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    Shadows in Flight
    Shadows in Flight
    Shadows in Flight
    Audiobook6 hours

    Shadows in Flight

    Written by Orson Scott Card

    Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, Emily Janice Card and Scott Brick

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Ender's Shadow explores the stars in this all-new novel...

    At the end of Shadow of the Giant, Bean flees to the stars with three of his children--the three who share the engineered genes that gave him both hyper-intelligence and a short, cruel physical life. The time dilation granted by the speed of their travel gives Earth's scientists generations to seek a cure, to no avail. In time, they are forgotten--a fading ansible signal speaking of events lost to Earth's history. But the Delphikis are about to make a discovery that will let them save themselves, and perhaps all of humanity in days to come.

    For there in space before them lies a derelict Formic colony ship. Aboard it, they will find both death and wonders--the life support that is failing on their own ship, room to grow, and labs in which to explore their own genetic anomaly and the mysterious disease that killed the ship's colony.

    Shadows in Flight is the fifth novel in Orson Scott Card's Shadow Series.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateJan 17, 2012
    ISBN9781427215697
    Shadows in Flight
    Author

    Orson Scott Card

    Orson Scott Card is best known for his science fiction novel Ender's Game and its many sequels that expand the Ender Universe into the far future and the near past. Those books are organized into the Ender Saga, which chronicles the life of Ender Wiggin; the Shadow Series, which follows on the novel Ender's Shadow and is set on Earth; and the Formic Wars series, written with co-author Aaron Johnston, which tells of the terrible first contact between humans and the alien "Buggers." Card has been a working writer since the 1970s. Beginning with dozens of plays and musical comedies produced in the 1960s and 70s, Card's first published fiction appeared in 1977--the short story "Gert Fram" in the July issue of The Ensign, and the novelette version of "Ender's Game" in the August issue of Analog. The novel-length version of Ender's Game, published in 1984 and continuously in print since then, became the basis of the 2013 film, starring Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Hailee Steinfeld, Viola Davis, and Abigail Breslin. Card was born in Washington state, and grew up in California, Arizona, and Utah. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Brazil in the early 1970s. Besides his writing, he runs occasional writers' workshops and directs plays. He frequently teaches writing and literature courses at Southern Virginia University. He is the author many science fiction and fantasy novels, including the American frontier fantasy series "The Tales of Alvin Maker" (beginning with Seventh Son), and stand-alone novels like Pastwatch and Hart's Hope. He has collaborated with his daughter Emily Card on a manga series, Laddertop. He has also written contemporary thrillers like Empire and historical novels like the monumental Saints and the religious novels Sarah and Rachel and Leah. Card's work also includes the Mithermages books (Lost Gate, Gate Thief), contemporary magical fantasy for readers both young and old. Card lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife, Kristine Allen Card. He and Kristine are the parents of five children and several grandchildren.

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    Reviews for Shadows in Flight

    3.5/5

    216 ratings13 reviews

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    • 2/5
      Looking at the reviews for Shadow of the Giant, it's clear that a lot of people thought that it was the last book in the Shadow series. It really should have been, because this was a disappointing footnote. It's more of a novella than a novel, and it doesn't really serve any new purpose in the Ender's Game universe. The writing is really clunky and juvenile, and it seems to be Card's way to make sure that we really, really understand the messages that his other books were trying to tell us. There's lots of telling-instead-of-showing and beating-the-reader-over-the-head, which doesn't make for a very enjoyable read. Furthermore, Card decided to frak with the entire history of the Hive Queen, which was enough to make me decide this book doesn't really exist. Wikipedia shows that we're supposed to be getting ANOTHER Shadows book that links up with the end of the Ender series, but...I think I'll pass.
    • 3/5
      After reading Shadow of the Giant, which in my opinion was the best of the Shadow Saga, this book feels like is missing something. Actually it feels like it is half a book, and indeed it is.
    • 2/5
      Lotsa talking. Not much else (e.g. character development, plot, insight).
    • 4/5
      I was hoping for more action from Bean, but at least we get closure on this character. His kids were hard for me to picture, being six year olds and doing the things they do in the story; I guess I would have liked more reminders throughout that these exceptional kids are just little kindergarten types. I liked the book, but there are others in the series that are far better.
    • 3/5
      A new addition to the 'Shadow' sub-series of Orson Scott Card's 'Ender' books.

      This one picks up from the conclusion to 'Shadow of the Giant', following Bean and his 3 offspring on their journey through the stars near lightspeed, in search of a cure for genetic destiny, and a way to the future. It is compact, and quite narrow focused, but is an enjoyable enough addition to the series.

      The writer has never quite reached the heights of the original trilogy in the 'Shadow' series, and this volume is no exception to that rule.
    • 4/5
      Short story compared to some of the previous volumes. My book was physically smaller too which was disappointing.

      I was concerned about how Bean's condition would be resolved or if it could be. Without spoiling the story I will say that I am satisfied.

      Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for those he loves.

      One of my favorite Sci-Fi series. I hope we see a next chapter of this someday.
    • 4/5
      I began to feel the theory of diminishing marginal returns with this book. But, then I looked it up. This is #9 in the series of ~ 13 book series that began with Ender's Game. This one is the story of Bean, one of the kids from battle school, all grown up. No spoilers, here. Read it yourself.I liked the book a lot more when I reflected upon it's meaning. Where is #10?
    • 3/5
      I guess I expected more after all those year of waiting for the Shadow saga's resolution. The beginning was great, introducing us to Bean and Petra's special babies, now full blown geniuses at the age of six. The middle sags, and then sags some more. I just could not get excited about the Formics again. The big payoff is very ambitious in bringing both series together and providing us with a very satisfying conclusion. That's a good thing because after the infuriatingly terrible Empire books I was really ready for something good from Card, and he delivered, if barely.

      As an aside, I always found Bean a better character than Ender. I suspect that Card himself liked Bean more as well because, all in all, Bean ended up having a much better life. He certainly got a much better death. Considering Ender is the nominal hero of the over-reaching story, I find it interesting.
    • 4/5
      This book feels more like a chapter in the longer narrative. We see the development of Bean's special children after they left earth in hope of a cure for their condition being found in the centuries that will elapse back home. The story dragged for me during some of the more technical discussions of how an enemy ship was to be boarded, etc. Some science fiction readers do like that sort of detail, but I am more drawn to the big picture questions about the nature of being human that these books raise. I will read the next installment when it comes, though I hope it is a bit more meaty.
    • 4/5
      Shorter and lighter than the last few books in this series. Takes a close look at a limited period of time in the lives of the children in whom Anson's key has been turned. More in the flavor of Ender's Game than some of the others. Well done.
    • 4/5
      Now THIS is what I want out of an Orson Scott Card book. I felt like OSC had kind of lost his way as the Shadow series wore on--the characters started doing things that seemed out of their natures, and the stories seemed to flounder a bit, directionless. But this is more reminiscent of Ender's Gamee than anything else. Philosophy and religion and even politics are not OSC's strong points--original science fiction and genius children are. Shadows in Flight ties back to a lot of things in both the Ender and Shadow series and would not work as a standalone work.Bean and the three of his children like him (with Anton's key turned) took to space in the hopes that a cure will be developed and they could return to Earth. That didn't happen. Five years have past for them, but generations have passed on Earth. Bean's children speak more like calculating professors than children, and watching them here was a lot like watching Ender, Petra, and Bean work together to defeat the Formics in Ender's Game.For the nostalgic Ender's Game fan, this is the perfect novella.I read the enhanced ebook. While the illustrations didn't add anything for me, I did really enjoy the extra passages OSC added.
    • 2/5
      Three unnaturally brilliant six-year-olds are aboard a spaceship with their father, the Giant. Their goal is to find a cure for the genetic mutation that causes their amazing brain-power, plus its accompanying symptom, the giantism that left unchecked will kill them before age 20. The Giant's goal is somewhat different--before he dies he wants to find a new habitable planet for the children to colonize. Lots of genetics and philosophizing in this one, plus huge sibling rivalries!
    • 4/5
      Bean and his three genius children are travelling through space at light speed in order to give themselves more time to find a cure for their genetic trait that causes giantism and short life span. Unfortunately, nothing promising has been discovered. Bean is at the end of his expected life span, and the children, although only 6 years old, are more than one-fourth of the way through theirs. Though the children are accomplished geniuses by six, they are also still children. They encounter an alien ship near a planet that could be a new home. The adventure of what they find on this ship and what they learn about it and each other is the crux of this story. The relationship of the children to each other and to their father, Bean is also central to this installment of the Shadow series. I loved that each child had his or her own strength, and the poignancy of their feelings for their father and his for them was my favorite part of the book.I found this to be an enjoyable and touching YA science fiction adventure.