Product Description
Damaged Houses

A master craftsman, Don Lark could fix everything except what mattered, his own soul. After tragedy claimed the one thing he loved, he began looking for dilapidated houses to buy, renovate, and resell at a profit--giving these empty shells the second chance at life he denied himself.

Damaged Souls

Then in a quiet Southern town, Lark finds his biggest challenge: a squalid yet sturdy mansion that has suffered decades of abuse at the hands of greedy landlords and transient tenants. While two charming old neighbor ladies ply him with delicious cooking, they offer dire warnings about the house's evil past. But there is something about this building that pushes Lark on, even as its enchantments grow increasingly ominous. Will finishing the house offer Lark redemption, or unleash the darkest forces of damnation upon him?Amazon.com Review
This romantic ghost story relies on a familiar horrorbackbone: a stranger with a tragic past moves into an old house that alsohas a tragic past, and is forced to reckon with the supernatural forcesthat dwell there. In Homebody, the stranger is an itinerantarchitect-builder who makes a lonely living by purchasing fixer-uppers,renovating them, and selling them. The house he buys in Greensboro, North Carolina, (where Orson Scott Card lives, in real life) has three mysteries attached to it: a tunnel in the basement, an attractive female squatter whorefuses to leave, and a trio of weird doomsayers who live next door.

Card has a clear, well-honed writing style, full of human warmth--a style that is especially effective in the development of the central character,and in details of tools and techniques for renovating an old house. Hisapproach to murder, danger, and threatening forces isso free of closeness or oppression that one might call it "anti-gothic." In an interview, he said, "I am completely uninterested in exploringevil. Evil (and weak and wicked) people are all evil (or weak, or wicked) in the same boring ways. But good people are infinitely interesting in the ways they manage to be good despite all the awful circumstances of their lives."

Homebody is a pleasant tale about the triumph of love over evil,with a couple of bizarre twists to give it spice. (Hint: don't read theKirkus Review if you want to keep the plot a surprise.) --Fiona Webster ... Read more

Customer Reviews (57)

Card expands his horizons
I don't know what is so sacrosanct about a writer limiting himself to one narrow genre or sub-genre. Some readers criticize him for writing something a bit different from his usual fare. I actually applaud him for it. As a professional writer, I'm much more of a generalist than he is. I really enjoy writing in various genres. So maybe I've paid for that by not selling as many books as those who stick with one narrow type of book. Card had the courage to write what he felt like writing. This book had a creative plot, held my interest throughout, and I recommend it to others.

A Fun Read
I thoroughly enjoyed this book as did my mom and siblings when I told them about it. A couple friends of mine also liked the book. It isn't a really "deep" book as some people keep referring to Card's other writings, but it was very enjoyable! Different than some other books I had previously read. Just expect an entertaining "other worldly" read and enjoy!

Card should be embarrassed!
Let me start by saying that I really like Orson Scott Card and think that he has written some really excellent books (Ender's Game, Pastwatch, etc).This book is in not Card's normal sci fi genre but is a supernatural "thriller".I have to say that this book was absolutely terrible!It started off pretty well but just flopped in the end.Nothing exciting ever really happened, the characters seemed to have emotions with no context, and the ending was so predictable it was painful.If I were Card, I would be embarrassed to put my name on this book.If you love Card's previous books, you will be extremely disappointed by this one.

Disappointing
I thought this was, for some reason, going to be a more `normal' fiction book (it was recommended, so I didn't really look at the genre).But about fifty pages in it started getting weird.Not only with the addition of the supernatural elements, but the characters themselves.It was a case of having too much crammed into them.There were no `normal' people in the book to balance out all of the extremes, and that was not only wearing, but completely unbelievable (right, I realize I was suspending my disbelief on the whole possessed house part, but that doesn't mean I can't demand realistic characters!).The book ground to a predictable and tidy ending, which was rather... offputting.After wading through all of that insanity, I expected a more creative payoff.

THIS OLD HOUSE...
This book tells the story of a haunted house and the haunted souls that inhabit it. When Don Lark, a former home builder whose life was destroyed by the tragic death of his only child, sees the Bellamy House, he knows that beneath the years of neglect lies a diamond in the rough. He buys the house from a real estate agent with whom he forms an immediate bond, only to discover that she, too, has her own personal tragedy with which to contend, one that is anathema to him given his own tragic past.

After Don buys the house, he moves in with the intent of restoring it. He soon realizes that there is another inhabitant in the house, a mysterious woman named Sylvie. He also discovers that he has two somewhat eccentric old women who live next door. They, too, have secrets. They ply him with a home cooked meal and let him know that they adamantly oppose his renovation of the Bellamy house.

As Don renovates the Bellamy House, strange things begin to happen within. Moreover, he finds himself becoming interested in Sylvie who also seems to be changing. There is definitely something afoot at the Bellamy House, and Don needs to find out what it is before it is too late for them all.

The books starts off promisingly enough but soon careens out of control with characters that are poorly developed and subplots that go nowhere and add nothing to the book. Still, fans of haunted house stories and those who like books that have supernatural portents will get a modicum of enjoyment from reading this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Patience's journey has reached its astounding climax in Cranning! It is the final endgame as she not only confronts the mysterious Unwyrm, but also her destiny. Patience will discover the fate of her entire race and her role in it! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (56)

The worst Card book ever.
This book has to be the worst depiction of middle-class African-Americans that I have ever read. And I find the author's claims that African-Americans had extensive editorial license with his material to be dubious at best. If it is in fact true, where on Earth did he find them? They must have been some of the most sheltered and nonsensical blacks born. The book reads like the literary equivalent of a minstrel show. At times, I wondered if Mr. Card put on black-face before he sat at his computer to write.

To Sunday morning Quarterback, I'd say he should not have asked people that he new personally (i.e. friends) to edit the material. He should have talked to strangers, who would not have had any qualms about hurting his feelings and telling him where the dialog and characterization failed -- miserably.

All that aside, the book was just boring or plain out-right disturbing. And, as an avid Shakespeare buff, it left me cold, with none of the wonder or humor of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" from which it was derived.

In conclusion, a very bad effort and not even really worth the time it took me to write this review. If I could have gotten away with giving it "no stars" I would have.

An entertaining, well-written fairy tale that doesn't quite connect
A college professor picks up a derelict by the side of the road on his way home from work one day and quickly discovers that the homeless man isn't what he appears to be--when he gets home, the professor finds his previously not-pregnant wife in the throes of delivering a baby, which the derelict collects and departs with. Nobody except the professor remembers the event afterward. Later, a teenage boy discovers the baby abandoned in a plastic bag at a local park. The child survives and is taken in by a neighborhood spinster. He's given the name Mack Street, and as he grows up, it's apparent that his oddness goes well beyond the circumstances of his birth. Mack Street can see other people's dreams, and when some of those dreams begin to come true in horrific ways, Mack and his neighbors in the L.A. suburb of Baldwin Hills begin to realize that strange forces are at work in their community, and reality is a whole lot stranger than any of them expected.There's a war going on that's as old as time itself, and Mack Street is caught in the middle of it.

In Magic Street, Orson Scott Card has woven some difficult issues of modern American community and culture, and one of his favorite themes, the alien, messianic child, into a contemporary fairy tale that fleshes out an obscure reference in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

There will be some spoilers toward the end of this, so stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Card wrestles with a tough, un-PC issue in contemporary American culture: the alienation of upwardly-mobile minorities. The good people of Baldwin Hills have escaped poverty and achieved a piece of the American Dream, despite many obstacles, but they feel uncomfortable about it, as if they've sold out or betrayed their fellow people of color in some fashion, losing touch with a shared culture of struggle against adversity that once defined them. He doesn't offer any solutions other than the insight that being mistreated by society isn't a good reason to cultivate hatred and pass that mistreatment on to others. As Dr. Seuss might say, a person's a person, no matter how small (or what color, or how loud their street bike is at 3 am).

Card strives for authenticity in his depiction of Black characters, and mostly succeeds, I think, but sometimes it seems like he falls back on stereotype. C'mon, a "Yo mama's so fat..." sparring session?

Authors and playwrights are continually trying to update Shakespeare, and it almost always fails. The characters feel awkward when taken out of their cultural context. Card's concept is very creative--I liked the way he put the little fracas over the "changeling child" from Midsummer Night's Dream into an accessible context, but in my opinion, it still didn't have enough momentum to escape the gravity well created by putting Shakespearean characters in modern dress. Titania's a queen, not Queen Latifah, though that's an amusing mental image.

What caught my interest and kept me reading this story was the "What the Heck is Going On Here?" factor. Once Card gets past the initial strangeness and lets the reader into what's happening, it's a fairly conventional ride. Confused Messiah Kid and Sidekicks Save the World. I've been down this road so often, I know how many telephone poles there are.The writing is masterful, but the story didn't grip me.

It was, frankly, hard for me to get too excited about or feel much sympathy for supernatural characters who were arbitrarily wanton and cruel. "The Devil made me do it" has never been a convincing defense, Puck's charm and Oberon's self-inflicted schizophrenia notwithstanding, and there are way too many real babies being set out with the trash these days. The image didn't just shock, it shut me down. Card's "All's Well That Ends Well" finish doesn't satisfy, either. If I were the folks in Baldwin Hills, I'd be surfing the Net for a good paranormal liability attorney, not basking in the afterglow of a rockin' dance with the Faerie Queen. I'd have gladly left this entire Faerie court penned up in the underworld where they couldn"t mess around with innocent people, who have enough problems without super-powered delinquents warping their reality. Get an eternal life, y'all.

Bottom Line: Magic Street is an entertaining, well-written story, but the central conceit of bored immortals using humans as playthings/pawns in their everlasting war wasn't appealing to me. Explicitly drawing a parallel between Mack's situation and the Incarnation didn't help me, either--it's not the same thing, not at all.

A well told story.Imaginative.
This is not a scifi or fantasy novel and not what I expected from this author.It is however a well told story as are the other novels that Card has written.This one is about magic.Its set in Baldwin Hills, California.Based on the descriptions in the story and in the Acknowledgements section at the end I can even look at the location for the story on Google Earth.

No Magic on Magic Street
This is a disappointing, labored book trying to combine Midsummer Night's Dream with aBlack American sitcom.
It occasionally offers a page that starts to intrigue us but the heavy dialogue, lumbering plotline,
hokey characters and some just plain gosh-awful writing kills it.
I loved Ender and Song Master and many other Orson Scott Card early novels.This is just isn't up to par.

Sometimes, judge a book by its cover
Thank you Orson for the effort. But I should have left this baby in the bag. The characters were somewhat interesting in the first few chapters but I was never able to get the feeling that I knew who they were. The fact that they were African American seemed to be more important than the story being told. The conversations get in the way of the plot and begin sounding like a bad TV show. Still I like the concept of the book that a young man could be a conduit threw which all his community's wishes and dreams are channeled and transformed.
I do not like the cover! I felt like the publishers made it look like some kind of romance only because it was about black people and they think we don't read sci-fi (I always look for sci-fi books by or that include people of color). The publishing industry has a long history of preconceived ideas about what black people will read. The cover of this book seems to be an example of that. I bought this book in the science fiction section of the book store. All the other books in that section have sci-fi looking covers. They did not even care enough to put a clearly African American face on the cover without obscuring it into nothingness.
I think OSC should try this one again. I would like to see more writers include us in their stories and not try to write stories about us. If you are a big fan of Orson Scott Card like I am, read this book if someone gives it to you and asks you what you think of it. If you are not a fan, don't bother. ... Read more

Product Description
Original essays on J.R.R. Tolkien from bestselling fantasy writers George R.R. Martin, Orson Scott Card, Terry Pratchett, Harry Turtledove, and many more. To tie in with the release of the first blockbuster film in New Line Cinemas Lord of the Rings trilogy, Meditations on Middle-Earth presents a collection of insightful, original essays by todays top fantasy and science fiction authors on the importance of The Lord of the Rings to their lives and their work. Additional bestselling and award-winning authors include: Raymong E. Feist, Ursula Le Guin, Gene Wolfe, Charles de Lint, Poul Anderson, and more! Also included is stunning original art by John Howe, the worlds foremost Tolkien illustrator, who is working closely with director Peter Jackson on the upcoming films. This blockbuster book is an absolute must-have for Tolkien fans.Amazon.com Review
If you remember where you were when you first read The Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings trilogy, then this collection of essays by some of fantasy and science fiction's most popular authors is worth a look.J.R.R. Tolkien's impact on fantastic fiction--and its writers--is explored in contributions that range from intensely personal expressions of the power and beauty of Tolkien's work to more analytical examinations of his style, language, and influences.

Standouts include Michael Swanwick's thoughtful and powerful meditation on heroism and consequences; Ursula K. Le Guin's analysis of narrative rhythm and language in the trilogy; Terri Windling's moving reflection on an escape from abuse fueled by the power of fairy tales; and Douglas A. Anderson's examination of the critical response to Tolkien's work.

This is an uneven collection, with a couple of downright clunkers, but it should appeal to Tolkien aficionados who are interested in the master's influence on those working in the field today. --Roz Genessee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

splendid anthology
I love anthologies where I read *every single* item..I bought this originally for the essay by Diane Duane, one of my favourite authors.I was pleasantly surprised to find I liked every single essay, even the ones with conflicting points of view, even the one by Poul Anderson..(although I did find that one the dryest).That said, these are all by professional authors, so the disease that so often blights academic collections, i.e. wonderful ideas completely killed by inedible prose, is not present.The subjects of the essays vary greatly; there are lots of personal recollections of reading Tolkien for the first time, Esther Friesner talks about how hot people with pointed ears are, Orson Scott Card talks about critical approaches to Tolkien (and it's *fun*!), Ursula K Le Guin talks about rhythmic pattern in Tolkien's prose.There are essays by: Raymond Feist, Poul Anderson, Michael Swanwick (another funny one!), Esther Friesner, Harry Turtledove, Terry Pratchett, Robin Hobb, Ursula Le Guin, Diane Duane, Douglas Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Charles de Lint, Lisa Goldstein, Glenn Hurdling (interviewing the Hildiebrant brothers), and Terri Windling, along with two introductions by Karen Haber and George R R Martin (they had to get the author with the most similar name to J R R Tolkien..).Anyway, if you like the fiction of any of these, you'll probably like the essays.

Interesting for reasons beyond Tolkien
This book was clearly published with the expectation that it'd ride the wave of publicityfor the LOTR movies, and perhaps it did. With the movies all on DVD now, maybe it seems less relevant than it once did. As other reviewers have mentioned, the essays in this book vary quite a bit in quality, and they approach the "What Lord of the Rings Means" question from different angles.

However, I think the book is worth reading -- once -- for a slightly different reason than Tolkien or LOTR. If you like Tolkien but aren't fanatical about the subject (not *all* of us feel the need to re-read the trilogy once a year), you may still enjoy many of these essays because you can hear how your favorite authors think, the unique way in which they were influenced by what they read... the author's own voice, in other words, rather than the stories they tell.

I kept imagining that I was attending a panel about "what LOTR meant to me" at an SF convention, and that many of the authors had interesting things to say. If you take the book from that viewpoint, you'll probably enjoy it. And if you're a writer yourself, you should definitely grab a copy.

For instance, Robin Hobb writes about being blown away by Tolkien's ability to create the setting in a novel. ("True setting is far more than descriptive passages about birch trees in winter, or picturesque villages. Tolkien's setting invoked a time and a place that was as familiar as home to me, yet unfolded the wonders and dangers of all that I had always suspected was just beyond the next hill.") Hobb's novels are masterworks of setting, so you see both the influence on the developing writer, and the reason for their impact.

Similarly, Ursula LeGuin sees the books in terms of word rhythms;Charles deLint writes about the impact of the Fairy Story (in the larger, romantic sense). This book gives you a unique view into the minds of the authors you may admire.

It also, alas, shows that not all of them are as skilled at writing an essay as they are with fiction. Esther Freisner does a damned good job (funny, too), but a few of the others wander around aimlessly, forgetting to make a point. Again, it's rather like a panel at an SF Con.

You shouldn't feel compelled to acquire a copy of this book, but don't pass it by, either. Good library fodder, or perhaps a read-and-pass-on book.

An almost-perfect celebration of Tolkien
Mostly good, this collection did have some serious downfalls. For the positives first, in general this was a great celebration of Tolkien's enduring effect on the fantasy field, and of his works. Most of the contributers to this wanted to share their experiances and debts to Tolkien's works, but a few seemed just as happy to grab their own fame out of this enterpriese. An essay-by-essay review in the order that they appear...

George R.R. Martin: Unfortunatly stuck with the intro, Martin discusses Tolkienesque and epic fantasy, the latter being his main style. Engaging and interesting, and much too short.

Raymond E. Fiest: So-so essay, entertaining but not overly informative or interesting.

Poul Anderson: I remember nothing of this one save that it was the only essay that I couldn't finish...and it wasn't even that long.

Michael Swanwick: My memory of this one is sketchy as well, but a wonderfully tied-together essay that was much more united than many of these, and inspiring. A new author to me, this essay impressed me with his style and appriciation and understanding of Tolkien's works.

Esther M. Friesner: Not very on-topic, but it made me laugh...different style, but good enough.

Harry Turtledove: Never did get the point he was trying to make, I don't think he did either. Rambling and random, but not boring at least.

Terry Pratchett: Pratchett was a bit condesencing (or more than a bit) in his essay, and it appeared to me that he came into the deal just to help sell the book with his popular name. No insights in this, and his lack of passion for Tolkien is apparent.

Robin Hobb: A refreshingly fluid essay, sharing her personal experiances and thoughts about the books. Loved this one, and I agreed with her on almost everything she said. Respectful of Tolkien in the way that I am...not forceful, but deeply passionate in a quiter way.

Ursula K LeGuin: Took me awhile to finish this one, but left me with a much better understanding of Tolkien's styles in prose. If you're shooting for new but not radical ideas and thoughts, this is worth the price of the book!

Diane Duane: More of a personal experiance essay, okay and entertianing enough, but not much substance.

Douglas A. Anderson: He said some things I didn't agree with, but his essay was excellent and informative, while being engaging. A nice history of Tolkien both personal and historical, nicely done.

Orson Scott Card: A bit rambling, but, though some of his ideas were questionable for me, very good. Card once again demostrates his understanding of the genre and its history and mechanics, conveying this in his usual intimate, sometimes sarcastic, fast-moving and informative fashion that I love so much.

Lisa Goldstien: Never heard of her, but a nice essay on why Tolkien was so different, important, and nessecary to our world.

Charles De Lint: I feel that he has seriously mis-interpretted certain bits of the book, seeing it as a bit too allegorical, and only grasping the points of it that he wants to understand. Poltically correct, this essay started good and went bad.

Hildebrant brothers: Can't say enough bad about them. They did this just for their own publicity, and I got very, very tired of hearing about how wonderful they were, and how perfect their interpretations were, and how much fun it is to illustrate...bleh. They are arrogant, concieted, and condecending, trying to compare themselves to Tolkien, and getting all upset over the lack of feminism in the books. Good for Tolkien, I say! I'm a woman, it doesn't bug me, and I don't need a bunch of guys looking out for my best intrests. I can do that myself! Burn this conversation, folks. It was awful.

Terri Windling: Nice conclusion to the book, inspiring and hopeful, and very touching. A bit feministic for my tastes, but a true tribute to Tolkien.

Overall, nice essays in general. If you're wondering, buy it. It's good light reading. But if you're looking for a serious academic study of Tolkien, buy Tom Shippey's "J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century" instead.

Brings out my own memories
This book really brought back some great memories. And not really in the vein of Tolkien amazingly enough. ( I am a major FAN of Tolkien). No, I was shockedthat when reading these essays I was quickly thrown back into my teenage years where I would read nothing but sci-fi/fantasy. I had almost forgotten how most of these authors had written in a basic, easy to read style that appealed to a young lad caught up in an adventurous, romantic mind set. I read these books as if I were love starved housewife needing my "Fabio on the cover" fix.
The good news is that I eventually outgrew this fixation, learning to read books that weren't written in under a month. But this book made me want to read some of their newer works, and, (gasp), reread some of them.
But seriously, this book is well worth the read. Some of the authors aren't all that great at writing non-fiction, (or even fiction for that matter), but it is nice to see them rahpsodizing about Tolkien. It is is also very nice to see John Howe's sketches scattered throughout, and his artwork on the cover was one of my favorite pictures long before I ever heard his name. He is an excellent artist, and I am so glad they used him as a conceptual designer on the LOTR' movies.
I give here a brief review of half the essays.
Karen Haber- Even though she was the editor of this book, her preface wasn't anything to write home about. Okay, I'll say it. It was DUMB.
George R.R. Martin- Martin, being stuck with the introduction, gives a short, concise read of what fantasy is and how Tolkien changed it. Well written and likable.
Michael Stanwick- I have never had the pleasure of reading Mr. Stanwick, but this gives me the desire to. He relates his experiences reading LOTR, gives a very nice piece on some of the dynamics of the characters, and talks of Tolkien's thoughts on allegory. He then finishes with a wonderfully heartwarming rendition of him reading the books to his young son, and how much more Sam's last words "Well, I'm back." meant to him then.
Esther Friesner- This essay was just plain funny. That is all I really remember. She didn't seem to have much to convey, but she did make me laugh.
Terry Pratchett- In true Brittish style, Pratchett brings real comic relief to this book. Just reading a short work as this brings to mind Monty Python, Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and his very own Discworld. This time he jumps headlong into the question" why is LOTR's still considered a cult classic, when it is the most popular book of the twentieth century?".He answers this in a way that would make Terry Gilliam or John Cleese proud to have written, showing how Mona Lisa and Pride and Prejudice fit into the equation. Bravo.
Ursula K. LeGuin- This was probably the best written of the bunch. Bypassing the "this is how I was first introduced to Tolkien's work" that pervades this book, Ursula gives a nice review of how Tolkien wrote his prose almost in a poetic metre. Taking one chapter of the fellowship, she shows how the different beats of action all corelate into a masterful work. Wish I had wrote it.
Orson Scott Card- The first page or two was alright, but after that it quickly detiorated into a study of "serious" vs. "escapist", that lost me in almost every paragraph. While making a few interesting points, it seemed mostly like he was just writing at random, and then forgot to put it into a cohesive format. All I can say is that Card should stick to writing fiction.
Hildebrandt Brothers- Before I write anything else, let me say this. I have never liked the brothers art. Sorry, but my bias will probably show in this one. Personally, I don't think that this should have been included in the book. Why not have John Howe or Alan Lee write something instead of this (rather lame) interview. Mostly they just banter back and forth about how skilled they are, talking about all their various projects, and occasionally thanking Tolkien for giving them the source material that made them famous. Pass.
Terri Windling- More so than all the others, this essay truly moved me. It recalled the wondefully romantic (in the classical sense of the word) thoughts, ideas, and feelings that I have always ascoiated with Tolkien, Indeed all fantasy in general. Interestingly enough, it wasn't the LOTR's that made her feel this way, But Tolkien's excellent lecture "On Fairy Stories", a beautiful work on the role of fantasy in the adult life. She also makes some great points about how Disney has changed the way we look at fairy tales, making them something just for children. Placing this essay at the end of the book definatly makes it feel as if they left the one of best for last.

Should you read this book? If you are a fan of tolkien, and don't mind a little light-hearted writing about him, then yes. If however you just happen to like a particular contributer, then you should probably shy away from this one.

Insightful collection of essays
MEDITATIONS ON MIDDLE EARTH is a collection of essays focusing on J.R.R. Tolkien's works, especially the Middle Earth saga.Some of the more renowned fantasy authors of today evaluate the series that made fantasy a household name.Surprisingly, though everyone agrees that Professor Tolkien opened up the genre to the middle class, not all of the contributors are fans of the actual novels.Insightful and entertaining, each essay is well written with the writer's particular spin.However, this anthology will be loved by those readers analyzing the various cultures in a way that cultural anthropologists would envy or by those fans who cherish Beowulf, which Tolkien felt is the forefather of the genre.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
Orson Scott Card weaves a tale of a mythical familysupheaval, showing the consequences of misplaced hopes and what happenswhen people let themselves become disconnected from oneanother. Somewhere between medieval fantasy and contemporary fairytale, a dark story turns into light. Ultimately, we see that is nevertoo late to escape from a dream gone bad. This is truly a fable forour time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Very different, but good!
This one was very strange, very different. It's subtitled "a fable for adults." Without the illustrations, this book would have been lost. Neat idea though. The story is about a queen, a king, and their son and daughter. The queen feels alone and turns to her magic mirror where she sees images from other worlds, other peoples lives, and the goings on of others. One day she sees a particularly disturbing image that drives her to an almost unfortunate fate, but her children intervene. So you're thinking medieval times, right? Well the illustrations make this not just another magic mirror fairy tale. The illustrations show medieval times, but mixed in there is modern society. The magic mirror is a sort of computer screen showing her news from the world and videos of other's lives. The castle has a remote controlled garage, the daughter is a modern day goth, and sea shells are cell phones. The illustrations are not really my cup of tea, but their substance adds to the story. While it is certainly not the best or most well known story of Card's, it's still worth the read in my opinion. It's very unique.

Remarkable!
Nathan Pinnock's fantastic illustrations make this book something worth reading over and over.The story is simple, yet has underlying meaning, so that children and adults probably read different things into the storyline.Using the fairy tale format to convey a general moral principle is catchy. I have often bought this as a gift for others.

Cool illustrations, creepy message
I was disturbed by this story.As far as I could tell, the message was: "Even if your husband ignores you and doesn't listen to your child when she says there's a problem, you should stay with him.Because when he's done with the really important stuff, like his job, he'll eventually come back to you.Oh, and kids who dress goth are unloving.They just need to discover the pretty pretty princess inside."

I did, however, love the illustrations.They're full of clever visual jokes merging modern and medieval images, like a guy being punished in the stocks...which is attached to a meter.

Yes, yes, yes!
This is one of the most charming and meaningful fairy tales for "children of all ages" I have seen in years. The mix of fantasy and modern life makes every picture entertaining. The story is a good parable for our day, for both children and young adults.

Pretty good for a children's book
I do not know what compels best-selling genre authors to write picture books for children, but many of them have done it, including James Herriot, Dean Koontz, Jeffrey Archer, and even Gabriel Marcia Marquez. As far as kids' books go, this one is pretty good. The story is simple, but the illustrations are unique, with every picture combining elements of medieval fantasies (castles, knights, dragons, abbots) and contemporary life (computers, scanners, office meetings).It is also interesting when the text says one thing, such as "Queen Heather mounted her steed", and the picture shows something different, like the Queen speeding off in a sports car.The subject matter is a bit mature; the pictures (more than the prose) imply acts of suicide and adultery. However, everything works out happily ever after in the end. ... Read more

Product Description
The most imaginative, groundbreaking comic of 2005! International bestseller, four-time Hugo award, two-time Nebula award and World Fantasy Award winner Orson Scott Card (author of Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Shadow Puppets) comes to the Ultimate Universe. He's joined by industry legend Andy Kubert (Ultimate X-Men, Marvel 1602, Wolverine: Origin) to show the shocking beginning of Ultimate Iron Man! If you thought The Ultimates told you everything you needed to know about Ultimate Iron Man, think again! Collects Ultimate Iron Man #1-5. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

An Embarrassment to All Parties Involved
Orson Scott Card to SciFiScanner on this book:

"I really hate superhero comics. Then Marvel comes to me with this character, and when they told me what it was I said, "Wow, that is even dumber than most superhero comics." This guy is the head of a multi-million dollar international corporation -- that's a full-time job. He is also a scientist-inventor-engineer -- that's a full-time job. And he wears a suit and goes out and save people? But then I found out I could give him a childhood -- that's what I do. So that worked for me. I literally can't write a story I don't believe in. I sit there staring at the screen and nothing happens. I have to wait until I believe in it."

This isn't Iron Man.The character is unrecognizable and this is a badly written story by a notable author who just wanted to make sure the check cleared without too much fuss.Ultimate Iron Man has achieved a legendary status as the worst Ultimate Marvel series ever (keyword: nanomonkeys), and the beginning of a "dark age" that ushered in lower standards of quality throughout the entire Ultimate Universe line.With this volume, you too can see just why it this series is so reviled and why Card's competence as an author was called into question by people unfamiliar with his body of work.Even diehard OSC fans will be horribly disappointed.

If you want to read up on Ultimate Iron Man, you're better served by checking out "Ultimates 1," "Ultimates 2," and "Ultimate Human."This one's not worth the minutes of your life that could best be spent watching paint dry.

A Daring Take on a Marvel Legend
This TPB (also available in hardcover), collecting the entire five-issue run of the first Ultimate Iron Man volume, has come under quite a bit of fire.However, I applaud the unique take that Orson Scott card took on this iconic Marvel character.The Ultimate Universe is all about recreating the world of Marvel for contemporary readers, many of whom are completely new to comics in general.As such, it provides a wonderful opportunity for the writers who are fortunate enough to work on these projects to try something new (the Bendis origin for Venom- lab project gone awry, rather than extraterrestrial- is a perfect example).Card was tasked with adding a whole new take on the Iron Man canon, making the story unique and accessible for new readers all the while.Not a particularly easy assignment, but my personal verdict is that he succeeded.

There are three reasons in particular why I feel this book is valuable not only to the Iron Man character, but the entire Ultimate Universe.It masterfully explains the root causes for 1) Stark's genius, and why he displays almost inhuman levels of productivity and innovation, 2) why he is obsessed with constantly building and improving armor, and 3) his affinity for the consumption of alcohol.I will not reveal any specifics or spoilers here, but for those of you who have read the book (or plan on reading it), pay close attention to those three points, and ask yourself if Card did not do an excellent job of giving credence to Stark's character.For instance, after reading this volume, it seems that Stark's drinking is not a way for him to escape the burdens of reality (which would make no sense for a man so driven by the need to constantly build his empire and legacy), but is in actuality a means of enhancing his productivity.This may sound like an implausible theory to those who have not yet read the story, but once you learn of Stark's origin in the Ultimate Universe, and his unique genetic makeup, it all comes together (it also explains how he can drink so much without suffering any permanent damage).

The Ultimate Universe is all about new ideas for old characters.It runs parallel (exists outside of) the original Marvel Universe, and so a new take on a character like Iron Man should not offend any of the die-hard fans.For those of us who do not have the benefit of having been around the past 40+ years to absorb all the background of Marvel, this is like being a kid again, and witnessing the birth of legends.

This is Iron Man?
I'm a big fan of Marvel's Ultimate line, and Iron Man is one of my all-time favorite characters, so when I heard about the Ultimate Iron Man limited series I was more than a little excited. After seeing how well Tony Stark's character was handled in the Ultimates, I was looking forward to seeing him in the spotlight here.

Marvel pulled off quite the coup in getting bestselling sci-fi author Orson Scott Card to write this series. Unfortunately it doesn't really pay off. I'm not familiar with Card's previous work, but he seems ill-suited to this particular task. I'll try not to give too much away here, but some of the plot points are just not right for Iron Man. Everyone can accept Tony Stark the boy genius. But Tony Stark the blue-skinned science mutant with weird powers? That is not what Iron Man is all about. A big part of Iron Man's appeal is that he had no superpowers. He used his intellect to create the Iron Man armor and hold his own among gods, mutants, and other super-heroes.

The story had some good points. The Stark/Stane corporate rivalry was handled well, and the secret government school for science prodigies (the same one from Ultimate Fantastic Four I assume) was a good setting for the young Tony Stark. I just wish it was explored a bit more.
The dialogue between characters is awkward, and the supporting cast never seems to gel, especially compared to the other Ultimate books.

I'm sure Card is a good writer, but I think his talents would have been better utilized elsewhere (perhaps in the regular Marvel Universe). There is a certain standard in the Ultimate line established by writers like Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Millar, and Warren Ellis, and Orson Scott Card just doesn't live up to that standard.

Andy Kubert's artwork is as always, quite good, and in this case is the book's only saving grace. It would have been nice if he had managed to finish the entire series, but Mark Bagley does a decent job on the book's closing chapter.

I suppose I was going to be disappointed with an Ultimate Marvel book eventually, I just wish it wasn't Ultimate Iron Man.

I respectfully disagree...
The Ultimate Universe has resulted in some truly unique treasures, jewels in the glittering crown of Marvel Comics, but sadly this is not one of them.

For both the casual and dedicated fan, I recommend Iron Man: Extremis by Warren Ellis instead of this book. It is without question the book this should have been -- and in continuity to boot!

While I don't want to say that Ultimate Iron Man *ruins* or conflicts with anything essential in the Iron Man character, I will say that this ought to have been the third or fourth trade in the Ultimate Iron Man series.

Why? because it asks us to devote an extraordinary amount of time and effort to a story whose conclusion we already know without adding anything substantive -- at least nothing substantive that couldn't have been handled in Lost-style flashbacks to greater effect.

In an Ultimate Universe that I prize for its forward-looking stance on its characters, this book mires itself in the past and cannot seem to escape a story that, honestly, didnt really even need to be told.

Again, for your Iron Man fix, check out Extremis. Great dialogue, solid story, amazing art.

- r

A Great Addition to the Ultimate Universe
At First Glance:
When I first saw that Marvel had started Ultimate Iron Man i was ecstatic.Not only am i a big fan of Iron Man, But the Ultimate universe as well, and I eagerly awaited the paperback; my wait was not in vain.

New Take on Stark:
When I first started reading the new Ultimate Iron Man, written by Sci-Fi legend Orson Scott Card,I was surprised my the new spin he took.Tony Stark, due to an accident that occurred while he was still in his mothers womb, has brain cells that are developed through his whole body.This causes him to be in constant pain, which becomes the reason for him becoming an alcoholic.It also leaves him with the ability to regrow limbs that he loses (based on the properties of the chemical his mother got infected with while pregnant).

Brief Plot:
The story follows both Tony Stark's growth from a mere toddler into the adult he will become, and the creation of his Iconic Iron Man suit from its meager beginnings.I know to some this may sound lame, or a horrible take on a classic character, but believe me it is not.I honestly believe i do not have the ability to convey the greatness of Ultimate Iron Man Vol. 1.

Is Ultimate Iron Man 1 for Me:
If you are dying to know the back story of "The Ultimates" Tony Stark, Love Iron Man, or just looking for a good read while you wait for your next issues of whatever comic you read, this is defiantly worth getting. ... Read more

Product Description
Academy Award-winning artist Doug Chiang & best-selling science fiction author Orson Scott Card join forces in this extraordinary illustrated adventure. ''Robota'' follows the fortunes of our hero, Caps, as he navigates an ancient, decaying world in which a dwindling human population battles a society of merciless robot warriors. Aided by sentient animals & stalked by terrifying hunter robots, Caps fights to unravel his past & to create a future for himself & his planet, slowly rising to fulfill an awesome destiny. A riveting tale of love, betrayal, & revenge, Chiang's vividly imagined story & meticulously rendered paintings, in conjunction with Card's masterful prose, bring to life an electric alter-universe & a battle nothing short of epic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Unusual and enjoyable
This book is a short science fiction story and art book interleaved - art on one side, story on the other. Clearly this is a work of love and inspiration - like a modern illuminated manuscript. I really like it, but I wish it was longer, and I can't give the story itself a flawless rating. Doug Chiang (who envisioned Star Wars Episodes 1-3 for Lucas) was impressive throughout, but some of the scenes were somewhat plain/boring in only the way that grandiose things can be. Four and a half stars, with reservations about scoring it at all given its unusual nature. It's Orson Scott Card, writing for an art book that looks like the Phantom Menace should have. ?!?

The story and art doesn't go well together strangely
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1GUYVFKS4OP4M Doug Chiang is the design director for the Star Wars prequel. Robota is a personal project inspired by sketches of robots he drew when he was a kid.

This is more of a picture book than an art book. Orson Scott Card filled in the role as the writer for the story.

The story's about the battle between robots and humans on a world called Robota. In this world, humans were made slaves to the robots. One day, a mysterious young man appeared and started a revolution against the robots. That's the premise of the story.

If there's anything I learned from story artists from Pixar, a good story must have twist and turns often. Give readers something and then take it away, making them want more. Show readers the characters are fighting for a cause. It is in these two areas that the story fail to engage me. I just can't relate to

I've seen lots of concept paintings done by Doug Chiang on Star Wars. While the paintings inside this book are impressive, they are lacking in the story element. Except for a few, there's rarely any action in the panels. They are merely concept art. Nothing wrong with that except that there's a story going along. There's no communication between any characters.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

cool story and awesome photos
More of a portfolio from Star Wars concept artist Doug Chaing but an awesome story to group his amazing art with storytelling! A must have for any future artist or sci-fi fan! A rare book!

First Foray
Caps awakens inside an unknown machine.In fact, he cannot remember very much about who even is; despite this amnesia, Caps seems to know an awful lot about the world around him -- and, its history as well.On his journey of self-discovery, Caps befriends several people and creatures that ultimately end up helping him explain who he is, and why he seemingly has so much information about a world where sentient robots are carrying out a plan of mass-extermination of anything and everything biological.And when the robots find out that Caps is out there, seeking answers to who he is, their plan of mass-extermination suddenly takes a very directed and determined focus...all on him.

Robota was my first foray into the world of graphic novels.While the concept does not seem to be flawless (for instance, some of the images seemed to have nothing to do with the plot of the moment on the individual pages), overall, I certainly enjoyed this story.Though, to be perfectly honest, I am a big fan of Card...and his character-centered writing style was all over this tale.This being the case, it was easy to forgive some of the almost nonexistent description of individual settings, Card seemingly relied on Chiang's graphic depiction of these settings, instead of describing them with his prose.While many of the images are, indeed, beautifully rendered, I still would have liked a bit more description in the writing.None of this, however, takes away from a story that easily sucks you in until the very last page and is certainly worth picking up.

Chiangs Sci Fi Story
I really enjoyed reading this ....i guess you'd call it a graphic novel?The art by Chiang is awesome, you deffinately see his style in the art for the first two star wars movies.Lucas sure gave him a lot of artistic freedom, the robots are almost identicle in style and buildings had some similarities as well.Not sure how much Orson Scott Card contributed compared to Chiang for the story.It was a simple but good sci fi story.Chiang does discuss he had had this idea for a story at a very young age in the "Foreward" section as far as background setting, and finally realized characters during a trip he was taking in Northern Cal so i guess OSC polished it up.Different way of reading a book.Read a little, look and ponder the art, read a little more etc etc.Neither a positive or negative, ...it is a short read. ... Read more

Product Description
Orson Scott Card is one of the world's bestselling SF authors, and the award-winning Ender saga is one of the best-loved series in the genre. ENDER'S SHADOW is the first volume in a new Ender series. Returning to the time of Ender's Game, ENDER'S SHADOW follows the incredible story of one of Ender Wiggin's fellow pupils at Battle School. Compelling, compulsive reading, ENDER'S SHADOW is certain to thrill all fans of the original series and attract many new readers. Look out for more information on this book and others on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Beneath the surface and behind the scenes of Ender's Game
I love Ender's Game (Ender, Book 1) as well as Ender Wiggin, and that book will always be my favorite of the Ender books, not to mention one of my all around favorites. That being said, I think this book is better.

This is the story of one of the supporting characters in that book, and as such a large part of it takes place beneath the surface and behind the scenes of what we already thought we knew. As for the new parts of the story, they were inventive, dramatic, fascinating, sad, and well written.

Ender's Shadow revealed dimensions of Ender's Game that fascinated (and some that kind of angered) me, it had many remarkable characters (some of which touched my heart and some of which chilled my blood), and plenty of dramatic events that made me rejoice or cry (and sometimes both).

I gave this book five stars because it was wonderful and it's also one of my favorites. I would probably even recommend it to people who for some reason can't or don't want to read Ender's Game for some bizarre reason, because I think it could stand on it's own. I really do love this book, and think it's excellent, and I really like Bean. But I love Ender, and I love Ender's Game more.

superb
I never thought Card could have written something else as good as Ender's Game but I think he surpasses it with this one!I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it to all fans of Ender's Game.

Perspective and leadership
Read together with OSC's classic Enders Game, Enders Shadow is a masterpiece of perspective on leadership. While this is basically the same story as the Original Enders Game, Card gives us an improvement on his own great work by way of his improved and matured abilities as a writer, but more so with the unique privilege or seeing a story you think you know through another viewpoint, changing what you thought you knew.

The great lesson I took away from this story is this,
1) The smartest person in the room isn't necessarily the best leader.
2) The best leader always listens to the smartest person in the room

Orson Card is the master of the moral dilemma, the conflicted hero, and for requiring the reader to examine his own motives.

I love this story
... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Mortal love against immortal evil
Young Ivan "Vanya" Smetski never felt quite at home anywhere. When he was 10 years old, his father "rediscovered" his Jewish blood in a gambit to escape the dying Soviet Union, and finally brought the family to the United States. But Ivan was bound to go even farther. When walking through a Ukrainian clearing, he finds a beautiful woman asleep on a pedestal, guarded by a huge bear. Kissing this sleeping beauty awake, he suddenly finds himself whisked off Ninth Century Russia to face the wrath of the princess' enemy, the dreaded Baba Yaga.

This is a truly wonderful book. I quickly found myself locked on the story, setting aside all other reading materials so I could devote all of my time to this book. The characters are interesting, and the storyline is gripping. The author does an excellent job of transporting the reader to another time and place. I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

magical
a beautiful, highly original blend of love and magic.

Enchantment
Orson Scott Card has kept his outstanding reputation as one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time. This book combines information of the jewish lifestyle, and russian folklore, two things that i basically knew nothing about when i read this book. Card did some excellent research for this book, bringing back long forgotten people and places into modern day life. it's a story of adventure, love, and magic. i bought this book, not liking love stories, thinking that i might just read some of it and then store it on my shelf for a later time. But after the first few pages i was hooked; i couldn't put it down. This is a wonderful book, i would recomend this book to science fiction lovers and the dedicated Card readers. If you're looking for a new author, Orson Scott Card is truly wonderful.

Don't wasteyour money on the abridged audio version!
The audio version of this book is well read but suffers from being rather poorly abridged.Abrubt segues will leave you wondering if you've lost mind.Perhaps the extracted portions of the text were not critical, butthe remaining should have been changed so as not to refer to things andevents the listener is not privy too.

How did they manage to mangle such a good story?
Who chose the reader of this book?And who did the abridgment?I'm still listening to the tape, but in spite of the terrible reading and only because the story -- in spite of the unexplainedcuts and breaks -- itselfis so good. If the tape hadn't been given to me as a gift, I would bereally peeved right now at having spent money for it. I'm going to buy thebook, though, because I want to get the whole story.When I read the book,I'm sure I'll be able to give it a much better review than this review ofthe tape. ... Read more

Product Description
The direct sequel to Ender's Game! Thirteen year-old Ender Wiggin has saved mankind from an alien threat. His reward? Exile. Branded a monster by those who feel threatened by his military genius, Ender is suddenly a hero without a home. Consumed with guilt, Ender must face his own demons and the people who are bent on stripping him of power. Based on the bestselling novel by science-fiction master Orson Scott Card.

COLLECTING:

Ender's Game: Ender in Exile #1-5

... Read more

Product Description
Edited by best selling author Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game) and formerStarlog Managing Editor Keith Olexa, Empire of Dreams and Miracles is thefirst publication from the new SF imprint Phobos Books. Card wroteintroductions to each story, and served as a member of the celebrity jurythat selected the 12 stories featured in the book.

The authors whose stories are collected in Empire of Dreams and Miracleswere all winners of the 1st Annual Phobos Fiction Contest. Science Fictionscribes from around the country were solicited to submit works of shortfiction that demonstrated "innovation, insight and far-sight". Of the nearly200 stories submitted, 12 were selected for publication by a celebrity juryincluding Orson Scott Card, Prof. Lawrence Krauss, Star Wars: Episode I-IIDesign Director Doug Chiang, The Matrix executive producer Andrew Mason, SCIFI Channel Sr. VP Thomas Vitale, and former Marvel Comics Editor and Valiantand Defiant Comics creator Jim Shooter.

Lawrence Krauss, author of The Physics of Star Trek, Beyond Star Trek andAtom: An Odyssey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth…And Beyond, contributedthe book’s foreword, which highlights the science behind the fiction.Krauss is chair of the Physics and Astronomy departments at Case WesternReserve University and is recognized as one of the country’s foremostastrophysicists.

Star Wars: Episode I-II Design Director and Oscar-winner Doug Chiang createdan original painting for the book’s cover art. Chiang is one of thepreeminent SF artists of his generation and a close collaborator of GeorgeLucas.

The Anthology’s title story "Empire of Dreams and Miracles", was written byJames Maxey. The other winners include: Rebecca Carmi, "22 Buttons"; KenLiu, "Carthaginian Rose"; Rick Sabian, "The Compromise"; Daniel Conover,"Eula Makes Up Her Mind"; Carl Frederick, "Great Theme Prisons of the World"and "The Messiah"; Justin Stanchfield, "Hanged Man, Lovers and The Fool";David Barr Kirtley, "The Prize" and "They Go Bump"; Chris Leonard,"Rippers"; Andrew Rey, "Who Lived in a Shoe". In addition to publication,each author received a cash prize of $500 per story. Three stories, "HangedMan, Lovers and the Fool", "22 Buttons", and "They Go Bump", rated "Best ofthe Best" by the jury garnered an additional cash award of $500.

The ten talented authors each give us a glimpse of the future. They alsobenefit from PHOBOS’ multimedia approach.

PHOBOS BOOKS is a division of PHOBOS ENTERTAINMENT HOLDINGS, INC. a companydevoted to creating quality Science Fiction entertainment in a variety ofmedia: books, movies, TV, video games, radio and the Internet. Several ofthe stories in the Anthology are already being considered for developmentinto these other media. The 2002 Phobos Fiction Contest is already underway,and is expected to yield another Anthology in 2003. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent stories, but I wanted more
I must say that each one of these twelve science fiction stories is truly a winner. I can hardly pick which one I liked best, which is unusual for an anthology; most of the time, for me, only one or two short stories will stand out from the rest. Here, Card and the judges who picked these have collected the best of the best. In particular, I liked "They Go Bump", a story about invisible soldiers (being invisible is not as much of an advantage as one would suppose) and "22 Buttons"--a futuristic tale about social mores and isolation. I read every one work in this book with total amazement at the writing skill. If you want to try your hand at writing science fiction, these wonderful examples can inspire (or discourage) you.

My only complaint is that the book was not what I would consider a good value, even with the excellence of each of the works in this anthology. I expected more than twelve stories--twenty would be more like it. I hope future volumes of this series will be bigger books.

One good story after another
A friend of mine suggested I check out this anthology saying he'd liked almost every story in it.Now that I've read it, wow, was he right!Lots of anthologies I've read will have one or two strong stories plus a lot of filler.This one was all winners.The anthology gets off to a great start with "They Go Bump" by David Barr Kirtley. In this story a squad of soldiers are sent on a mission to test alien equipment that renders them invisible.It's a marvelous study in paranoia as one soldier grows increasingly convinced that his invisible friends are one by one being replaced by aliens.Other highlights: "Great Theme Prisons of the World," one of the freshest ideas I've seen in science fiction in years.In it, people can choose to alter their sentences by choosing their prisons.Choose to serve your time beachfront in the Bahamas and you triple your sentence.Serve your time in a dank medieval dungeun and cut your time in half."Who Lived in a Shoe" is the funniest story in the book, a tale of a couple househunting on an alien planet. The alien real estate agent is increasingly bewildered by the human's reactions as he shows them houses made of goo, houses underwater, etc. The title story also deserves special mention. It's set in a future Atlantis where people are immortal and to pass the time they hunt each other for sport. It's the most atmospheric and sensual of the stories, but sometimes a little jokey. Many of the stories do remind me of my favorite stories from years ago, but not because they are based on the same ideas.These stories are just told well, with strong beginnings, middles, and satisfying conclusions.The craft of storytelling is alive and well in these pages.

Not Bad...Not Bad At All...
Like many other people I bought this book just because of Orson Scott Card.Even though he didn't write much more than the forward and intro's to every story, I am really glad I got this.I think that anthologies exist to introduce readers to new writers, new ideas, and new ways of telling a story.I had gotten so sick of reading the same sci-fi stories over and over again that "Empire" was a welcome change. Of course I liked some stories more than others, but I thought that they were all well executed and all trying to bring out new ideas.I think that even non-sci-fi readers will like a lot of these, especially "22 Buttons" and "Great Theme Prisions".
I hope that this is just the first of many new anthologies and I look forward to hearing from many of these new authors again.

Three good stories
I bought this book because it has 3 words on it "Orson Scott Card". However I found that most of the stories reminded me of books I read in the 7th grade. Three of the stories had good content and were enjoyable reading. However ...this book is highly over priced and should sell for about half that price. For the most part if these were the winners that made it into this book I don't want to see the losers. When I pay [this much] for a paperback every story in it better be a jewel.

Disappointed...
I ordered this online because of Card was involved ...Boy was I disappointed.First, this is a very short book for the money. . . for an anthology I was expecting more.The stories range from mildly dull to childish and pendantic.With so many great anthologies out there, believe me, your money is much better spent elsewhere. ... Read more

Product Description
Graham, an 1890s radical pamphleteer who is eagerly awaiting the twentieth century and all the advances it will bring, is stricken with insomnia. Finally resorting to medication, he instantly falls into a deep sleep that lasts two hundred years. Upon waking in the twenty-second century to a strange and nightmarish place, he slowly discovers he is master of the world, revered by an adoring populace who consider him their leader. Terrified, he escapes from his chamber seeking solace—only to realize that not everyone adores him, some even wish to harm him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

H.G. Wells Looks to Today
When the Sleeper Wakes is one of the earlier works by H.G. Wells. Perhaps not as exciting as War of the Worlds or The Time Machine, it nonetheless imagines a future when big business runs the world and the two-party system is gone. Sort of like BP?

Written in the late 1890s, the Wells book refers to aeropiles and aeroplanes. Sci fi lovers and H.G. Wells fans will discover much to consider.

Wells' Idealism in a Surprising Tale
Until I visited the Modern Library website, I had never heard of this novel, but it was so intriguing I immediately ordered this edition from Amazon.With a plot that's like Rip Van Winkle on steroids, Wells' socialistic optimism is given a good working over.The future into which the sleeper awakes is on the brink of a revolution, the success of which could herald humanity's utopian dream.But a grim political reality soon sets in, one driven by a Machiavellian power ploy.The cynical argument Wells gives the antagonist Ostrog for the inevitability of the bleak social strata was presented as justifiable, and hard to argue with.Graham (the awakened sleeper) becomes dismayed, but he clings to his optimism for a sense of purpose.

I approached this novel with enthusiasm, as the plot summary seemed like something familiar but having a darker tone.But at times I found myself wishing the story would move along a wee-bit quicker, as I sensed that events had a sinister twist that was about to be revealed.By the end, I was wondering if the sleeper wasn't a metaphor for the writer himself, who probably in his last days saw some very discouraging events that dashed his hopes for a just social outcome.

It was an intelligent book, bursting with ideas.I highly recommend it.
_______________________________________________________________________

Free SF Reader
A nineteenth century nonconformist and activisit pulls a Rip Van
Winkle, and wakes up a couple of centuries later. He discovers that he
is now what he was actually agitating against, and is rather shocked.
Wells was predicting the rise of the megacorporation, among other
things, like the use of aeroplanes for travel. Most definitely a
criticism of the large corporation way of life.

Prescient
Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) is remembered as one of the very pioneers of the genre of science-fiction. He is also remembered for his Leftist politics, including a stint with the Fabian Society and his embracing of "Free Love." This book was written in 1899, and is one of the last science-fiction books he wrote before his turn towards social realism in his writing.

In this dystopian novel, Graham falls into a coma-like sleep, a sleep that he wakes from some 203 years in the future. But times have changed. Due to the wise investments of a board of trustees, Graham's money has compounded into the greatest fortune the world has ever seen, and the trustees have used it to virtually enslave the entire planet. The common people know that those who use "The Master's" money are misusing it, and they pine for a time when the sleeper will wake and set things right. But now that Graham is awake, he finds himself a pawn in a world he little understands.

Overall, I found this to be an interesting book. H.G. Wells made a lot of predictions in the book that have sense come to pass, including airplanes, the rise of trans-national corporations that are not under the control of their nation of origin, the rise of a decadent class of useless, pretty, party-people (Hollywood), and so much more. The one fly in the ointment, however, was Wells' use of race. The leaders use an army of "Negroes" to control the population, "They are fine loyal brutes, with no wash of ideas in their heads..."

But, that said, I did find this to be a fascinating, forward looking book. Mr. Wells is rightly remembered for his near prescience in matters of science, and this book shows how much he knew about the future of economics as well. I highly recommend this book.

a true classic
finished this just the other night and what a finish. i'm not going to spoil it because if you havn't read it you should - if you like your sci-fi with a liberal portion of politics and social commentary (which i guess i do).

from the very beginning, the beauty of the writing is that it shares the sense of dislocation and naivete of the protagonist most eloquently. a man waking in a future world where what he sees around him is totally unfamiliar, yet what lies underneath is an expression of barbarism that a post-enlightment intellectual would surely find abhorrent.

the technology wells envisions is perhaps the most telling sign of his intensly perceptive style. the only inline editorial note is towards the end, where an insert advises that wells is writing of aeroplanes 11 years before the first took to the sky and of aerial fighting 18 years before the first dogfight (although once you've made it to flying, it's not that very large a mental gap at all to flying and fighting together...). alongwith telephones, televisions and the classic moving pathway or travelator (found also in asimov, the fantastic planet and others), the other main visual vocabulary is in the architecture. It's all about the scale and in this you could maybe argue (if you were stoned and theoretically ambitious...) that future comrades-in-architecture took some inspiration. which is to say that it reminds me of beijing and berlin, the only two cities i've visted that either were or are communist.

but it's the social commentary i enjoy the most. a rather dark piece of commentary it is too, marking it alongside brave new world, 1984 et. al. the most unsettling part about reading this was to ponder in 2005 the questions wells was asking in 1899. are the extrapolations he was making, perhaps influenced by contempory thinking such as conspicous consumption and antecedents such as rosseau, bearing themselves out today? The stark seperations Veblen was identifying in the seperation of classes by the work they perform (essentially split into industrial and non-industrial) are a central theme in The Sleeper (first published in 1899, the same year as Veblen's The Leisure Class). ... Read more

Product Description
Japan has long been one of the key players in business, technology, and culture...and now some of today's finest writers have created these all-new novellas envisioning how its influence will change the world! Calling on their expert knowledge of Japanese society, as well as science fact and fiction, these writers offer five different mesmerizing visions of the future that are sure to appeal to the multitude of fans of this unique culture! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A considerable disappointment
I enjoy fiction with a Japanese setting, whether written by a Japanese author or not, so I had high hopes for this collection of five original stories. Alas, it's not nearly as good as it might have been. Richard Lupoff'stitle story, a murder mystery set in a Japanese research station on the Martian moon of Phobos, is perhaps the weakest in the volume. The characterization is shaky, the solution to the "mystery" is known almost from the beginning (I thought this was a red herring, but no), and a number of not entirely connected plot threads are left dangling (like the business with the "face on Mars"). "Tea from an Empty Cup," by Pat Cadigan, set in a cyberworld that has little resemblance to what we actually ended up with, has been reprinted several times, and while it's an interesting read, it's far from being her best work. The best thing here, actually, is Paul Levinson's rather short "A Medal for Harry," a sly and disturbing piece about the nature of political truth. "Niagara Falling," by Jack Dann, is a rather disconnected piece about a wealthy, newly-married young couple from Australia on their honeymoon at a Niagara Falls you won't recognize, in a future where Canada and the U.S. are in serious trouble -- though it's not clear why. There's nothing explicitly Japanese in this story, just a few bits of the background, and it's equally "Arab" in its setting, so I'm not sure why it's even in this collection. The best-written piece (or maybe just the most "literary"), though the plotting is a bit confusing, is "Thirteen Views of Higher Edo," by Patric Helmann. This one is about an artist living and working in a manufactured orbital world conceived and populated by those who were bullied (ijime) on Earth. It's interesting in places, especially in its delineation of the protagonist, Yukio, who only wants to be left alone to perform his job growing protein and to pursue his art on his own time, despite the mercantile demands of his world's governing council. Altogether, though, this collection is a serious disappointment.

Not Free SF Reader
One of those anthology collections that is a decent pickup when you find them very cheap at a second hand bookshop. Nothing memorable or terrible. More interesting if you have a thing for Japan, of course.

Black Mist and other Japanese Futures : Black Mist - Richard A. Lupoff
Black Mist and other Japanese Futures : Tea from an Empty Cup - Pat Cadigan
Black Mist and other Japanese Futures : A Medal for Harry - Paul Levinson
Black Mist and other Japanese Futures : Niagara Falling - Janeen Webb and Jack Dann
Black Mist and other Japanese Futures : Thirteen Views of Higher Edo - Patric Helmaan

Phobos Yakuza murders.

3.5 out of 5

Virtual reality Japanese mythology mystery relations.

There are a couple of major characters here, a young woman searching for her boyfriend, who may or may not be dead after getting involved with a crimelord. Said young woman gets herself hired as the crimelord personal assistant.

There is also a cop that features in other books. She also is looking into this situation, and also the possibility that some sort of odd mythology world has sprung up in artificial reality.

3.5 out of 5


Truman maker of mutant Japanese brainy people.

4 out of 5


A couple must reconcile their new marriage relationship, both virtually and in reality, as well as their business situation.

3.5 out of 5


Space art.

2.5 out of 5

Outstanding debut novella, but restis so-so
_____________________________________________
The highlight of this collection is the "A+" debut ofPatric Helmaan, "13 Views of Higher Edo" , a 90-page novella.

Yukio is a protein engineer and an artist. His "Views of Higher Edo", a
habitat constructed from a captured asteroid, have made him wealthy.
Now he is becoming a reluctant celebrity:

'...Higher Edo was hardly self-sufficient... Maintenance of the supply
lines took money... And while the CC already attached 40% of Yukio's
earnings from his art, he suspected that percentage was about to rise...

"And that is why you will be travelling to the birthworld,to be honored
for your achievement...It is all arranged," the Chief Director said.

...Yukio steeled himself. "And if I should refuse to go?"

"That is no option available to you..."


The tour is as distasteful as Yukio feared - an sfnal "Book Tour from
Hell." But celebrity has some rewards:

'He turned to face an attractive American brunette...

"My name is Sandra," she said

"I am--"

"Of course you are," she said, touching his arm..."I'm an actress...Well,
I'm not even a real actress. I'm a type, you know, full-figured good-
looking American girl... Mostly I get killed..."

"Killed?"

"...murdered, shot, stabbed, strangled. Always a need here for pretty girls
who can die well."

"You fill a need, then. You find work..."

Sandra nodded..."Would you like to play a role with me? ...Not a long
run. Single performance, I promise."She laughed."Single night
anyway. Number of performances is up to you..."


--a remarkable first-sale debut for Mr Helmaan, a frequent visitor to
Japan.Bravo!

I wish I could be enthusiatic about the other four stories in this collection
ofJapanese-flavored SF - but they're run-of-the-mill or worse.Well,
there's a new post-apocalyptic Noo Yawk Sitty Cadigan, for those who
liked the first...Anyway, good as "13 Views" is, I'm not sure it's six
bucks good - so look in your library, or pick it up used, and keep a
lookout for Patric Helmaan's next...

Happy reading--
Pete Tillman

Not very Japanese....
The problem with the book is, while the stories are either set in Japan or about Japan or have Japanese characters NONE of the authors are Japanese, so I think the book is flawed to begin with.It would be nice to see what Japanese Sci-Fi authors write about.After all, what we think of as the future is their present; advanced technology, over-crowding, computers in every device you can think of.So, what do THEY think of the future, what is their vision of space and Japanese society in the 21st Century?Well, don't look here, because this is not the book to answer the questions. And don't judge this book by the cover either.

Weak stories.
Nothing in this collection is really terrible, but nothing in it has anything to offer either.Mostly, they're just borring."A Medal for Harry" has a nice (and humorous) twist at the end, but not much elsegoing for it.Most of the writers are technically competent, but thestories are simply week. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The beginning of Enders Game.
Orson Scott Card has gained a legacy as a brilliant science fiction writer, and this collection of eleven short stories from early in his career shows the promise that would later bloom in his successful novels.The final remark of his editor Ben Bova in the introduction is strangely prophetic: "...good as these stories in this volume are, I expect you to do better in the future.And I know you will." Card's later successful novels such as "Ender's Game" and "Speaker for the Dead" have more than shown this assessment to be true. This collection runs hot and cold, and isn't always as great as Card can be.But already in this collection you will find examples of Card's brilliance, and that's more than enough to make it worth grabbing and reading.

The most outstanding stories in my mind are "Mortal Gods", "Unaccompanied Sonata" and of course "Enders Game". Card later fleshed out "Ender's Game"into the fully-fledged novel of the same name which garnered awards and for which he is most famously known. But the premise and excitement of the novel are already contained in this brilliant short story about Ender Wiggins, a young boy trained to be a military commander in a battle that will save the human race. His training consists of exciting war games in a null-gravity battleroom, and the enthralling action of these war games and their final plot twist is more than matched by Card's superb human characterization of a child genius."Mortal Gods" introduces aliens who are the "natural end product of evolution" and have achieved immortality, and come to worship humans because they're mortal.Card uses this device to offer some profoundly religious and philosophical observations about how our world revolves around mortality and death: "we have found a race that builds for the sheer joy of building, that creates beauty, that writes books, that invents the lives of never-known people to delight others who know they are being lied to, a race that devises immortal gods to worship and celebrates its own mortality with immense pomp and glory.Death is the foundation of all that is great about humanity..." (p165-6)."Unaccompanied Sonata" is the sad story of the repression of creativity in a control-obsessed society, and the heart-wrenching pain of a Maker who can produce brilliant music but is forbidden to do so.

The other stories are good but not brilliant.The themes of "Unaccompanied Sonata" are somewhat evident in "The Monkeys Thought `Twas All in Fun", which describes a living artificial environment in space that becomes a new paradise for residents of earth.The most interesting part of this tale is the internal stories about Masses, Makers and Masters that "Hector" tells himselves. "Deep Breathing Exercises" features suspense revolving around a man who discovers that people breathing simultaneously is a sign of their impending death.Other stories show that Card has the capability of producing twisted tales with cruel themes."Closing the TimeLid" showcases an interesting premise as people use time travel to undergo multiple deaths for pleasure, and illustrates the depth of depravity as hedonism goes wild."Kingsmeat" is a morbid story about a society with a cannibalistic king and queen, and highlights the character of their chosen instrument of destruction, the Shepherd."Quietus" is a rather perplexing story with a bizarre twist at the end and concerns a family that discovers a coffin (dead body included) in their home."Epimedes in the Fourth Floor Lavatory" is a nightmarish horror story about a selfish manipulator who gets his just deserts as a child with flipper arms torments him.These and other stories have adult themes about sexuality and abuse that make them unsuitable for children.But Card's ability to produce profoundly philosophical and religious stories of horror and suspense on an adult level, are matched by his ability to produce a surprisingly child-like sci-fi story in the mould of a traditional fairy tale, as the "The Porcelain Salamander" proves.The protagonist is a girl cursed from birth until she loses the magical salamander she loves most dearly.

Probably the least likeable story in the collection is "I Put My Blue Genes On", which is humorous and light but also confusing.Recounting a visit of space travellers to earth in 2810 who discover what evolution has done to the human race after recombinant DNA, it is one of the few stories that approaches traditional science fiction.But on the whole Card's stories are not typical science fiction because they focus on human characterization.As Ben Bova astutely observes in the introduction, the majority of readers take the label of science fiction to mean "incomprehensible gibberish" and much hardcore sci-fi is "about stainless-steel heroes who conquer the world in phallus-shaped spaceships" without depth of characterization.But Card is different: "a powerful writer whose work can be understood and enjoyed by *any* reader.Your stories deal with people, living, breathing, bleeding people who love and fear and hate and laugh.Readers can weep for your characters, rejoice with them, thrill over them.This means that you have already gone far beyond the usual fare of science fiction.You are a writer for all the people, not merely the narrow spectrum of readers who want nothing more than hard-core science fiction." (p17-18) Ben Bova couldn't have said it better.I'm not a fan of sci-fi, but have much appreciation for Orson Scott Card.Card uses the trappings of science fiction to offer a fresh perspective on our own world and the humans who live in it, and so escape the imprisonment of our own worldview.In Bova's words: "More than any writer in sight today, Scott, you exemplify what is best in science fiction: bold imagination blended with realistic human characterizations.Humanism plus technology.Brains and heart." (p19) These stories may not be Card's best, but they certainly rank among science fiction's best.

The porcelain salamander: perfect bedtime story
I owned this book (Unaccompanied Sonata) for many many years.It had a variety of early works by Orson Scott Card.And while I enjoy Card as a rule (when he sticks to telling stories) I was never more touched by hiswork than this, a simple bedtime story.I love reading it to the guys Idate as they get a chance to see what a true romantic I am.Anyone who canread this story aloud to someone they love without getting all choked upneeds to turn down their medication.

Mr. Card has taken me many wonderfulplaces.To planets and cultures flung far and wide.But deep down I thinkhe is a humanist.Someone who believes in people.Maybe not all people,but definately people who love.

A solid early effort from OSC
This is one of Card's earliest efforts and, at times, it shows.His maturity of style and characterization is missing. But the stories areextremely imaginative.It is not hard to see how he built up such a loyalfollowing of science fiction fans. ... Read more

Product Description
A widely varied, immensely enjoyable, and historically important anthology, Future on Ice is a showcase for the hottest stories by the coolest SF writers of the 1980s. Complete with a preface, introduction, and story notes by Card himself, here are early stories from eighteen incredibly talented authors who have since shattered the face of science fiction.
Amazon.com Review
The much-delayed follow-up to Future on Fire, anotheranthology of the best short SF from the 1980s, Future on Ice deliversa tight, choice collection from some of the genre's top names--IsaacAsimov, Octavia Butler, Greg Bear, George R.R. Martin, Nancy Kress, andothers. SF anthologies live or die by the quality of their ideas, andFuture on Ice doesn't disappoint: editor Orson Scott Card (a genrepowerhouse himself) has put together an eclectic and thought-provoking setof 18 stories, from Butler's disturbing but imaginative vision of aburned-out future without language to Martin'sTwilight Zone-esque retrospective on the life of an arrogant author,in which paintings of his characters come to life to haunt him. Otherstandouts include a classic dreaming android story from Asimov and Bear'sgalaxy-in-a-grain-of-sand tale, in which a person inadvertently becomes theliving host to an entire universe. Card ably bookends the set with a storyof his own and a compelling introductory essay on the Force and how sci-fiis really religious literature. (Other authors in the anthology includeJohn Kessel, Gregory Benford, Andrew Weiner, David Zindell, C.J. Cherryh,Lewis Shiner, John Crowley, John Varley, S.C. Sykes, Karen Joy Fowler, andWalter Jon Williams.) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Generally Fine
This book is good. The intorduction written by OSC itself is wonderful enough. His comments for each stories are also good and helpful. Stories are well-chosen, and altogether they indicate something OSC wanted to show. I rated it with 4 stars not because it's bad or not enough, but because it was not my taste. And it can be to many other people, I'm rather sure. Before ordering this book please read the introdcution pages in the bookstores or somewhere you can. If you like what OSC says and want to see stories of that, buy it then. Otherwise you won't feel 'happy'.

Excellent selection of 1980s SF
This anthology was planned as a companion to Card's Future on Fire, and together the two were meant to showcase the best short science fiction of the 1980's. For the most part his choices stand up brilliantly. This is quite legitimately an anthology which can stand on its own or with its companion as a "Best of the '80s": no doubt these aren't the very best 18 stories from that decade, but on any given day, they'll do.

My favorite story here, and in my opinion one of the best SF stories of all time, is Nancy Kress' "Out of All Them Bright Stars" (winner of the 1985 Nebula for Best Short Story). This quiet, quiet, story, about a waitress in a diner and her encounter with an alien, illustrates as clearly as I can imagine the use of SF to examine human nature. It's a story that simply wouldn't work without being SF, without aliens and the implication of star travel, but its theme is all about what's within us. Lovely writing, perfect characters: one of those stories that just stop me dead and makes me think for some time after I finish it.

Several other stories included won major SF awards. Among them, I think Greg Bear's "Blood Music" (winner of both Hugo and Nebula for Best Novelet), a truly terrifying story about the consequences of engineering bacteria-sized microchips, and using them to maintain the body's health, holds up best. In this story Bear took his idea and ran with it to the fullest extent, facing every implication. A story that is similarly chilling in implication, John Varley's novella "Press Enter []" (also winner of both the Hugo and Nebula), doesn't seem to hold up quite as well. His central notion of computers linking up and taking over really isn't very new (cf. Ellison's "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" for just one example), and his mechanism, while well-depicted and creepy, doesn't convince.Nor does the (well-depicted and engaging) love story quite convince. But the story is still a great read.

Also among my personal favorite '80s stories are "Speech Sounds" by Octavia Butler, "Snow" by John Crowley, and "The Pure Product" by John Kessel. The first is a moving story of life in near-future Los Angeles, after a plague has destroyed the speech centers of everyone. The horror of the loss of communication with other people is very well portrayed. "Snow" is a beautiful fable about memory and love. A woman of the jet set records incidents from her life over many years, and her one-time gigolo/lover/husband plays them back after her death. But the technology only allows random access to these "memories", and the memories degrade over time. The effect is quiet and profound. "The Pure Product" is quite another thing. A man (apparently from the future) goes on a rampage through '80s North America.The story is fast moving and scary.At one level it's a harder-edged take on the same theme as C. L. Moore's classic "Vintage Season", but at another level we worry that the empathy-deficient people from the future are us.

Any anthology which aims to be "definitive" will surely include prominent stories, like those mentioned above, and like George R. R. Martin's Nebula winner "Portraits of His Children" and Isaac Asimov's well-known late story "Robot Dreams". But I like an anthology to include some surprises, as well. Two good, less familiar, choices are S. C. Sykes' "Rockabye Baby", and Andrew Weiner's intriguing "Klein's Machine".Card also chooses stories by Lisa Goldstein, Gregory Benford, David Zindell, C. J. Cherryh, Walter Jon Williams, Karen Joy Fowler, Lewis Shiner, and himself.Probably the only story in the book which doesn't quite seem to me to belong is Asimov's slight, gimmicky, "Robot Dreams".This anthology eminently succeeds in presenting a selection which represents the short SF of the 1980s at its best, and at its widest variety.

Great addition to your sci-fi anthology collection
I am a high-volume consumer of science fiction anthologies, and over the past 10 years have probably read more than 500 short story collections, mostly in sci-fi.I easily rank "Future on Ice" in the top 10%of those readings.

There are several reasons why I enjoyed the book somuch.First, the roster of authors is impressive, with Nancy Kress,Octavia Butler, Greg Bear, Gregory Benford and Card himself, just to name afew.With these authors, the quality and entertainment value of thestories has to be high.

Second, it seemed almost each story had greatdepth, plot and sci-fi content.This is a rarity in anthologies; I have apersonal ranking system for anthologies, and if I can legitimately say that50% or more of the short stories held my interest and were of high-quality,then I can consider the anthology itself a success and my time was notwasted.I would say that "Future," to the best of myrecollection, has a perfect batting average in this regard (again, a hugerarity that I enjoyed every story).

Third, most of the stories had somegreat catch; either it was an unexpected ending, a plot twist or a profoundmessage.After my fourth or fifth story, I had become hooked and read eachstory awaiting the surprise.

Last, this anthology is somewhat historicalin nature, in that the reader is given a glimpse of some of these now-greatauthors when they were not-so-great (the 1980's).Oftentimes, this kind ofearly work is refreshing and different than the work a recognized authormay produce.

I hate to use a cliche, but this would be one of my"must have's" for the serious collector of sci-fi anthologies.

Super cool anthology
OK, this is a pretty obvious anthology.It has LOTS of awards winners, lots of famos stories by famos names, etc, etc, etc.

But it's a really great anthology, one that you can't miss.

As for Orson Scott Card'sintroductions, they're nice, not all too informative, and well written (ofcourse).The degree to which you'll enjoy them depends on how much you'rewilling to tolerate Card's well intentioned conservatism.

But it's thestories, not those who tell them.Other than Lewis Shiner's story, I likedall of them, but I'm gonna talk about the ones that made the mostimpression on me: Isaac Asimov's Robot Dreams, John Varley's Press Enter,Walter Jon William's Dinosaurs, and George R. R. Martin's Portraits of HisChildren.

I could probably write an essey that would be longer than thestory about Asimov's Robot Dream.It is a dlightful return of SusanCalvin, one I wasn't aware of.It also continues the theme Asimov has hadin his last decades, of the thinning difference between the human and theRobot.It isn't as full as 'That Thou Art Mindful of Him'or 'TheBicential Man', and Susan Calvin lacks her passion for Robots, but it isfascinating anyway.

I've read John Varley's story about 5 years ago, andI thought it was one of the best short fiction pieces I've ever read.Itis every bit as good in the second reading.Varley writes a tale that iseven more chilling today, in the days of internet, than it was in the 80s. He proves he understands History, Computers, Medicin - but mostimportantly, character.

Walter Jon William's Dinosaurs was an incrediblesurprise.I've read some of Williams's Wild Cards stories, and I've likedthem well enough, but Dinosaurs is one a whole new class.It is a story aspowerful as any SF short fiction, a real classic of the field, imaginativeand page turning.Williams has immidiately become and author to watch outfor.

And than we come to George R. R. Martin.I've left his story forthe last, and so I'll also talk about it at the end.Martin is my favoriteliving author (Asimov is probably my favorite all time author, though it'sa close call), but every time I get to read one of his stories, I think" It can't probably be THAT good", and yet, it allwaysis.

Portraits of His Children isn't a Science Fiction story - it is aDark Fantasy/Horror story, but it is no less powerful for that.It isclever, unique, and most of all, touching.It has won its Nebuladeservedly.

Those were my favorites, but they don't have to be yours. Greg Bear wrote a kick ess story about micro-aliens.Octavia Butler wrotea Hugo award winning tale about a post-apocaliptical world that is a placefamiliar in tone to all Butler fans, myself included.C.J Cherry(sp?)wrote POTS, a unique Space Opera tale that was the first of her works I'veread, but surely not the last.And Orson Scott Card finishes the book witha story about the future of Civilazation - where the world might bedifferent, but people aren't.

This is a unique anthology.I read all ofit in record tim, and enjoyed it tremendously.It truly has some of thebest SF stories out there - Viva the Eighties.

An anthology of surprisingly good short stories
Let me preface this review by pointing out that I am a very unlikely owner of this type of book, mainly because I don't read much science fiction. In fact I can count the number of science fiction authors I've read in thepast ten years on one hand.I went through a period in high school when Iread a lot of Isaac Asimov, and I read a few Larry Niven novels.But otherthan that, the only science fiction I've been exposed to has come fromOrson Scott Card, who has become one of my favorite authors in many genres.

This is a collection of 18 stories by prominent science fiction authorsin the 1980's.Before reading this book, I hadn't even heard of most ofthem.Honestly, I expected it to be similar to some of Isaac Asimov'santhologies, where there is usually one or two good stories and a whole lotof mediocre ones.But Card really surprised me.

Out of 18 stories, twoof them rank up there with some of my favorite short stories of all time(S.C. Syke's "Rockabye Baby" and Orson Scott Card's "TheFringe" -- both of which, ironically, dealt with severely handicappedcharacters).

Almost all the others were also much better than Iexpected, especially George Martin's "Portraits of His Children",Octavia Butler's "Speech Sounds", and John Crowley's"Snow".

Unfortunately, as is the case in most anthologies,there were also two real stinkers in the book:Asimov's uninspired"Robot Dreams" and Lisa Goldstein's "Tourists".

Onethe whole, however, I'd heartily recommend this book one to any fan ofscience fiction, but also to any open-minded reader who enjoyscharacter-driven fiction with a twist of the imaginative.

Orson ScottCard has also edited other anthologies, including FUTURE ON FIRE (1980 - acompanion volume), TURNING HEARTS (1994), DRAGONS OF LIGHT (1980), andDRAGONS OF DARKNESS (1981).He also had a small role in co-editing BLACKMIST AND OTHER JAPANESE FUTURES with two other authors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not uplifting - poor sampling of LDS fiction!
I found Orson Scott Card's book "Saints" (also known as "A Woman of Destiny") to be a poor sampling of LDS fiction.I have read many of Card's books and loved them, but I was very disappointed with this one.The first half of the book tells the story how Dinah Kirkman grew up in England and is VERY depressing.I continued to read the book with the hope that it would get better.It didn't!The story continues about Dinah's polygamous marriage to Joseph Smith then latter to Brigham Young.The story takes a very harsh view on Emma Smith, with her pushing Dinah down the stairs at one point which leads to Dinah's miscarriage of the prophet's son.The intimate relationships were too graphically described, everything from attempted rape to whore houses.Not an uplifting book at all!

A Woman of Destiny
Was published first by Berkley Book, New York in January of 1984.Address of publishing company was 200 Madison ave. New York, NY 10016. (I thought that since you listed it as unknown publisher..etc.. I would inform.Also,the book was retitled 'Saints'... Rose ... Read more