posted
Anyone who feels that the Shadow series detracts from the the Ender Saga or is somehow less polished or well written, doesn't truly understand the Ender Saga at all. The very differences between the two sagas is what make them so great and so real. They are two entirely different and yet equally poignant explorations of human interactions, growth, and history. It's not all about Ender...not even Ender's Game is all about Ender. It's about how people help eachother succeed dispite their gifts or disabilities (and for anyone who grew up being labled "gifted" in some of the same ways as the Battle Schoolers as I did will understand that those two words are not all that distinct).
The whole premise behind the Shadow books is not that any one particular character is so brilliant that he can bring about peace, but that each character grows and learns from the others, becoming a complete person by the end of SoTG...becoming adults instead of brilliant children. None of the characters was whole in SoTH, but they are by the end of SoTG despite what they lose in that book.
The gifted lable can be debilitating to a child's growth. Believe me, I know. I appreciate OSC's writing because he truly understands, for lack of a better word, the plight of the gifted child. Intelligence can be a curse as much as a gift, and there are two ways to deal with it. The Ender saga way, and the Bean saga way. That's why there are two series. The Ender saga couldn't say it all.
As for the complaints that Peter didn't really do much...Bean is not the force behind Peter, he was only one component. While I loved the story progression of Bean and Petra and felt like it came to a good conclusion (though a farewell scene between Bean and Petra was ostensibly missing), I really felt like SoTG was about how Peter truly became a good person and learned that it was okay to be good. While his inner thoughts are not shown extensively in SoTG, Peter's dialogue and actions contantly show that he is finally seeing what is actually around him, instead of what his brilliance wants to see. He realizes it isn't about him. Bean and Petra helped him to see that. When I read how Peter had become the great Hegemon before the Shadow books were written, I wasn't sure I liked that thought. But I felt the Shadow series was a very real portrayal of the evolution of a true leader in Peter who could be great. Once again, OSC has shown his fundamental understanding of what it means to lead.
Also, Bean...as the titles indicate...has always been the shadow. He didn't want to be the one casting that shadow. That was the true face of his greatness. Ambition to do right, not to be great. As was said several times, Bean was the best of them all...and not because he was the smartest. If anything, it was because he loved the others the most...even before he realized it himself. The true face of leadership is love.
***SPOILER***
I would love to see another book to tie up the fact that Bean isn't quite dead yet, and there is another potential Achilles being raised by the most unfortunately ignorant Randi. Much as I would love a follow on to Children of the Mind. The end of SoTG was very reminiscent of Children. I need to know what happens!
posted
Good points, Sammi. I've been really disappointed with the negative feedback on the Shadow books. If anything, I think it's a more relevant series than Ender. I also think it's a brilliant look at world relations and how all of human interaction can, in fact, come down to a few influential people who run the show because they can see what others can't. My dad always asks what the big picture is, what's the landscape. So many people are focused on the details that they miss the big picture altogether. I think they're missing the landscape of the Ender-Bean Saga.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Mar 2005
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The character I identified most with was Randi. Is that bad? I enjoyed the book quite a bit. I was glad that the rumors that Bean died were wrong. (mph, I'm looking in your direction). And the "big game of Risk with romance thrown in" was fun, I thought. OSC certainly isn't hung up on being an "important" writer. I thought having Alai flee to America was brilliant. That question hung in the air just long enough, and then... Bing!
As the final pages were getting scarcer and scarcer, I wondered how is Petra going to wind up with Peter without it seeming forced and unnatural? But it worked.
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posted
Actually I believe OSC said somewhere (don't ask me where) that he ends a series by killing off the main character, so leaving Bean alive was a little out of character for him. I suppose he wan'ts to keep Bean alive for the linking book.
Posts: 93 | Registered: Nov 2004
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That question hung in the air just long enough, and then... Bing!
