacob tends and loves them. A powerful anecdote is related to show their different natures, when they are five years old and and Jacob weeps because Esau throws stones at a puppy until it is blinded.
   They grow up and finally Esau shows his true waywardness, bloodthirsty caharacter and his disinterest in the word of G-D, and he marries two Hittite women.
   The book draws to a close with the famous events where Esau sells his birthrigh to Jacob for a mess of pottage, and where Jacob tricks Isaac into giving him the birthright instead of Esau. But according to the author's interpretation, Isaac really knows it is Jacob, but G-D tels him that indeed Jacob is worthy of the blessing.
   The dialogues show the conflicts prevalent in the narrative.
   It is written in modern language, and should bring the narratives alive to the readers.
   I look forward to reading the other Women of Genesis novels.



2. This version of Rebecca's life left me feeling that some would certainly have a misconstrued picture of who Rebecca was if they were to make the mistake of not actually reading the biblical text. While the story was readable, the writer certainly used creative license in the re-telling of the story. Enjoy this with that knowledge.



3. The plot was okay other then too much dialouge and people argueing, but after reading three books in the series of Women in Genensis I was increasingly trouble by things the books claim didn't happen. Of course I know this is fiction and the author has every right to fill in missing places of the Bible with speculation and imagination, but to repeatly have the characters claim a part of the Bible isn't true distrubs me. At least twice in two of the books it's said that Isaac never tried to pass his wife off as his sister like Abraham did. However the Bible says they did. If the author didn't like that part of the story he could have just left it out, not called the Bible false. There are other Bibical problems with the books, but I wouldn't fault the author for not being totally bibically correct. We can't memorize the whole Bible and get every detail right. I may have kept reading his books anyway because I do really like that a central theme in the books is that there's only God and He loves us and has a wonderful plan for us even when it doesn't seem likely. However something I read in the afterword of the book Sarah made me reject any more of his books. If you don't mind the quote it said, "...I believe in the Bible so seriously that I think it really is what it claims to be - a record, written by men, of stories that seemed important and truthful to them at the time of writing, using the standards of truth available to them at the time. This means that the idea of inerrancy of Biblical scripture is silly on its face."
   The Bible never claims to be just a book of records. It is inerrant as evidence by how little it has changed over the centuries. We can't just pick and choose what we want to believe or there really isn't a guidline. Maybe next an author will say not all of the ten comandments are real and God probably didn't really tell people not to murder. Maybe that's unlikely, but you get the idea.



4. I enjoyed reading Rebecca so much! I am reading the old testament and am loving that as well! It's neat to compare the scriptures with the book and seeing how Orson Scott Card can use his God given talents to draw us in!I would recommend reading the series of the Women of Genesis-it's amazing the incredible strength these women had and what great examples of what to do and not to do!I would recommend the hard cover copies for they are worth keeping in your library!



5. My husband got me 3 of the Women in Gen series for my birthday, and I am so glad he did. These are written as "fiction" but it is evident that there is a lot of research put into it as well. Card portrays an honest view of Jewish life far surpassing the vulgar cave-man "Red Tent" version. My copy of Rebekah has an endorsement from the Jerusalem Post on first page which says a lot about it's accuracy. Also commendable is the fact that Card does not alter the Genesis account. What he adds gives deeper meaning and a higher understanding of what is already in the scriptures. There are hints that some of Rebekah was loosely taken from other ancient texts as well. As an example;
   
   Jasher 24: 39 ... and they gave him Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel, for a wife for Isaac. 40 And the young woman was of very comely appearance, she was a virgin, and Rebecca was ten years old in those days.
   
   Early on in the Book Card mentions Rebekah being 10 years old, and makes a point that she was very mature for her age. Her age is mentioned in such a way that most readers will not realize how young she was when married though. Card also mentions the book of Noah in reference to another account of the flood - and the Book of Noah does actually exist, you can buy it on Amazon, usually in combination with the works of Enoch.
   
   He also discretely brings up the Israelite Goddess Asherah, AKA, Heavenly Mother. If you don't mind, I would like to provide some additional background on Asherah to anyone interested in reading this, or any other books related to Jewish histories. The existence of a Heavenly Mother is not just Mormon doctrine - although I do not want to misrepresent the LDS either, they do not worship Her, they only admit to Her existence. In Genesis 21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree (tree of life representing feminine child bearing ability) and called there on the name of Yahweh el Olam (a combination of two divine names). In Genesis 30:13 Leah names her son Ahser whose names means "with Asherah's help". Perhaps the most beautiful description of Asherah in the Bible is the Proverbs 3:13-18 inclusio (happy, wisdom, and tree of life are all "discrete" translations of the Hebrew words Ashre, chokmah, and ets chayyum). Asherah is very much a part of the Old Testament. Just as Abraham sacrificing Isaac represents Heavenly father sacrificing Jesus, I strongly suspect Sarah, Abraham's beautiful wife, represents Asherah. The many righteous barren women combined with the polygamy throughout the OT possibly symbolic of Mary, not Asherah, becoming the mother of Their "only" begotten son. The background of the ever so important baptism as being an actual "birth"... a birth respecting the free agency of the "children" in which divine Parents are chosen rather than forced upon a spirit through a physical birth... Also adding to the reason that Jesus was baptized, not to take away sin, or to become a child of Heavenly Father... the words "This is my beloved son" perhaps being spoken by a female voice after Jesus' baptism. Of course inappropriate worship of the beautiful Asherah lead to Her presence being hidden, the commandment of not worshipping images. Ex 19: 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above - this commandment does not come about until Ex, so Abraham and others are perhaps not really doing something that was wrong at the time although the idea of men protecting and respecting the sanctity of womanhood was in place starting with Adam. Card points out the fact that the Jewish people do not dare utter the name of Heavenly Father and protect Asherah even more vehemently. The great sin of inappropriately worshipping Her much worse than using the Lord's name in vain. (I know the account surrounding Rebekah's mother is fictional, but the points made by the story are very real).
   
   If Orson happens across my ramblings, I apologize for overanalyzing your fictional work. Perhaps I read too much into it, or combine it with things I should not... or perhaps I am right, and just not as discreet at introducing some subjects as Card is...
   
   In any event, Rebekah is a beautiful read, perhaps I misrepresent it, I do not think it is meant to be a scholarly research paper, it reads like a best-seller novel, although to those who have read some other things, there are elements in it that are much deeper than perhaps the uneducated reader might grasp - which is what makes all of Card's books so intriguing. Disturbing how accurately Card, a male, is able to portray all that is female. Beautiful that he is able to reveal the real power women had and still have to those who do not yet understand the nobility of being a mother and wife. I will pass this book along to others not only as a testimony builder that brings the scriptures to life, but also as a book that reveals the beauty of male and female roles and the appropriate honest way people from "Mars and Venus" can come to respect and support one another.
   
   My deepest thanks to Bro. Card for all of his work.

5 comments about Shadow Puppets (Ender's Shadow).

1. Stop the Evil Genius.
   
   
   Bean and Peter Wiggin still have to work to counter the rather psychopathic tendencies of their classmate Achilles, while Bean and Petra have to decide what to do ethically about their possibilities for child rearing.
   
   The rest of the Battle School will also be busy with the global political situation destabilising.
   
   This book is definitely not as interesting as some of the others in the Ender Saga.



2. Just a masterpiece by Orson Scott Card. One of the best books I have ever read. The Ender and Bean books are the best and they have changed my life forever. For the better of course



3. I've enjoyed the "Ender" series since Analog first published it. I've progressed, along with Card's writing, from action-adventure to philosophy to interpersonal relationships. This book was a decent contribution to the series, in much the same way that "Heartfire" was a decent contribution to the "Alvin Maker" series. But like Heartfire, it didn't really advance the ball much. Some of the book was Tom Clancy light, and some of the further characterization seemed contradictory to previous installments (Peter continues his transformation from egomaniacal psychotic animal-torturer to just another rebellious teenager, getting bailed out by his parents). Where Card succeeds is with Bean and Petra, although my prurient and adolescent mind would have appreciated more explicit romance from the two.



4. I began reading this series of books due to my teenage son.After reading "Ender's Game" I was hooked and have to say I think I've enjoyed Bean's story even more than Ender's.



5. The book is almost one massively long conversation, and yet I find myself entertained by the moral questions and complicated political dance weaved here. Bean's still my favorite character.
   It's easier to focus on the negative. While the characterization is decent, the action seems to fall very short. I understand Card was working with a lot of different characters, but the page proportion dedicated to favor the major of the minor characters. Peter Wiggin comes off more as a whiny teenager than a molder of nations. My other major nit is that Petra, by all previous accounts an interesting character, is relegated to worried woman status throughout the majority of the book. The reasons in the next book seem surprisingly stupid to me. I just would have expected better of Card. Heck, even Bean, boy genius, doesn't do all that much except not be killed.
   The book does fill in some gaps, but as a stand alone novel, I'd say it is one of the weaker of the Ender series. So, why does it get 4 stars?...quite simple, I'm taking it more as a whole series. As one giant story, the series will of course have some points that just have to be plowed through to understand the rest. It does its job as a gap holder and explainer of all things to come.

5 comments about A War of Gifts: An Ender Story (Ender).

1. I really enjoyed reading this short story from the Ender series of Orson Scott Card. I would have liked yet another full length novel, but this was a very nice tidbit. I would recommend it to all Ender/Orson Scott Card fans.



2. This was a surprise! It wasn't at all what I thought it was going to be, but I really, really liked it! It's so well written, the premise is outstanding, and it made me want to read more of these stories.



3. The story was excellent... fit into the Enderverse well, continued to flesh out existing characters, brought us a new one, and turned out to be a neat little Christmas present to us from OSC!!
   
   Personally, I don't care about the length of the story... more concerned with the quality. I thought this was top notch!!
   
   One caveat... this story would probably be a disappointment if one had not already read the other Ender's books.
   
   So, if you are a fan of the Ender's Series, I highly recommend this book!
   
   All the best,
   
   Jay



4. The story is reasonable, if a bit preachy for my taste, with moralizing throughout without going over the top. At a thin size with small pages, the novella was a quick read of maybe an hour and thus was just fine for a library book. Don't even think about reading this standalone, without EG as background.
   
   The climactic scene with Ender and Zeck was brief, with a quick wrap-up and that was it. Ender plays yet another role as a young Jesus, showing the way ahead for the young, confused disciple. OSC explores some ideas on tolerance and free expression in an intolerant and controlled environment, the Battle School. Is Zeck actually practicing religion when he sees everything through a religious lens, even if outwardly quiet and isolated? The story has a sprinkling of basic topics for contemplation.
   
   Forget algebra, physics, combat and even the Buggers: OSC reminds us that those pesky humans, even when little geniuses, remain the most difficult challenge of them all.



5. A War of Gifts: An Ender Story, by Orson Scott Card is a snippet from Ender's Game. It involves two kids from Battle School: Zeck the religious zealot, and Dutch-loving Dink.
   
   Here's what we know:
   
   1. This book will make little sense without having read Ender's Game.
   
   2. You'll blow through this book and its 126 pages in about an hour or two.
   
   3. Ender Wiggins, as he always does, saves the day.
   
   4. Card really goes into the indoctrination of youth into a religious movement, as well as the hypocrisies, inconsistencies, cherry picking, and logical leaps of faith/fanaticism in many religious doctrines.
   
   5. This book is shelved in "young adult sci-fi" in our local library. Whether YA or A, you still have to have read Ender's Game.
   
   While not of Ender's Game quality, it still was interesting. Zeck was too much of a pest, however, and the students in Battle School would not have put up with his shenanigans.

5 comments about Ender's Shadow.

1. Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card is a FANTASTIC book, because of its vivid details, the places I saw, and the different perspective on the world it showed me. This book is an absolute 5 out of 5 stars because of its uniqueness and it's the perfect paralled novel to Ender's Game. This Science Fiction book is all about Bean, the tiny boy who survived the ruthless streets and the cunning Battle School, who allied with perfect Ender and battled evil Achilles. Anyone who likes science fiction or has read the other Ender books will love this book. This book captured my attention and never let go.



2. Every kid dreams about going into space. In Orson Scott Card's novel, Ender's Shadow, this dream becomes reality for a boy called Bean. A street urchin in the city of Rotterdam, he has always had to fight for is own survival. So when he passes the International Fleet's intelligence tests with flying colors, going to Battleschool in space allows him to concentrate on studies rather than survival, though this is only the beginning of his fantastical adventures. Bean meets Ender, a boy who is destined for greatness. With Ender as his commander, Bean learns about the exciting "game" played at Battleschool, and his aptitude leads him to further thrilling events.
   
   Ender's Shadow is a great read for most middle schoolers and adults. Bean's intelligent insights are provocatively complex, yet simply expressed and easy for younger readers to understand. The plot is bizarre and new, but the futuristic element makes it believable, and the fact that Ender's Shadow contains only a slightly different story from Card's previous novel, Ender's Game, but in a different perspective, will draw fans of Ender's Game to this book. Readers will recognize some of the dialogue from the other book, but will be pleased with new exchanges between Bean and Ender as we see how Bean views his commander. Fans of science fiction (and most other books) will devour this glorious retelling of Ender's Game from a fresh new perspective.



3. Orson Scott Card was brilliant in 1985, when he wrote his flawless book Ender's Game, and 14 years later, after finishing his Ender's Saga, he thought of the perfect creation to keep the fans going with his story. Ender's Shadow is a perfect book which fills the gaps and answers the question that Ender's Game leaves us.
   
   It tells the story of Bean (perfectly called Ender's Shadow), from his birth to his return back to earth, after fighting the war against the formics with Ender as his commander. The book goes through his whole Battle School experience, as isteresting as Ender's.
   
   This is a must-read book.



4. 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.



5. 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.

5 comments about Shadow of the Giant (Ender's Shadow).

1. 1. Peter Wiggin will create a world government through his Free People of the Earth (FPE) alliance. Peter admires Alexander the Great believing that Alexander almost unified the world and established lasting peace. Peter ambition was to unify the world under the direction of a constitution he wrote.
   
   2. Ender's gish member, Han Tzu receives the title of "Mandate of Heavan" and becomes the new emperor of China; others in Ender's Gish included Petra, Bean, Virlomi, Alai, and Ender. Mazer Rackham interacts with Han Tzu, but his action do not contribute, since Han Tzu men have already demonstrated loyalty too him by killing his enemy generals. Mazer used Enders Gish on the Astroid school too destroy the Buggers and annihilate the hive gueen. Ender laments not having understood the enemy and communicated for understanding. Ender teaches the student to learn so much about the enemy that it is impossible not to love him.
   
   3. Petra Arkanian will divorce Bean. Bean engineered the divorce after being forced to travel through space with his three children, hoping for a cure to giantism. If Bean had stayed on earth, he would have died within 6 months because his heart would have given out. However, in space Bean stood the chance of a cure. Bean told Petra to remarry, drew up divorce papers, put his pension in her name, and left a hidden letter. Petra eventually remarried Peter and they have five children together. Petra is a key play in Peter rise to power. Mazer deceives the world into thinking Bean has been killed in an explosion in Armenia. Mazer does not want the people of the earth to think Bean overshadows Peter; Peter must be given 100 percent credit for uniting the earth.
   
   4. Peter forms an alliance with Caliph Alai of the Muslim League. Peter tells Alai that together they will rule the world peacefully and all nations will have the opportunity to vote for admission to the FPE. Eventually, Alai and his true followers of Islam will be sent off to a colony world where they can live peacefully. Mazer and Peter will convince the Battle School not to fight and move them off the earth. Peter and Petra convince Caliph Alai that he is not ruling Islam. Ivan of Russia assassinates one of Alai bodyguards and Alai knowing that Ivan is 100 percent loyal realizes that his security men are all traitors and kills them. Alai must separate the true believers of Islam from the traitors.
   
   5. Islam has conquered India and China. The US maintains its strict policy of neutrality and many die in the war. China and India are major economic players with the US. The US must be in an economic, political, or health crisis, in such a degree the country cannot act militarily or economically.
   
   6. Virlomi represents the India insurgency group of inexperience warrior, who begin worshipping her because her ability to predict battle strategy outcomes. Virlomi, a virtual goddess of India offers herself to Peter as a wife, but is rejected. Virlomi does not want India to be ruled by Islam. Interestingly, Virlomi decides that Islam is not the enemy but Peter Wiggins and blackmails Caliph Alai into marrying her.
   
   7. Islam has gained control of parts of China. Caliph Alai decides to treat the people of China as humans. Alai realizes that the Chinese have strong capitalistic tendencies and has a propensity towards economic prosperity.
   
   8. Ender has departed earth for a colony planet. Ender is the 12 year-old hero of the war against the buggers. Ender communicates with his father and mother, but not Peter. Eventually, Ender anonymously writes a number of books on the war and the "hive queen" destruction. Peter contacts Ender and requests that Ender write his autobiography. Ender writes a short book called the "Hegemon" which Petra reads at Peters grave after he dies from a weak heart.
   
   9. Bean has been genetically altered with Anton's key which makes him grow fast and give him incredible intellectual capacity. Mazer and Graft tell Bean and Petra that he scored higher on the intelligence test than any human could and that he even examined questions that were not asked that should have been. A world of Bean descendants would mean bigger humans, shorter lives, and compressed intellectual contributions. Bean and Peter find 8 out 9 of their genetically altered children and 3 display Bean's syndrome.
   
   10. Peter, Graft, Mazer, Alai, Petra, and Bean collaborate together. Bean helps Peter militarily gain support for the Hegimon. FPE initially starts with five countries but spreads quickly as the other countries join to avoid conflict with Bean's army. Bean military genius cannot be defeated. Battle School believed Bean a genius but not an aggressive dictator like Ghanis Khan and for this reason the group did not support Bean as their supreme leader. However, Peter seems to have the competitive ambition of a Ghanis Khan but initially was rejected from Battle School because he lacked ambition.
   
   11. The nine baby is born, but Randi is determined to leave earth and live in a colony.
   
   12. Peter uses Beans supreme intelligence to unit the world; Peter uses Enders Military victory and pension to build his Hegemony office into one of political power and prestige; Peter's marriage to Petra gives him political insight, as she helps him strategically achieve goals and credibility; Peter creates a single world army that ensures his hegemony will remain uncontested; Peter is unable to convince the United States to join the Hegemony. If the US does not join the Hegemony than Israel will not either, so most likely Israel is not part of the Hegemon.
   
   13. I think Peter is a Tyrant. Mazer and Grapht are evil generals help Peter gain world domination. Peter is a liar, a murder, a thief, and secret conspires to deceive for gain. I even doubt that Peter died. It was probably setup with Petra to make it look like he died. Petra is the great play actress, play grieving for Beans death; Petra goes along with the plot like a good soldier for which Peter called her, as such. Petra is not hero; she is a harlot. Bean never verbally told Petra, he love her; it was Peter, who inserted those words. Bean escaped Petra in space because he abhorred her and left her for Peter to salvage.
   
   14. The sequence to this story will be the terrible convergence of war and carnage, as earth becomes a final battleground and Peter Wiggins returns.



2. I loved the Ender's Series and also the Shadow series, Giant was stronger than Hegemon in my opinion but it wasn't nearly as good as Ender's Shadow. This book is a must for the collection if you're a fan though. It has a few twists that really make you think about the humanity of Bean.



3. I recently read the book, "Shadow of the Giant", by Orson Scott Card and thought it was a very good conclusion to the parallel series to the Ender quartet. I find its main downfall is that it doesn't wrap up the plot successfully. Fortunately for me, Card is writing a semi-sequel to draw together the final Ender book, "Children of the Mind", and "Shadow of the Giant". The plot of this book shows Peter Wiggin's rise to power and how Bean, the giant of the title helps him while searching for his children. He is worried that his children will have the genetic problem that made him so large. This story details the ending of the war in the previous book in the Bean Quartet, "Shadow Puppets". It is well written and explains almost everything well. In "Shadow of the Giant" and the other novels in this series the author almost never shows the passage of time. I was under the impression that all the main characters were between 14 and 16 at the start of the book but from out of nowhere you hear they are between 16 and 20. It is a very interesting book to read and keeps your attention until the last page and beyond. It leaves you wondering two questions, will they find Bean's last child and will they find the solution to Anton's Key? Finally I would like to say that I would not recommend this book to anyone who has not read the rest of the Quartet, and I would not recommend the Bean Quartet to anyone who has not read the Ender Quartet. I would recommend both series to everyone in order.



4. I recently read the book, Shadow of the Giant, by Orson Scott Card and thought it was a very good conclusion to the parallel series to the Ender quartet. I find its main downfall is that it doesn't wrap up the plot successfully. Fortunately for me, Card is writing a semi-sequel, called Shadow Flight to draw together the final Ender book, Children of the Mind, and Shadow of the Giant. The plot of this book shows Peter Wiggin's rise to power and how Bean, the giant of the title helps him while searching for his children. He is worried that his children will have the genetic problem that made him so large. This story details the ending of the war in the previous book in the Bean Quartet, Shadow Puppets. It is well written and explains almost everything well. In Shadow of the Giant and the other novels in this series the author almost never shows the passage of time. I was under the impression that all the main characters were between 14 and 16 at the start of the book but from out of nowhere you hear they are between 16 and 20. It is a very interesting book to read and keeps your attention until the last page and beyond. It leaves you wondering two questions, will they find Bean's last child and will they find the solution to Anton's Key? Finally I would like to say that I would not recommend this book to anyone who has not read the rest of the Quartet, and I would not recommend the Bean Quartet to anyone who has not read the Ender Quartet. However I would recommend both series to everyone in order.



5. This book is absolutely amazing, there are several unanticipated twists and Bean's impending doom is a theme throughout the book.
   10 out of 10
   a great book
   I couldn't put it down

5 comments about Shadow of the Hegemon (Ender's Shadow).

1. Although I love the way Orson Scott Card writes, I feel that the subject matter in the latter Ender books appeals to a different audience than the original Ender book.



2. I have read the whole ender series, but with a strange sequence which may have affected the way I view the different books in the series. The first book I have read was the Shadow of the Hegemon, thanks to a tourist that had left it in the library of a hotel in Skiathos island. This book got me hooked, but it confused me also as I didn't know if I should start reading the next books or the previous ones.
   
   The general pattern in the whole series is:
   The beginning book is Ender's Game. Then we have two subcategories, one the Shadow series (which, with the exception of the first book, take place on earth and are more within military strategy) and one the Ender series (which take place in space and are more into new sci-fi ideas). Shadow series probably can be read from everyone, while I guess that the Ender series (especially from Speaker for the Dead onwards) would be read mainly from sci-fi fans.
   Below are my comments for the books of the series, in the order I have read them and a marking (10 is the highest mark):
   
   Shadow of the Hegemon: The first book I have read, and which I could not leave from my hands. I finished it in 2 days. It was fast paced action, very smart plot and after reading it I believed that Orson Scot Card (OSC) has invented/re-invented a new genre of literature. That of military strategy and adventure combined with brilliance/mind games and hidden portions of romance. Such books always existed but this seemed to be THE book. It was like the way Dan Brown re-invented books with trivials and puzzles, together with fast paced adventure. I strongly recommend it to everybody that likes such type of books. (mark: 10)
   
   Shadow puppets: The sequel to the above. I found it interesting but somehow boring as the above story developed little and the focus was on the characters (maybe too much focus so that it seemed to me that it was slightly mumbling jumbling. Strategy, brilliance and adventure seemed to be very low here. I would not recommend it for anybody to read it in isolate, unfortunately you have to read it if you want to go to the next book. I really believe that OSC made a mistake here (deliberately or not) as this book should have been told in 50-60 pages and be included in the previous or the next book. (mark: 6 but you will read it because you will want to read Shadow of the Giant)
   
   Shadow of the Giant: (see below)
   
   Ender's game: A really great book to read, probably the best of the series, however, as I had read its sequels first, when I reached the 80% of this book, I had predicted the end. However, it's at the highest standards of sci-fi, military strategy, adventure, brilliant mind games and very good depth in the human aspect of the characters. In comparison to the shadow series, it is more "space" sci-fi, while shadow series have much lesser sci-fi elements and are more down to earth. (mark: 10)
   
   Speaker for the dead: Another great book, but different style. Less adventure, more human aspect, more maturity. Brilliance yes, but not military, sci-fi yes (some great ideas) but not spaceship style. (Mark: 9)
   
   Xenocide: A good sequel of the previous novel. In certain points more brilliant, in other sections more boring, however is again a very good sci-fi book. The only flaw in these series (Speker for the dead, Xenocide, Children of the mind) is the idea behind one of the alien species described which I found outrageously extreme, however if you ignore it becomes first class reading. (Mark: 9)
   
   Children of the mind: I think that OSC has wrapped up his case pretty badly in that one. It's a fair book except the fact that I felt that OSC mumbles jumbles for one third of the novel not having decided how to end it. In other critiques I have found it described as nice approach to moral dilemmas, however, moral dilemma is when you describe it once and make your choice, while here the dilemma is repeated and repeated... I felt like I was watching a movie worth 10 oscars and the end did not worth to be included even in a cheap video movie. And again, many open ends at the end (for possible sequels). (Mark: 7 but you will read it as you will be hooked from the previous ones).
   
   Ender's shadow: Having read Enders Game and Shadow of the Hegemon, I found this book probably the best of the series, which of course is my subjective preference. I could characterize it as probably the best book I have read ever! Not to repeat myself, it has all that Shadow of the Hegemon and Ender's Game have, and even more...(Mark: the absolute 10).
   
   Shadow of the Giant: When I read shadow puppets, I said, "that's it, OSC has lost either his talent or his appetite for good writing...", so I was pretty unwilling to read it. Fortunately I decided to, as it proved to be a good one, were I believe that OSC has nicely wrapped up his story, with two small flaws.
   * The one is described below (its end needed to be slightly more complete) and,
   * The other is the fact that although he describes certain smart battles, he does not focus enough on them as it seems that he is in a hurry to wrap all things up. It had all elements to become a masterpiece but it ended up being a good to read book (Mark: 9)
   
   In general, both series have three categories of good stuff:
   1) Some great sci-fi ideas (battle room, battle games, fantasy game, ansible, aia, Jane, in/out travel, raman varelse etc)
   2) Great military strategy, mind games etc combined with adventure
   3) In certain books, depth of characters, moral dilemmas etc
   And two main bad stuff:
   1) Mumbling jumbling in certain books which was completely unnecessary (either OSC wanted just to produce and sell another title - see shadow puppets- or he could not decide how the story will continue-see last book of Ender series).
   2) One of the alien species described in the Ender series was so too outrageous even for sci-fi that made it look ridiculous. The idea behind it was brilliant in sci-fi terms, but he could try a different living organism...
   Finally, OSC has left open ends in both series (probably for next sequels), however I believe that there are two things missing. a) the story of the Hive Queen and the Hegemon, told in a metaphorical manner so it means much for humanity. b) In ancient theatre, a story should end in a way that brings "katharsis" to the story, and the souls of the readers. I believe that the end of the shadow of the giant may be smart for commercial purposes but it was very unfair to the reader as it did not bring full "katharsis".



3. I bought this for Christmas for my 32 yr. old daughter. She loved it.



4. Bean, the Brother, and the woman.
   
   
   Card continues to explore his Enderverse, and this time the story is set after the war, and on Earth as Bean and Peter become deeply involved in the politics and plots of the time.
   
   Nasty conspiracies for all.
   
   Not as good as some of the others, but still a good book.



5. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
   
   I, however, did not enjoy the audio presentation. There were several voice overs where the narrator voice was over written with a different voice. The last track on each CD was blank. I am not sure if this was by design. I had the impression that there was missing material. I listen to many books on tape, many where the books author is Orson Scott Card and I have never had issues until this particular book.

5 comments about Xenocide: Volume Three of the Ender Quartet.

1. Ender's Game was great, and I enjoyed Speaker for the Dead for most of it. But I stopped reading Xenocide halfway through. It's painfully slow, talks endlessly of religion, and has none of the character of the first two books. If you're a fan of Card, you may want to skip over this book (to save your opinion of him!).



2. I loved Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead is one of my all-time favorites. However, Card really drops the ball on this one. Unless you have nothing else to read, give this one a pass. His characters are inconsistent, his science is iffy, and he leaves wide open holes.
   
   When I finished the book, I felt like I'd really waisted my time on this one.



3. This is the third book in Card's "Ender" series. After finding it hard to put the first two down, the third is a disappointment. Xenocide tries to span the known universe - with plots and sub-plots taking place on several of the 'Hundred Worlds'. It drags in a lot of places and is just too long for no purpose I can discern. I'm struggling to get through it and am not sure I'll continue with the series now.



4. Ender's Game is an absolutely amazing book--I have given it to countless people who have uniformly loved it. Personally, I like Speaker for the Dead even more than Ender's Game, as it deals with interesting moral dilemmas.
   However, Xenocide is boring, ridiculous, and uninteresting. You, like me, want to continue reading about Ender. But trust me, you should stop at Speaker for the Dead.



5. In the middle of my last law school exam, someone looked at my copy of Xenocide and asked me if I had been disappointed by the direction the series had taken. Although stressed from the upcoming exam (anyone who has survived their first year of law school can understand), I looked at him and told him that I was disappointed, especially considering how remarkable the book that started it all - Ender's Game - had been.
   
   At some point, Card decided, or maybe it was in him all along, that a book of science fiction philosophy would be more appealing than continuing the epic adventure of Andrew Wiggin and his family in the same kind of fast-paced, exciting prose. For those familiar with Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series, this book is the kind of filler that you find in the last few books of the series. Don't get me wrong, if science fiction philosophy were a genre unto itself, then this would do very well; however, considering how almost monumental the first book was, this shift (started in Speaker for the Deadi) is incredibly disappointing. If I wanted philosophy and discussions concerning the human psyche I would turn to Sartre or the Bible. But Card is not content with advancing the story and instead gives us 300 pages of fluff.
   
   Maybe I'm being too hard, but I've really been expecting something more from this series. Some things do happen - Ender et al figures out how to travel faster than the speed of light, the piggies and the humans learn how to tame the descolada virus, and we are introduced to a world called Path where certain individuals can commune with the gods. Unfortunately, that's almost all that happens. The buggers, humans, and piggies are still stuck on Lusitania and the fleet has yet to arrive. That is how the book starts and that is how it ends.
   
   For those who want an end to the series, you, like myself, have to march on, but for those who have finished Ender's Game should read Ender's Shadow and possibly move on to something else.
   
   Some interesting quotes:
   
   "Every day all people judge all other people. The question is whether we judge wisely."
   
   "Isn't it possible, he wondered, for one person to love another without trying to own each other? Or is that buried so deep in our genes that we never get it out? Territoriality. My wife. My friend. My lover."
   
   "Parents always make their mistakes with the oldest children. That's when parents know the least and care the most, so they're more likely to be wrong and also more likely to insist they are right."

5 comments about Children of the Mind (Ender Quartet).

1. This novel, the fourth in the Ender's Game series, is just as exceptional as the other three. Unlike many other authors, the series just gets even better with each novel. And this is just a truly wonderfully strange tale. One to read over and over again.



2. There is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much dialogue - both inner and outer - in this book. A planet with its inhabitants is about to be destroyed and we are misguidedly treated to endless useless and boring details about the love lives and inner demons of many characters. And pointless verbal sparring and pedantry.
   
   The stuff about the aiuas was interesting at first, but it doesn't seem to make any sense. Why can't young Valentine hold herself together? She has her own self inhabiting her body, no matter the forced ruminations about the topic. This should have been an obvious flaw from the outset. And that Jane cannot seem to find better solutions to being shut down by Congress is hard to believe.



3. "She worked her toes into the sand, feeling the tiny delicious pain of the friction of tiny chips of silicon against the tender flesh between her toes. That's life. It hurts, it's dirty, and it feels very, very good."
   
   "Children of the Mind", by Orson Scott Card, is a science-fiction novel that takes place in Lusitania during the year 5040.
   
   The planet Lusitania is home to three sentient species: the Pequeninos; a large colony of humans; and the Hive Queen, brought there by Ender. But once again the human race has grown fearful; the Stairways Congress has gathered a fleet to destroy Lusitania. Jane, the evolved computer intelligence, can save the three sentient races of Lusitania. The Stairways Congress is shutting down the Net, world by world. Soon Jane will not be able to move the ships. Ender's children must save her if they are to save themselves.
   
   The theme of this book is the life and death of civilization. "If the purpose of life was just to continue into the future, then none of it would have meaning, because it would be all anticipation and preparation. There's the happiness we've already had. The happiness of each moment. The end of our lives, even if there's no forward continuation, no progeny at all, the end of our lives doesn't erase the beginning."
   
   The important charactors in this book are Peter and Wang Mu who grow closer together as the book progresses, Jane who takes control of a human body and experiences human feelings for the first time, Ender, who loses interest in himself and literally crumbles into dust and then re-appears in Peter's body, and Malu, who develops a crush on "Young Valentine" and then has to say that she is worthless so that she will give up her body so that Jane can live in the body.
   
   As for what I think of this book, I actually think this was the weakest in the series. I have read "Ender's Game", "Ender's Shadow", and "The Speaker of the Dead" and I think this is has the weakest plot. Probably more then half the book is drama rather then science fiction. An example of a spar conversation is "So that's power to you", said Quara. "A chance to push other people around and act like the queen". "You really can't do it can you?" said Jane. "Can't what?", said Quara. "Can't bow down and kiss your feet?" "Can't shut up to save you own life." Pgs. 270-271. This goes on for about five pages.
   
   I recommend that everyone should read Ender's Game before reading this book.
   
   If you are a fan of the Ender's series, you have to read this book!



4. This is the only book that has made me cry. I cried when Ender died, (although he didn't die his aiua passed on to Peter) the character of Ender died. Through the series I have gotten so attatched to his character unlike any other character in any series. Through his guilt of xenocide, and hard life it was hard to read sometimess. Especially, when he had problems with Novinha in Xenocide, losing her for the time being but gaining her back in COTM. His funeral was very touching, and probably the best part in the book. The whole book was good, and had a satisfying ending. The philotes were a bit confusing, but oh well. Ender's Game is being made into a movie, and I doubt it's going to be very good, but they can make it good if they go into the emotions of the characters, not just the battles. The thing that I liked best about the series was the characterization, especially the character of Ender. After a life full of guilt he can live a new life. Farewell, Ender Wiggin "the candle burned out long before the legend ever did."



5. Before reading this, I already knew what to expect having already ingested the previous three books in this series - Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, and Xenocide, so I'm not sure what exactly about this book was a disappointment. Card finally gives us a kind of end to Ender's 3000 year life and many plot points that arguably should have already taken place in Xenocide. Unlike the ending to the Harry Potter series, we are not left feeling a sense of sadness and loss at losing a character we have already followed for a thousand pages. Instead, we get another failed attempt at a philosophical science fiction novel. The dialogue is almost endless, one of my major criticisms of the last two books, but here, the religious and spiritual debates reach a crescendo, for me, it was almost too much and almost forced me to stop reading the book. But alas, having loved Ender's story, maybe only in the beginning to be honest with you, I had to see how everything played out.
   
   I cannot decide whether Card's note at the end of the book, where he tries explain what it is he was and is trying to do and where he discusses the work of Oe and Endo (both authors I adore), was a good idea or a bad one. For those having read the previous two volumes and presumably this one since you see the note at the end, you already figured that he had an intense interest both in Asian culture and writing and in creating some kind of moral pedagogy in his work. Unfortunately, his finished project does not stand up as well to other writers who have successfully done it--Endo, Oe, C.S. Lewis to name a few--because the philosophy and religion and other spiritual aspects of the novel are so in-your-face and all-consuming that the plot and the storylines disappear.
   
   Anyways, at least I can say that I'm done with this book series...
   
   Interesting Quotes:
   
   "Life is a suicide mission."
   
   "Do the dead tips of fingernails feel bad when you pare them away?"
   
   "It's all fictions anyway. We do what we do and then we make up reasons for it afterward, but they're never the true reasons, the truth is always just out of reach."

5 comments about Speaker for the Dead (Ender Wiggins Saga).

1. There are a number of books in the Ender Series: first was Ender's Game, a short story turned into a worthy novel by sci-fi master Orson Scott Card. Ender, battleschool graduate, has eliminated an entire race of beings (The "Buggers"--really the Hive Queen and her subjects.) Now, whispered to by the cocoon of the hive queen he has rescued, Ender is moving away from Earth, banished by the decision of his brother Peter and Colonel Graff, to live on Lusitania.
   
   Lusitania is an odd colony living behind a palisade to avoid contaminating the aboriginal life--and also to protect the colonists from murder by the Piggies, their name for the native life form there. After a disturbing execution of first one of the Piggies then a colonist or two, Ender arrives, invited to be a Speaker for the Dead. He is not exactly welcome in this tight little community, but he persists, knowing that his role on Lusitania is far greater than any of the colonists can imagine.
   
   The audio version of this book is far better than the written, and that applies for the others in this part of the series (Xenocide.) I thought this was an abberation, but Orson Scott Card himself said in an interview that his experiences with being a playwright lead him to write dialog-based scenes. He feels his books are meant to be read aloud. I have to concur; two books of his I didn't like in printed form I admire greatly in audio form. This is one of them.
   
   If you find "Xenocide" or "Speaker for the Dead" hard going, I suggest you get the audio edition. As to the "Shadow" series of sequels, for some reason, these read well in printed form but are just fine as audio as well. I have to agree with the author, his books are meant to be heard!



2. Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card is the sequel to Enders Game. It's about a man, Andrew Wiggin, the protagonist from Enders Game, and how he sets out on a quest to redeem himself from his sin of wiping out a race of intelligent species from another planet who meant no harm to the world. To accomplish this he believes that he should help a new species of intelligent life that has been discovered to become acquainted with other human beings but unfortunately, he has to leave his sister Valentine Wiggin behind. It definitely helps to read Enders Game first, but throughout the book Orson Scott Card explains things that happened previously.
   This book is worth reading because it describes the human mind and feelings so well that readers can connect to the main character in lots of different ways. This book opens minds and makes readers imagine the future. It has very interesting concepts of how space travel effects time and other things and it makes the impossible seem real. This book is targeted towards older people who like science fiction stories but appeals to teenagers as well.



3. I really enjoyed enders game, and was disapointe that the sequel was so different, but once i got used to the new writing style, I enjoyed this book very much. I found the moral issues of Human-Alien contact fascinating, and the plot kept me hooked.
   
   the book was way to long, and it progressed much to slowly. i also found it hard to connect to Novinha, and the author made ender a bit of a god, which was anoying.
   
   other than this ,i enjoyed it a lot, but i think the Enders Shadow series is better



4. I thought Andrew Wiggin was too much of a Jesus figure in this novel. His character was much more accessible in the first book.
   
   It's a good book, and you really should read it after you've read the first one. I just expected more from all the reviews saying this was better than Ender's Game.



5. I had been warned that even though Speaker for the Dead continues the story of Ender's life, and is set in the same universe, that it's not that much of a sequel--that is, it's not the same kind of book. Which was a relief to me, to tell you the truth. Ender's Game was a complete story, and I'd been dreading the kind of sequel that would be Ender vs. a different kind of alien, which would just spoil the whole thing.
   
   Instead, it's set 3000 years later, but due to a whole lot of light-speed travel, Ender's only in his 30s (I think--I'm not positive, and I'm not going to search for it. It's not that important. At any rate, he's an adult, in his prime.). He's become a Speaker for the Dead, the original Speaker for the Dead, but nobody realizes that. His purpose is to learn all about someone's life--not just the good things, like in a eulogy, but everything--their hopes, dreams, fears, and failings--and then Speak for them. It's what he did for the Buggers after destroying them, then published the book, earning for himself instead of the accolades he'd received, the title of "Ender the Xenocide," and his name is now reviled.
   
   Humanity has learned a lesson, and now contact with alien races is strictly limited. On the planet Lusitania is the only other sentient race humanity has discovered: nicknamed the Piggies. The humans are required to stay within their fences and observe only, not give any information to the Piggies. But the Piggies learn anyway, from the questions they're asked, and then the anthropologist studying them is brutally slaughtered, and nobody knows why.
   
   Ender is summoned to speak a death on the planet, and ends up bringing pain and healing. And, well, here's the whole point of the book: to know him is to love him that truly knowing a person, or an alien race, understanding them completely, is to love or at least care for them. The message got a little heavy-handed for me by the end, hence the half-star reduction.
   
   Otherwise, the story was interesting, the characters compelling, the mystery intriguing. I'll be reading more. I've already got Xenocide (Ender, Book 3) (Ender Quartet) in my TBR pile.

5 comments about Ender's Game (Ender Quartet).

1. There is little I can say about such a classic book that hasn't already been said by others, but after reading it for a second time with my brother, I just have to share a few thoughts.
   
   Ender's game is not by any means a perfect piece of literature. It has it's flaws, and imperfections, and they are occasionally noticeable. Fortunately, these are vastly overshadowed by one of the most well thought out characters and stories I've come across in years. Ender feels very real and there are many times where it felt less like I was reading a book and more like I was experiencing it.
   
   I'm a finicky fan of Science fiction. I love many aspects of the genre, but many authors have a tendency to get so caught up with the details or ideas about the future that I have trouble relating to the story. Ender's game isn't that way. It has a lot of futuristic Science fiction ideas, but they're done in a way that is fairly believable, but more importantly, the focus remains squarely on Ender's thoughts and feelings throughout the book. It's one of the few books I can recommend to friends that don't like Sci-fi.



2. Enders Game is a great book about the struggles of a young boy to come to terms with his specific set of abilities. This book should be in every school across the country.



3. This book has been recommended to me by various people for the past fifteen years. The main reason is something like this: the Battle Room is really cool, and wouldn't it be fun to be a child military genius? My answer to that is no, not really.
   
   The setup for ENDER'S GAME is something like the Third Punic War. Earth has already fought two wars with the unfortunately-named buggers (insectoid hive-minded aliens), and after winning both by the skin of their teeth they've sent an invasion fleet to wipe the buggers out. The galaxy's not big enough for the both of us, apparently.
   
   Ender Wiggin is a six year-old genius who is taken away from his family to the orbital Battle School, where he and other child geniuses are trained to become the admirals and generals of the future. Ender, though only six, proves himself to be smarter than just about everyone else. He fights repetitive laser-tag games in the zero-G Battle Room, and demonstrates innovative strategies that might be clever for a child, but should be obvious to everyone else. He quickly rises through the grades of the school, playing ever more challenging and complicated games, until he becomes the supposed savior of all mankind. A subplot involving Ender's genius siblings basically taking over the world with the equivalent of political blogs is thoroughly unconvincing.
   
   The main body of ENDER'S GAME is the dehumanization and manipulation of the child hero. He is made to suffer from age five up until he turns eleven at the book's climax. Only at the end, when he expresses remorse for all the terrible things he's done, does he actually become sympathetic, but by then it's too late.
   
   The emphasis is on action, in and out of the Battle Room. Ender doesn't want to fight, but he always finds himself in situations where he has to, and the reader is exploited into rooting for Ender just as Ender is exploited into using his killer survival instinct for the benefit of others. The book ends just when it starts to grapple with the ethical issues it has conjured up, which for me was just when it started to get interesting. The worst people are let off the hook, and Ender is set up to be the next Messiah.
   
   Card's style cuts out every adverb and adjective that might get in the way, leaving his prose spare and efficient and utterly devoid of personality. It's easy to read, but not particularly enjoyable. The dialogue is especially irksome, considering it takes up so much of the text. The children of Card's world do not speak like children of the real world, even allowing for the fact that they're all meant to be child prodigies of limitless intelligence. Ender and his friends are effectively mini-adults, acting and speaking in adult ways. Card assumes that if a child has a genius IQ, he therefore also has the emotional maturity of an adult. The dialogue given to actual grown-up characters is no better.
   
   ENDER'S GAME is disturbing rather than fun. The simplicity of its style betrays the complexity of its subject. What worries me most is that the book's appeal might be founded entirely upon the premise of violent child geniuses waging sophisticated wargames against each other. According to the five-star reviews and the endorsements I've heard, that might not be far from the truth.



4. Wow. I am a junior in high school now and I am recalling from the time when I first had the chance of reading the series thanks to a recommendation. I was looking online actually for the Twilight series but the Ender's Game kept coming up, which compelled me to see if I can buy the series.
   The series is PHENOMENAL. Which is why even after three years have passed, I have always kept thinking of these books. The storyline, characters, and the themes will STAY with you long after you have finished the novels. It will have an impact on the ways you see the world, but King does not push the "moral" I guess, in any way, shape, or form.
   I ADORE this books. I think Orson Scott King is an absolute genius and would recommend it to anybody- regardless of what their opinion of Science fiction.



5. No matter who I've loaned this book to, the response is the same. They all have given it rave reviews. In fact, this is the book that I've purchased the most copies of. You'd think that I would have learned after not getting the first few copies back. It is such a wonderful story that I cannot help but want to share it.
   Please note that this is soft science fiction.