SOJALS rating:

Mediocre (2/5)

I first read this in November 2001.

This is the sequel to "Ender's Shadow". The battle against the aliens is over and the child soldiers have returned to Earth. These children are Earth's most brilliant prodigies, and they've been superbly trained in the art of war. As such, they are secret objects of desire by ambitious governments worldwide will seek to exploit their amazing abilities.

Inevitably, the children are kidnapped, abused, some are killed and they will be forced to plan and oversee a new world war, nation pitted against nation.

It's up to Bean, with the help of a few friends, to save his old classmates, and among them, the secret object of his desire, Petra Arkanian.

By his writing, Orson Scott Card has singlehandedly rescued the name "Orson" and made it respectable once more outside of Sherry adverts. For this and for the stunning "Ender's Game" and "Speaker For The Dead" he is to be much commended.

However, it all seems to be going on a bit now doesn't it? There are now, what, six books in the Ender series. All very good of course but not any longer exactly riveting.

But Orson is an excellent story-teller and a great writer, so of course, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.