Product Description
High above the planet Harmony, the Oversoul watches. Its task, programmed so many millennia ago, is to guard the human settlement on this planet--to protect this fragile remnant of Earth from all threats. To protect them, most of all, from themselves.

The Oversoul has done its job well. There is no war on Harmony. There are no weapons of mass destruction. There is no technology that could lead to weapons of war. By control of the data banks, and subtle interference in the very thoughts of the people, the artificial intelligence has fulfilled its mission.

But now there is a problem. In orbit, the Oversoul realizes that it has lost access to some of its memory banks, and some of its power systems are failing. And on the planet, men are beginning to think about power, wealth, and conquest.
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Customer Reviews (103)

!
This is a wonderfully written book that is all about character interaction and emotion. Many of the reviews here seem biased and unfair. This is one of my favorite series of all time. I am not Mormon but am familiar with it's texts as well. I find the arguments that it is "too much so" or "unfaithful" ridiculous it is what it is: an imaginative and well written piece of fiction...Anyone with an open mind to beautifully constructed story lines with deep emotions will enjoy this. Anyone with narrow minded expectations and pre-concieved notions should read something else...

meh
Meh, its okay.I would probably listen to the rest of the series just because it is pretty mindless, and it doesn't suck, but it is a pretty transparently shallow attempt to rewrite the Biblical story... and somewhat insulting at that to a devout Christian.Fortunately, I am secure enough in my faith to just be slightly disappointed that the attempt was

Direct plagiarism from another piece of substandard fiction
In the event you did not guess it already, Mr. Card's writing outside of the Ender Universe is little more than mildly inventive plagiarism. Because of its progressive earth-friendly point of view (not to mention the interesting foray into historical fiction), I found the 'Heartfire' series about the fictitious life of Joseph Smith, er, Alvin Maker, rather enjoyable. The opening edition of 'Homecoming' is that dread piece of nonsense I thought I'd only find in Card's 'Women of the Bible', a series title which overtly warns a reader like me away. Sadly there was no overt warning for 'The Memory of Earth', and from the first printed instance of the protagonist Nephi, er, Nafai, I read on only in sick fascination to see how directly Card had decided to plagiarize the opening tale of his faith's addition to the Christian canon, the Book of Mormon.

As it turns out the level of plagiarism is dumbfounding. From the moment that Lehi, er, Volemak tells of his first vision from the holy spirit, er, Oversoul, there is but one substantial exception to this novel being a point-by-point navigation through the paragon tale of tested faith that is the first 'Book of Mormon story': the gentrification of men in home city Jerusalem, er, Basilica. Not that Card focuses on the history or mystical source which he imagined led to this state of affairs - all he wants to do is prophesy.

Quick rundown in case you want to do a check: Volemak = Lehi, Elemak = Laman, Mebbekew = Lemuel, Issib = Sam and Nafai = Nephi, Gaballufix = Laban. In so many places the dialogue is lifted directly from the referred verse in the Book of Mormon. The funny thing is...the first book of Nephi is a better overall read than is 'The Memory of Earth'...because it's shorter. I am no fan of the LDS faith, am in fact an atheist who will invite a missionary in for a beer and a theological confrontation, and even I insist that Card does his founding text no justice. If you still doubt I direct you to the original text's justification for the capital punishment of Laban, er, Gaballufix: it's 1 Nephi 4:10-19. Apart from some needless verbosity on Card's part the recount is nearly verbatim.

In the unlikely event that, like me, you're just now reading this first tome and wondering if you should move on let me give you the cliff's notes on what will happen next:

Lehi, er, Volemak will have his sons select brides from Jerusalem, er, Basilica and they will all set sail, er, intergalactic flight for the American continent, er, Earth. Upon arrival the family will be the foundation for several great kingdoms, er, post-apocalyptic human societies. The two most prevalent of these will be the descendants of Laman, er, Elemak and Nephi, er, Nafai. The holy spirit, er, Oversoul will favor the Nephites, er, Nafaits because of the exceptional faith, er, exceptional ability to follow non-organic telepathy of their people's founder. Over time, however, the righteousness, er, telepathic susceptibility of the Nephites, er, Nafaits will erode and God, er, the Oversoul will punish the descendants of Nephi, er, Nafai by sending them a series of prophets, er, messengers of the Oversoul whom they will ignore and defame. Their rejection of these chosen men will lead to their destruction by the Lamanites, er, Elemakites, who will inherit the American continent, er, Earth instead.

b-o-r-i-n-g

A tough sell after reading Ender's Game.
This was a decent book. It really was. It's just that it can be tedious and slow-moving at times. I read this book right after reading Ender's Game. Big mistake, mainly because EG was so completely phenomenal.

Overall, Memory of Earth wasn't too bad. The plot was interesting enough (even if it is a knock-off of the Book of Mormon), and the characters were well-developed. Card does a good job laying out the setting and context for the story, but it seemed to me that...well....that was pretty much the whole book. Setting and Context. After finishing it, I outlined in my head all of the actual events and happenings of the book and didn't come up with much more than the political setting of the city of Basillica.

Terrable names!!!
I couldn't finish this book. The names required a pronounciation guide in the back and none of the names were pronounced even close to the way they were spelled. ... Read more

Product Description
It was a miracle of science that permitted human beings to live, if not forever, then for a long, long time. Some people, anyway. The rich, the powerful--they lived their lives at the rate of one year every ten. Somec created two societies: that of people who lived out their normal span and died, and those who slept away the decades, skipping over the intervening years and events. It allowed great plans to be put in motion. It allowed interstellar Empires to be built.

It came near to destroying humanity.

After a long, long time of decadence and stagnation, a few seed ships were sent out to save our species. They carried human embryos and supplies, and teaching robots, and one man. The Worthing Saga is the story of one of these men, Jason WOrthing, and the world he found for the seed he carried.

Orson Scott Card is "a master of the art of storytelling" (Booklist), and The Worthing Saga is a story that only he could have written.
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Customer Reviews (65)

A Lifetime of Writing That Comes Together
I listened to this book on seventeen (!) CDs. I was enthralled for all of it.

The beginning of this saga is intriguing - a medieval society that is visited by starships and people walking on water. This isn't unfamiliar to Card's readers (I have read the Homecoming Series), but I still was interested in how this came about.

I was amazed at how plausible the explanations were as they became available through the stories. When I read that Card started his career with some of these stories that made it even more amazing.

Unlike some reviewers I appreciated the Tales of Capital and The Forest of Waters. They filled in a lot of the gaps from the main story.

This book is fantasy deftly married to science fiction with eastern religious philosophy tossed in. Great reading for SF and non-SF fans alike.

Great Stories...
This is a great collection of multiple stories that, if I had my way, would be expanded further in future books.If you like Sci-Fi and/or Orson Scott Card, this is a great addition to your library.Check out The Worthing Saga for other reviews.

A Sci-fi reader's must
Card goes back to some of his first science fiction writing and melds the early tales into a compelling saga. Jason Worthing, blue-eyed mind reader, is sent from Capitol on a colony ship. His ship is attacked and his colonists memories are erased. He has to raise them as children in adult bodies. He creates a 'utopian' society. This book collects stories of Jason's childhood and Jason's children both before they leave Capitol and after, as well as a time far, far into the future when Jason returns to have his tale written.
I had read a lot of the stories that are collected into this book. The narrative that introduces the stories is seamless, and serves to introduce them as a whole tale, instead of fragments. It was like I was reading them for the first time, even though I already knew what happened. Actually, it was nice to have had that background, as it made the tales much more poignant.
Card's novels are less the science of science fiction and more how the people relate to the technology. He always tells a compelling tale. I recommend this to any sci-fi fan.

Awesome Work
I read this first years ago as a high school student.Since then I've read it twice again and have enjoyed it on every read.It is very rare that I read a book twice, really once in a blue moon really but in this case, it was worth it.If you are a fan of Orson Scott Card and have read many of his works like I have you really ought to read this as the motifs of many of his works originate here.The best part of this work is the epic feel of the whole thing that lingers in the mind and can be thought about over again fruitfully.

This is a imaginative work that expands one's consciousness about human nature, theology, human freedom, etc.It's just an all-around awesome example of the heights that science fiction can achieve.

Should be Retitled Card's Incomplete Saga
The Worthing Saga is a collection of three stories. The first story 'The Worthing Chronicle' covers about 275 pgs of the 460 page book.

The Worthing Chronicle tells the story of the man Jason Worthing who leads a group of colonists to a distant world that has not been touched by humans. Along the way there is an accident and everyone board except the pilot loses their memories. Jason must now literally raise the colonists as if they were babies. As the leader, Jason assumes the role of deity figure.

The other major theme in the story revolves around Jason's special abilities that allow him to read other people's thoughts. Jason develops a 'Farm' where his descendants stay clustered together. As a result of unintentional inbreeding, Jason's descendants develop new abilities.

The second book is a selection of chapters taken from Card's novel Capital. These chapters are not directly linked to the Worthing Chronicle.

The third section of the book are additional chapters about the Worthing Chronicle, which contradict some of the chapters that appear in the Worthing Chronicle.

Overall, in his book Card makes it clear that the individuals and the stories are less important than the moral message Card is trying to convey. And this is where I had issues. Rather than tell a story Card focused on delivering a sermon. Many of the stories have depressing endings. Many chapters are unrelated to each other. The transitions in the book are disgusting. Time and again the reader is left hanging as to what will happen.

Card is a very good writer. I've always felt that his greatest weakness is that he's a horrible story teller. I don't have a problem with writers discussing their religious beliefs or their ideologies in their writing. I have a problem when the writers fail to strike the balance between relating their philosophical beliefs and the telling of the story. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (59)

Disappointed
I Loved Enders Game and Enders Shadow.

But these was utterly pathetic. Extremely boring as well as not intellectually stimulating like Orsons Scott Card's other books.

Also I was disappointed in his research about religion. The characters truly did not imitate the people of faith He wrote about.

The book was mainly about religion, which I like, but did not go well in the Ender Universe. This was quite sad and a total failure.

Very disappointed in You Orson Scott Card, you can do better than this. Seems like a quick money making scheme to use the Ender Universe brand to cover-up bad content.

I'm not so sure
This book was a bit expensive because of pages. It has only 200 pages. And the story is not so good like other. If you are a collectionist, its ok.

A Short Story for a Book Price
I should have read the reviews before I purchased the book - never have on an author I like before.

I loved the story - as I have all of Orson Scott Card's works.But was very, very disappointed in how quickly it was over. I like to spend hours in a book.This one took about an hour and it was done.Not even as long as a T.V. movie.

Ender's Game - 507 KB - $5.99
War of Gifts - 199 KB - $6.99(39% the size 117% the cost)

Up until now I've never looked at the file size of a book I was purchasing.Now, it's buyer be aware

The Pacifist Christian
A War of Gifts (2007) is an SF novelette.It is set within the Ender universe and takes place mostly at Battle School.

In this story, Zeck Morgan is the son of a Puritan minister.He has learned to be the perfect son, but his father still purifies him with a whip.Zeck has an eidetic memory and hasn't forgotten a word since he learned what words are.

The International Fleet come for Zeck, but he doesn't want to go.But they don't give him any choice.In Battle School, Zeck refuses to use his simulated weapon against any other student.He has the lowest marks of anyone in the school.

Then Zeck notices a Dutch boy put his shoes by his bed and another boy leave a slip of paper in one shoe.He learns about Sinterklaus Eve in the library and reports the religious incident to the authorities.His actions make him the most hated boy in the School.

This tale is a story about love.Zeck has reasons for what he does, but they are not obvious.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Card fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of Battle School, child psychology, and brotherly love.For anyone who is not familiar with the Ender series, the initial volume is Ender's Game.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Happy Reader
Pretty easy reading...but extremely thought provoking.Challenge your view of the world and how you think it runs or should be run. ... Read more

Product Description
Finally, Orson Scott Card's Hugo award-winning classic on the art and craft of writing science fiction and fantasy is available in paperback! Card provides invaluable advice for every science fiction and fantasy writer interested in constructing stories about people, worlds and events that stretch the boundaries of the possible...and the magical. They'll learn:* what is and isn't science fiction and fantasy, and where their story fits in the mix* how to build, populate, and dramatize a credible, inviting world readers will want to explore* how to use the MICE quotient--milieu, idea, character and event--to structure a successful story* where the markets are, how to reach them and get published There's no better source of information for writers working in these genres. This book will help them effectively produce exciting stories that are both fascinating and market-ready. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (64)

Great resource for aspiring writers
"How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy" by Orson Scott Card is an instruction book on the best ways to write science fiction and fantasy. In this book Card explains the difference between science fiction and fantasy, why the difference is, and the various sub-genres of science fiction and fantasy. He also goes into the details of world creation and why it is necessary for a believable story. Card covers how to develop and structure a good story and how ideas evolve as the story goes on. Finally, he covers resources available to aspiring writers.

Science fiction and fantasy are two related, but different genres. The core differences are as Card stated, "A rustic setting suggests fantasy; to suggest science fiction, you need sheet metal and plastic." Card explains that science fiction is generally defined as "If the universe it is set in follows the same rules as ours." Fantasy, on the other hand, is defined as "A universe that doesn't follow our rules." According to Card, it is important to understand the difference between the two. For example, when submitting stories to markets, if one submits a fantasy story to a science fiction market, it will be rejected, but the editor may not tell you the reason. This is also true of markets that deal in specific sub-genres of fantasy and science fiction.

Card argues that effective world creation is necessary for a believable story. An explainable world helps set up the tone of a story. It gives the reader context about how the setting may affect the choices of the characters. If you have a world with definable rules, your reader will be more willing to allow the science they know to be bent and changed.

In covering how to develop and structure a good story, Card stated, "The first thing you should learn...is that no two stories are developed in exactly the same way. ...Good stories don't come from trying to write a story the moment I think of the first idea." Ideas evolve while the story develops. Stories are like people. As people go throughout life, they grow and change. It is the same with stories. Stories grow as new ideas and concepts work their way into them.
The last section of this great resource is information on some good places to get help with writing stories and where to send stories that are ready to be published. It also goes into what the life of a full-time author can be like. Card gives clear, concise ideas and advice about writing science fiction and fantasy with examples from both his work and the work of other, well-known authors. Over all, this book is a guide and resource to help the beginning authors improve their writing.

I am an aspiring writer and I am currently working on a story. This book has helped me to strengthen my abilities to visualize a story and write it. One aspect of this book that I found particularly helpful was the World Creation section. In past stories, I had not focused as much on the world as I had on the characters in the world. This section of How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy helped me to understand the importance of the world and the science or magic that makes that world work. In my project, I have found that by focusing on this one aspect, my story has become richer and more interesting.

One suggestion I would make is that when you do read this book; give yourself time to read an entire section. If you leave off in the middle of a section, it may take a little back reading to remember exactly what point Card is making. His instructions in this book are both challenging and encouraging. I would highly suggest this great book to any aspiring author.

How to write very generic SFF
I did not find this book particularly helpful for me.I think if might be helpful if you want to write very generic SF hero-narratives written in first person or third limited.It is mostly SF, very little emphasis on Fantasy, and his discussion of speculative fiction feels shallow and perscriptive, for creating a product, rather than really getting in depth into the meaning of what is being written. His section on characters and POV are written in such a way to assume that Omniscent doesn't even EXIST. He does have a negative view of literary fiction, which I don't think is a healthy attitude for any writer to have.I feel like it teaches you how to write like Orson Scott Card, rather than helps you find your own voice.

Books that have been more helpful to me are Gene Wolfe's Shadows of the New Sun and Ursula LeGuin's Language of the Night, which are much more in depth and more liberating for the SFF author.For craft tools, Steering the Craft and Gotham Writers Workshop are excellent.

So far, very helpful.
As an inexperienced writer, I found that the advice in this book is, for the most part, very helpful. There are some small bits of advise that I don't agree with, but the rest I found very informative. How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy

Does exactly what it's supposed to;ignore the man behind the book.
Let's get this out of the way:Orson Scott Card is a raging homophobe, and that fact disappoints me bitterly.Enough about that;it has nothing to do with this book.The man can still write, and can write ABOUT writing.

This is - along with On Writing - one of the "must reads" for anyone wanting to write speculative fiction, and rightly so.Throughout, OSC succinctly and clearly illustrates the elements particular to genre writing, the basic thematic elements needed, and more.It is a book clearly for writers - particularly new and fledgling writers - and is designed to help them hone their craft.Heck, it helped me get unstuck with three stories at once.

But that's not the main purpose.Not for this book, not for any "how to write" book, seminar, or workshop.Their value is that they inspire you to write again, to write more.When you're depressed and feeling like you can't put another word down, these books remind you that you CAN write after all.And this book does that job very well indeed.

Writing Career
There are people whose absolute goal in life is to produce a great story that is unlike anything ever seen before. They devote their lives to the pursuit of writing knowledge and memorize anything that could help them improve the quality of their work. For those of you who have recently set this goal, Orson Scott Card answers some of the questions that you will have. I can only say that this book was, at least for me, completely worth the 137 pages and I urge aspiring writers to read this along with his other useful book, Character and Viewpoint.

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Customer Reviews (106)

Shadow of the Giant:Huge!
Title: Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card

Pages: 367.

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 0 Days.

Days spent reading it: 3 days.

Why I read it: Shadow of the Giant is the fourth book in the Ender's Shadow series by Orson Scott Card, I figured I would finish up this series before I left to go to Thailand. I'm glad I did.

Brief review: Shadow of the Giant is the final (as of right now, and probably ever) installment of the Ender's Shadow series. I have enjoyed this particular series quite a bit. It recounts the events on Earth after the events in Ender's Game. We follow Bean and Petra, but the real star of this show (and perhaps the real "Shadow" of Ender) is Peter Wiggin. We follow as Peter continues in his quest to become the Hegemon (the world leader) and to have actual authority over the whole world. The political and military maneuvers and manipulation that make this a reality for Peter are fun to watch unfold.

This series has been easy to read, but still full of great ideas by Card. Shadow of the Giant makes us think about contemporary events, even though it discusses them in playful science fiction. Card brings up issues about Muslim, Chinese, and United States politics from current headlines and stretches them to their logical conclusion. What if the Muslim world united under one head? Or if the massive Chinese population began an offensive against an almost equally massive Indian nation? In this book Card examines these possible political situations, but he does so within a very entertaining novel.

Shadow of the Giant is clever and thought provoking. If you have not read any of the rest of the series, this would not be a good place to start. But I would highly recommend picking up Ender's Game and then Ender's Shadow, because these books (and especially Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow) have been worth it.

Favorite quote: "Life is full of grief, to exactly the degree we allow ourselves to love other people."

Stars: 4 out of 5.

Final Word: Huge.

More of the same predictable "Ender" stuff
Not that this has anything, whatsoever, to do with Ender Wiggin of the Ender's Game novel.. Oh sure, there are some character names borrowed from the original story for marketing purposes, but from an objective point of view, there's not much of the old Ender story (or of Ender's Shadow) here, it's just more implausible future Earth political intrigue with implausible "Ender" characters doing implausible things. I won't go into the plot, since there are plenty of hardcore fans doing that; instead, I just want to share my opinion. As a huge fan of Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, a lesser fan of the Speaker for the Dead follow-up series (which also had absolutely nothing to do with Ender's Game--just more marketing of the name), I was disappointed with all of the follow-up novels, and this one is no better.

It is a good story, given the popularity of the characters from prior novels in the series, but it absolutely does not stand on it's own as a good story. It's almost 100% derivative, almost 100% implausible as a story, and somewhat irritating in it's portrayal of the Battle School characters. I felt for many scores of pages, "Oh good grief, would you get on with this plodding thing already!" Most of the characters are utterly forgettable 10 minutes after finishing the book, except for Peter Wiggin, Graf, Bean, and Petra, who had satisfying sort-of-conclusions in this story.

If you are a fan of Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, and want to eke every ounce of oil out of this bag of peanuts, then go ahead, but if you're expecting something along the lines of Battle School or something (ANYTHING!) to do with Ender, then skip it. Then again, one might say the same for the last 5 books in these spin-offs.

urhero
It ties up many loose ends, but it leaves thinking also. I believe I am better for reading it.

Better than Ender itself
Once again, Orson Scott Card created an epic, which is worth every penny and every second spent reading it. Got me hooked till the last page, much like every other book in this series. Not like the original Ender series, however, where only the first book was worth it, and then it got progressively worse. I know that the writer tried something different, more deep and philosophic in those books. In my opinion of a highly experienced Sci-Fi reader, it didn't work. I'm glad that the Shadow series did not repeat the same mistake.

Great service/quality
As always, Amazon delivers. The books were in excellent condition and received in a timely manner. ... Read more

Product Description
This contemporary urban fantasy introduces the North family, a clan of mages in exile in our world, and their enemies who will do anything to keep them locked here.

Growing up in a family compound in Virginia, Dan North knew from early childhood that his family was different and that the differences were secrets that could never be told. He believed that he alone of his family had no magical power. But he was wrong. Kidnapped from his high school by a rival family, he learns that he has the power to reopen the gates between Earth and the world of Westil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Ramblings
This is mostly a comment about one of the previous posters. He/she said that this book diverts from Card's "normal optimism," which leaves me thinking, "Which Card has this person been reading?"I have been a long time fan of Card's work and own a huge library of Card books.I would describe very few of them as containing any sort of optimism whatsoever.For the most part, Card's writings reflect and mirror the dark, sinful, and broken world around us in very poignant and touching ways.This particular book is no exception and in order to read it, you must understand that Card doesn't write poetry in general for its entertainment value.His poetry, like his prose and his fiction reflect the world as Card sees it.If you want a slice out of Card's brain, read this book.

Card delivers what he promises
The only other review for this product effectively captures what I had to say about it.I post this only to encourage potential readers to first visit the online poetry magazine that Card publishes, called Strong Verse (reachable at strong verse dot org).Their motto is "Good poetry is meant to be understood, not decoded."If this sounds like a mindset you agree with, you will probably enjoy this collection.

It's a sin to review a book of poetry after one reading.
This slim collection has sixty-nine of Card's poems.If there is any problem, it is that there is no real cohesion: he admits in the afterward that they are a sampling of things he has been off-and-on tinkering with for many years now.Consequently, they do not have a specific message or theme.In fact, Card's approach in the selection is a bit nihilistic, or at least impulsive:

"So this open book is a collection of the poems I happened to choose for publication at this time, in the form I happen to prefer at the moment." (p. 93)

This impulsivity, in a way, weakens the selection.With the loss of two of his children (1997 and 2000), many of the poems reflect this devastating loss. For a slice in time, it is essential that the emotion be captured, but for a long-term book, such as this one, it gives Card a darker tint that does not reflect his normal optimism.

We get three death poems in a row: "He Died of Cystic Fibrosis at 24," "Prayer in the ICU," and "Grandma in the Corner, Dying."That is a bit too much, and was more like a speed-bump in the text.A better solution?Probably subdivide "Section One: Hunger, Love, and Death" into three separate subsections.This brackets the death poems, and would dull the impression that Card is a crypto-Goth.

These poems are not all gloomy, however. "Needle," for example, makes an analogy between a stiff body and a compass needle.That is, death is a direction, a part of living a life that is "true north."

The attention-grabbing poem was "In Touch":

"They say the extended family is dead
Everybody's gone nuclear
With fission and fusion at random intervals
We desperately staple on names with a hyphen."

Perfect.We get social critic, observational comic and terse wordplay all in space of four lines.The idea of family break up is crystallized in a novel way, with the memorable puns of "nuclear family" undergoing fission and fusion.

Another phrase that keeps mentally surging is "my white secret shadow" from "Holy Moments."Don't you feel like you have this white shadow, the better angel of our nature that keeps coming to us?Card is not morbid, and despite having lost two children in the space of five years has not snuffed his soul.There is optimism.

Card also included two poems from the Science Fiction point of view.His poem "Tin Men" is a rebuttal to the space operas of Doc Smith, Roddenberry, and Lucas.

"And when we set our hands
To killing evil at its source,
We traced it through its tortuous course:
We found it shyly hiding in our glands"

By the way, "loop" in the first lines refers to the lifeloops in "The Worthing Saga"

The other poem is "The Man Who Came Back from the Lunar Colony." It describes a person leaving a colony, and having to adjust to earth life.But it is exactly the type of thing a person WOULD write if he was a poet and had come from a lunar colony.He thoroughly understands the Sci-Fi genre, and has uncovered a delightful corner in the milieu.

The oddest selection is "Fire At The End OF The World: Nonscriptural Verses."It is two chapters discussion the encounter of a BYU student (I assume Seventh and University to be in Provo, along with the university branch), meeting an apocalyptic religious crackpot and how it affects her life.I'm not sure what it is, or what it means, but merely by its format, it stands out.

My favorite poem is a toss-up between "Elves," the poem on aging that reminds me of Chesterton's essay on "The Ethics of Efland," or "Jacob Smith of Somerset," a delightful vision of Genealogy.This is free-verse poetry, as opposed to the didactic rhyme that we usually get in Home Teaching visits.

If you can make the move from rhyme to poetry, then you will enjoy this collection.

... Read more

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Customer Reviews (22)

I think box sets were created for OCD people...
...like me! I love getting a great price on fantastic books that fit nicely into one little box. This is seriously the best deal you are going to find on these books, which happen to be amazing. The way Cards characters think, the plot twists, and drawn out debates of morality on various issues are all absolute genius. Also if you read Ender's Game then it is a real treat to read this series and see where all his buds from battle school ended up the whole series is rather nostalgic. When you see characters like Petra, Peter, and Bean influence the course of world events it gives you a sense of closure for Enders past on earth.

Great Buy
I am currently in Afghanistan and came across Ender's Game, the first book in the series about Ender.After Reading it I purchased the entire series.Orson Scott Card is a great writer and captures your attention through out the entire series.I can see why he won awards for his first two books.It was a pleasure to read and I am pretty sure I finished this whole 4 book series in about 2 weeks since I only get to read in my off time.It was like I couldn't put it down when I was not at work.

Ender's Story is a Winner
Ender's story is a true to life moral issues that are put into fiction. A very emotional story, you smile, laugh and get teary eyed.

This series is better than the original Ender series
Whereas the Ender series starts falling apart in "Xenocide" and "Children of the Mind" is just annoying, the Bean series stays exciting and enjoyable.I had almost completely forgotten Bean until I picked up "Ender's Shadow", but now I think I love him more than I love Ender.He is well-rounded, heroic and tragic.This is a must read for anyone who enjoyed "Ender's Game".

Ender's Shadow Series box set
It was a bit hard to get past the concept of child at such an early age just surviving on his own wits. But the background insight into Bean's and the Battle School kids lives provides excelant story 'fill-in' for the original 'Ender's Game' novel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Early Card: Interesting Read
A little rough around the edges but worth the read, if you can find a copy.Laid the foundation for some of Card's later work. ... Read more

Product Description
The war for survival of the planet Lusitania will be fought in the hearts of a child named Gloriously Bright.

On Lusitania, Ender found a world where humans and pequininos and the Hive Queen could all live together; where three very different intelligent species could find common ground at last. Or so he thought.

Lusitania also harbors the descolada, a virus that kills all humans it infects, but which the pequininos require in order to become adults. The Startways Congress so fears the effects of the descolada, should it escape from Lusitania, that they have ordered eh destruction of the entire planet, and all who live there. The Fleet is on its way, a second xenocide seems inevitble.
Amazon.com Review
Orson Scott Card's Xenocide is a space opera with verve.In thiscontinuation of Ender Wiggin's story, the Starways Congress has sent a fleetto immolate the rebellious planet of Lusitania, home to the alien race ofpequeninos, and home to Ender Wiggin and his family.Concealed onLusitania is the only remaining Hive Queen, who holds a secret that maysave or destroy humanity throughout the galaxy.Familiar characters fromthe previous novels continue to grapple with religious conflicts and familysquabbles while inventing faster-than-light travel and miraculous virustreatments. Throw into the mix an entire planet of mad geniuses and aself-aware computer who wants to be a martyr, and it's hard to guess whowill topple the first domino. Due to the densely woven andmelodramatic nature of the story, newcomers to Ender's tale will want to startreading this series with the first books, Ender's Game and Speaker for theDead. --Brooks Peck ... Read more

Customer Reviews (236)

Flawed, but still interesting
I read the first two books in this series and was blown away. Then I read this one and it was OK, but certainly not in the calibur of "Ender's Game" or "Speaker for the Dead". I enjoy the ethics in Mr. Card's books, so on that level I was satified. But, the amount of characters arguing with each other got to be a little much, even for me. I think that the points being made were intelligent and that really is what saved the book.

Without spoiling to much, a good part of this story had to do with religious philosophy, but it felt like a segway that didn't need to be told in conjunction with the main story. I found that story to be interesting and it should have been its own book. That would have solved the problem of it being too long. Some stories need to be told over an epic volume and this was not one of them.

Last but not least in the complaint department is the ending. I just didn't buy it and was even a little angered by the (Spoiler Alert!) bringing back of Peter and young Val. There was no good science to explain that and didn't even make good fantasy. I know that keeps the saga going, but it wasn't a direction I could wrap my head around. Instead I wish that they would have found a way (outside the universe) to stop the fleet and the survival of the planet would have made a much more satifying resolution for me. I didn't have a problem with the way he resolved Ender's marriage.

I like this author's work and enjoyed the ethical questions it raises. The story itself wasn't my favorite.

Some wear
This book had more wear than I thought it would but it was in ok condition

Great beginning, but theoretical last third almost ruined the book...
Having absolutely loved Ender's Game and Speaker For the Dead, both of which were completely unique in their own way, I couldn't wait to read the next installment in the series.While at times I was excited and couldn't wait to read it again, other times it just seemed to drag on as Card tries to take on moral and ethical issues and, most prominently, on creating a theoretical way in which the universe interacts with itself.The combination left me wanting more in the sense of returning to the Card I know and love.

In the beginning the story is just what I was looking for.It took off from where Speaker For the Dead ended.It integrated Ender, Miro, Valentine and some other key characters perfectly together, and at the same time introduced the world of Path and a couple of intriguing characters.Add all of this and you have a huge struggle for the survival of not only two alien life forms on Lusitania but the humans as well, not too mention the survival of Jane, the computer program/companion of Ender and Miro.The suspense is there as the story moved closer and closer to the impending doom of Lusitania as a fleet was nearing to destroy the planet.Additionally, as the world of Path is revealed as to their true nature I was thoroughly hooked into the story.

But then it turned all ethical and theoretical as you would have page after page of two or three characters theorizing how Jane came in to being, or on how you could cure/neuter the descolada virus.At this point the book took a downward spiral as the plot was given over to theoretical musings that were there to not really further the plot but to explain and build the universe/world that Card was creating.This could work, and in some cases it did work, but eventually I just wanted the book to end in order to move on.This, too, seemed to be how Card felt as all of a sudden two new characters are introduced that suddenly and improbably are there to solve all of their problems.

Although Xenocide was well written and I enjoyed reading it in many places, I ultimately became bored by the end by the theoretical musings of the characters.One redeeming value of how the book ended, though, was in the resolution of Path and the main characters therein.I would still recommend, if only to continue the story that you read from the first two fantastic books in the series.Relatively this is still a lot better than most science fiction out there, but compared to the first two in the series it doesn't hold as much water.

3.5 stars.

Very good story just way way way way way way too long
In the last half of the book there is someone crying on every other page.I heard that Xenocide and Children of the mind were supposed to be only one book.Hard to imagine that Card could not cut out at least two hundred pages from Xenocide.The same things (family problems) are repeated over and over.

That being said, it was very good.I specially like the stories on Path.

BORING!
I have no idea how this is scoring so high from so many reviewers.

Let me start by saying that I LOVED Ender's Game, Ender in Exile, and Ender's Shadow.I cannot stress enough how much I thoroughly enjoyed these books.

In stark contrast, I was bored to tears with Speaker for the Dead, and Xenocide.It was legitimately a struggle to get through them.

Speaker for the Dead pretty much focused on figuring out how an alien race nicknamed the "piggies" bred and multiplied.Xenocide had a chance to be interesting, as it kept mentioning how the planet Lusitania (where Ender is now living with wife and step-kids) is under threat of punishment for it's rebellion.The government back home (earth) is sending a fleet to bring Lusitania back into line.However, the fleet never actually arrives in this book at all.All that build up, and NO PAYOFF.Not in this book anyway.Instead, what this book focused on was a possibly intelligent virus that had a symbiotic relationship with the piggies which allowed them to breed the way they do.However, that same virus was lethal to humans, and keeps overcoming every effort of the humans to immunize themselves against it.So they come up with a replacement virus that's safe.That's about the whole story in a nutshell.Did Mr. Card need 600 freakin' pages to tell that story?No.But he did it anyway.It's my opinion that Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind (in which the fleet FINALLY arrive at Lusitania) should have all been condensed into one volume.Haven't read Children of the Mind yet, which is the conclusion of Ender's story, but I'm honestly not sure at this point if I'm going to bother.I hate to get this close to a conclusion and bail, but I have very little motivation to do otherwise.

Sadly, I'll probably end up skimming the book, or just try to find a decently written synopsis online.

Again, I just can't understand how these are getting such high reviews.They're definitely intelligently written, but then again so are math textbooks, which are barely less interesting of a read than these books. ... Read more

Product Description
Winer of the Hugo and Nebula Awards

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.
Amazon.com Review
Intense is the word for Ender's Game.Aliens have attackedEarth twice and almost destroyed the human species.To make surehumans win the next encounter, the world government has taken tobreeding military geniuses -- and then training them in the arts ofwar... The early training, not surprisingly, takes the form of'games'... Ender Wiggin is a genius among geniuses; he wins all thegames... He is smart enough to know that time is running out.But ishe smart enough to save the planet? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2739)

This book really spoke to me
I found this book to be spectacular, and will continue to read Mr. Card's work since he does what the best Sci-Fi authors do. He stretches the imagination and the value structure that most of us take for granted. It's one thing to craft a good story, but it's quite another to make the reader think and question themselves for feeling a certain way. I have seen that some people feel that this book is written too plain, but I didn't for a minute feel that way as I torpedoed myself toward the exciting climax (which I would never dare spoil for anyone). Any great work polarizes, and I think this qualifies.

Which Way is Up?
Science Fiction is a genre that many people either love, or hate, but Orson Scott Card provides a novel that anyone and everyone should find enjoyment in.In the future Ender Wiggin is not an ordinary boy.His life is being monitored by the government who is at war with a distant planet's race "the Buggers".Through a series of events Ender is recruited to go to battle school, a school up in space where gifted children learn how to lead the inter-galactic army.The story travels through life in the school, and eventually Ender's involvement of the war.The story line is crafted so that a middle school child, or middle aged space lover will appreciate the book.

Orson Scott Card constructs a book that is intriguing, but not difficult to read so readers of many different levels can find enjoyment in it.Every chapter begins with a different story line, that of the general in charge of watching over Ender and his friends at the school, and provides for a fresh break from the continual story of kids trying to assimilate into a new environment.

As always in Science Fiction, new ideas get brought to the table, and imaginations are stretched in every way possible, "Ender's Game" is no different.In the school to practice strategy, the kids are assigned teams and sent to a room where they mock battle the other teams.The trick to this room is that gravity is reversed and no one knows where the ground really is.Card's words help the reader to paint a picture in their mind, which is always different than the next readers.

"Ender's Game," will provide a fun, exhilarating, read for anyone who is looking for a quick enjoyable book.The story will make readers think that the impossible is just the opposite, and after reading this book, they will never know which way the ground really is.

amazing book
a true classic. this in not a ooh i am gonna blow the aliens up nasty liens kind of deal, this is a really fantastic story.

The best SF I ever read.
I've read hundreds of SF novels over the last half century and I consider this the best of the best.I am a fan of hard SF and have read almost all of the award winners.Even though I read it years ago, it still moves me whenever I think about it.

Ender's Game is amazing!
Ender's Game is about a young boy who is taken from his home on Earth into outer space to train to fight in a war against aliens called buggers. Orson Scott Card, the author, does a great job of showing how intense the main character, Ender's, feelings are. Ender seems to hate his life throughout the book. Orson Scott Card writes so well that the reader gets depressed when Ender's depressed feelings are described. He makes the reader feel what Ender feels.Even though Ender is always victorious at what he does, no matter battle or fight, he still ends up unhappy. Also throughout the book, Ender seems to be at the disadvantage all the time. This makes his life harder than it already is. Even though the challeges get harder, Ender still wins. Though the reader wants Ender to be happy, Ender stays miserable. Because of the depressive theme, the book can be, at times, difficult to read. Orson Scott Card creates a lot of futuristic technology. This technology makes the reader think about what might come in the future. An example of this technology is the childrens' desks (not like the ones we have now). The desks are video monitors that the children do all of there work on. They also have games and other applications. Ender seems to change throughout the book, from being shy and scared to confident and actually kind of obnoxious (since he's somewhat mean to other kids). Orson Scott Card makes this book a must-read for all science fiction lovers.

-Alex Rovner ... Read more

Product Description
A dark and powerful fantasy from the bestselling author of Ender’s Shadow.

Enter the city of Hart’s Hope, ruled by gods both powerful and indifferent, riddled with sorcery and revenge.The city was captured by a rebellious lord, Palicrovol, who overthrew the cruel king, Nasilee, hated by his people.

Palicrovol, too, was cruel, as befitted a king.He took the true mantle of kinghood by forcing Asineth, now Queen by her father’s death, to marry him, raping her to consummate the marriage.[But he was not cruel enough to rule.]He let her live after her humiliation; live to bear a daughter; live to return from exile and retake the throne of Hart’s Hope.

But she, in turn, sent Palicrovol into exile to breed a son who would, in the name of the God, take back the kingdom from its cruel Queen.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

an underrated gem
It's a shame that I never would have come across this book if I had not been reading through works by Orson Scott Card. This is one of those rare fantasy books which transcends the common stories we begin to take for granted. The way the book is written differs from the norm, so if you have issues with stories which are told over long periods of time from an omniscient narrator, this is not for you. I will warn that the subject matter can be rather adult at times and the ending may not be to your taste if you want a "happily ever after." If you're up to the challenge though, the book isn't that long and it's well worth the time. I will gladly read it again in the future.

Misery love company
Card is an excellent writer, but far too many of his books are about gifted and sensitive children living in misery. This one spreads the misery to pretty much everyone in the book, and by the end I was just glad to have it over.

Simply but powerfully written, darkly profound and complete
Hart's Hope is a 300-page fairy tale so cruel it would be grotesque were it not so beautifully-written. Too hopeful to be dark, too real to be tragic, too simple to be subtle, too profound to be simplistic, too direct to be either pretty or coarse. It's not the sort of book I like to read, but I cannot give it less than 5 stars. But be forewarned: it no tale for children.

A Masterpiece.Haunting.
I read Hart's Hope after reading many other books by Orson Scott Card.All his books are excellent, but I consider this one a masterpiece.It is great literature in every sense of the word.When I met the author at a book signing several years ago, he seemed surprised when I told him I considered it his greatest work, since he indicated it had not initially sold well.That is surprising, since I believe it should be required reading for all writing students.
An elegantly-crafted fantasy tale, Hart's Hope is a deep reflection on the human condition.It can be appreciated on many levels and improves with re-reading.It is impossible not to be moved by this book.

Highly original
I found this to not be Orson Scott Card's very best, but it's his earlier work, and like Songmaster it's full of brutality and harshness, devoid of descriptive detail, yet incredibally well-drawn out. (That's one of his trademarks; you never know what the characters physically look like). This has to be one of the most original fantasy novels ever. It avoids mythical creatures, magic wands, quests and swordfights - Card knows what really matters. Her presents the morality and emotion and deeper meaning of things. He makes no attempt to make the medieval setting of this book any less harsh (and that's somewhat unique). It's rather graphic, and there seems to be not a kind character here - so it's hard to find too much altruism or morality. Perhaps, Card seems to suggest with this book, the world isn't really like that.

The format is very clever and original, and somewhat hard to describe. The ending was weak and typical in some ways (at first) but when you got the twist ending, it kind of makes up for it. In all it could warrant 4 1/2 stars or even five. But you come away from it feeling it's just not quite as good as some of his other books. That said though, it's a very finely crafted book, very engaging and intelligent. ... Read more

Product Description
When ten-year-old Dinah Kirkham saw her father leave their Manchester home in the middle of the night, she basked when he would be back. "Soon," he replied. But he never came back. On that night in 1829, John Kirkham laid the foundation of his daughter's certainty that the only person Dinah could ever really trust was herself.

From that day forward, Dinah worked to support her family, remaining devoted to their welfare even in the face of despair and grinding poverty. Then one day she heard a new message, a new purpose ignited in her heart, and new life opened up before her.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

bookswow getting expensive
Shipped fast and the best deal I found on this book Could buy from this seller again.
Best price I found by far on this book, shipping reasonable.
This was a present. I had read this book before. It is a big book.It is not a starry-eyed account of a woman who joins the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is good, honest and riveting account.



No one who had this book listed under $30 actually had this book, not quite shure what that is about.
I see the day soon where I won't be buying books anywhereexcept from rummage sales.
There may begreat reasons for the price jumps, but I haven't had a raise in over 7 years, and have taken pay cuts to keep empployed at all. So
$[...] for a new paperback and $[...] for hard back really high.

If you want to Really Understand Mormonism
Read this book.

Taken from the journals of the author's own Grandmother, Dinah Kirkham, this is a fascinating tale of the early days of the Mormon church, and what went on in the hearts of the people who lived it.

English born Dinah Kirkham, abandoned by her father, abused by her employer, forced into marriage by a tyranical older brother, Dinah yearns for the face of the man who looks like God.

Forced to choose between her children, the husband she cannot love, and her conscience, Dinah's story is a riveting drama of human emotions and the strength we find to follow our hearts.

Have you ever wondered how polygamy worked among the Saints? This is the only book you need to read. Informative, but not with dry statistics, this book takes you down into the hearts and souls of those who lived it.

You will not be dissapointed. I read this book over and over, it helps me understand people, but especially men and women relations.

This book is called Saints, but it tells the human side of a people striving for something better.

I say it again, you will not be dissapointed.

Worth used book price
I'm not a huge fan of Orson Scott Card but 'Saints' is one of his better books. Call it a Mormon combination of L'Amour's 'Ride the River'(written from the prospective of a strong female) & Brown's 'DaVinci Code'(fictionalized history with a dash of conspracy theory). Will make you apprecieate the sacrifices of the early Mormons. I doubt it'll rock your world or have you racing to the nearest Mormon house of worship but you could do a lot worse.

My Favorite Mormon Historical Novel
If Mormons are going to read this book, I highly recommend they have a basic knowledge of 19th century LDS Nauvoo polygamy beforehand.Start with "Mormon Polygamy" by Richard VanWagoner or "In Sacred Loneliness" by Todd Compton. (both are LDS authors in good standing with the church)Another great book for some background of the characters in "Saints" is "Mormon Enigma", a biography of Emma Smith.Unfortunately many LDS have shielded themselves from learning anything about this uncomfortable part of LDS history so some of the material in the book could come as a shock.(which explains why some of the reviews are so negative on here)

Yes this book is fiction, but it's based around pretty accurate LDS history. Kudos to Orson Scott Card for doing his homework before writing this book, and personifying Joseph Smith, along with the women who lived the principle.Orson is an active Latter Day Saint who is well respected by fellow church members for his writing.

My only criticisms would be that he left out the polyandrous marriages to Joseph Smith and tried to portray Bennett as distorting the principle by proposing to married women. Although Dinah was technically still married to Matthew, she wasn't living with him at the time of her marriage. (he was in England)Orson only lets you into a piece of polyandry. Many of Joseph Smith's wives were already married and kept living with their husbands while he practiced polygamy with them.I'd guess Card intentionally left that part out because of his personal bias, and it was misleading to the reader. The new and everlasting covenant of D & C 132 did away with legal wedding vows, so they believed they were authorized to marry a Higher Priesthood holder than their husband. (Card briefly touched on that in the book but needed to explain more)Verses 41 and 42 of D & C 132 give the sanction for women to engage in polyandry, but it was only done because Nauvoo polygamy was in secret.These women had to pretend they were not living polygamy and stayed with their husbands only for appearances.Some men were sent on missions when Joseph proposed, and some were non member husbands. Secrecy to protect the inner circle living the principle was the only reason for polyandry in the church. Once they were safely isolated in Utah, they came out of the closet and the first husband was asked to find a new wife.
He also left out all the other marriages that were consummated, misleading the reader that Dinah was his first and only plural wife he had sexual relations with. (many of his other wives testified that they also had sexual intercourse with him)

You can feel Orson is giving you his apologetic understanding of difficult history he has grappled with in his own life.Much of the polygamous section was well thought out from a woman's perspective.That was a pleasant surprise.The section with Sally feeling like she no longer had anything special to offer her husband after Harriet came into the family was very well written.It pained me to read of him intellectually connecting with Harriet in ways that he couldn't with Sally. They had their own inside jokes with each other while poor Sally feels left out.You could tell this was written by a man who had imagined such a scenario with his own wife.
He didn't really touch on the pain of a woman knowing her husband is having sexual relations with another while she paces the floor with sickness and grief.That part was kind of glossed over, with the exception of Emma's rage over Dinah.

But I did feel he portrayed Emma far too harshly and in such a way that the reader is supposed to feel sorry for Joseph Smith, as if she caused his errors.There were times it was a little over the top for me with her mood swings.Poor Emma has taken quite a beating over the years by earlier LDS interpretations of her character. Almost as if Brigham Young had written that section for him.

Orson really does an amazing job giving the reader an alternate viewpoint on the righteous motive in plural marriage and it's the best attempt I have seen to show polygamy in a positive light.
But....it was almost laughable at times when the author demonizes Bennett for practicing the same principle as Joseph Smith.Since it's "unauthorized by God" we are led to view Bennett as an evil wicked man, but Joseph's motives are pure and righteous, because he obeyed God after he was "commanded by an angel with a flaming sword" to take these wives.
I can only imagine what a non Mormon is thinking while they are reading it.Maybe it's just me, but any man willing to engage in polygamy (however righteous his motives are), has lost the qualities and moral character that once made this person a good man to begin with. That whole saying "I'd rather have half of a good man than the whole of a bad one" is really illogical. He's no longer a good man once he engages in this perversion and mockery of marriage.


Dinah Kirkham is loosely based on Eliza R. Snow, one of Joseph Smith's wives.I suspected it based on her personality traits, but after the stairs incident with Emma causing a miscarriage and hysterectomy, there was no doubt.Her character is strong willed/stubborn, very pious, feisty, and at times cold. It was hard for me to feel empathy for her sufferings based on some of her behavior. Interestingly, when I had studied the polygamous part of Eliza Snow's life, I had these same feelings about her. Any woman who could do that to Emma is hard to really love.But I was still fascinated by her character and wanted more.
It was a big let down when the story was over and I wish Orson had done a series of these books.

I am not sure how much of fictional Dinah's earlier life was based on Eliza Snow, but now I'm curious.What kind of mother leaves her two children in England crying for her because of religious convictions?I really lost all respect for her character after that.Her story made me think of the women placing their children in harms way for their religion and losing them on the trek to Utah.What a tragedy.I couldn't live with myself if I had sacrificed my children who trust me for protection, even for a "true church."Charlie, Robert, Anna, Sally, and even John were much more endearing characters than Dinah.

This book is a must read for any Mormon interested in early LDS history.
He covers many of the struggles people encountered during that time period and doesn't gloss over them.
Orson Scott Card pulls you into the story right from the beginning and makes you feel as if you lived it with them.The early scenes of Charlie's life were heartbreaking. I couldn't put this book down once I started it!

What a fabulous writer. If you're a Mormon, you don't want to miss this one. This book is of a much higher caliber than the fluffy "Work and the Glory" series.

I also agree with another reviewer here about the Harlequin Romance type cover on the book. Thankfully the newer version has a better cover on it.

Horrible!Not an uplifting book!
I found Saints to be a poor sampling of LDS fiction. The first half of the book tells the story how Dinah Kirkman grew up in England and is VERY depressing. I continued to read the book with the hope that it would get better. It didn't! The story continues with Dinah's polygamous marriage to Joseph Smith then latter to Brigham Young. The story takes a very harsh view of Emma Smith. The intimate relationships were too graphically described.This book, though maybe well written, is not historically accurate and has blatant historical flaws.It is a depressing book, with no redeeming factors.Don't waste your time on it! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Great book
I love short stories by OSC or by people he edits and compiles.
Very entertaining.

Not the best, but still good
I liked Maps in a Mirror better than this book, but this one still had quite a few good stories.I am an amateur writer, and some of the tales in this book gave me a springboard for my own creativity.I WOULD recommend this to other OSC fans.

series of vignettes
I enjoyed the diversity of the short stories in the book, and I really liked that many of the stories fall outside of the more common "Hatrack River" and "Ender's Game" series that everyone reads.

Other have commented that the stories and characters are not as developed as in some of the other short story collections, and that is true for some of the stories included but not all. Part of the beauty in this collection is OSC's detailed notes following each story describing when it was written, what was happening and why it is what it is, and not more or less.

not Card's best work
There are a few really good stories in the book, but most of them are just okay. The stories don't feel as well developed as those in Maps in a Mirror. The characters aren't terribly compelling. The themes of the stories are repetative. Perhaps some of the problem is that many of the stories are his older work? Disappointing on the whole.

Excellent
The collection is broken into categories with six Science Fiction entries; eight Fantasies; two Literary; two Hatrack River (short novels related to Alvin Maker); and four Morman Stories.Each entry has notes afterward in which Orson Scott Card provides additional information.The compilation showcases the depth of the author as Mr. Card runs the gamut of the sci fi-fantasy continuum.Many have children especially teens and the lead characters are caught up in complex moral scenarios or questions on ethical choices.The "nonreligious" Morman tales are obviously timely and although Mr. Card explains that he targets Mormon readers as a Mormon writer; other fans might think these are "weird", but many of these others in the audience will still appreciate tales of characters facing personal crisis inside a "ward".Well written throughout, readers will relish the deep yet wide skills of Mr. Card to coax his audience to think beyond his enjoyable KEEPER OF DREAMS.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
his extraordinary collection brings together all of Orson Scott Card's short fiction written prior to 1990. Card is a bestselling science fiction and fantasy writer who has been publishing short stories and essays since 1977, when he won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. This volume has 46 stories and is en-hanced with essays and memoirs. The book includes twelve works which rarely appear elsewhere. These are stories which have been superceded by later versions. Included here are the story 'Mikal's Songbird,' which grew into the novel Songmaster; the novella length 'Ender's Game', which became the award-winning novel of the same name; and the epic poem 'Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow,' which was the seed for Card's ac-claimed Tales of Alvin Maker series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Many gems and a couple of weird ones
Card's short stories frequently differ thematically from his longer work.While his longer work revolves around free will and human interaction, his short stories are often written for one main point.It's fair, I think, to judge his short stories by how well and interestingly he gets that point across.Actually, I don't always agree with Card himself when he describes his reasons for writing a story.Sometimes I think he's not being completely candid, but mostly I just take a different point from the story than perhaps he concentrated on.These reviews are only for some of his short stories -- the ones in "Maps in a Mirror Vol.2," which is half of this fine book here.

"Unaccompanied Sonata." The point: suffering for your vision will be recognized, and the suffering is worth it.This is the first piece of work I read by Card, when it came out in Omni in 1979.I didn't even remember his name, and it wasn't until ten years or so later, and after I had read Ender's Game and many of his other works, that I made the connection.Even as a young teenager in 1979, this writing spoke to me like few I had ever read.Maybe the writing plays to the secret beliefs we all have that we're misunderstood geniuses; I don't know.I just know I loved it.Rating: Outstanding.

"Cross-County Road Trip..." The point: the country, in the form of Siggy, needed catharsis and understanding of Nixon, and would be able to achieve it.I take Card at his word that this is the main point of the story.It's interesting to read, but not worth too much as a prism for introspection or even as social commentary.Rating: Good.

"The Porcelain Salamander." The point: love sometimes calls for the ultimate sacrifice, and we should always remember that sacrifice.This story seems almost childish on the surface, but invites reflection.Card really does a masterful job of saying what he wants to say, then getting out, and not being too maudlin.Rating: Excellent.

"Middle Woman."The point: ordinary people, even in extraordinary circumstances, are capable of resolving their own problems.This is in one sense the most humanistic of Card's stories, in that it clings to the belief, which I happen to share, that humans are capable of solving their own problems without reference to metaphysical intervention.Rating: Outstanding.

"The Bully and the Beast."The point: good hearts are overlooked by the mainstream of society, while evil hearts are often celebrated.The point actually gets a little lost in this story, because Card gets carried away with the tale itself.However, he never loses the thread of his point, and in the end, the tale is extremely engaging.Rating: Excellent.

"The Princess and the Bear."The point: true love and false love may be confused in the beginning, but will eventually show themselves for what they are.This story is highly readable, but may not be suitable for children, despite its cutesy title.I don't know if I agree with the premise of this story, but it is told in a very enjoyable manner.Rating: Excellent.

"Sandmagic."The point: revenge is bitter and takes the soul of he who practices it.Once again, Card does not waste time in this story, and deviates little from his theme.Card's point is a point well taken, although I frankly cheered while Cer gets his revenge on Nefyryd.But that's probably a character flaw in myself, rather than a flaw in Card's writing.Rating: Excellent.

"The Best Day." The point: the search for happiness for its own sake will be fruitless; happiness is found indirectly if at all.Card does an adequate job bringing his point home in a short amount of time.I don't know if I agree with this philosophy, but I think it was well presented and worth reading.Rating: Satisfactory.

"A Plague of Butterflies."The point: I'm not sure, perhaps the point is that decisions of momentous consequence sometimes must be made by a person whose conventional morality stops him from doing the right thing.I agree with Card that you really do need to read "Wyrms" to more fully appreciate the story .I don't agree with him that he needed to be more faithful to magical realism, since (a) Card can do anything he wants, he's the writer and (b) magic realism is a writing form that has been considerably abused by many writers, particularly Gabriel Marquez, and why compound the abuse?Overall, this story is too disjointed and abstruse for all but hard-care Card fans, and its theme is muddy at best.Rating: Satisfactory.

"The Monkey Thought `Twas All In Fun."The point: misunderstandings lead to tragedy, even where everyone involved has the best of intentions .Card was way, way too long making his point, and was self-indulgent and needlessly flamboyant in his storytelling.Rating: Unsatisfactory.

The Most Creative Mind
Is there anyone out there with a more creative mind than OSC? Can't imagine it. After reading Treasure Box (disappointing), this completely restores my faith in OSC as one of our nation's true literary gifts. He has such a unique ability to generate characters a reader can relate to within the first 2-3 paragraphs. Have no idea how he does it. This is a masterpiece of short stories. Can't recommend highly enough. Have told everyone I know to get this and purchased volumes for my daughter and others. Read this collection!

Short fiction, why bother, right? Wrong.
There are only about five major novelists I've encountered the short fiction of and actually enjoyed the work in both areas. I ran across several of these stories in a shorter collection a few years back and read the book to pieces.

"Eye for Eye" and "Kingsmeat" are among the best pieces of short fiction I've ever read the two of them alone are worth the price of the whole collection.

A sound collection of Card's short stories
I've always loved collections of short stories, especially when the author includes introductions and afterwords to his works.It really gives the reader a chance to see into the mind of the writer, and to understand what he is all about.Maps in a Mirror succeeds admirably in bringing together the huge spectrum of Orson Scott Card's short stories.For the most part, the stories are thought-provoking and fun.Card's commentaries provide extra insight into how the stories came about.

Some of the stories tend toward long-winded philosophy and moral arguing, which certainly isn't bad, but can become a bit tedious.Still, all of Card's gems are here, as well as many other less famous stories.There's nothing more enjoyable than being able to sit down and delve into a short story that you know you'll be finishing in one sitting.The short story is a world apart from the novel, and Card certainly does the style justice.

Out of print? Unbelievable
I've just made my way through each of the individual books that make up this outstanding collection, and then decided to go back and buy a copy of Maps in a Mirror - just to simplify my collection. As a huge OSC fan, I first read a couple of his short stories through a comparative literature class, and was fascinated by his style...and his ability to draw you in quickly to each of his characters. After reading his book on futuristic Mormon's in a post-apocolypse Western US (Folk of the Fringe), I was hooked. This book is a must have for any OSC fan. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Awesome
I'm a fan of Orson Scott Card's Ender series and was delighted to find this companion! I'm slowly re-reading the series and it's opened up my eyes as well as refreshed my memory on some of the characters and events! The pictures that are included in The Technology of Ender's Game, were very detailed and made the picture that was in my mind clear up. Black went into exclusive detail of every event, character, giving us a useful encyclopedia that needed to be created. This book provided a great insight to the Ender's Game. If you are just beginning to read the series, this is definitely a must have! & If you have already read the series than you should def get your hands on a copy because the detail and insight will def blow your mind! This companion NEEDED to be written and thanks to Jake Black it has! I give this novel 4 out of 5 paws!

Indispensible

For the Ender fans among us, this is a priceless jewel.Jake Black has authored a comprehensive encyclopedic listing almost every character, setting, and tool in the Ender books.Many of the entries are biographic in nature, and include notations on which book they appear in.There are notes on the comic books, and screenplay in development.

This rocks!

I understand the work behind such a project, and to complete it so well in an objective manner is difficult.It is easily readible, and can be used alongside the novels.I can easily imagine a 2nd edition, when Mr Card has reached book #15 and his canon has enlarged quite significantly.

Thank you.

Where are the pictures from the book covers and comic books?

A must-have for Ender's fans!
I love this book, and it's not just because I happen to have written a chapter in it.

Well, maybe that has a little to do with it.

No, let's be honest, it probably has a lot to do with it.

But seriously, not only is the chapter on the "Technology of Ender's Game" fascinating, enlightening, beautifully and concisely written, wonderfully illustrated, etc., etc., etc. but I understand there are other chapters in the book as well.

For instance, there's a great chapter on the history of the movie-to-be, and all the trials and tribulations it's gone through and will probably still be going through as the screenplay is developed.

The first part of the book is the "encyclopedia" part, with details on what is probably all the characters, planets, etc., from most or all of the Ender's and Ender's Shadow books (who knows how many more will be written by the time you find this review?)

Fascinating stuff.Fun book.If you're reading this review, you're already and "Ender's Game" fan, and you know you want this book...

--Steve S.

A fascinating resource for the Ender series of books
I started reading the Ender books with the very first novelette about Battle School and then eagerly read each new novel as it was published. The final book Ender in Exile was published in 2009 and caps this very long series. The books cover many planets, characters and a long time line, so like the Dune series, a companion volume is helpful to the new reader to fill in the blanks, and to the longtime reader, to provide insight and additional detail that is enjoyable to read on its own.

All the major and minor characters are here (Ender's Jeesh or cadre from Dragon Army), the characters in Xenocide and Children of the Mind and the newer Shadow series that fills in from the end of the third Formic War until Ender finds a new home away from Earth.

If you are a fan of the series, this is a wonderful addition to the library, and if you are new to the Ender books (lucky you! to get to read them for the first time), this will provide a lot of valuable background, including some information on complex subjects like the Descolada Virus, the Pequeninos and even a schematic of the Battle School and the gravity-controlled battle rooms, which is absolutely fascinating. Great read! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (28)

A highly suggested series that asks a lot of questions!
This series arrived still in original plastic and 4 days before estimated! It is by far on of my favorite purchases, and Ender's Game is my all-time favorite book. Card is a brilliant writer that can envelope you within his stories. The farther into the series you get the better it gets, and the more you have to wonder about what it truly would be like.

The Ender Quartet Box Set
Children have fewer inhibitions and are more open to learning than are we adults. Ender's Game is an excelent example of this concept, but... 3000 years have passed before 'Xenocide' takes place. Did I miss the party last Saturday? What happened during that 3000 years? I haven't read all the Ender books yet and hope there is just a wee bit more insight to Ender's life. That ought to be some very interesting reading, somehting I am looking forward to with great relish.

Great!!
I bought this for my girlfriend as a birthday gift. She was so happy that the entire series was literally at her fingertips. Once she got done reading one of them, she would quickly start the next. This is a great item for people who are fans of the series.

In terms of the transaction, the company sent the item well packaged and on time. They're great!!!

Awesome
My favorite fiction book/series of all time!!! I don't even know how many times I have read these.

Great book for new and old Sci-fi fans
Easy ready (1 weekend should be enough) and great story. If you want to try a new Sci-Fi author, this will convince you to research Orson Scott Card ... Read more

Product Description
Orson Scott Card presents practical, in-depth instruction on how fiction writers can make the best choices in creating characters and handling viewpoint. The author shows how to put original yet realistic people into fiction.' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (90)

This book made me stop writing
This book made me stop writing for a couple of days because I couldn't put it down.Not only is it very informative, it's entertaining too and presents the information in very lucid way.I've yet to read Card's fiction, but even the examples he provides in this book are intriguing enough to make me wish the story went on from there!He definitely knows what he's talking about.

I felt like after reading the book I had a much clearer understanding about what I was doing in my own characterization.Just being aware of things like the difference between presentational and representational stories, levels of narrative penetration and so forth really help demystify the writing process.I've read a fair number of writing reference books and was pleasantly surprised to find that even in the most basic chapters, like the point of view sections, there was new information for me or information that was presented in a different light.

I think this book could be helpful to writers of all skill levels.If you're a novice, the amount of information and number of choices he presents might at first seem intimidating, but even if only a tenth of the book sinks in the first time you read it, you will be a better writer for it.And if you're already pretty comfortable with your level of expertise, I think you'll find the breakdown helps you become more consciously aware of what you're doing.

Another thing I liked about it was that it provides examples of bad characterization.I've read writing books that don't give any bad examples, and find it frustrating; I like having references to check myself against, as well as those to which I can aspire.

Also, he doesn't give the reader specific writing exercises to do, for which I'm grateful.Does anyone actually do these exercises?I'd rather apply the information to projects I'm already working on, or go back to old stories and improve them.

More Wisdom than One Man Can Glean
I can hardly believe all of this wisdom came from one man. It would take me a hundred years to learn all that is contained in this book from any other source. Before this book I thought my own writing skills served me well enough, now I see clearly how much I didn't know. I'm sure to refer to this book over and over, it is a must have for any writer's library.

A Must Read for All Writers
Whether you're a novice or a seasoned writer, you should read this book. I say this not just because characters are perhaps the most important aspect of a story, next to plot in some cases, but because your skill in developing characters can catapult you to the next level in your ability as a writer. And Orson Scott Card can help you in this pursuit. He thoroughly explores all the various devices for creating deep, realistic and moving characters and how properly justifying the motivations of these characters and how showing their attitudes at varying levels of intensity will tell your story the way you want to tell it so that readers will understand your story and feel invested in it.

This book is thorough and well constructed. The author explores, in depth, the construction of character, choosing the appropriate character type for your story, the devices of characterization, justification of motive, and character transformation (or lack thereof). Furthermore, the author explores points of view, a commonly overlooked area of fiction. He explains things like narrator voice and the pros and cons of each type of viewpoint. With third person limited, he goes so far as to explain the levels of penetration (this has to do with relaying a character's attitude via thoughts and emotions not spoken aloud) and the effective intermingling of these types as a device to raise the emotional stakes in your story. A lot of content is laid out in this book and the author explains everything in great detail and utilizes lots of well known examples to highlight his points in clear, easy-to-understand ways.

One of the reasons I bought this book is that I am currently writing my own novel and in the middle of my first revision, I got stuck. I started hating my story and I doubted my ability as a writer. Orson Scott Card equipped me with the knowledge to understand why I was stuck (I hated one of my protagonists) and what to do about it (reevaluate my character's motives, which will in turn make her transformation justified, and employ devices to make her more real). He shared some of his experiences as a published author and how things don't always go so well. Characters sometimes don't reveal themselves with ease. We have to discover them. After reading Characters & Viewpoint, I regained my confidence to do so.

Techniques for Developing Characters and Viewpoint
In "Characters & Viewpoint" award winning novelist, Orson Scott Card addresses the important techniques for developing characters and viewpoint. The book is divided into three parts. Scot discusses the topic of inventing characters in part one. He describes character, the audience, the story, and ideas for creating and naming your characters.

Part two helps the reader construct the character based on the kind of story being told, considerations for creating supporting and minor characters as well as the protagonists. He talks about emotions, the hero, comic characters, and transformations. Part three introduces the important elements of voice, presentation, and person.

Illustrations from well known authors books and dramas back up the advice and suggestions Card presents throughout the narrative. I found the index extremely useful in helping me revisit those areas of particular interest or my weaknesses as I attempt to assimilate Card's suggestions into my own writing projects.

Orson Scott Card has packed a lot of definitive techniques for creating and developing character and viewpoint into170 pages. This is a book that should be on the reference shelf of anyone wanting to improve their writing skills as a fiction writer.

The Best Book I Have Read about Writing
This book packs a huge punch.It showed me everything I am doing wrong but also what I do well.It is like a 3 day writer's workshop all in one. I am so enthusiastic about this book I am giving it to a writer friend and ordering another.What a gift.It is interesting to read and provides a concise, condensed series of lessons in writing fiction.Thank you! ... Read more

Product Description
Come here to the magical America that might have been, and marvel as the tale of Alvin Maker unfolds. The seventh son of a seventh son is a boy of mysterious powers, and he is waking to the mysteries of the land and its own chosen people.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Loving the series
The pacing is a lot quicker that Seventh son.You'll have trouble putting this one down if you enjoyed Seventh Son.

Atrocious bilge
Wooden Characters. Chaotic plot which feels hastily scribbled together. Politically correct ( noble Reds and evil Whites) rigmarole is nauseatingly trite. Read Ender's Saga and leave the rest of this author's stuff in the remainder bin. Where is belongs.

entertaining historical fantasy
Entertaining historical fantasy.Orson Scott Card obviously put a lot of thought to the alternative historical events not even depicted in the book.This is the most action packed volume in the series.

Slow To Start But...
Red Prophet is very slow to start. I do not understand why Mr. Card spent so much time talking about Hooch, when it ends up that he is not a major character and serves very little purpose for the plot. However, after the slow start, WOW! This book is so intense that I could hardly set it down. I did not think that it would be better than Seventh Son, but I was very wrong. It is well worth the slow start just read the last wonderful half of this book. You must read this book if you enjoyed Seventh Son.

Another imagineering of America history
Card's incredible reimagining of frontier America takes an amazing and touching turn into the world of Native Americans. Not only is the imagination and the folksy feel great, but Card manages to get inside the heads of his characters like no one else.

It's a spellbinding story of a folksy fontier, magic, and the passion of the human spirit and psychology. ... Read more