Erez Korn

Heinlein's The Number of the Beast starts with promise: a clever ‘World as Myth' concept blending SF tropes and interdimensional chases. But characters quickly unravel into banter machines fixated on sex and ideology, shedding all credibility by Lazarus Long's deus ex machina entry. Is it a metafictional joke on genre excess and Heinlein's own canon? Possibly, given the cameos from Oz to Barsoom, yet the execution feels more like self-indulgent fanfic than satire. Die-hard fans might chuckle at the in-jokes; for me, the protagonists' swift descent from relatable to cartoonish killed immersion. Worth a skim for completists, but skip if seeking tight plotting or depth.

But because it's Heinlein, I had to give it an extra star

By

Ender's Shadow offers an intriguing parallel narrative to the classic Ender's Game, this time from the perspective of the often underestimated Bean. Through Bean's eyes, I was reintroduced to Battle School, but with a fresh perspective that adds layers to the original story. His view creates a compelling contrast to Ender's journey. Bean knows no compassion in the beginning of the story, but I think that by the end, he was most compassionate to Ender, without Ender even knowing it.

The supporting characters, like the enigmatic Sister Carlotta and the menacing Achilles, enrich Bean's journey, highlighting his growth from a street-smart survivor to a key player in humanity's struggle.

Ender's Shadow is not just a companion piece, even though it's a great companion piece, but itcs also a powerful story on its own

Great if somewhat short

I was disappointed at some of the characters - I expected so much more of them, but I was not disappointed of the writing, nor of the story.