Another incredible review! In my opinion, the best order to read the main set of 10 books is to go basically chronologically. Start with Ender's Game (obviously), then Ender's Shadow, then continue to follow Bean through his life on earth. Next, read Ender in Exile, as the context from the Shadow quintet is integral here to understand Randall/Achilles/Arkanian as a character. Finally, read the trilogy of books following Ender and the Lusitania saga, and be left with the laundry list of questions we're all hoping will be answered with The Last Shadow! As for Ender's Shadow, it's my favorite book, even over Ender's Game (I know, sacrilege, hear me out). I like the framing of Bean as almost an anti-hero, and clear lancer to Ender. He didn't come to Battle School, he came to escape the living hell of the streets of Rotterdam and use his brain to give himself a better life. Where Ender is a leader, Bean is a survivalist. I do agree OSC seems intent on convincing us Bean makes sense as second in command to Ender by discrediting his advice via jokes, and I don't even think it was necessary. It's clear Bean is not someone people love in the way they love Ender, and he could have never have inspired such devotion had he been in Ender's position as leader of the jeesh. His talents lie in understanding things on instinct the way most people could never fathom, like the way he realized the secret of Earth's offensive plan due to the lack of ability to build comprehensive defenses in space by simply trying to cover his tracks on why he was reading about ancient military techniques. My hot take for you is that I read Graff as being more of a foil to Bean than Achilles, at least in this book. They are constantly trying to get the upper hand on each other, trying to gain information on the other in order to better their own chances at achieving their goal. I think it makes total sense that Bean excels at being in the 'shadows' (pun intended), manipulating things while never being in the spotlight, as attracting attention would mean death in his childhood (which, quick unimportant note: he isn't 2 at the start of ender's shadow, he's 4, he just appears 2 due to Anton's Key and malnourishment). Anyway, I found Bean much more relatable as a character, and I liked his flaws and subsequent characterization. Once again, thank you for talking about this series! If it wasn't obvious I'm a huge fan, and I love hearing other people enjoy it as well.

The sequels about Peter taking over Earth are my favourites in the series.

Great review. I like how you spent time on discussing how the different POV of some of the same events was pulled off flawlessly

Awesome review! I have similar feelings to you about Ender's Shadow. I think it's a 9/10 whereas Ender's Game is a 10/10. The ending in Ender's Game hits harder and the Ender's emotional journey went a little deeper. But the pacing and the writing in Ender's Shadow is just as good. The only thing I didn't love was there was a bit of retconning in which some ideas and decisions made by Ender were actually suggested by Bean, which wasn't super satisfying to me. But I still loved it overall!

Absolutely loved Ender’s shadow. Agree with everything you said here. Great review, brother!

Excellent review and analysis.

Ender's Game has been my favorite book since I was a kid (to the point where I've always wanted to name my future son Ender), but I love Ender's Shadow just as much. I love how you can take the same setting, the same events, and make it a completely different story just by changing perspective. I also like how in Ender's Shadow, Ender kind of came across as a bit of a jerk a lot of the time, since you got to see him from a different point of view. I absolutely love the entire Bean series as well, and the ending is so heart wrenching. I really need to go back and reread all of the books again. ❤️

I actually read Ender's Shadow years ago before reading Ender's Game, then read Ender's Game and then read the Bean series followed by Ender's side of the series. Perhaps because of the order that I read the books in, I preferred Ender's Shadow then Ender's Game, followed by the Ender's Shadow series and didn't really enjoy Ender's branch. I think that was partially because the Ender's Shadow side was intentionally written for kids and young adults whereas the original series was targeted at adults and Ender's Game just happened to be an unexpected success with young readers. As you said, my preference might shift if I had read them for the first time as an adult. But I agree with you that the best reading order is probably Ender's Game followed by Ender's Shadow and then by picking which branch you are more interested in.

Looking forward to seeing more about the Ender saga in the future!

@alicialaux428

2 жыл бұрын

Me too!

Hey man, this appears to be the last video you posted. We've not heard from you in a while. Are you giving up on Booktube or will you be back. Was hoping to see your takes on the end of the Books Of Babel series and see how your Ender's Saga re-read goes.

I like this series & I’m pretty sure at least one comics writer read it. In one of the JLA/JSA team ups, author Brad Meltzer had Power Girl tell Batman she had acquired a first edition Vaubin. Batman replies that he’s jealous. Who ever heard of Vaubin outside of Bean bluffing his way through a conversation in Ender’s Shadow?

Yesss!

I don’t know this Ender Bean but he sounds nice

What happened to you? Post more videos please.

@DragonArmyBooks

Жыл бұрын

I will.

Hi Sir I am a new self published author who wrote a book on Amazon. Its science fiction and I writing a franchise that will be one of the greatest. I just need help reviewing my first book. Can you help me sir?