Orson Scott Card has new stuff coming out? Ooh, I hope it's a coming-of-age novel about a teenage boy struggling to master his amazing abilities in a complicated and menacing world.
Actually, it's even better: It's two coming-of-age novels about teenage boys struggling to master their amazing abilities in a complicated and menacing world.
But "Pathfinder" (out last fall) and "The Lost Gate" (on sale today) are two very different books.
I probably include fewer details than the respective book jackets so they're safe to read. Short version: Card is doing the sort of books he does better than anyone else. He's just doing two of them at the same time.
Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
Sounds great! I'm looking forward to reading both those.
Posted by Unmaker (Member # 1641) on :
I'm sold. Great review(s), Chris. I was wondering whether to dive into the series, but you made my mind up for me. Thanks!
Posted by CountMiller (Member # 12436) on :
Just finished Lost Gate audio book today. Couldn't stop listening. And I'd also read Pathfinder within days of its release. Both are amazingly entertaining novels by my all time favorite author OSC. If you haven't picked them up yet, get off your computer and go get them. At Chris, I like the review. Some of the things you mentioned stood out to me as well. The over repetition of time travels conundrums in Pathfinder, (anyone who grew up on StarTrek doesn't need these paradoxes spelled out half a dozen times) and also the unexpected language and sexuality found in Lost Gate. But the books are still great. And if you've never listened to an OSC audiobook before I would recommend trying it out. My favorite part of the book many times is the Afterword actually read by OSC himself describing his process of writing and how the story came about. I know these are many times included in the printed versions but its interesting to here the author tell it in his own voice.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I very much enjoyed Pathfinder, and agree that it's good in a lot of the same ways that the best OSC books are.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
I'm excited to churn through both books. I got an Amazon gift card for exactly the cost of both books. It was beautiful.
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
I think I may have satisfied my taste for that sort of writing. I got Pathfinder based in large part on that recommendation, but, while it doesn't have a lot of the problems plaguing other later OSC books, it was just sort of flat to me. I've read the other OSC books that are very similar to this and the "new" aspects in this book were a little too simple and clumsy for me to enjoy.
It was fine, but not much more than that for me.
Posted by Mindbowels (Member # 7407) on :
quote:Originally posted by MrSquicky: I think I may have satisfied my taste for that sort of writing. I got Pathfinder based in large part on that recommendation, but, while it doesn't have a lot of the problems plaguing other later OSC books, it was just sort of flat to me. I've read the other OSC books that are very similar to this and the "new" aspects in this book were a little too simple and clumsy for me to enjoy.
It was fine, but not much more than that for me.
The first books in his series are almost never the best. I agree, this wasn't his best stuff, but I'm hoping that book 2 of the series will be another "Red Prophet". Or at least an entertaining read.
You must agree, the magical world in Pathfinder has lots of intriguing possibilities. We'll just have to see what he does with them.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I read the WSJ article, and while Pathfinder didn't totally grab me, the Lost Gate sounded interesting. I'll snag it when it comes out on paperback.