The Last Shadow

Orson Scott Card

Nov 2021 · The Ender Saga Book 6 · Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Orson Scott Card, Emily Rankin, Gabrielle de Cuir, John Rubinstein, Judy Young, Justine Eyre, Kirby Heyborne, Scott Brick and Stefan Rudnicki

About this audiobook

Orson Scott Card's The Last Shadow is the long-awaited conclusion to both the original Ender series and the Ender's Shadow series, as the children of Ender and Bean solve the great problem of the Ender Universe—the deadly virus they call the descolada, which is incurable and will kill all of humanity if it is allowed to escape from Lusitania.

One planet.

Three sapient species living peacefully together.

And one deadly virus that could wipe out every world in the Starways Congress, killing billions.

Is the only answer another great Xenocide?

This program is read by Emily Rankin, Gabrielle de Cuir, John Rubinstein, Judy Young, Justine Eyre, Kirby Heyborne, Orson Scott Card, Scott Brick, and Stefan Rudnicki.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

Ratings and reviews

I have to say, I was so disappointed with this book. Did not bring arcs to a good close. Bean's kids are dumbed down. Character growth from previous books are undone. Full of plot holes and inconsistencies. Add to that I've been waiting for this book for a decade... Just hurts

missed opportunities and unanswered questions but still good. I just think the book was too short for everything they were trying to do. I hope to one day know who Peter becomes and would have liked to know that the book of ender was finished. I also am confused with how the children of the mind ended. I feel like starways congress should have had more to do with this story after they learned of 3 species on lucitania and the existence of instantaneous travel in COTM. I also felt that beans actual kids should have played a bigger part (not major). but it did seem like their absence was confusing and If they are smarter than the kids then why did it seem like ender, sarge, and carlatta were the dumbest people in the room. I just don't think the character development was there and it left me asking way more questions. it was a good book and it constantly had me wanting to continue but I can't help the feeling that I have more questions now than I did at the end of all the other books.

Enders Game has been my favorite book series. I have been waiting for this culmination book for quite some time! Glad it's here. Having said that, I would gladly wait longer for a book that reminded me more of what I love about the earlier titles. Still, the fact that Card got to finish the series is simply outstanding! The audio books have all been fantastic productions and this one is no exception. Hope you like it too, fellow Enderverse fans. Enjoy!

About the author

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.