- Paperback: 448 pages
- Publisher: Orbit; paperback / softback edition (4 Oct 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1841490660
- ISBN-13: 978-1841490663
- Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 3.2 x 17.9 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 65,084 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Shadow Of The Hegemon
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Orson Scott Card keeps returning to his first published story "Ender's Game" (1977). He expanded it into the acclaimed 1985 novel Ender's Game, winning Hugo and Nebula awards and spawning several sequels. More recently, Ender's Shadow reworked the original tale of precocious boy soldier Ender saving the world from alien hordes at terrible personal cost, as told from the different, colder viewpoint of his even younger lieutenant Bean.
Now Ender has been sent to the stars as too dangerously charismatic a military leader to keep on Earth. Without the common alien threat, our global alliance is disintegrating. Ender's top strategists like Bean are in demand by would-be conquering countries. Kidnappings rapidly follow.
Four strange, tortured teenagers dominate the book. Ender's brilliant but twisted brother Peter is already manipulating international politics as respected political pundit "Locke", hoping to become world ruler or Hegemon. He needs the genetically enhanced abilities of Bean, who's mainly concerned with the fate of kidnapped Petra--the only girl to reach the top rank at Ender's Battle School. Meanwhile boy serial killer Achille, the villain of Ender's Shadow, has sold his strategic talents to more than one nation, and has scores to settle ...
Shadow of the Hegemon lacks glittering SF hardware and seems almost old-fashioned after the planet-busting supertechnology of Ender's Game. What makes it compulsive reading is Card's uncannily sure handling of character, especially flawed characters and their painful moral choices. Minor figures like Ender's parents acquire new depth, and we care when people die. Recommended--but do read the books in sequence. A third "Shadow" novel follows. --David Langford --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Orson Scott Card keeps returning to his first published story "Ender's Game" (1977). He expanded it into the acclaimed 1985 novel Ender's Game, winning Hugo and Nebula awards and spawning several sequels. More recently, Ender's Shadow reworked the original tale of precocious boy soldier Ender saving the world from alien hordes at terrible personal cost, as told from the different, colder viewpoint of his even younger lieutenant Bean. (Now Ender has been sent to the stars as too dangerously charismatic a military leader to keep on Earth. Without the common alien threat, our global alliance is disintegrating. Ender's top strategists like Bean are in demand by would-be conquering countrie )
Four strange, tortured teenagers dominate the book. Ender's brilliant but twisted brother Peter is already manipulating international politics as respected political pundit "Locke", hoping to become world ruler or Hegemon. He needs the genetically enhance (Shadow of the Hegemon lacks glittering SF hardware and seems almost old-fashioned after the planet-busting supertechnology of Ender's Game. What makes it compulsive reading is Card's uncannily sure handling of character, especially flawed characters and t )
David Langford, AMAZON.CO.UK ('Haunting, compulsive, urgently readable...Storytelling genius’ )
INTERZONE
Four strange, tortured teenagers dominate the book. Ender's brilliant but twisted brother Peter is already manipulating international politics as respected political pundit "Locke", hoping to become world ruler or Hegemon. He needs the genetically enhance (Shadow of the Hegemon lacks glittering SF hardware and seems almost old-fashioned after the planet-busting supertechnology of Ender's Game. What makes it compulsive reading is Card's uncannily sure handling of character, especially flawed characters and t )
David Langford, AMAZON.CO.UK ('Haunting, compulsive, urgently readable...Storytelling genius’ )
INTERZONE
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have been thinking a lot of what is wrong with this book. Finally, I conclude that the problem is the basic startingpoint. The book is a follow-up on "Enders Shaddow" and - of course - "Enders Game". In these books the idea of teaching brilliant children the rules of tactical decisions is taken to the limit, and that is very well done. But the problem with this book is that the children also is assumed to be strategic geniuses. And here it all fall to pieces, because the author does not know his way around Asia and the world.
By hart, Orson Scott Card is American, as is clearly stated in his afterword - and he doesn't like the Democrats (esp. Clinton). OK, but why do I as a European wish to know that?
Also, Scott Card has perhaps been to Asia, and he might even have visited Thailand - but obviously not that much time! The description of downtown Bangkok is pathetic and simply bad writing. And as to the description of how China, India and Pakistan rally against each other - no, that is not good enough.
Back to the attic again, mr. Scott Card - this book is not one of your best!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Where do I start? Ah yes, I first of all read the totally amazing Ender's Game and, after being so astounded by the brilliance of the book, decided to read the rest of the Ender Saga. This was the last book of the Saga which I read.
This book, while gripping in places, is in no way an essential chapter of the Saga. Don't get me wrong, it was OK, it was interesting reading about Peter's gradual rise to Hegemony, the sub-plot with Bean was good, but overall I don't think I would have been too upset had I not read this book...
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I liked Shadow of the Hegemon just fine. It is not on a par with Ender's Shadow or with Ender's Game, but as someone else pointed out: the story needed telling, and it is great to read.
However, I was disappointed in the way Peter ascends to the position of Hegemon. The title suggests that we learn about this in detail, but really it just more or less happens at some point in the book.
Maybe Card is setting up an angle to write another series of books about Peter, but that would seem strange, because in this book sometimes the focus shifts away from Bean and to Peter's own thoughts and experiences. How can Card build on that for another series?
My conclusion: The book is more than worth your while. There are a lot of cliffhangers to anticipate the next two announced books and the story itself captured me completely. This is however by no means the best book of the series, and more of an in-between than a seperate work. You might want to wait reading it until the third Shadow book goes on sale.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A 'filler' between the 1st and 3rd books?
This might be obvious, but I should firstly point out that this is the second of a series of four books (with another one planned apparently). Read more
Published 11 months ago by Dr. Andrew Phillips
Very good
Book two of Orson Scott Card's Shadow saga. The fragile global alliance forged whilst mankind fought against the Buggers is beginning to disintegrate and in the wars to come... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Irikefe Okonedo
A Wholly Different Approach
Since I picked up 'Ender's Game' by accident and fell in love with Orson Scott-Card's work, I have been impressed by his ability to express very complex plotlines and stunning... Read more
Published on 22 July 2003 by "j24uk"
It's not only excellent. It's AWESOME!
This time the battlefield is set firmly on terra firma, Earth! Ender and his sister, Valentine are not around. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2003 by Detra Fitch
Now I remember why I stopped reading science fiction
I grew up, that's why. I read this on holiday as it was one of only a few English language books in the hotel. Pretentious, overblown, ridiculous. Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2002
Samuel Huntington writes SF
While having enjoyed most of Card's previous Ender and Shadow series, this book completely disappointed me. Read more
Published on 28 May 2002
Very Enjoyable
We can all agree the book's not as great as Ender's Game - but when you start the comparing game, your views get totally screwed up. OF COURSE it wasn't as great as Ender's Game. Read more
Published on 4 Oct 2001
Good book. Shame about the story.
Book 2 of the Shadow Trilogy...
This is a story which needed to be told, but it is not as compelling as 'Ender's Shadow'. It is a completely differently paced novel. Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2001
Battle School Times again
As I liked Ender's Game the best out of the 4-part Saga, I loved this return to the Battle School times. Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2001
Battle School Times again
As I liked Ender's Game the best out of the 4-part Saga, I loved this return to the Battle School times. Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2001
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