Rating: 
Summary: Babies!
Review: That's what they might have as well titled this book, since for the most part, discussion of babies and related things eclipsed the international political struggles that have been this series's stable. I loved the original Ender's series, and I've liked the series following Bean thus far, but I'm deeply disappointed in this book. The characters just don't ring true any more; many are mere shadows of who they were in previous books, and it felt that Card was just using them as puppets to deliver his message. There were some worthwhile, enjoyable parts of the book, especially those involving Peter and his parents (who are smarter than we've given them credit for in previous books), and even the baby storyline could have been good, if it weren't so horribly overdone. In most of his other books, Card raises moral or philisophical questions, and gives us glimpses of people approaching them from both sides, before reaching a conclusion, at least giving opposing veiwpoints some space. In this book, however, he raised no questions, provided no insights; rather, he stated early in the book through a briefly-appearing character who was clearly a mouthpiece, that the purpose of a man's life is to make and raise babies with a woman. I would have much preferred he have examined the difficulty of being a parent without having it completely consume one's identity in the struggle to be a "perfect" parent; hopefully in the next book, we will see him make the transition from the idealization of parenthood to the reality. If that is indeed what he does, then this book will be worth reading, as an essential step in said philisophical development.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice Wrapup to the Shadow Series
Review: I thought this book nicely wrapped up the "Shadow" Series of the Ender books; Bean finds a reason in Petra to join the rest of the human race, Peter learns a harsh lesson from his own mistakes, Achilles finally gets his comeuppance, and the world is a little stabler place to live in. I did find that the post-Formic world was a little too much like our present world but Card himself states that the recent events in Afghanistan greatly affected his writing of this novel. So for the price of familiarity, we get to pick at Card's mind. Not too bad of a tradeoff. I do hope this was the last book of the entire series. Anything more and Card is milking it.
Rating: 
Summary: Really it should be a 2.5
Review: Well, let me begin with some praise first. I felt the first four books in the Enders Saga series were extremely interesting and well written. I very much enjoyed hearing of Enders life and the story just got better and better with every book. Then came along Enders Shadow. With this book I felt that Card did an interesting thing artistically by rewritting the first book but through another characters perspective. This I felt was quite unique and quite a good read. However, by the end of the sixth book I found Beans story to be drawn out...and by the 7th redundent. I felt that there was really no reason to have a 7th book. The plot could have ended by the end of the sixth. Now I wont lie, if Card publishes an eighth novel, I will read it. But...really, at that point, it can no longer be treated as part of Enders Saga...it will have become its own series. All in all, I felt the 7th book was ok. You cant give it a half a star, so I bumped up my rating to 3 (In honor of Ender).
Rating: 
Summary: Good book depending on they type of reader you are
Review: Mediocre Sci-Fi at best, but intellectually stimulating. Not too drawn out or too short. Just right.
Rating:
Summary: Card RULES!
Review: In this novel the author, Orson Scott Card, focuses on secondary characters from ENDER'S GAME. Peter Wiggin (a.k.a. the Hegemon, among other alias names), Julian Delphiki (a.k.a. "Bean"), and Petra Arkanian must deal with Achilles de Flandres. Achilles, if you recall from the previous books, was a genius. Mentally, however, he was very unstable. He wanted nothing more than the deaths of Peter, Bean, and Petra. Second on Achilles's list of things-to-do was to conquer all, starting with the Hegemony! Suriyawong, Virlomi, Hyrum Graff, and Volescu appear as secondary characters. They were not just for show or used as "fillers" though. Each had vital roles in the book and possibly in the next. (My hope springs eternal.) ***** If you have not read the previous books, I highly recommend that you begin at the beginning, with ENDER'S GAME. Not only because all in this series is fantastic, but also because you when previous characters or events are mentioned, you would totally understand the reference and feel more a part of Card's vast universe. This author does not insult the intelligence of his readers; therefore, he will not go into deep detail on past events. He just mentions a person or event and carries on with the current story. I love that in an author! Orson Scott Card made a fan of me with ENDER'S GAME. Of course, since I enjoyed it so much, I handed it over to my husband and the "Ender's Bug" (as I call it) bit him too. Card quickly made his way from my list of "Good Authors", to my list of "Favorite Authors", and currently resides on my "Elite List" which contains only four names (and one of them are deceased). I tell you that so you may understand that I do NOT consider myself to be overly dramatic when I say, "If you love Sci-Fi, you MUST read this series!" Orson Scott Card rules the Sci-Fi universe! *****
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Summary: Shadow Puppets
Review: Shadow Puppets is the third book in the parallel series to Ender's Game. It is a book about the struggles of the Battle School Graduates to maintain world order and stop Achilles from conquering the world. Petra and Bean have come out of hiding and plan on having a kid without Anton's key. Except Achilles has stolen the embryos. This book is about how Bean, Petra, Peter and the rest of Ender's Dragon Army take their places in world government. In my opinion this book is not as good and Ender's Game or Ender's Shadow. It is much slower paced and did not hold me as tight as the previous books. It is still full of Card's moral dilemmas and ethical problems. It is a nice addition to the series and any hardcore fan of the series would have to read it. This book is for the slightly more advance readers and juggles several plots at once. A reader who enjoys higher thinking about ethics and morality would probably enjoy this book if he or she has read the preceding books.
Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: I loved this final book in the Ender/bean series. It rocked. By far my fav character was Perta and Peter. Two shrew minds together equals one great book. OSC ROCKS
Rating:
Summary: Intermittently engaging and boring
Review: It seems that Orson Scott Card has two personae as a writer -- the pedantic bore, and the gripping plotter. At his best, his books are impossible to put down. But then there's Shadow Puppets. It seems that Card has lost his way in this series (as he did in the first 4-part Ender saga). While the base story line is interesting, the surrounding details are tedious. The plot is rich and complex -- Bean battles Achilles for control of the earth, after China has invaded India. How the two characters plot against each other is the best element of this book. But the sections which move the plot forward are interspersed with two dull elements. First, there is the witty banter between the main characters (Bean and Petra, Bean and his parents, etc.). Except that its not that witty, and it just goes on and on. Fictional characters' pointless sarcastic repartee has to be really part of the story, or it becomes dull. I thought it did here. Then there are the long rambling speeches, drilling Card's personal philosophy into you over and over. This is similar to the worst of Children of the mind -- nothing I hate more in my action sci-fi then rambling lecturing. Mercifully, this book is brief, so it's not too painful to skip the dull bits. It would have been far better to have been edited down a LOT ... but then we'd probably have a Bean novella on our hands. The Shadow series seems to really be running out of interesting ideas. Too bad. I thought the first two were much more consistent and interesting. If you're absolutely committed to Card, it's worth a quick read. Otherwise, skip it.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: This book lives up to all the expectations of the Ender and Bean saga. It is absolutly entertaining and amazing. This book is a page turner and I couldnt put it down. A Must Read.
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Summary: Beware of the Trojan Horse
Review: In this latest chapter of the Ender's Game saga, we find Peter, Bean and many of the other battle school grads only a slight distance from where we left them in the last book. The plot of Shadow Puppets revolves around Peter's decision to liberate Achilles from his Chinese captors. Everything collapses, though, when it appears that Achilles was not actually a prisoner at all but instead his supposed imprisonment is part of a deliberate ruse that Peter has walked right into. In a few seconds, Peters world changes. He learns to trust his parents, realizes that he isn't always right and has to flee his Hegemony compound. The world is dividing itself into factions, Bean decides to have a child, and much more ... This book is a must read for anyone enthralled by the Ender saga!
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