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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
I dislike this book. Orson Scott Card has no idea how to write a believable female character. I found myself disgusted with the number of women who seemed to be chiefly motivated by desiring a baby from a powerful mage (at age 15-16?). This type of motivation only really works in the medieval seeming society of Westil with the court and kingdom setting. In the modern age on earth? Not so much. Also, there were a number of inconsistencies, such as the unexplained switch from a pseudonym "Danny Stone" to a real name "Danny North" between the first and second book. Really, don't bother reading this book. It's not worth it.
adventurous
challenging
informative
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm a big Card fan and I was really looking forward to this book, but I walked away with mixed feeling. I give the story 5 stars, for sure. Card is a great story telling and a fantastic world builder and he does not let down with this Book 2 of the Mither Mages series. Card continues a great tale, explaining many unanswered questions from Book 1 and setting up a whole new set of problems for what will be Book 3. I loved the major characters and was definitely invested in what happened to them. As with all Card stories, what I love most is how off the grid his creativity is. You never feel like you are reading a copy of something else with his works. This story is definitely worth a read (or listen in my case).
What I can't give 5 starts to are the minor characters and some of the dialog and personality traits. Everyone in this book spoke the same - everyone is witty and a bit sarcastic. All of the teenage characters speak in a very unrealistic way about books and sex. It was obnoxious enough in parts that it distracted from the story. In his afterward, Card talks about not wanting these minor characters to be peripheral or dispensable, but they were - you just can't get attached to a bunch of obnoxious girls saying "please put a baby in my belly." And I don't know what teenager would ever say that. Also, since I've read all of the Ender books, I feel that Card's characters are starting to sound the same across his books. Part of this problem might have been due to having Rudnicki read for both series. I loved Rudnicki for the Ender books, but hearing his same unique voice applied to Danny North was confusing. I also do not like the tone Rudnicki used when he was portraying Danny's teenage friends, especially the girls. I think Rudnicki is great, but for Card fans, it might be worth considering different voices for different novels. On the other hand, Emily Rankin, who read for the parts that occurred on Westeros, was terrific at doing male and female voices - I really enjoyed listening to her.
So, in summary - 5 star story + major characters, 2 - 3 star dialog/minor character issues, but well worth the read to disappear into this new world. Hoping some of these minor issues will get fixed in the next book and I can go back to my usual 5 stars for Card.
What I can't give 5 starts to are the minor characters and some of the dialog and personality traits. Everyone in this book spoke the same - everyone is witty and a bit sarcastic. All of the teenage characters speak in a very unrealistic way about books and sex. It was obnoxious enough in parts that it distracted from the story. In his afterward, Card talks about not wanting these minor characters to be peripheral or dispensable, but they were - you just can't get attached to a bunch of obnoxious girls saying "please put a baby in my belly." And I don't know what teenager would ever say that. Also, since I've read all of the Ender books, I feel that Card's characters are starting to sound the same across his books. Part of this problem might have been due to having Rudnicki read for both series. I loved Rudnicki for the Ender books, but hearing his same unique voice applied to Danny North was confusing. I also do not like the tone Rudnicki used when he was portraying Danny's teenage friends, especially the girls. I think Rudnicki is great, but for Card fans, it might be worth considering different voices for different novels. On the other hand, Emily Rankin, who read for the parts that occurred on Westeros, was terrific at doing male and female voices - I really enjoyed listening to her.
So, in summary - 5 star story + major characters, 2 - 3 star dialog/minor character issues, but well worth the read to disappear into this new world. Hoping some of these minor issues will get fixed in the next book and I can go back to my usual 5 stars for Card.
I'm sure most other reviewers have covered this...but I had high hopes for this book after the first book and was somewhat disappointed. This novel really is a transition novel between The Lost Gate and Gatefather. Think Empire Strikes Back... it even ends on a cliff hanger.
I still think this is a good book and it needed to be written to build various mythos such as Man Magery, Set, etc (as Card states in the Afterward). It was a tale of three novels: Danny the teenager, Danny the burgeoning GateFather, and Wad's story in Westil (which is mostly separate from Danny's story and doesn't really hint or foreshadow how the stories are connected).
Worth read, but don't expect any resolution.
I still think this is a good book and it needed to be written to build various mythos such as Man Magery, Set, etc (as Card states in the Afterward). It was a tale of three novels: Danny the teenager, Danny the burgeoning GateFather, and Wad's story in Westil (which is mostly separate from Danny's story and doesn't really hint or foreshadow how the stories are connected).
Worth read, but don't expect any resolution.
Updated from 4 to 2 stars. After reading Gatefather it is clear this book sets up a dismissal of sexual assault. Before reading Gatefather I had thought if it did not have as many female characters it would be a 1 or 2 star for me. Most of the girls can't keep their hands off Danny. Most of the characters are 2d but if anything the female side characters are a bit more explained. It got 4 stars though because I had really got into it and wanted to know what happens and I liked the way mythology is woven into the story so overall it done well telling an interesting story in a setting from an interesting premise.
Not as good as the first book, I felt like a lot less story happened. Will be reading the last book of the trilogy though.
I enjoyed the first book a lot but the sequel was somewhat less enjoyable. I think I would've enjoyed it more as a teen, but the characters weren't developed enough to capture my current attention. I still find the story interesting enough to continue. The magic system is developing into something... odd - starting to feel more like a philosophical construct than a real plot device.
I probably would have given this book 4 stars, but to me the last page bumped it up to a 5. I love being tricked in a story and the ending to this book completely fooled me. I've become used to Orson Scott Card getting very lost in philosophy in his sequels and I was very happy to see that this time around he didn't have his book drowning in it. He kept a strong plot going the whole time that can be expected to continue into the third book. I'm excited to read it.
This has continued to be an entertaining audiobook while working out. The plot is interesting enough to keep me focused but not too complicated. I enjoy all of the characters. I don't think I have a favorite character and the main characters do not get on my nerves.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes