The Shadow Series

Author:

Orson Scott Card

About this Series

The “Shadow Series” begins with the novel ENDER’S SHADOW, which parallels the events of ENDER’S GAME from a different character’s point of view.

Andrew “Ender” Wiggin was not the only child in the Battle School; he was just the best of the best.  In ENDER’S SHADOW, Orson Scott Card tells the story of another of those precocious generals, the one they called Bean—the one who became Ender’s right hand, his strategist, and his friend. 

Bean’s past was a battle just to survive.  He lived on the streets of Rotterdam, a tiny child with a mind leagues beyond anyone else.  He knew he could not survive through strength; he used his tactical genius to gain acceptance into a children’s gang, and then to help make that gang safe and successful.  And he lived to grow older.

Bean’s success brought him to the attention of the Battle School’s recruiters, those people scouring the planet for leaders, tacticians, generals to save Earth from the threat of alien invasion.  Bean was sent into orbit, to the Battle School.  And there he met Ender….

After ENDER’S SHADOW, this series continues the story of what happens on Earth after  Ender leaves.

After the threat of complete annihilation by the Formic aliens is lifted, Earth’s old nations throw off the yoke of the International Fleet, and return to their old warring ways. But there is another Wiggin still on Earth – Peter, Ender’s older brother. The one who was too violent and ruthless for the Battle School.

In SHADOW OF THE HEGEMON, we see Bean becoming Peter Wiggin’s general and strategist, as Peter struggles to mold the newly warring nations of Earth back into the unified force that had been created in response to the Formic invasions.  Old fashioned military tactics aren’t going to get very far when you’ve suddenly got a hundred Alexander the Greats back on Earth.

In SHADOW PUPPETS, Bean and Petra find happiness with each other while the Hegemon takes control of Earth, and of the new far-flung colony worlds. They are creating the foundation of the Starways Congress to come, far in the future.  

But in SHADOW OF THE GIANT, Bean discovers that he, too, can no longer remain on Earth. The genetic tinkering that created his incredible mind has left its mark on his body.  He can no longer tolerate life in the gravity well of a planet. And worse, three of his children share the same mutation.

The next book of the Shadow Series is SHADOWS IN FLIGHT.  Bean and his children are, like Ender, using the effects of near-light-speed travel to outrun time, while on Earth researchers work to discover how to counter the deadly effects of the genetic manipulation that made Bean so inhumanly brilliant.  SHADOWS IN FLIGHT is also available as an enhanced ebook, with dozens of beautiful full color illustrations, maps, and extra content.

Books in This Series

About the Author

About the Author