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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Started off a bit slow, but PORTALS! Gotta love portals. I liked how he twined up the two disparate sections.
I found it hard to get into the story and when I did i enjoyed it. But after 60% I stopped caring about the characters and the story. Also I found it difficult to follow the dual pov, which I don’t usually experience. I guess this wasn’t the book for me.
First in the Mither Mages urban fantasy series.
The Story
Centuries ago, Loki closed every gate between Earth and Westil destroying the possibility of any member of any Family to pass through a gate and be healed, made stronger in his/her own powers. And so, the power of the Families has dwindled as their fears increased. No longer were these mages worshipped as gods. Fear that another Family would produce a Gatefather ran rampant and each made war upon the other. Treaties were made that if any one Family produced a Gatefather, that one would be killed immediately.
No Family was more abused than the North Family, as all the other Families believed that it was the Norths who had closed the gates. And so they plotted and so they planned hiding their strengths, putting forth a façade of weakness.
Lost Gate starts with a 13-year-old Daniel North who believes he has no magic and lives in fear of being killed by his Family, for being a drekka. He's the smartest boy in his Family. He knows many languages. Yet he has no friends. His cousins despise him. The aunts and uncles look down upon him. For Daniel has no power, therefore no value. Until the Greek Family comes for an inspection and Daniel is almost caught spying on them until he gates away and is caught by his Uncle Thor.
It seems that a core group in the North Family has been hoping that Daniel had the power to create gates and had set spies upon him. Spies who now urged him to flee lest the Family have to kill him. And so Danny's adventures begin as he learns how to create and control his gates while he discovers how to survive out in the world of Drowthers. The Orphans find him. Then Victoria finds him, then Yllka and both have magic related to gates.
In between, we follow the story of Wad, the kitchen boy who emerged from a tree in a kingdom that believes in magics. Wad can also make gates and he uses them to see what everyone else in the castle is doing—who is stealing from whom, who is plotting against the king, who is planning assassinations.
It's a fantastic evolution of life!
My Take
Oh wow! Wow! Another excellent story from Orson Scott Card! It's fun. It's fantastical. Card pulls in every god/goddess known to man to become Families who simply used their powers to conquer various peoples. He twists history to "explain" why cities rose and fell in power.
The Cover
In a literal sense, the cover makes no sense---a pair of hands holding open a book from which sparkles are spiraling up. But, it speaks to me of myths and magic, the light and promise of knowledge.
I'm quivering like an eager puppy for the next installment!
The Story
Centuries ago, Loki closed every gate between Earth and Westil destroying the possibility of any member of any Family to pass through a gate and be healed, made stronger in his/her own powers. And so, the power of the Families has dwindled as their fears increased. No longer were these mages worshipped as gods. Fear that another Family would produce a Gatefather ran rampant and each made war upon the other. Treaties were made that if any one Family produced a Gatefather, that one would be killed immediately.
No Family was more abused than the North Family, as all the other Families believed that it was the Norths who had closed the gates. And so they plotted and so they planned hiding their strengths, putting forth a façade of weakness.
Lost Gate starts with a 13-year-old Daniel North who believes he has no magic and lives in fear of being killed by his Family, for being a drekka. He's the smartest boy in his Family. He knows many languages. Yet he has no friends. His cousins despise him. The aunts and uncles look down upon him. For Daniel has no power, therefore no value. Until the Greek Family comes for an inspection and Daniel is almost caught spying on them until he gates away and is caught by his Uncle Thor.
It seems that a core group in the North Family has been hoping that Daniel had the power to create gates and had set spies upon him. Spies who now urged him to flee lest the Family have to kill him. And so Danny's adventures begin as he learns how to create and control his gates while he discovers how to survive out in the world of Drowthers. The Orphans find him. Then Victoria finds him, then Yllka and both have magic related to gates.
In between, we follow the story of Wad, the kitchen boy who emerged from a tree in a kingdom that believes in magics. Wad can also make gates and he uses them to see what everyone else in the castle is doing—who is stealing from whom, who is plotting against the king, who is planning assassinations.
It's a fantastic evolution of life!
My Take
Oh wow! Wow! Another excellent story from Orson Scott Card! It's fun. It's fantastical. Card pulls in every god/goddess known to man to become Families who simply used their powers to conquer various peoples. He twists history to "explain" why cities rose and fell in power.
The Cover
In a literal sense, the cover makes no sense---a pair of hands holding open a book from which sparkles are spiraling up. But, it speaks to me of myths and magic, the light and promise of knowledge.
I'm quivering like an eager puppy for the next installment!
I loved the world Card built for this book. It's so complete I never felt the need to question or puzzle over odds and ends. I was disappointed to realize this wasn't a stand alone. Now I have yet another book to impatiently wait for as all of the details from this one slowly slip away into the great abyss of my non-memory.
This was a fun adventure into the world of Mithermagery. Amazing world building and engaging characters.
I read Stonefather first, but it really was unnecessary to read and enjoy The Lost Gate. It will be interesting to see how it might impact Danny's story moving forward. I once rated Card as my favorite author, but his more recent books just haven't hit the mark for me. I'm not sure if I have changed or he has, but I find myself annoyed by his "smart" characters who are always talking back and being rude. I remember Ender doing this, but somehow it didn't come off as snotty as the kids in his books today.
Danny is a pretty likeable character who must escape a bad home situation and set off on his own. He does this while at the same time learning about his new power of creating gates. I did enjoy the various ways Danny employed his gates and his learning process, but I wasn't overly fond of the other characters Danny met along the way.
Wad was an interesting character, because he is presented as a black sheep whom we are meant to root for against those who have shunned him, but he isn't really likeable even from the beginning. He sneaks around and pries into everyone's business and though he does heroic things, it always seems a bit self serving. I believe this was an intentional, based on where the story leads in the end, but it made for an odd side story.
I'll most likely continue the series, but I am not jumping to read the next book immediately.
Danny is a pretty likeable character who must escape a bad home situation and set off on his own. He does this while at the same time learning about his new power of creating gates. I did enjoy the various ways Danny employed his gates and his learning process, but I wasn't overly fond of the other characters Danny met along the way.
Wad was an interesting character, because he is presented as a black sheep whom we are meant to root for against those who have shunned him, but he isn't really likeable even from the beginning. He sneaks around and pries into everyone's business and though he does heroic things, it always seems a bit self serving. I believe this was an intentional, based on where the story leads in the end, but it made for an odd side story.
I'll most likely continue the series, but I am not jumping to read the next book immediately.
I'm really not sure how to rate this. There was some originality despite it seeming like there wouldn't be so that good. On the other hand, the main character is something of a brat. Of course, he's supposed to be, does that make it better? I don't know. Clearly it is calling out for more books in the series.
Not as well written or put together as some of this other stuff.
Not as well written or put together as some of this other stuff.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes