Front cover
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Author | Orson Scott Card |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Series | Ender's Game series |
Genre | Science fiction |
Publisher | Tor Books |
Publication date
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March 1, 2005 |
Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
Pages | 368 |
ISBN | |
OCLC | 57429685 |
813/.54 22 | |
LC Class | PS3553.A655 S524 2005 |
Preceded by | Shadow Puppets |
Followed by | Ender in Exile Shadows in Flight |
Shadow of the Giant (2005) is the fourth novel in Orson Scott Card's Ender's Shadow series, which is also called the Bean Quartet.
A belief is spreading in conquered China that the government has lost the Mandate of Heaven. Han Tzu meets up with Mazer Rackham, who passes him a blow dart pen, calling it the "Mandate of Heaven". Han Tzu confronts the emperor, Snow Tiger, who is shot and killed by a guard, allowing Han Tzu to overthrow the Chinese government and install himself as the new emperor. Meanwhile, Peter Wiggin, Hegemon of Earth, along with Petra Arkanian, goes to visit Alai, Caliph of the Muslim League. The two help Alai realize that he is little more than a glorified prisoner, and that others have been ruling Islam in his stead. After uncovering a conspiracy against him, Alai resolves to take firmer control of his nation and guarantee the human rights of his subjugated peoples.
The rest of the book deals with Peter Wiggin working to create a world government free of war through his Free People of Earth (FPE) alliance. Caliph Alai of the Muslim League and Virlomi, now the virtual goddess of India, oppose his efforts. Against this backdrop of world political machinations by the former Battle School children is the extremely personal story of Julian (Bean) Delphiki . Anton's Key is making him grow at an astounding rate and he has only a short time before his body will become too large for his heart to support. He searches frantically for his and Petra's missing children. Graff assists them in locating the surrogate mothers of their children. While Bean and Petra wait for news, Graff extends invitations to the other members of Ender's Jeesh to leave Earth and rule colonies, where they can conquer to their heart's content without causing needless wars between themselves, and instructs Bean to support Peter in forming the FPE.