Unfortunately, like so many authors who write endless series, Card should have known when to stop. Not one of his best works, Shadow of the Hegemon is filled with cookie cutter characters who are clones of one another to some degree; utterly nonsensical political stratagems that tend to a big yawn; utterly implausible premise of very young adolescents being the political geniuses and power-mongers of the world.

All of this is very disappointing coming from Card, because when he has his literary act together he is so very, very good. It would seem, however, that when he’s bad, he’s very, very bad.

Ultimately this is a forgettable novel.