Rating: 
Summary: The Best Gets Better...
Review: There are only so many words in my vocabulary to describe how excellent this book is. "Fantastic" is one of them. "Incredible" is another.
Shadow Puppets, in my opinion, picks up the slack left by Shadow of the Hegemon. SotH was good, but it was all military this and strategy that, and I can't think like that. They wouldn't even give me a monitor, that's how unqualified for Battle School I am. So I was more than glad to get back to character development, one of Card's strongest talents, in my opion.
NOt just main characters, either. We get into Wiggin parents who get so little focus in the other 6 Ender/Bean books, but I after I finished SP I couldn't picture them any other way.
Card outdoes himself with almost every single book he writes. I laughed, cried, cried some more, and made the other people on the Metra wonder what was wrong with me. Only the very best can elicit emotions from strangers by creating characters so real it feels like they have alway been your best friend. OSC proves himself the best.
Rating: 
Summary: Seriously lacking...
Review: I have been a fan of Orson Scott Card for years and have ready everything that he has written. Unfortunately this book is a serious disappointment in both plot and, more pointedly, in dialogue. As the Battle School children are getting older they sound more and more like spoiled children. Card should focus on his "genius child" theme and avoid the children as they grow up, and should certainly avoid trying to write romance in any way shape or form. Of course, even with this book being a bomb and it looking like the entire series has fizzled out, I still would recommend reading this book if you have gotten this far in the series. You wont like it, but how could you avoid reading it?
Rating: 
Summary: Same old, same old?
Review: If you like the previous installments of the Ender's and Shadow's series, you'll have to read this book. However, I find it lacking of the magic that made the others popular. This doesn't make this a terrible book, but the cat-and-mouse game gets pretty old, to the point where it's predictable.I also found it hard to read as a standalone, unlike the other books, the lingo and the people requires familiarity of the series. Nonetheless, this is an excellent addition to the rest of the series, and if you had been following the series, this one actually provides a pretty satisfactory ending - one that was somewhat surprising since there's another book coming. Overall, Card did keep in line with his previous book, and this was more than just a bridge to the end of the series.
Rating:
Summary: A good book, indeed; but it might have been better.
Review: I have long been a fan of Orson Scott Card's Ender series, and have enjoyed most of the other books in it considerably. "Shadow Puppets" left me with very mixed feelings. Card's trademark moral dilemmas and political and military intrigues are all present in force, as are some long forgotten characters (most notably Ender's friend Alai). Neverthless, I was unimpressed and unconvinced by a number of Card's characterizations. Petra Arkanian, declared in "Shadow of the Hegemon" to have such an agressive personality thst many wondered whether she weren't really a boy, comes across in "Puppets" comes across as an extremely emotional young woman who wants nothing better than to start a family (the phrase "make babies" is repeated ad nauseum). Peter Wiggin comes across as an average and dependent young man, hardly the ruthless Hegemon or even the cruel young man that, in the original books of the Ender series, he is made out to be. It almost seems as though Card feels that he must redeem Peter, even though he spent the best part of "Children of the Mind" doing just that. Even the monster Achilles, so crucial to the series since "Ender's Shadow," seems but a pale shadow of his former self. Worse yet, Card places serious limitations on Peter Wiggin's power, and leaves a dangerously large amount of power in the hands of a man who could hardly, for political reasons, ever become amenable to Peter's will. If Peter Wiggin is really to unite the world "all in one lump," as "Ender's Game" declares, he seems poorly equipped for the task. Ultimately, it is the stories of Bean and Virlomi thst make the novel somehwat believable and a pleasure to read, for in them the genius so characteristic of Card's heroes is present in force. In spite of its flaws and some inconsistency with the rest of the Ender series, "Shadow Puppets" is a good book, and I can only hope that the next book in the series will retain its strengths and discard its weaknesses.
Rating:
Summary: Shadow Puppets Delivers the Expected Greatness and More
Review: We all expected Shadow Puppets to be great. You won't be let down. Shadow Puppets faithfully delivers a page turning story, continuing the adventures of the characters we love and the characters we love to hate. With unexpected surprises at every turn, Shadow Puppets continues the story of Bean, Petra, Peter, and even the beloved friend of Ender, Alai. Immediately at the beginning of the book trouble begins as Peter takes on a task beyond his control, forcing Petra and Bean into hiding, and therefore creating one of the main premises of the book. Fear, Love, Desperation, Elation, and Sorrow is all there. Every step of the way this book will lead you down a path that won't soon be forgotten. If you enjoyed Ender's Shadow and Shadow of the Hegemon, this book is not one to miss.
Rating: 
Summary: interesting side installment in the Ender¿s Earth series
Review: Ender Wiggins led the victory over the Formics, but his brother Peter is named the Hegemon, leader of the waning worldwide government, a victim of its own success. Peter learns that the Chinese are afraid and weary of his rival Achilles, who has helped them expand their boundaries. They incarcerate the dangerous Achilles, but Peter rescues his enemy only to realize rather quickly that his foe is crazier, deadlier, and more devious than he imagined. Achilles takes power from Peter. Peter's strongest ally Bean leaves to start a family with Petra before he dies, which is sooner than later. Bean and Petra agree that their children will not carry Anton's Key in their genes, as that is what is causing Bean's premature death. However, Achilles has his own plans for these unborn offsprings that include speeding up the deaths of the parents. SHADOW PUPPETS is an interesting side installment in the Ender's Earth series though the title character is not the prime player as this novel focuses on Peter, Bean, and Petra. The story line is loaded with action and philosophy with Orson Scott Card contemplating the relationships between parents and children, among siblings, friends, and lovers, and amidst major religions. Though at times pontificating over the need of servicing one's community, the latest entry in this popular series proves the author still holds four aces when it comes to engaging the reader. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: From Politics to Human Nature and Back Again...
Review: "Shadow Puppets" could have almost been named "The Shadow of Achilles". Bean's nemesis from the first two "Shadow" novels is almost absent from the book - putting in only three small appearances in the text. However, his presence falls over every other characters' thoughts and actions to the point of paranoia. Beginning with a raid by Peter Wiggin, the new Hegemon, to remove him from his Chinese custodians, Achilles finds himself as the new Assistant to the Hegemon, an action that immediately alienates virtually everyone - including Bean and Petra - from Peter. From there, we follow even more of the Battle School kids from "Ender's Game" through a world that is becoming more paranoid, more frightened and more ready to fall apart - all while Peter's access to what few resources he has as Hegemon are being systematically stripped away by a man he thought he could use to his advantage. "Shadow Puppets" focuses on even more of the other supporting characters of "Ender's Game" - Alai, Han Tzu (Hot Soup), and Virlomi - and brings the Middle East into the mix of Asian politics that Card set up in "Shadow of the Hegemon". The Battle Schoolers have evolved from pawns in the previous books to major figures in their respective countries and will undoubtedly be the ones, in his final "Shadow" book, that run the world once it is united by the someday-great Hegemon Peter Wiggin. Bean and Petra are, of course, also of major focus in the book and their relationship hits a critical point as Bean tries to come to terms with his impending mortality. Both characters begin to accept their humanity more which, of course, raises the stakes against Achilles. Likewise, the memory of Ender (who is, of course, headed off to the colonies) colors everyone's pereceptions and actions, almost much as Achilles' actions do. If I had any one fault with the book, it is that it feels a little 'fit in' between "Shadow of the Hegemon" and the final book, which is yet to be written. Some of the hurdles the characters must jump through feel a little forced and Achilles has definitely passed his prime as a villian, but these are minor quibbles. "Shadow Puppets" is definitely a solid novel that continues to juggle humanity, politics and personal natures quite well. Card is continuing to show that he can work with shades of gray in characters that are doing their best for the common good. If you've read the other two novels in Card's "Shadow" series, there's no reason to stop now. If not, go back and pick up "Ender's Game" or "Ender's Shadow" - or both.
Rating:
Summary: You like it or you don't.
Review: SHADOW PUPPETS is one of things that you either REALLY like it or you REALLY don't. You can see that from the other reviews. The numbers are one, two, four, five. No three stars. If you need some explaining, here it is:
Shadow Puppets is about Bean and Petra all the way. Some people might find it kind of disturbing that two people of such different ages get married and so on. Petra talks a little bit too much about forcing Bean into having kids. Some people probably think that part is a little weird. Peter is the Hegemon, trying to find world peace. People might find that because China, Thailand, and many Asian and Middle Eastern countries have to do with this that the book is racist. Look, being Swedish, I don't think it is a problem. But if it was about Sweden being allies with a mass-murderer I would have been a little disappointed. It matters what view you have on the counties at hand. But, as usual, OSC writes a great understanding of young geniuses. I think that his writing abilites, intelecual strengths, and vocabulary make this book and all the others awesome. Also, Peter shows a soft spot in this book, which is a little refreshing. His new personality proves that he might actually be human. And, as someone else mentioned, Bean gives Achilles some of his own medicine. That is REALLY refreshing.
Rating:
Summary: This volume is... different from the others- but still good!
Review: Sure, some of the topics are slightly disturbing, but the book is still terrific! Yes. Bean and Petra get married and try to have kids. They do talk about trying to have kids too many times, but that's OK.
If this review just made you kind of iffy on the book,know this: Bean gives Achilles some of his own medicine in this book. So it's still worth the read!
Rating:
Summary: Shadow Puppets is Right!
Review: Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead are two of my most favorite books. This flimsy excuse for a book seemed like just another attempt by Card to cash in on the success of the rest of the franchise. I wonder if he realizes that while he may gain profits in the short term...in the long term it only serves to denigrate and hurt the whole series. I found the characters uninteresting as they seemed to really be puppets, acting out the desires of the author with no real sense of purpose or reason...other than thats where the author wanted to go. The plot was uninteresting and made me feel like I was watching a bad B (or C if there is such a thing) Sci-Fi movie. I am starting to wonder if William Shatner "Shadow" wrote this book. It's that bad. Don't waste your time.
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