First, on the book itself, I think the Shadow series really pales in comparison to the Ender books (I know I should judge it sorely on its own merits but frankly, I would have stopped at Ender's Shadow if it weren't for the promise of Card's earlier books) because the human element, faced with innocence by Ender et al, feels missing in this series or at least feels very artificial/manufactured.

The scifi political aspect as well seems lacking in scope -- I know, he's talking about global impact so how's that lacking? I'm not sure but to say that it seems like those under the sway of new regimes are mostly unaffected (basically, I felt that things like the 'Wall of India' seemed like a throw in) and there is very little buy in for the reader to empathize with the struggle. That the technology in use feels very simple and dated (and very gimmicky) -- things like the ansible are never used -- are there no direct peer to peer communications like IMs... I mean I get random anonymous IM/texts spam now so wouldn't that make more sense than emails for timeliness? The technology available when Card wrote this book (2002) was already moving past simple email and it now seems almost anachronistic to use it heavily especially when he's already established an instant method of communications in earlier books.

Power brokers that were and are still in place before Ender's victory are largely not integral to the plot. There is really a lack of the power struggle of the major powers beyond those of the three main characters (and a slight spoiler... the 'new leader' of a re-unified nation who seems to be done as an after thought at the last quarter of the book)... it's definitely a bit thin when I make a comparison to the Foundation politics, (I made this invariable comparison because in his forward to Ender's Game, Card points to Asimov's series as an inspiration and knew he didn't want to do a something similar, yet here is this series) because everything happens just in the nick of time or really without any margins for error but it doesn't have Asimov's reason why everything happens in a predicted manner.

Specifically to the audio edition, I personally dislike the choices for two of the readers. The woman voice sounds too smug most of the time, but that's bearable compared to the person doing Peter's parts who sounds very old and constantly whiny... basically, it sounds like they got a Woody Allen impersonator reading these parts. While there is conflicted inner turmoil, to me, Scott wrote a lot of conviction into Peter's thoughts which does not come through with this particular voice actor.

Anyway, I would only recommend this book as a continuation of the Ender universe but I feel that, as a stand alone series and a book, it isn't particularly engaging.

As usual, the storyline continues to compel me to delve deeper into the series. I am a recorded books person and I like how the reading is handled by several narrators of both sexes. However, after having discussed the recorded version with several other people, we agree that the female narrator's contribution borders on grating. Her portion is read in an overly-exaggerated, lilting, feigning style that, frankly, seems to be an effort to over-dramatize every single scene read rather than present the story for the listener to interpret him or herself. This irritating style detracts from an otherwise nicely presented story with multiple voices which lends to keeping a recorded book from becoming monotonous. One other curious narration, while not annoying, is the choice of the voice for Bean. Bean, supposedly a teenager, has the voice of a 70 year old man. How nice it would have been to have his voice match his character as well as that of the voices of other male characters in the story. If you can get past the irritating, lilty female parts, the story is well worth your time. I can only hope that as I progress into the next books, the female narrator either changes her style or is replaced by a better voice actress.

Shadow Puppets was such an awesome book. It was probably my favorite of the books about Bean, after Ender's Shadow. I'm a sucker for a good love story, but this book includes so much more. The action throughout the book made it very fast-paced and there were surprises around every corner. I liked that this book contained a little less of the military aspect and more of the characters' personal lives. Once again we see Bean, Petra, and Peter dealing with the aftermath of the Formic War on Earth. We also meet our meet our favorite villain, once again trying to ruin and end our protagonists' lives. Only this time, he is working a little closer to home and getting even more personal about it. As always, the characterization that Orson Scott Card has perfected only increases your affection and understanding for the characters that you have already come to know and love. Each chapter keeps you wanting more, and all you want to do is read. Shadow Puppets incorporates love, passion, anger, fear, betrayal, joy, and manipulation all in one book, and allows you to understand every emotion the exact way it is felt by the characters in the book. You feel empathetic, rather than sympathetic, as if you were going through the events right beside them. I was pleasantly surprised, as well as extremely happy, by the ending of the book. There was no other way I really would have wanted it to end, and it tied up a few loose ends in the process. It is not every day that a book, let alone an entire series, can be so enjoyable to read. As soon as I finished this book, I immediately picked up the next one, eager to read more about the lives of Bean, Petra, and Peter.

I have just recently begun buying books online. I have been amazed at the quality of the "used" books. I don't believe many of the thirty odd "used-books" I recently bought were used at all; not a broken spine in the bunch There were a half dozen or so former library books- top quality, but specially wrapped book covers... This is good way to bulk up a personal library without burning a hole in the wallet.

You know that effect when you see a movie or a read a book and then they follow up with like 20 more and it just turns into crap? Well it's hard to find media where it DOESN'T do that. Card writes GREAT stuff and I was not disappointed with this book after reading all of the previous Ender/Bean books. The story has become in depth and the adventure has evolved from in-space Battle School to Earth side war front. I didn't like Shadow of the Hegemon as much, I'm not sure why, maybe the politics through me off and bored me, but this one is a bit more mild on the politics. I like it that way ;) Good read, I'm continuing with Shadow of the Giant and the waiting for Ender in Exile =)