Answer:
This book is, strictly speaking, not a sequel, because it begins about where Ender's Game begins, and also
ends, very nearly, at the same place. In fact, it is another telling of the same tale, with many of the same
characters and settings, only from the perspective of another character. It's hard to know what to call it. A
companion novel? A parallel novel? Perhaps a "parallax," if I can move that scientific term into literature.
Ideally, this novel should work as well for readers who have never read Ender's Game as for those who
have read it several times. Because it is not a sequel, there is nothing you need to know from the novel
Ender's Game that is not contained here. And yet, if I have achieved my literary goal, these two books
complement and fulfill each other. Whichever one you read first, the other novel should still work on its
own merits.
For many years, I have gratefully watched as Ender's Game has grown in popularity, especially among
school-age readers. Though it was never intended as a young-adult novel, it has been embraced by many in
that age group and by many teachers who find ways to use the book in their classrooms.