This is my first post. I'm a long time fan of Orson Scott Card (thank you for hours and hours of entertainment, if you happen to read this), specifically the Ender series and the Shadow series.
For some reason, I was under the impression that the shadow series was to be a quartet, much like the Ender series. I know OSC is planning on writing a novel to follow up with the tenth baby, which will bridge the Ender and Shadow novels, but what about Bean?
Do we ever learn if a cure for Bean is found? Will Bean find his lost child?
My guess is that even if OSC reads this post, he won't answer these questions, but a hint regarding whether or not they get answered would be nice!
- Jared
Posted by accio (Member # 3040) on :
Welcome to Hatrack! Well, my impression from SOTG is that Bean is going to die. (Unless some miracle happens during his journey.) Should we pray for a miracle? Posted by neo-dragon (Member # 7168) on :
Well I'm obviously not OSC, but I can answer your questions. Some of this you may already know, but I like to be thorough.
Yes, the Shadow series is a quartet and it is now finished. However, Card will write two more novels. The first of which is tentatively titled "Ender in Exile", and takes place between SotG and SftD. It will deal with Ender meeting the 9th child and his "mother" on a colony world. The other book will be titled "Shadows in Flight", and takes place after "Children of the Mind" It will involve the children who went into space with Bean. As for Bean himself, I think Card has said that he will either be dead by the time of "Shadows in Flight", or he will die very early on in the book.
[ April 12, 2005, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: neo-dragon ]
Posted by Meshugener (Member # 7601) on :
R.I.P, bean. i'll miss you when you die Posted by Michiel (Member # 7649) on :
I think that OSC's suggestion that we will never see Bean again alive --other than in a foreword by way of a letter to his children or something is very forceful, very powerful.
Sometimes you need to let a character go his way, in Bean's case everything is predicated on his imminent death.
If Bean were allowed to live another book it makes Petra's sacrifice unnecessary.
It's better if SofG ends not just Peter and Petra, but also Bean-in-action. My thoughts anyway....
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
Mine too. Unless somebody implants something in his giant dying body, like a wasp on a caterpillar, to eat him out from the inside as he hurtles outward into space nearly at the speed of light....
Posted by Ron (Member # 7790) on :
That was such a strange way for Bean to go. Giantism? That's nuts. But I too agree that's Bean's time is over, much like CoftM and Ender. Bean's death would be almost necessary.
Posted by Archimedes (Member # 7798) on :
Ender was sort of reborn though. He gets to play along some more in the half conscience of his do-it-yourself-"outside" brother. I guess Julian will always live on in our half thoughts too.
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