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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Note: Didn't finish (got about 70% through)
It was an interesting premise, and the writing was good. But 1) I didn't feel a connection to any of the principal characters; 2) Gatemaking has such interesting potential, but it was used for such... boring things. Danny - petty thievery, and he doesn't experiment much. Wad - There's castle intrigue, and then there's voyeurism, and I can't honestly tell from the story which one led to which; and 3) unhealthy sexual content (PG-13 level of graphic, none of it positive).
A slight rant about Wad: Even if he was highly intelligent, there's no way he could keep track of every valuable item in the castle 24/7. Then, when he outs thieves, why doesn't anyone accuse him of framing people to get rid of political enemies? And conveniently, the king wasn't concerned about a strange teenager watching him have sex with his concubine. Neither was the concubine. Or the queen later. In the parts I read, no one ever questions his intentions, which is kind of stupid of them.
It was an interesting premise, and the writing was good. But 1) I didn't feel a connection to any of the principal characters; 2) Gatemaking has such interesting potential, but it was used for such... boring things. Danny - petty thievery, and he doesn't experiment much. Wad - There's castle intrigue, and then there's voyeurism, and I can't honestly tell from the story which one led to which; and 3) unhealthy sexual content (PG-13 level of graphic, none of it positive).
A slight rant about Wad: Even if he was highly intelligent, there's no way he could keep track of every valuable item in the castle 24/7. Then, when he outs thieves, why doesn't anyone accuse him of framing people to get rid of political enemies? And conveniently, the king wasn't concerned about a strange teenager watching him have sex with his concubine. Neither was the concubine. Or the queen later. In the parts I read, no one ever questions his intentions, which is kind of stupid of them.
This was just great. Though very clearly YA which I don't typically like, the story was just too good not to enjoy. I suppose Ender's Game was YA as well, but the later books clearly become more mature. I'm hoping that's what happens with this story too. In particular, I'd like to see the political undertones fleshed out more thoroughly.
This wraps up really well by itself, but ended far sooner than I wanted to. I'm hungering for the next one.
4/5
This wraps up really well by itself, but ended far sooner than I wanted to. I'm hungering for the next one.
4/5
I've read this book before, it was called [b:Pathfinder|8100267|Pathfinder (Pathfinder, #1)|Orson Scott Card|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347612850s/8100267.jpg|12873035]. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Card really seems to be getting lazy in his writing. Not that his books still aren't good, but he is plagiarizing himself. He just seems to be recycling plots and characters.
This is only the second book by this author that I have read, but I enjoy his work immensely already. I enjoy fantasy and sci-fi and this book demonstrates that Card can write well in either genre. A delightful start to a series. Looking forward to the next book.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I thought this book had a very slow start. I found parts of it very uninteresting, and it switches between two characters which is annoying. The world is amazing, though. I want to read more.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
this is such an interesting concept and the world is so well articulated. i'm curious how there will be 3 books and how the characters will evolve over time - especially danny north. if he is going to just become an all powerful god or if ... i mean, there isn't really an if. OSC writes boy characters with supreme powers and then they continue to be supreme. he's got a schtick and he sticks to it.
I can't finish this, trying to feels like a punishment.
Believe it or not, I have never read an Orson Scott Card novel. I grabbed this ARC from work, because it looked interesting and I was in the mood for some fantasy. I ended up really liking it and I wasn't able to put it down! People have been telling me for ages that Orson Scott Card was amazing, but I just never got around to reading anything of his. Now that I have, I will definitely pick up Ender's Game and see how it goes from there.