Parallel to the classic

So, if Card is one of my favourite sf writers, and Ender's Game his best novel, how come this one feels a little bit like a failure?

The idea is to portray one of Ender's friends from the Battle School, Bean, the youngest one. From being only a sketch in the earlier book, we get a full 3D version of Bean in this one, taking place at the same time but following him instead of Ender. And it is in its own right a wonderful novel, Card being a master of emotions and philosophy.

What harms the book, though, is the fact that it really diminishes its precursor by telling the reader that a lot of stuff in Ender's Game wasn't what it seemed to be. It feels a little like Asimov's last Foundation novels where everythiing is a conspiracy within a conspiracy. Granted, Card is a superior writer and nowhere as bad, but it still feels like tinkering with something which doesn't need to be tinkered with.

My recommendation is that if you really like Ender's Game, skip this one, but otherwise it's worth reading, as all of Card's novels.

Facts

• The fifth novel in the Ender series
• The sequel dealing with Bean after Battle School is called Shadow of the Hegemon