Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card (Mass Market Paperback)

Humanity is at war with an insect-like alien enemy, and Earth recruits gifted children to train as future commanders. This companion to Ender's Game tells the story from the point of view of Bean, a tiny, fiercely clever street kid who finds his way into Battle School and into Ender Wiggin's orbit. Orson Scott Card shows familiar events in a new light while building Bean into a compelling hero in his own right. It works as a first step into the Shadow series, and it is easy to enjoy for fans of strategy, brilliant young characters and thoughtful science fiction.