Audiobook

Hardcover
$31.88

Mass Market Paperback
$14.67

Buy used:

$14.67

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Thursday, May 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 8 hrs 8 mins

Select delivery location

Used: Acceptable | Details

Sold by -OnTimeBooks-

Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (34) from $1.54 + $3.98 shipping

Follow the author

Orson Scott Card

+ Follow

More books from this author

Lost Boys Mass Market Paperback – January 25, 2005

by Orson Scott Card (Author)

4.1 530 ratings

See all formats and editions

For Step Fletcher, his pregnant wife DeAnne, and their three children, the move to tiny Steuben, North Carolina, offers new hope and a new beginning. But from the first, eight-year-old Stevie's life there is an unending parade of misery and disaster.

Cruelly ostracized at his school, Stevie retreats further and further into himself -- and into a strange computer game and a group of imaginary friends.

But there is something eerie about his loyal, invisible new playmates: each shares the name of a child who has recently vanished from the sleepy Southern town. And terror grows for Step and DeAnne as the truth slowly unfolds. For their son has found something savagely evil ... and it's coming for Stevie next.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A withdrawn eight-year-old in a troubled family invents imaginary friends who bear the names of missing children in this absorbing thriller.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Orson Scott Card has won several Hugo and Nebula Awards for his works of speculative fiction, among them the Ender series and The Tales of Alvin Maker. He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife and four children.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper (January 25, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 528 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061091316
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061091315
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 1.09 x 6.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,345,730 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #17,686 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
- #33,273 in Paranormal & Urban Fantasy (Books)
- #40,649 in Horror Literature & Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.1 530 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Orson Scott Card

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Orson Scott Card is the author of the novels Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, and Speaker for the Dead, which are widely read by adults and younger readers, and are increasingly used in schools. His most recent series, the young adult Pathfinder series (Pathfinder, Ruins, Visitors) and the fantasy Mithermages series (Lost Gate, Gate Thief, Gatefather) are taking readers in new directions.

Besides these and other science fiction novels, Card writes contemporary fantasy (Magic Street, Enchantment, Lost Boys), biblical novels (Stone Tables, Rachel and Leah), the American frontier fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker (beginning with Seventh Son), poetry (An Open Book), and many plays and scripts, including his "freshened" Shakespeare scripts for Romeo & Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Merchant of Venice.

Card was born in Washington 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 teaches occasional classes and workshops and directs plays. He frequently teaches writing and literature courses at Southern Virginia University.

Card currently lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife, Kristine Allen Card, where his primary activities are writing a review column for the local Rhinoceros Times and feeding birds, squirrels, chipmunks, possums, and raccoons on the patio.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5

530 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Mitz

The twist ending was great!

Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2022

Verified Purchase

I really liked this story. Apparently, a serial killer has been on the loose in a small town where husband Step, pregnant Deanne and their three kids relocate when Step takes a new job.

Deanne is a stay at home mom and both she and Step are deeply involved with the Church of Latter Day Saints. I found it extremely interesting that the book has a lot of details about what a member of the church does in their daily life. I learned a quite a lot of things I never had any idea a member of the church is required to do.

This book is based in the eighties and brought back memories from the shag carpeting to the "woody" station wagon. The home they rented on short notice is kind of run down. The old father of the man they rented it from does repairs and lawn care.

Step immediately starts having issues at his new job and Deanne is a bit overwhelmed with 2 kids at home, one in school and one in the oven. On top of that are the requirements of the Mormon church.

Stevie, their oldest boy, is having trouble adjusting to school, being kind of a loner. He starts having conversations with what the parents think are imaginary friends.

I don't want to give away anything so all I'll say is I think you'll like the way the story unfolds with the serial killer being unmasked at the end in a twist ending.

My only pet peeve in the book are the nicknames Step and Deanne refer to themselves-Junk Man and Fish Lady. My mind is in the gutter because there is no explanation as to why they use the nicknames. They also refer to the children by nicknames with Betsey Wetsey being one. Poor kid, she's too young to know it's unflattering.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jesi Lea Ryan

A little long, but I liked it.

Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2011

Verified Purchase

Set in the early 1980's recession, Step Fletcher and his wife Deanne are forced to move their family to North Carolina for Step's new job. They soon realize that the job is awful. Step has to bide his time until he can find a way to quit, while Deanne struggles to balance the kids and her church duties while pregnant. In the background of the story, there are young boys going missing in the town, causing the Fletchers to be weary and safety conscious and at times, overly-protective of their kids.

Their oldest son, eight year old Stevie, doesn't adjust to the new town well. He has difficulties with his teacher and kids at school and begins to accumulate imaginary friends. Terrified that their son is going crazy, Step and Deanne work together to help him, eventually finding out that his imaginary friends are not as imaginary as they had thought at all
.
Usually after reading a book, I take a glance at the Amazon reviews to gauge how others reacted to the book. While some might agree with me and some might disagree, I like to see how others think about what they've read. I can honestly say that I've never seen Amazon reviews which are as "all over the board" as Lost Boys. Some liked it. And even though many didn't, they disliked it for many different reasons.

Probably the biggest complaint was that people felt the book was a commercial for Mormonism. It's true that the Fletchers are Mormons and their religion plays a prominent role in the book, but I found this to be more interesting than distraction. Religion can add a certain depth to a character, providing them with a belief system and a place in the order of their world. I've read many books with characters from many religions and haven't encountered this much negativity from readers as this book generated. It makes me wonder if the fact that the characters are Mormon and not Catholic or Baptist or Jewish that is the real reason why people have a problem with it. I found the insight into Mormon life fascinating, and it adds to the plot nicely.

One complaint that others had that I agree with is that the book tended to drag a bit. There is a lot of day-to-day life and issues that these characters go through that frankly should have been cut down to about half. Some explanation for daily activities is fine, but I found myself wanting to skip ahead several times.

Step's issues with his employer played a prominent role in the first part of the book, but as things went on, this all became subplot. I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, anyone who has suffered through a boring job with a nasty boss will relate to Step, and might even get a chuckle or two out of it. On the other hand, there was a point when the job issues wrapped up and weren't mentioned much again. I felt the pacing of this subplot could have been timed to better coincide with the novel's conclusion, giving a more climatic feel.

In the end, I enjoyed this book and am glad to have read it. This is the first Orson Scott Card novel that I've read. I will definitely be checking out Enders Game in the near future.

Overall, I give Lost Boys...

Plot - 3 1/2 bookmarks
Character development -4 1/2 bookmarks
Fantasy elements -3 1/2 bookmarks
Creepiness -4 1/2 bookmarks
Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) -Billy Burke (Step), Gretchen Mol (Deanne)

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

Yolanda S. Bean

Get lost in the lives of this family....

Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2012

Verified Purchase

This book is a bit hard to classify into a genre. There are elements here of thriller, the otherworldly as well as serving as a surprisingly intimate portrait of a young, Mormon family. The Fletchers move from Indiana to a rural, North Carolina town in 1983 and what ensues is a realistic view into their lives in the ensuing year as they adjust to their new cultural climate. North Carolinians may not be too appreciative of this view into their small towns - here high school students drive the K-12 buses (surely that is illegal!), teachers bully children more than anyone else, and scheduled parent-teacher conferences are not mandatory.

The book has received complaints concerning its pacing - and yes, it takes a surprising amount of pages to for events to happen that actually feel like part of the plot, but at the same time, this slow beginning really develops not only these sympathetic characters, but also progresses this unsettling atmosphere lurking beneath the surface, quotidian events. And there are definitely sections that feel like a bit of an overload of detail - particularly in the descriptions of Step's career as a 1980s computer programmer and the role of their faith in their lives. But this detail - even when a bit dull at times - adds to the completeness of Card's creation. This family feels so tangible that even the most mundane activities described become surprisingly absorbing. The family and each character is so relatable and so recognizable that the story quickly becomes hard to pull away from! Card is certainly a talented writer! I literally stayed up into the very early hours of the next day to finish this one last night - as the book spiraled to a conclusion, it became unthinkable to go to sleep without first finishing it!

There is a surprisingly amount of predictability to the plot - but it somehow works. Card takes a quality that ruins most books and uses instead the predictability to build up dread within the reader. Those unthinkable suspicions and mounting dread only heighten the emotional attachment to the characters when more and more fears are realized. By the final pages, the book feels heavier - like life there is plenty of heartbreak and tragedy, but also a surprising amount of beauty, hope and even a touch of the miraculous. This is a surprisingly powerful story - and one that is so moving that not even the most stoic of readers will be left without tearing up at some point. This is my first OSC novel, and I am definitely curious to read more by this talented author!

12 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

elly105

Excellent and well executed

Reviewed in Canada on September 11, 2017

Verified Purchase

Once I processed the surprise ending I had to review the whole book in my mind and see how I was missing the clues along the way. Excellent and well executed!

伊藤よしひろ

家庭小説？　ホラー？　宗教論？？

Reviewed in Japan on April 19, 2019

Verified Purchase

Kindle版　紙の本の長さ： 548 ページ
ページ番号ソース ISBN： 0061091316
出版社: Orbit (2012/12/20)
ASIN: B00A3BO796　のレビュー

　これは、ずっと前に翻訳で読んだ。『本の雑誌』という書評と本に関する話題をメインにした雑誌で高い評価を得ていた。あの雑誌の読者なら知っているでしょうが、あの年間ベストとか、何十周年記念オールタイム・ベストというのは、編集者と営業部の数名の人たちが、わいわい楽しんで決めたもので、客観的な投票とか、委員会で決めるものではない。「おーい、もう飲みに行くぞ、あとはジャンケンで決めてしまえ！」てな調子で決めたもの。だからこそ、読者の共感を得て、興味をそそるベストができたのだ。

　そのベスト・ワンであった。どんな小説かは絶対言えない。しかし、物語の8割から9割は、家族をかかえ、次から次へと降りかかるトラブルに立ち向かう父親を描いたものである。
　あぶく銭がはいった頃に立てた家は、抵当にはいっている。しかたなく就職した会社は、海千山千の経営者におかしな同僚。こどもが三人いて、妻は四人目を妊娠中。それでも、男として弱音を吐くわけにはいかない。かと言って、マッチョな親父路線も通用しない。妻と協力し、家事をこなし、子どもを守り、生きていかなきゃならない。

　さらに注目すべきは、この家族がモルモン教のまじめな信者であること。きちんと教会の仕事をやり、毎日曜日に教会に行っている。コンピューター・プログラミングの仕事、長男の学校でのトラブル、金銭問題、そんな現代的な生活の中で、信仰を維持している。敬虔な信者と言っても、時代錯誤な教義を従うだけでは立ちいかない。教会内での人間関係もむずかしい。やっぱり変な人間はどこにでもいる。ちなみに、ハヤカワ文庫の解説は、女優でモルモン教徒の斉藤由貴さんでした。

　物語が進む中、現代社会の中でキリスト教の信仰を貫くうえでの、さまざまな問題が読者に示される。もちろん普通の読者には、「やっぱり、このモルモン教の人たちって、へんな人たちじゃないのか？」という、疑惑も湧いてくる。ほんとうに神様がいるって、マジで信じてるの？　
　最後はどうなるのか、そもそも、この小説の一番のテーマはなにか？　それは最後まで読めばわかる。

　英語でていねいに読んでいくと、いろいろな伏線が張られていることに気がついた。それに、さまざまなホラー小説や映画の要素も出てくる。旧約聖書のエピソードに似た要素もある。そのうちのどれが結末に関係あるのか、それとも読者へのめくらませか？　最後の一割ぐらいで急展開になるので、それまでじっくり読んでください。
　でも、ページ数の大半を占める、父親の悩み、家族の関係に興味がないと、ちょっと読むのがツライかもしれない。常に自己主張し、論理的に語らねばならないアメリカの社会って大変ですね。家族にも気を使い、常にジョークを言っていないといけないし。
　読み終えたあと、ガーンと来る、ほんとうによい作品です。

Translate review to English

A Customer

Gripping!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2014

Verified Purchase

Throughout the book, it's apparent that something sinister is going on, but you just can't put your finger on what it is. That is what makes this book difficult to put down, especially towards the end when you find out what's been happening all through the story. There are a fair few red herrings, each of whom could feasibly want to hurt the main characters.

There are some slightly humorous parts in the story, and the ending is very, very sad - and quite a shocker!

It helps if you've had some experience of the Mormon church, as a lot of Mormon terms are used which won't mean a huge amount to non-Mormons. I would recommend looking up any terms you don't understand, as it will help you follow the story a bit better. Not essential, though.

One person found this helpful

Shed

Well crafted

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2013

Verified Purchase

Having read this as a short story many years ago the ending was not a compete surprise, however, there were enough new details to make this book an engrossing read despite the familiarity. As usual from this author the story felt crafted and well put together and although atheist myself (hemi Demi semi pagan if pushed or answering a census) the religious aspects were interesting without my feeling that they were crowbarred down my throat.

necocione

家族とは、良いということだ。

Reviewed in Japan on March 7, 2004

Verified Purchase

住み慣れた街からまったく見知らぬ土地に引っ越した一家の物語。
無理やり一言で片付けるならサスペンスといえなくも無いが、そうした要素は所々で物語の前景に出てだけで、あくまで物語の縦糸の一本にすぎない。
むしろ「妻・夫・子を愛すること」、「家族であること」とはどういうことなのかが物語の焦点になっている。
教会・会社での義務を果たすべきか、家族との時間を優先するか。
残酷な現実から子供たちを守るためにウソを教えるべきか否か。
常に正しくあることの大切さとそれを貫くことの痛み、あるいはそれに伴う犠牲。
こうした相反する二つの感情の合間での心の葛藤を夫婦の間・子供とのやり取り、自分自身との対話といった形で、あらゆる場面でとても丁寧に描き、
まるで読み手自身の気持ちでもあるかのように感じさせる。
けれども微細な心理描写で物語の進行を妨げることはない。
妻や夫、子供たちへの愛情に挑戦するかのように次々と降ってわいてくる問題に直面して、主人公たちがどう立ち振舞うのか。
うまく問題を乗り切れそうと思わせておきながら、実は、という読んでいて飽きさせない話運びは巧い。
惜しむらくは、５００ページに渡る長編とはいえStep以外の人物の心理描写に同等の労力は払われていない点と、
最後のあたりの展開がそれまでのペースに比較して急ぎすぎている点だ。
とりわけDeAnneについては母親の視点からもう少し細かい書き方をして欲しかったなというところで、
ややとって付けた的な印象も否めない。
しかしそれは差し引いても、形を変え場面を変え繰り返し反復される「家族って、愛って何だろう？」という問いかけとそれぞれの人物の思いに、
時折心の敏感な部分をエイとばかりに突つかれる。
読み終えた後には、心地よさと寂しさとが合わさった気分にさせられる。

4 people found this helpful

Translate review to English

See more reviews

Follow the author

Image Unavailable

Lost Boys Mass Market Paperback – January 25, 2005

Customers who bought this item also bought

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

Orson Scott Card

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries