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Good read
"Eye For Eye."The other reviewer gives a decent synopsis of "Eye For Eye," which is a Stephen King-esque story of hillbillies, bible-thumpers and telekinetic revenge -- a lot like King's "Firestarter."I suppose what makes this story superior to a King novella is that Card believes that human beings are mostly good, while King does not.Rating: Excellent.

"The Tunesmith."This is the story of a musician who discovers that he can make music far better and more passionately than the current regime allows; he throws convention out the window, makes great music, is punished for it and then eventually recognized for the genius he is.As Card himself admits, this story is thematically identical to his short story "Unaccompanied Sonata," and I encourage everyone to read that short story in Card's collection of short stories entitled "Maps In A Mirror: Volume 2."Rating: Outstanding.

Riviting Science Fiction
I believe I first read this book when I was in the 9th grade. I had checked the book out from the high school library. I eventually read the book atleast 3 times before I returned it. Since then I have not seen the book nor been able to find it. I was not one for reading books at that age, but this book intrigued me. I was truely able to visiualize the events which Orson displayed. The story starts our with a teenage boy who knows he is different. I realizes he can channel energy. This ability is amplified by hightened moments of stress. In moments of anger, if someone were to confront him, was delt a dose of cancer or some other human disfunction. One person angered him so that they died instantly from his surge of energy mangling the person from the inside. With almost an X-men type spin off, he runs from home fearing he would hurt others. Later he is confronted by a very beautiful women in her mid-twenties. He finds that she has the same abilities which he has, but no where near as strong. She teaches him of what he is and how he has recieved this ability. Even if a million people gathered together and channeled there energies, they would mearely give an individual a small tumor of little effect.She informs him that there are more like them. Others with her level of strength that would like to get their hands on him to marry him into their family. By doing so, these families would then be able to breed him for stronger more power inviduals with the ability to channel their energies. Forming a superhuman group. The young female's mission is to get him to safety, away from these other families. This is an amazing book with amazing detail and imagination. As I read I felt like I was watching a movie. It was amazing. I would recommend this book to any science fiction lover. ... Read more

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Seven tales of possible fates for the human race by one of science fiction's most revered authors portrays the inner struggles of characters exploring their hidden selves. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Somewhat sanguinary but mostly enjoyable collection
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.

This group of stories is tied together by their speculation on what the future holds for us (hence, "Flux," or a fluid future). Let me run down the plots of each of the stories and give you my rating of them.

"A Thousand Deaths." The point: Some people, at least, no matter what you do to them, cannot change their view of what is right or wrong. This story is an excellent counterpoint to "1984," which posited that people can be completely degraded and crushed. Despite the horrific murders in the story, I liked its humanism. The Ruskies as bad guys was a departure from the usual science fiction fare, and was also appreciated. Rating: Excellent.

"Clap Hands and Sing." The point: everyone, even those we least suspect, has the desire to redo some important aspect of their lives. This story resonates with me, since I too have a Rachel Carpenter in my past, and I wish I had a THIEF to make that one decision differently. Not that I made the wrong decision the first time, but like all human beings, I would love to have it both ways. Rating: Outstanding.

2010 update to my 2002 review.Well, I didn't have a THIEF, but I did the next best thing: I looked up my Rachel Carpenter, got together with her, and we finished what we started 23 years ago, and it was just as good as what I thought it would be!

"Dogwalker." The point: A clever adversary overcomes even genius and well-made plans. I don't know whether the purpose of this story was for Card to prove to himself that he could write a good cyberpunk story, or to make a moral point -- something tells me it's the former. Card himself even admits as much in his "Afterword." But there's no need for atonement. The story is very enjoyable either way, and Card can, indeed, write good cyberpunk. Rating: Excellent.

"But We Try Not to Act Like It." The point: a person is dehumanized and destroyed by a society that treats the person paternalistically and as a member of a class as opposed to an individual. This story reminded me of many other (and better) works, from Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" to Jack Williamson's "With Folded Hands" to Huxley's "Brave New World." This would be a good story to read if the person has not read any other stories in this genre, but for anyone else it's unsatisfying. Rating: Unsatisfactory.

"I Put My Blue Jeans On." The point: attempts to destroy your enemy will destroy you instead, even to the point of robbing you of your humanity if not your life. The story about biological warfare gone amuck is superficial and a little silly, and the point has been made numerous other times. Still, as a Brazophile the Brazilian references were appreciated. Rating: Satisfactory.

"In the Doghouse." The point: intelligence is overlooked because of bias. Card originally planned to use an American ethnic group instead of dogs as the beings to receive superhuman intelligence, but I have to agree with him that had he done so, he probably would have been tarred and feathered, and ridden out of town on a rail. Oh well, even though it ducks a political fastball, it still deserves a Good rating.

"The Originist." The point: human beings are defined by their relationships -- and ability to form relationships -- with each other; those relationships are evidenced by emotional ties, private language and common myths. Card's bites off more than he can chew here, because an ontological examination of human beings is a topic that invites a book or a series of books, and really cannot be adequately addressed in a short story or novella. Card has consistently explored this idea throughout his books, frankly without too much success. He actually does his best on this subject when he briefly mentions it in "Ender's Game," where Graff explains to Valentine that the emotional connections between humans are real, and proof of their reality is found in the fact that they can cause Valentine and Ender to act in ways they otherwise would not.

As you read through this story, don't get too bogged down in the idea of humanity's planet of origin. Card uses the question of planet origin as a MacGuffin; the story never resolves it (actually, we learn terra's fate only in Asimov's "Foundation and Earth" and "Robots and Empire"). Rating: Good.

Best Story
I loved this book. It's a great series, but this was my favorite in the collection.The two stories I loved most were "A Thousand Deaths" and "Dogwalker".The first one is excellent and,event though there are some out of date concepts in it, it still freaked meout.

The second story, though, is the BEST!"Dogwalker" isgood science fiction, but also a really great story with emotion that willtotally make you cry.

Real Variety
My favorites were- 'The Originist' because I'm interested in the origin of species'.It was well written and kept my attention. - 'In The Doghouse' because it was silly and entertaining, with a twist at the end. - 'But We Try Not to Act Like It' was frightening like 'Farenheit 451'. - 'A Thousand Deaths' was chillingly recurring. ---Debby---

interesting twist
i find this book quite entertainng because of the very original stories. A thousand deaths is my favorite. It shows how a man overcomes the fear of death, yet it ends with a strange twist to it. this book is ver y good and i recommend i

A Mixed Bag in Terms of Quality, but Still Worth it.
Flux contains seven stories, each of varying quality (as Card himself admits). Because of this, a brief comment on each story:"A Thousand Deaths"-compelling, and my favorite, but not for the squeamish,"Clap Hands and Sing"-Mediocre time travel love story,"Dogwalker"-Interesting Cyberpunk, but you'll have to read every paragraph at least twice,"But We Try Not to Act Like It"-Bizarre TV-stations-rule-the-world story, with a hint of black comedy (OSC hated it),"I Put My Blue Genes On"-Highly imaginative recombinate DNA story,"In the Doghouse"-Ridiculous story about aliens possessing our dogs,"The Originist"-Based on Asimov's Foundation universe, it's interesting, but easy to put down. Although a couple stories were a real snooze, it's still worth curling up with on a rainy day ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (28)

Worth a read but intended for Mormons...
I read Card for his outstanding character development, and even though I'm not a Mormon I've enjoyed his more Religious stories, and these shorts are no different.If you've got a thick skin then you'll enjoy these stories, though I'd not recommend this book to Baptists (who are singled out as generically evil in the first story, which I think would be a bit difficult to swallow).

For a non-Mormon to enjoy these stories you have to forgive some tendency toward elitism.Thinks like the idea that people living in the Lush Blue Ridge Mountains/Shenandoah Valley area would not be able to survive where people living in the arid west would (preposterous), or the notion that only Mormons would be able to maintain any semblance of order after such a huge calamity.Clearly there's some liberal application of rose colored glasses going on here.

You'd also have to accept that the pervasive religious slant of the stories is not some sort of nefarious agenda, but rather the faith of the author and his desire to write about something he obviously feels strongly about.

I am not threatened by the convictions of others, so I smile at the implausible parts and enjoy the rest... because Card is (as always) well worth the read.

Understanding Actors with Orson Scott Card
Card links together several short stories, not altogether believably, but satisfyingly enough. It helps to be a Mormon, and even if you're not, the idea of them banding together and forging a brave new world out of extreme circumstances is actually very plausible.

One thing, I never really understood was the outward vanity so apparent in stage and film actors, but the Pageant story revealed much of the conditions that leads to this behavior. It makes me both envy and pity actors.

All around, excellent Card storytelling.

Decent B-Sides.Best left to Mormons
For a collection of barely connected B-sides Folk of the Fringe holds up decently enough.I won't recommend anyone rush out to buy this book, except Mormons: the tales simply aren't compelling or well-written enough. These stories share a premise that a 6 Missile War has brought nuclear ruin to America.While the rest of the country is in shambles, the Mormon faith has maintained the state.

"West," the first and best story follows the progress of some Mormon migrants and their mercenary guard, as they head toward Utah.Similar to McCarthy's The Road, and other dark post-apocalyptic visions the tale is initially engrossing, before falling to pieces amidst divided narrative perspectives and a bizarre tale of childhood torture.The second story, "Salvage," is a poorly written waste of time.Third comes "The Fringe," a promising tale which begins to outline the ecological, political and religious concerns of this future Mormon world.The last two tales "Pageant Wagon" and "America" hold flickers of interest, but little more.

Non-Mormons, such as myself, can read these stories for an insider account of Mormonism.Card is a committed Mormon, yet one not afraid to satirize or critique his brethren.The likelihood of Mormon post-apocalyptic survival is both plausible and interesting.In this case, however, the scenario is simply not well-written enough us "gentiles."

Good idea but too much Mormon
I liked the story concept but the Mormon stories are too much. Stick with the Ender's books. This book should be placed on the religious fiction shelf.

Short story collection set in not-so-distant future
The reviews to this book have not been so glowing.Obviously, you need to know what you are getting into - this is a collection of 4 or 5 short stories set in a future where a nuclear war has dramatically altered everyone's way of life.Some of the stories are very good. Some are just average.I would recommend it, especially if you're Mormon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

An engaging and highly entertaining read.
I loved reading this book. I got to a point in the book where I couldn't put it down till I was done. There were no boring parts and I find that very few books can do that for me (short attention span).

If you're looking for a short but highly entertaining Sci-fi read, then I suggest this book.

It contains elements of genetic manipulation to time jumping to master of illusions stuff and terra-forming abilities that just blow the mind.

This book does not disappoint - read it soon if you haven't already!

Favorite Orson Scott Card book ever
One of the books that predates Ender's Game, but lets you know Orson Scott Card's potential. I have read this book twice and may read it again a year or two from now. It's that good.

A really good book!
Though this book is fairly old for science fiction it is still very relevant.As well written as Card's Homecoming series.Lanik Mueller is a royal member of the Muellers, a nation on the planet Treason.The Muellers have the ability to instantly heal themselves, making them incredibly difficult to kill.Lanik becomes an outcast to the Muellers when his abilities mutate and make him a freak.He is forced to leave by his father and go on a mission to other nations that are warring with the Muellers.

Lanik discovers that the Muellers are not the only nation with unique abilities.Virtually, everywhere he travels he finds a people with a different ability and kind of like in a video game, he learns how to incorporate each of those powers into himself and starts to become a type of Superman.

He goes on to learn that there is a group of usurpers that are really ruling things and know all the secrets of planet Treason.Lanik must decide if he wants to risk everything he has learned to face up to the usurpers and restore Treason back to the people.

I loved this book from cover to cover and Card continues to amaze me as one of the best authors of our generation.

Twisted, Different, and a Compelling Read
Obviously written early in his career, this story really stands apart from much of OSC's work. It really is a fascinating read, although sometimes dark and a little graphic -- but it would make an excellent sci-fi movie. The hero of the story is a rad-regen, meaning his family has the ability to regenerate body parts (if a finger is cut off, it grows back), however he cannot control his growth as puberty hits, and he has extra limbs and internals growing all over the place. Talk about a bad day. He becomes an outcast, and wanders this planet of outcastslooking for purpose and a future. The ancestors of the planet's inhabitants were outcasts from earth, sent here for their crimes - the planet has no natural resources for them to escape - and hence is called Planet Treason.
A great adventure, and a fun read. You won't be disappointed.

Great book- but it should be noted that....
I loved this book. I've read Treason (Revised) and A Planet Called Treason (Original). It should be noted that the original copy (A Planet Called Treason) labeled the "Inkers" as "Niggers". This waschanged in later versions. I would recommend the revised version, Treason,as it contains the more appropriate name for these characters. ... Read more

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"The Most Devastating Futuristic SF Adventure of All." ... Read more

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The City of Basilica has fallen. Now Wetchik, Nafai, and all their family must brave the desert wastes, and cross the wide continents to where Harmony's hidden spaceport lies silent, abandoned, waiting for the command to make the great interstellar ships ready for flight again.

But of these sixteen people, only a few have chosen their exile. The others, Rasa's spiteful daughters and their husbands; Wetchik's oldest son, Elemak, have been forced against their will. Their anger and hatreds will make the difficult journey harder.
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Customer Reviews (33)

funny!!! the ancient language is Russian profanities!!!
This is a reasonably good sci-fi series, but not as good as some of the rest of Orson Scott Card's writings, which is generally superb.What makes this series interesting, is the fact that the "ancient" language is actually Russian, and half the words used are profanities, mostly used in correct context.Funny!!!

Brilliant SF writer continues his masterful retelling of the Book of Mormon story
So, for those of you (there must be some) who are new to Orson Scott Card, Card is the Hugo and Nebula award winning author of Ender's Game, one of the great novels of all time, which happens to be Science Fiction. It is hard to say enough good about Card as an author. I am a self-confessed book junkie. My genre is not even science fiction but urban fantasy, nor am I Mormon (which will become relevant in a moment), and yet I still consider Card to be my favorite living author.

Card is probably strongest in two areas:
1. Developing characters we can empathize with
2. Developing sweeping, thought provoking themes of the meaning of life and God's relationship with man

And this book is no exception. It is thoroughly enjoyable. If there is a weakness to this book, one which has been mentioned by other reviewers, it is the rather (for Card) plodding plot. Let me attempt to provide some perspective on the plot...

This whole series, is actually a Sci/Fi recasting of one of the first stories of the Book of Mormon, which along with the Bible and various other works, is one of the canonized scriptures of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. "The Mormons." The BOM story is that Lehi was a prophet of God during biblical times. He was called by God to depart into the wilderness with his own sons and another family's daughters. Lehi's faithful son, Nephi, (who will become the next prophet) is happily obedient. His brothers, Laman and Lemuel, murmur and rebel. The other brother is along for the ride but follows Nephi. (I'm paraphrasing). They go to the wilderness but must return to the city for their family history and for women to marry.Eventually, they build a ship and travel to the new world, where their descendants become the Native American peoples (more or less). Sound familiar?

My point is that the plot of the whole series is a historical allusion that has deep meaning and significance for those steeped in Mormon lore. For readers to whom that story has no intrinsic value, the plot may seem a bit pedestrian. So, you will need to judge for yourself whether or not you want to take a risk on a plot that does seem primarily a vehicle to reinforce the novel's outstandingly developed themes and characters.

If, like me, you read Card for his world settings, his thought-provoking themes, and his amazing characters, or if you are steeped in Mormon lore, then this is a must read book. Those seeking non-stop thrills should probably shop elsewhere.

You will definitely want to start with the first books in the series:

Earthfall (Homecoming Saga); Earthborn (Homecoming Saga)

And if this is your first experience with Card, then I highly recommend that you start with Ender's game and the accompanying series. Ender's Game Gift Edition (Ender Quartet)

An enthralling saga of destiny, highly recommended
Veteran audiobook narrator Stefan Rudnicki reads The Ships of Earth, an unabridged audiobook rendition of the third volume of the "Homecoming" epic science fiction saga, by multiple Hugo and Nebula award winning author Orson Scott Card. In The Ships of Earth, the artificial intelligence guardian of the planet Harmony that is the Oversoul is gradually failing, and due to its decline, Harmony's human colonists are degenerating into a state of endless war and conquest. The remnants of the Oversoul has called a group of sixteen refugees from the fallen city of Basilica to an abandoned spaceport, and now Wetchik, Nafai, and their family must cross desert wastes, guided by the Oversoul, to prepare the hidden interstellar ships to fly again. But not all present have opted for exile, and their resentment could potentially sabotage the mission. An enthralling saga of destiny, highly recommended. 10 CDs, approximately 13 hours.

Disappointing...
I have enjoyed nearly everything that I've read from Card. The first 2 books in this series were interesting enough, but this one failed to captivate me. I reluctantly kept going with it, after the story just bogged down and became uninteresting. I hoped the ending would improve it, and return some enthusiam for the next one in the series. It didn't. In fact, it reminded me of the later volumes of the Alvin Maker series. The protagonist becomes nearly all powerful, which causes the story (at least for me) to become far less interesting. I enjoyed the Maker series overall, but I guess I'm just not interested in re-reading it, set against a different background. The theme behind these stories and the Maker stories are essentially the same... The hero tries to convert the doubters into believing in the cause, and ultimately becomes too powerful for them to resist. Those involved in the struggle are again mostly family members, divided by their own agendas. Overall, this one was a yawn, though I hate to say so.

Ding Dong! Hi, It's Orson Card and I'd like a few moments . . .
I remember reading this series about 10 years ago, and for high school, it was a good read, but nothing outstanding. Now I find that there is absolutely no follow through, these books are just a thinly disguised re-write of parts of the book of Mormon. For those of us that wanted good SF not a religious treatise, it's downright disappointing. Now I know why Card never resolved the issues concerning the characters. It's because they were just the 'hook' to get us all interested in the Mormon theology.
I review the whole series here, some spoilers.
The first three books are just good enough, that when you get to this and the fifth book, you find yourself very annoyed that the characters become flat and lifeless, just caricatures, really.
Nafai and Elemak never really resolve their differences, or even have a 'final' showdown. The last book carries the reader far into the future and all references to those other characters, like Luet, Hushidh and Issib to name a few, are dropped, never to reappear again.
The series really started going downhill once the Rats and the Bats were introduced. I mean, how lame is this? After 40 million years, the only species to evolve are rats and bats. Not dolphins or the cockroach or - birds even? This is an insult to the reader's intelligence. This becomes the star of the show, with the characters stories taking a back seat and finally disappearing altogether. I read the last few pages of the fourth book hoping to find out what happened after Elemak woke up to find the Nafari gone and his wife with them. After all his cruelties, he never really gets what's coming to him. Nafai turns into exactly what Elemak hates, rather than becoming a full fledged personality of his own. The Prophet Nafai, hm. Ugh.
You find yourself scanning the few moments featuring Shedemei in the fifth novel, to see if she ever even mentions any of them. She doesn't. You have no idea how they died, what happened to the next generation, nothing. Why spend so much time building these characters if they were nothing more than a cheap ploy to get us to read a watered down version of the book of Mormon? I feel cheated and disgusted.
I guess Card did this series as opposed to walking around door to door sweating his 'hooy' off trying to sell his religion. This was done in air conditioned comfort I assume, and he fulfills whatever obligation. I just know I will not be picking up any of this author's works without serious thought beforehand.
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Excellent collection of powerful stories from strong writers
Orson Scott Card knows how to write and how to read and he picks the verybest stories that will change the way you think and read science fiction.Recommended for anyone who enjoys expanding their perceptions. ... Read more

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Noted author Orson Scott Card explores what it might have been like to be Moses, and provides an account of the lives of Moses's brother, Aaron, his sister Miriam, the two women that he called mother, and the woman he married. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Exodus with flavor
This is the first "religious fiction" book of Card's I've read, and I must say that it completely impressed me.Card's amazing abilities for characterization and the portrayal of emotion have made his science fiction work some of the most-loved and most popular in the world, and those talents are used here to bring the story of Exodus to new life.Staying true to the Biblical account (and the Book of Mormon account), Card just fills in the details of this well-known story.Sibling rivalry, self-delusion, and difficult decisions make the story feel very intimate and immediate. Casting Moses and Aaron as flawed, confused, and at times helpless people makes the story not only more enjoyable to read, but more believable.I salute Card for his efforts to breath new life into these Biblical tales.

I especially enjoyed the first half of this book.It is fun watching as the far-from-perfect Moses grows up in privilege and luxury, ignoring his conscious and making grand plans for his future, all of which inevitably come tumbling down.Card's portrayal of this part of Moses' life (which very little is known about in history or legend) rings true and helps flesh out and give perspective to the more spectacular parts of his life.His exile and time of learning of God and courting Zeforah are also extremely well done, as Card brings his skills for creating intimately knowable characters to the fore.I was less impressed with the final 1/3 of the book, as God reveals himself to Moses and the miracles commence.Partly because this part of the book is already so familiar, but also because the book becomes a bit rushed feeling, and the drama of character interactions is put aside for the heavy action of Israel's being freed.

In the end, this is more than just an enjoyable novel.It also provides a new perspective about the stories in Exodus, as well as inducing the reader to really think about the people behind these ancient stories.Additionally, it serves as an educational tool for those not familiar with the beliefs of the LDS about the story of Moses, something that I didn't realize differed from the Biblical accounts.I'll have to go back and do some reading of the primary sources now in order to tell exactly which parts of this came from the Bible, which from the Book of Mormon, and which from Card's imagination.

Highly recommended!

The Bible Comes to Life
Card does a superb job making an exciting an provacative telling of probably the greatest Bible tale ever told!With interesting ideas about the "Egyptian" Moses and his "Egyptian" mother who literally became both his mother and father (this is explained in the story) and her struggle to keep the Pharoahship from the evil Tuthmose and his equally evil family.

Card provides a vivid narration of what happened to Moses during the time he was in exile in the desert and when he obtained his real education.We are presented with an "unsure" and self-doubting Moses that relies on the Lord to allow him to do the right thing and say the right things. We have a compassionate Moses who wants to see Pharoah punished but grieves for the innocent Egyptians that he causes ruin and death to.

This is a much deeper and more realistic telling of the tale than what Cecil B. DeMille portrayed in his Ten Commandments film.There is no glitz and glitter here, just the magnificient tale is presented with a lot of lessons to be learned and good advice for anyone to lead a better life.

A must read!

Moses at his best..
Stone Tables, a play turned novel, is written by Orson Scott Card, a Mormon and esteemed, mostly science fiction author. He gets religious on us in this novel, and in his preface, says his goal was to explore the relationships between the characters of the book of Exodus. The result is a thrilling portrayal of Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and the Israelites in their quest for freedom, equality, and righteousness in the eyes of God.

The story begins with the birth of Moses to Jochabed and Amram. As everyone knows, Egyptian law at the time stated that all newborn Jewish boys were to be thrown into the Nile. Fortunately for Moses, his mother ingeniously devises a scheme that results in Hatshepsut, the Pharaoh's daughter, adopting him. Through a series of phony declarations, Hatshepsut becomes her father's wife, son, and the Pharaoh.

Moses is raised in the palace and considers his Israelite family a burden. After all, he is Egyptian royalty. Why should those slaves bother him? Life goes on this way until Moses takes Aaron's advice to shed his imperial robes and venture out among the people. He sees others being tortured and belittled; he himself is tortured and belittled. To save an old man, he kills an innkeeper and subsequently leaves Egypt to venture into the desert.

From here, to make a long story short, with the help of Jethro and Zeforah, whom he marries, he is enlightened and sets out back to Egypt to free the Israelites from bondage. He does the bush thing and is on his way.

Over in Egypt, Hatshepsut is murdered and Thutmose II takes the reins. He's a stubborn lad, taught be none other than Moses. Thus, Moses knows his enemy, and with the help of Aaron and God, the plagues are brought about Thutmose is trounced. Thutmose finally lets the Israelites go out into the desert to make their sacrifice, which essentially means he lets them leave. They're chased, but then Moses does the sea splitting act, and the Israelites are ready to go to the Holy Land! Except that they have to make a quick stop for a few Commandments.

There's a golden calf and a massive slaughter of its worshipers. Thereafter, Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and the rest of them live happily ever after-not that they lived to see the land God promised them or anything.

A True Spiritual Journey
This great novel is a fictional account of the story surrounding Moses, and it can be enjoyed by anyone. I am atheist and I loved the moral dilemmas that the characters faced. Furthermore, it was enlightening to learn the Mormon interpretation of these events.

In this book, as well as the women of genesis series, I was touched in two different ways. First, the story and the characters are involving and touching. The story is well told, and the writing is clear and concise. But on another level there is a sense of greatness. How the characters communicate and interact with one another, and the actions they undertake is spiritual and gives a sense that we can all be better people.

I would consider this book to be equal to if not better than Ender's Game. It's certainly different. Orson Scott Card deserves credit for taking risks in his writing. Not many writers would have dared to release something of this nature, and I think he presented the material with integrity.

Very Enjoyable Read
I'm very familiar with Card's SF, and his Alvin Maker series, so I expected this to be good.But I was wrong --- it was outstanding!By the end of the book, I felt like I knew Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, and even Pharoah --- or at least Card's "take" on these ancients.He also provided very plausible reasons why little or no archaeological evidence exists for Israel in Egypt, and for the absence of the name of Moses in Egyptian monuments.

Some might be put off or puzzled about the foreknowledge of the Messiah displayed by Moses in the novel.In fact, the Bible itself displays such foreknowledge and even says "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7)The fact is, the Israelites expected the Messiah, and knew at least something of his mission, and the Jews still do.So why wouldn't Moses know?

My only problem with the book was that it ended before it should have.But that doesn't detract from the 5 stars I'm giving it. ... Read more

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Credited with bringing the supernatural and science-fiction back to mainstream television, "Lost" is the television show everyone is talking about. No one is without an opinion as to what is really happening on the island, even when every episode presents more and more mysteries. Here, experts join the fray: Why did Boone have to die? Who (or what) are the Others? Are they in purgatory, a different dimension or some stage of Dante's Hell? What's with the polar bears and swirling black mists? Essays on these questions and a multitude of others are contributed by sex experts, psychologists, renowned science fiction authors and sociologists - who all provide surprising insights into the show that will keep the fans buzzing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Lost
Not a bad book. It was just interesting enough to keep me reading until the very end. I would recommend this book to other people who really like the show.

Great Read!
I love this show, its the best on TV. I've also found this book to be very good also. Now I'm going back and watching all the seasons over to find secrets and clues that I may have missed.

One of the things LOST introduced me to was the Twilight Zone which J.J. Abrams was inspired. Besides this book, I recommend one other also on Amazon.com. THE TWILIGHT ZONE: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic by Martin Grams. Together, both books open the skies for cult television.

As good as any other Lost analysis book -- in other words, just okay
It seems like more and more of these Lost analysis books are coming out every month -- as this one was compiled by Orson Scott Card, though, I figured it would be worth picking up. It's not bad, but it's really not any better than any of the other collections of Lost-inspired essays out there.

Card has pieced together a book of essays detailing various aspects of the Lost phenomenon by various writers -- essays of varying quality. A piece by Adam-Troy Castro arguing that the Losties are sharing the same island as Gilligan and the Skipper is great; a piece by Amy Bender dissecting the character of John Locke (written, ostensibly, in the character of the historical John Locke) is ponderous and dull. The rest of the pieces are somewhere in-between.

The book wraps with a long Lost "encyclopedia" by Wayne Allen Sallee, which is of mixed usefulness. Entries for each of the main characters and the actors who portray them, books and cultural references in the show and clues to the mysteries are all quite useful. For several entries, though, it feels like Sallee was just padding the section -- do we really need him to define "acolyte" for us without giving any explanation as to its purpose in the show, for instance? In fact, when we reach the entry for "Jaunty Cravat," Sallee outright admits someone pointed out there weren't enough "J"s. No wonder it felt bloated.

An okay book, as good as any other Lost book out there, but not great.

Disappointing collection of essays about my favorite TV show
Of the 16 essays presented in this collection, only three were worth my time:

(1) Orson Scott Card's Introduction is a very informative and thoughtful analysis showing how TV has evolved over the last half-century and how LOST may be the next "evolutionary" step.

(2) Amy Brenner's "Double Locked" illustrates how the fictional character John Locke closely echoes the teachings of the real-life 16th century philosopher with the same name.

(3) Glenn Yeffeth's "The Art of Leadership" is the highlight of the collection, which discusses how Jack, Locke, and Sawyer are all really bad leaders. And it puts forth a pretty good argument that Hurley may be the best leader on the island.

Some of other 13 essays fall into the category of Comedy."The Same Damn Island" points out the show's similarities with Gilligan's Island."LOST Connections" attempts to concoct a conspiracy theory based on which actors have appeared on film together throughout their careers.

"The LOST Book Club" and "Have You Been Framed?" examine literary allusions and shared themes with classic works."LOST in Love" tries to analyze every love pairing on the show.Surprisingly, only the essay "Game Theory" actually attempted to explain the mysteries; but I really hope the show doesn't turn out to be just one giant video game.

"Oops" and the Encyclopedia are both out of date, due to events that been aired since the publication of the book.

Overall, I guess I wanted more of these authors to present their theories to explain the mysteries.Instead, I felt most of these pieces were just fluff and "talking head" analysis.

Mostly mediocre
"Getting Lost" consists of 14 short essays about the hit ABC show, "Lost."With few exceptions, the majority of the essays are mediocre."Lost" is a show with deep meanings and I would have preferred essays with stronger philosophical references.

The book also contains a fantastic introduction by Orson Scott Card, and a poorly written, most useless "Lost Encyclopedia".

If you live near a bookstore coffee shop, read the essays bit by bit when you visit, but save your money otherwise. ... Read more

Product Description
Eleven chilling tales, including the author's introductions and afterword comments, provoke the dreaded dark side of the reader's imagination. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Maps
Excellent!! I have come to expect great stories from Card, and this didn't disappoint me.I found 'The Changed Man and the King of Words' the best, but they are all incredible.I recommend making a full collection of Card's work.

No one else has mentioned it, so I will:this book is a section in Maps in a Mirror.

Dread
The copy I have says on the back that this is a collection of stories that all deal with the feeling of "dread".

And even though I KNEW that, I still felt it, in every single story. Oh my god, where is he going with this? Or, worse: Oh my god I think I KNOW where he's going with this and I REALLY don't want it to go there...

And I read them all together, in a couple days I'd finished the book. And even during the last story, I was still dreading what would happen on the next page. I didn't get used to it. I didn't feel disassociated from what I was reading.

Card can really get under your skin, you know?

Classic Card
So the rating system isn't exactly fair. It's hard to judge a whole book of short stories. All are good. Most are VERY good. A few are exceptional.
For example, the Changed Man and the King of Words. Of all the OSC short stories I've read (and I freely admit that I haven't read them all YET) this one was probably the best, sharing the #1 position with Dogwalker (in a different book). Then again, there may have been a little Classic/English-anti-science-major brought out by the story, but that only made, for a me, a great story greater. I don't actually think that's possible, but hey, it's my review.
Either way, find yourself someone selling this book used and buy it, it's worth way more than I paid for it :)

Mixed bag of horror and suspense stories
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 to judge his short stories by how well and interestingly he gets that point across.

"Eumenides in the Fourth Floor Lavatory." The point: payback for past sins is inescapable. This story is unappealing because it violates a cardinal rule of moralistic storytelling. Howard is pursued by his guilt, which has taken in the form of a deformed infant, but the only reason the infant can pursue him in the first place is because he was sufficiently humane to rescue the baby. Card seems to be saying that if Howard had left the child in the lavatory, he could have walked away from his guilt entirely. A good fable should show the reader how a man's moral failings, and not his moral strengths, become his undoing. Rating: Unsatisfactory.

"Quietus." The point: death can be accepted more easily if one has children. This story is extremely appealing to me, because it simultaneously incorporates familiar Mormon references and ordinary scenes into a surreal storyline. The result is disorienting, yet perfected suited to Card's exposition. Rating: Outstanding.

"Deep Breathing Exercises." The point: if we pay close attention, we are all linked together in death. I'm not sure if Card had any point to make, or whether he had just the one idea of synchronous breathing. Probably the latter, although Card is fascinated with human interaction as a general principle, as evidenced in his works such as "Xenocide." Overall, the story is worth a read and that's about it. Rating: Good.

"Fat Farm." The point: you cannot escape the consequences of your vices. Card uses a fun way of making his moral point. My only objection is that we don't find out the dirty job that Barth H has been tasked to do. I'd love to see a continuation of this story. Rating: Excellent.

"Closing the Timelid." The point: if we give in to our senses we will come to crave anything, even death. I suppose other lessons could be drawn from this story, but I believe the principal one is the one I describe above. The story itself is so-so -- it doesn't really capture your attention like Card's somewhat similar "Clap Hands and Sing." Rating: Satisfactory.

"Freeway Games." The point: what goes around comes around. I sum up the story with a cliché because there's not much substance to it; that said, it's a very entertaining read. Rating: Good.

"A Sepulchre of Songs." The point: fulfillment of our deepest wishes may come at too high a price. This story turned out to be a gem, while in the hands of a lesser author it could have been awful. It's easy to be manipulative when it comes to suffering children. Hollywood uses it as a plot device when things are dragging, so "kids in jep" has a justifiably bad rep. Here, however, Card shows the proper amount of skill and tact when dealing with the subject, and its use is central to the story. Rating: Outstanding.

"Prior Restraint." The point: if people had the ability to manipulate the present through time travel, they would, no matter what evil it would cause. Asimov wrote a better story with the same point, called "The Winds of Change." Here, Card even puts a kid in jep (actually, he kills him off) unnecessarily, which is a no-no. Shame on Card for doing that and for putting together an ineffectual and boring story. Rating: Unsatisfactory.

"The Changed Man and the King of Words." The point: if we do not guard our inner selves, myth can overpower us. Card has a fascinating point, and post-September 11, one that is extremely relevant. However, he lets the story get too wrapped up in its form (Greek, Shakespearian tragedies; Freud) to allow proper exposition of its substance. He also throws in lots of metaphor and symbolism but doesn't do a good job stitching them together. It's still an entertaining read, but is ultimately somewhat unsatisfying, which Card himself admits in his "Afterword." Rating: Good.

"Memories of My Head." The point: the division between reality and fantasy for a depressed, desperate person can be awfully thin. I found myself liking this story in spite of myself, because even though it doesn't really go anywhere, it captures a boiling rage so perfectly and combines it with a disorienting point of view. Read the story to enjoy its mood, not for any particular elucidation. But I still have a nagging suspicion that I'm missing something more profound. Rating: Excellent.

"Lost Boys." The point: love can bind us after death, even if only temporarily. Once again Card puts kids in jep, but like "Sepulchre of Songs" he does so with skill. Yes, the story is emotionally manipulative, but Card is appropriately only semi-apologetic about it. One minor complaint: the connection between the video game and the lost boys is never really connected in the short story. I understand that they are in the book, but I have not yet read the book, so I can't say for sure. Rating: Excellent.

Simply Stunning!
The Changed Man is an absolute rush of intense, dark creativity.There seems to be so many threads in the fabric of each story and it's so descriptive you can see every detail Card is writing about.It'sespecially frightening if you have a vivid imagination.You walk away fromit saying 'What in the world did I just read?' ... Read more

Product Description
From Huxley's Brave New World, to Orwell's 1984, to Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, dystopian books have always been an integral part of both science fiction and literature, and have influenced the broader culture discussion in unique and permanent ways. Brave New Worlds brings together the best dystopian fiction of the last 30 years, demonstrating the diversity that flourishes in this compelling subgenre. This landmark tome contains stories by Ursula K. Le Guin, Cory Doctorow, M. Rickert, Paolo Bacigalupi, Orson Scott Card, Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, and many others. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Monkey Sonatas by Orson Scott Card
For fans of Orson Scott Card, Monkey Sonatas is from his golden age of story telling. Each of these stories pings the heart. Although it's fantasy, it rings true.

The best collection of short stories by Orson Scott Card.
Orson Scott Card is far and away my favorite short story author.Of his collections of short stories, _The_Monkey_Sonatas_ is the best.Each of the "sonatas" is a gripping, tragic short story about we "monkeys."In almost every case, I was moved to tears.If you can find this book, I give it my highest recommendation.It's not in print at the moment, but I'm looking forward to a reprint.I lost my first copy, which I consider to be a separate tragedy.:)If it is re-released, I plan to buy at least 5 copies for backup and gifts. (Hear that, Tor?)Some of them are science fiction, some are fantasy.All are fantastic. ... Read more

Product Description
Based on the popular novel by New York Times bestselling author Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game, Ultimate Iron Man), Red Prophet: The Tales of Alvin Maker is a spellbinding story of fantasy with a unique twist. In an alternate history of the American frontier where folk magic actually works, Andrew Jackson is a lawyer in Tenezzy, Napoleon commands an army in Detroit, and William Henry Harrison has named himself governor of Carthage City, and he has big plans to expand his authority along the Mizzipy river. But standing in his way is the Shaw-nee chief Takumsaw, who has no desire to see his fellow Red Men enslaved by the White Men and their likker and who begins arming his tribe with the intent of war. And soon, there arises another figure, a man who calls himself the "Red Prophet," who calls for peace and separation, and who teaches the Red Men to restore their connection to the land.But something else is happening on the frontier, as a young boy named Alvin Miller finds himself endowed with the powers of a "Maker," with the ability to change the world around him as he sees fit. And in an encounter with the Red Prophet, Alvin must learn to use his powers either to further the cause of his enemy, the Unmaker, or to create good things for the benefit of others. Alvin's decision will change the course of his life forever, but the consequences will also prevent him from using his power to prevent the coming war...Collects Red Prophet: The Tales of Alvin Maker #1-6. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Better Than Expected
Book seemed new to me. Perfect condition and fast shipping. A+ and will buy from again.

Beautiful Visual of Orson Scott Card's Alvin and Ender
You have to get this if you love Alvin and/or Ender. This graphic novel is a great blend of alternate past and future. It is also the first time I have seen such a beautiful rendition of native americans for just a comic book.

Alvin's story is more amusing to see it from another perspective. You need this perspective to appreciate how simple, yet full of foreshadow, the first two Alvin books were. The story shows great care where racial lines are between the whites and reds, yet somehow Alvin trusts.

Ender's story is also an outsider's view of the Ender's universe with the first colony. There is a great potential story line of discovering more about the "bugs" that Ender is so intimate with. ... Read more

Product Description
Quentin Fears is a certifiable recluse, moving restlessly from town to town, investing the millions he's made as a software creator and always avoiding companionship. Until one night he meets his dream woman, Madeleine. Witty and beautiful, she is as uncomfortable with the world as he is.After a few whirlwind weeks of love, they marry.

Perfectly happy, there is only one thing that mars their complete bliss -- Madeleine's strange, cantankerous family. And one more thing. There's an ancient family secret to which Madeleine holds the key. Soon Quentin realizes that only he can stop her from unleashing an ageless malevolence that will rule the world. But to do so, he must do the impossible -- step outside of himself and join the world he has always avoided.

Quentin must learn to trust, to hope and to forgive. How he does it, while stabilizing a vengeful, volatile family, makes for an unsettling and poignant story that only acclaimed author Orson Scott Card could create. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (66)

Page-turner that left me disappointed.
Since I have read several of Card's works and enjoyed all of them, when I picked this book up off the library shelf, I got something quite different from what I bargained for.
I have to admit that it book was an absolute page-turner- I could scarcely put it down to Skype with my fiancee when she called, and then I ended up staying up until 1:30am to finish it.However, when I got to the end of the book and reflected back on it, I realized how little of value was in the book.I felt very let down- it did nothing to encourage me to reconsider the world- it was a similar feeling to watching several hours of cheesy soaps... my time was wasted.

If you want to read Card, Read the Ender and Shadow series.Even "A Planet Called Treason" with all its oddities was more thought provoking than this book.

If you liked the author's "Lost Boys" give this one a chance, too.
I'm not normally a fan of books which veer off into the supernatural...mainly because so many are awkward or unbelievable. But author Orson Scott Card has a way of creating very realistic characters and often without a trace of the supernatural until it is hard not to keep reading."Treasure Box" is written without a hint of what is to come....perhaps as much as half of the book centers on one man's life and how it is changed by a very enigmatic woman. Perhaps that is why this book grabbed me. I'm not giving away spoilers by noting that it starts off with the death of a boy's sister. His parents have decided to let their apparently brain dead daughter die and no longer intend to use medical intervention. Of course, this is a terrible blow to Quentin, the girl's brother.

In time, he manages to make a life for himself but he keeps others at a distance, still wounded by what has happened. Then he has a chance at love, the kind of love that apparently comes along once in a lifetime. In time, things start to become stranger and stranger and this is where I'm afraid to give away too many details. I read this one with very few breaks because I was totally hooked by the tale.

One of the most rewarding parts of reading ANY book by this author is that even the lesser ones have nuggets of wisdom about how to live one's life as well as think about death. Pay attention and you'll note yourself jotting down complete sentences worth thinking about. The sentences which grabbed me might not be what grabs you but I guarantee that there will be ones worth savoring. This is one of the reasons why I find myself to read this author's works. Yes, it is a ghost story and may give you shivers but there is depth in this one.

Really Really Bad -- Not Worth Reading
This book is simply quite bad, withcardboard characters, implausible interactions,silly dialogue. If you read it you will almost certainlyregret the time you wasted.Scott has enough talent and reputation so even a book this badlywritten by him can get published. But don't be fooled into thinking it will be of the quality of some of his other writing.This book is proof that even a good author can write a terrible book.

Horror isn't Card's forte
I bought this based on my enjoyment of Card's SF novels.Unfortunately, this book was a real disappointment for me.

Card starts off the book OK building up his protagonist, Quentin.But then Card seems to drag out the character development, to a point where I nearly stopped reading the novel.What was I reading here, some kind of maudlin slice-of-life for a guy with emotional baggage who caught it insanely lucky in the dot-com boom?Oh, he found someone to love.Whoopee.

By the time things start to go odd for Quentin, I was up to my eyeballs in boredom.The next part was about Quentin trying to figure things out, but that wasn't very ghostly, and certaintly wasn't very suspenseful.Oh, my, Quentin figures that he's up against a powerful enemy.Yawn.

The ending was as climactic as it could get for a boring book.When I read a horror novel, I want something that at least gives me the creeps.I've had more horror from filling out tax returns than reading this novel.

Borrow, don't buy this book
There's just enough here to make parts of this book interesting, but Card tries too hard to force dialogue and situations that simply don't work. Which is too bad, because for a few pages this book comes close to the type of chills one might find in Peter Straub's "Ghost Story" and "Shadowland."

When Card writes well, he writes very, very well. This is not an example of Card's best work. At times you cringe at the awkwardness of his prose. When witches enter into the picture, that's when it starts to slide downhill rapidly.

There's a reason why Stephen King rules this particular brand of fiction; he makes even the most impossible situations plausible. One gets the sense from much of Card's writing that he's trying to reshape the world in his image, and in doing so, often fails because he's too personally tied to the message.

One point that needs to be mentioned: the author makes no bones about his political leanings, and his Clinton-bashing gets a little wearying for those who simply want a good story. ... Read more

Product Description
Include stories such as filed teeth, Vince's dragon, The dragon's club, Negwenya, The storm king, Soldatenmangel, fear of fly, illustrated by Tina Bear. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fun read
Great book .Find a copy if ya can..

Not a great anthology, but better than its companion
Although both are long out of print, I enjoyed Card's second anthology more than his first, the companion piece DRAGONS OF LIGHT.Maybe it's because I had more fun reading about scary, man-eating dragons than cute, lovable ones.Maybe it's because the stories in this volume are more dramatic and less comical.Or maybe it's just because a few of these stories tickled my imagination, while none of the others did.

It is still not a great anthology, but three of the fifteen stories are well worth reading.

1."Alas, My Love, You Do Me Wrong" is a haunting study of a father and son who are unable to relate to each other, and who pay a terrible price.

2. "Negwenya" is a well-crafted piece on racial tensions during apartheid in South Africa.

3."Plague of Butterflies" is Orson Scott Card's only foray into Latino-style magical realism, with surprisingly good results.(There is a small essay on how this story came to be written in the book "Maps in a Mirror: The Short Fiction of Orson Scott Card").

Unfortunately, there are also more than a few lighthearted duds like "Middle Woman" (written by Card under a pseudonym), "Lady of the Purple Forest", and "Fear of Fly" (in which a lady knight saves a handsome prince-in-distress from a large dragonfly).Plus, a few adventure sci-fi stories like "Storm King" and "Though All the Mountains Lie Between".I was surprised to see "Thermals of August" included since it features an erotic lesbian scene, and Card is known for his religious stance against homosexuality.

Overall, I would not recommend this.Card has published much better science fiction anthologies, such as MASTERPIECES and FUTURE ON ICE. ... 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

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

Product Description
This nine-tape audio package brings together, for the first time, the initial four titles by the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Orson Scott Card in the saga of Ender Wiggin, Ender's Game, Speaker of the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind.

The Ender Wiggin Saga unleashes a millennium-long, epic tale of loyalty, conflict, and deadly games - a science-fiction buff's treasure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Absorbing, entertaining listening.
This four-volume set of 9 cassettes recounts the entire saga of Ender Wiggin and is packaged together for maximum impact. The initial titles in the saga are brought to life in abridged works which also benefit from adual narration by Mark Rolston and Barrett Whitener. The effect is uniformand absorbing. ... Read more

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