I was once in a discussion about religion with a friend who happens to be an atheist and fellow science fiction and fantasy writer. He’s a great guy. The blog posts he wrote about the passing of the woman he loved who was lost to cancer were poignant and wonderful–full of beauty. I read them and wanted to be a better man. Still, he and I disagree about God.I remember telling him that science fiction is the one genre that makes God more plausible than any other. At least, it makes my view of God ...

This book was straight-up terrible. If I hadn't read it in audiobook I probably would have dropped it (although many a time did I wish that it had it in dead tree form so I could skim the endless, boringly repetitive discussions of time-travel paradox.) The characters have the same conversations over and over again; when they're separated, they have to go through the same process of figuring out the same problems, and then talk about them again. Each time someone joins the party they have to exp...

While I really liked the premise and the story of Pathfinder, I found it to be WAY too long and in desperate need of an editor. I don't need gigantic explanations about how the banking system works. I don't need to be told time and time again the rules of the special powers. And I especially don't want to sit through these lengthy, logical reasons for each of the characters' actions every time they do something.Orson Scott Card has this obsession with creating characters who can navigate through...

I am AT TIMES an Orson Scott Card fan....AT TIMES. This isn't one of those times. I'm forced to a one star rating here because that's the default rating when I can't make myself finish a book without threats...."keep reading or else". What I'd do to myself I'm not sure. To keep me interested in this thing it would have to be something pretty terrible.Mr. Card is capable of writing an excellent book. I'm waiting for him to go on with one series and picked this one up as I waited. As has happened ...

A fantastic sci-fi/fantasy time travelling romp. I loved it, and was engrossed by the disparate ideas and eager to learn how the two collided. It managed to be mysterious without being formulaic, have interesting insights into science and human nature, and a good set up for an epic series. I was heartbroken when I learned the second book isn't out yet. In addition to all of this, it seems that Card is revisiting the "genius child" that he explored in Ender's Game. Highly recommended.

Lectores, ¿conocéis esa sensación de leer un libro y enamoraros desde las primeras páginas, contemplando con cariño las palabras? Abrazar el libro contra vuestro pecho y exclamar: ¡ESTE ES UN LIBRO INCREÍBLE, ES DE LOS MEJORES QUE HE LEÍDO, ES GENIAL! Y solo queréis seguir leyendo y devorándolo, ¿verdad? Sí, pues este no es ese libro. Lo intento, pero simplemente no puedo. Es demasiado aburrido. Los personajes no son interesantes. Son planos, bidimensionales. Lo único que hacen es charlar sin s...

This book was not terrible, but, frankly, it just didn't quite work for me. Nothing was quite as good as it could have been.The characters were sometimes interesting, but sometimes unbelievable; as for example, Rigg seemed to know everything about everything, even at 13; or Umbo would randomly switch from jovial to jealous to insecure.The plot sometimes moved well and kept my interest, but sometimes nothing would happen but them debating what to do for 50 pages.The mystery of this world, what ex...

Originally posted hereI had to distance myself away from this book before I wrote this review. If I did not, I would have just hit the caps lock and type, THIS IS THE COOLEST YA BOOK EVER!! Shift 1. Shift 1. I just did exactly that, didn’t I? Oops. After being blown away by Ender’s Game last year, you think I’ve learned my lesson and expect nothing less from Orson Scott Card? I didn’t, but I know a lot better now.Rigg can see path human and animals made whether it’s from the distance past or the...

Pathfinder is centered on Rigg, a thirteen year old boy who lives an isolated life hunting and poaching with his enigmatic father. Rigg has a strange ability; he can see paths, tracks in time that are remnants of every living thing ever to have lived. The only person whose path he cannot see is his father's, who dies one day in an accident. His father's last wish is for Rigg to find the sister he never knew he had. This leads Rigg to undergo a fascinating journey, with every step of the way lead...

Sometimes, the cleverness and incredible adeptness and genius of the main character, Rigg, surpasses my ability to suspend disbelief. Not the spaceships and spacetime-jumping folds creating duplicate persons. Not the ability to become invisible or see the paths of all beings or slowing down time. Not even a ridiculous confluence of events. However, if I were to be trained since birth on game theory, different languages, etc. I could be half as able. Ok, no joke. One third. I do so wish that I co...