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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Not the best ending ever, but a good, solid story-line. A near 5 stars.
Card is one of my favorite authors, and this first book in his newest series is definitely up to his high standard of excellent storytelling, wit, and imaginative fantasy. I'll be looking forward to the next book, but probably not waiting to rip it off the shelf ASAP. I can't help but notice that this latest series follows the "young boy with remarkable power/abilities trying to make his way in the world, by which we mean fundamentally change the world" format. It's a wonderful formula, it works well, and it says something about an author when he's written enough separate series for them to start following a pattern. But it's still a pattern, and this first book doesn't get far enough into the story to set it apart just yet.
New YA fantasy novel. Entertaining but nothing special - I'll check out book two because I feel like it has potential.
What a disappointment this book was. I just expected more from the mind behind "Ender's Game." I don't know if it was the vague, awkward romanticization of the sexual assault of a young, 13 year old boy and the subsequent apologism of the assailant, a woman perhaps a decade his senior, or simply the stop-and-go nature of his storyline switching.... but something just never sat right with me throughout the whole novel.
I still gave it 3 stars because it's an ~okay~ fantasy novel, more for the worldbuilding than for the plot itself.
But save yourself the time, trouble, and desperate hoping that "it gets better." (it does, but not enough). Just don't bother with this one.
I still gave it 3 stars because it's an ~okay~ fantasy novel, more for the worldbuilding than for the plot itself.
But save yourself the time, trouble, and desperate hoping that "it gets better." (it does, but not enough). Just don't bother with this one.
I liked it a lot. The part I enjoyed the most was his ability to portray the mind of a 13-year-old boy. Danny is in turns beastly and benevolent, smart-alecky and sweet. I really liked that OSC didn't make him completely sympathetic or completely villainous. As I recall, that seems to be how teenagers are - a study in extremes. It reminded me to have a lot more patience with the teenagers I interact with.
So not my favorite. I really wanted to like this book but I just didn't. The main character Danny drives me crazy. I really struggled the whole time. I most likely will not read the rest of the series. I love Orson Scott Card but this just wasn't for me.
Fantastic! Never lags and its a trilogy so there are no filler storylines. 10/10
This may never become a classic on the level of Ender's Game, but The Lost Gate was a ridiculously fun read for me. Following a young boy who discovers he is a gate mage (the most powerful of magicians), there is the perfect mix of imagination and realistic characters.
I really enjoyed this book! I didn't want to put it down. I'm going to continue reading the series because I want to know what happens next. The plot is very different difficult type of fantasy series. Following along with some of the lore was a little difficult, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. You should read it!
Orson Scott Card's world was easy to follow. With all the magics and worlds I was a little worried that I would be confused but I was not. I was engaged in it the entire time, excited to see what would happen. Danny disappointed me in some of his choices but I think it was important to see his struggles so the reader could realize how difficult it is for a gate mage and why they were considered so powerful and feared my other mages. When Danny and Eric were together there was a bit more profanity in it than I was comfortable with and some crude humor. The story was great and in the last few chapters the stories of Wad and Danny are finally intertwined and the reader discovers why both were followed throughout the book. It was a fun read!
See full review here http://books4linda.blogspot.com/2011/07/lost-gate-by-orson-scott-card.html
See full review here http://books4linda.blogspot.com/2011/07/lost-gate-by-orson-scott-card.html