I think Ender, Speaker, and the first Shadow are definitely the strongest in the series, with the most consistent combination of compelling plot and emotional strength. I did read the Ender side of the series up until the end and was more than obsessed with it at the time (I think I cried more times per book of that series than with any other series). But as with the Bean books, I imagine that with a more removed perspective on them now, I wouldn’t like them quite as much. They are pretty tough going, not having the suspense/intrigue element of the Bean series to keep up momentum.

I wish I had the sense not to keep forcing through series, but I’m an incurable completist. You’re definitely good where you are, though! I think it’s satisfying in some ways to know where all of the Battle School kidlets – and Peter Wiggin – end up and get a little more perspective on their personalities without Ender overshadowing everyone, but it’s definitely not key to your enjoyment of the earlier books. (And as I said in the review, the vast majority of them still end up personalityless.) Actually, thinking about it, I think the most satisfying and moving part for me, at least in re-reading, has been to see Peter outside of Ender’s perspective, and to see him outgrow all the horrible baggage that came along with being Ender’s brother.

I actually agree with you… I’m pretty sure Xenocide was the book I picked up and never made it through. I’m not very keen on OSC’s later philosophical ramblings and forcing myself to sludge through new worlds =X I don’t really like how Ender evolved as a character, although I can appreciate it.

However, the Bean arc is *entirely* different. It’s definitely more mature, but I think it retains the freshness and adventure of the original Ender book. It’s much more in the same vein in terms of characters and action than the Ender arc is. I’ve totally dropped a series though for the same reason…. like Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles.

I haven’t gotten this far in the Bean series–actually I don’t know that I’ll try to. I love Ender’s Game and, to a lesser extent, Speaker for the Dead (I like what that one has to say about redemption) and I also love Ender’s Shadow. But I started Xenocide and didn’t finish it. I never even picked up Shadow of the Hegemon. Somehow OSC’s shtick started to get a bit old for me even at that point. So I’d rather keep the ones I enjoyed and enjoy them than force myself to finish the series.