What do You think about Shadow Of The Hegemon (2001)?
This is the second book I've read in the series in the same universe as the Ender Quartet. I read it basically in 24 hours, which speaks to its fast pace and readability. I'm starting to like this series possibly even more than the quartet. There are a lot of really interesting characters - the complex Bean, the ambiguous Peter, etc. Plus I really like the theme of genius kids who aren't cutely precocious, etc. This book deals a lot with military strategy, which doesn't tend to be my thing, but I was never bored with it - it actually puts you inside the mindset of military thinkers in a way that you understand and admire how they puzzle things out. Card continues to be one of my favorite writers period and possibly my favorite sci-fi writer. I'm looking forward to moving onto the next book.
—Missy Frederick
I enjoyed Shadow of the Hegemon but not nearly as much as Ender's Shadow, the first in the Shadow series.I don't know, and I had this same problem after finishing Speaker for the Dead (Book 2 in the main Ender series), but I just feel like this series is getting beat to death. I'm not the only one right? As good as these sequels are, I still think Ender's Game (with possible addition of Ender's Shadow) should have been left that way, on its own, no sequels. I know, now I'm beating a dead horse.I still have to admit this is a good book. It's well done as always, and Bean is a great character. In Shadow of the Hegemon, we learn more about Petra Arkanian and Peter Wiggin and guess who's back, Achilles (pronounced in the French way - Asheel).I know Achilles has only been the "bad guy" for two books, but I was already getting tired of him to be honest. His motivations for his evil are explained, but I'm tired of it and ready to move on to another threat.Now that the alien threat is over, earth once again turns to its old ways - countries are back at each other and the best military minds in the world, the battleschool kids, are the prime currency.Other than great plotting and highly believable characters, Hegemon delves into some deep topics from time to time that I found quite interesting to ponder; notions such as, What is living without children? and, What does it really mean to live? Card makes some good arguments about our duty to the future.One last thing regarding the audiobook - it's extremely well done, if you're into that sort of thing. The typical voice actors come back (like Stefan Rudnicki and Scott Brick) for another Ender installment and they're superb as always.Why Read the Enders Shadow Series?So far it's been a great series, on the same level as the original series (at least as much as I've read - to Speaker). The characters are extremely well drawn and easy to care about especially since they're so intelligent - you just feel smarter yourself. I'm looking forward to Shadow Puppets.4 out of 5 Stars
—seak
March 2010Previously: Ender's ShadowWith the Bugger Formic War over and humanity triumphant, the children of Battle School are no longer needed. Everyone gets sent home to their families in their respective countries which, due to the absense of any external enemy, maintain an uneasy truce. But hey, at least everyone’s united, right? The world is at peace, right? Everyone is going to live happily ever after and nothing will possibly go wrong......right?Wrong! Remember the end of Ender’s Game, where we learn that several decades have passed since the end of the war, and Ender’s older brother Peter is now the Hegemon of a united Earth? Summed up things pretty well, didn’t it? Nice little quasi-epilogue, a little last glimpse of Peter, wraps up things back on Earth, no need to go back and find out how it all happened ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME ORSON SCOTT CARD?Guess not.So, here is the story of Peter Wiggin and how he became the Hegemon on Earth. Except it’s not really about Peter. It’s still about Bean. Specifically, it’s about Bean watching and helping Peter Wiggin as he becomes Hegemon of Earth, because he has to be someone’s shadow. But this time, unlike with Ender, Bean really has no reasons to help someone else unite the world. Unless...unless...an old enemy...from his past...suddenly appears...to take...revenge!It works for daytime television, doesn’t it? If only Passions and As the World Turns involved a crippled psychopath kidnapping young military geniuses, playing various countries against each other, and manipulating the outcome of an entire war to his advantage before getting one-upped by a tiny brainiac. Or do they? Am I missing the good shows?The problem with Hegemon (and the rest the series) is that Card thought Bean’s story was worth telling for four whole books. It really wasn’t. Not as Ender’s shadow, not as Peter’s shadow, not as Achilles’ foil, and certainly not as a smart kid who watches other people--the important ones, the influentual ones, and the interesting ones--as they work out the story Card should have, but didn’t, tell. Peter had potential. Achilles had potential. Bean? He’s really not worth our time.And yet I kept reading. Some people never learn.Next: Shadow Puppets
—Jacob
