Synopsis: Rigg is well trained at keeping secrets. Only his father knows the truth about Rigg's strange talent for seeing the paths of people's pasts. But when his father dies, Rigg is stunned to learn just how many secrets Father had kept from him--secrets about Rigg's own past, his identity, and his destiny. And when Rigg discovers that he has the power not only to see the past, but also to change it, his future suddenly becomes anything but certain.(Yes, Shelli--if you read this--I have in fact already finished this book, even though I just got it from you five days ago.)
To be honest, I usually shy away from things written by Orson Scott Card, because his writing is so complex and often more than a little crass.
But this book really surprised me. It was so well-written, in a realistic way without being vulgar, so that audiences old and young can enjoy it. I kept forgetting it was OSC who wrote it, honestly. Sometimes it felt more like Brandon Sanderson or someone.
His magic systems are super complicated, though. I still don't fully understand how everyone's abilities work.
Even as I read what was going on, I was trying to work it out in my mind, re-reading the descriptions to see if I could figure out how they did it. The science was way confusing. I'm not a physicist. If I were, though, I think it would be that much more enjoyable.
The world of this story is spectacular. From the start, you realize that something is off about the setting, even aside from the fact that some people have magical abilities. Then as the side-story told at the beginning of each chapter starts developing further, it just blows your mind how this seemingly unconnected story about a guy on a spaceship coincides with the story of Rigg and his friends in their fantasy world.
It's really brilliantly done. Even if I still don't fully understand it all.
Even OSC kind of admitted how confusing it all is. In his afterward he had to spell out exactly what had happened with the guy in the spaceship. Now it's a little clearer, but it still makes no sense. :)
It makes me wish I knew more about physics.
And the conversations the characters have make me wish I was smarter and wittier. They spend chapters at a time just bantering and theorizing and it's all so clever. My characters must seem pretty stupid in comparison. :)
One thing I realized at the end of the book, though, was that OSC is amazing at developing characters, because he hardly ever touches on their physical traits! Like yeah I know that Umbo is short, Rigg's mother has choppy hair, and Rigg's posture changes according to the situation, but I have no idea what hair color any of them have. I have no idea what color their eyes are. I don't know if they're slender or fat. They could have seven fingers on each hand and I wouldn't know!
It just doesn't matter! If somehow their physical appearance is important to the story, then sure he'll mention it. (For example, Rigg's mom's hair is choppy because people cut it off rather unceremoniously, which establishes her situation rather well.) But if it's not important to the story, OSC doesn't put much stock into appearance.
And I think that's awesome.
Not just because we should all focus less on outward beauty, but also because it makes for better character-creating skills. Somehow, OSC makes these characters stand apart in my mind just by making them real characters with real personality. So many writers depend on appearance alone to set characters apart (*cough* James Dashner *cough* [yes, I'm still hung up about that]), but OSC doesn't need to.
It's amazing. It's an art, really. It's making me reconsider how I portray my own characters.
Oh, and that afterword I mentioned earlier? In it, OSC is like, "Oh man this book took me so long to write--like six months!"
My jaw literally dropped. The book is 657 pages long, has two stories going at the same time that later intertwine, establishes a completely new world, clearly explains and demonstrates very complex magical abilities, and it only took you SIX. MONTHS??
That's it. I'm writing Snow Glider right now. If he can do that in six months, I can finish my short, simple, mediocre story in one or two. I really have no excuse.
Funny how this book made me think about my own writing so much. I think it's probably just because I didn't really like OSC's earlier books, and now I see how much he's improved and how fast he can write now. It's made me think that practice really makes perfect. I need to practice! Then maybe someday I can have characters with awesome personality, complex world-building, witty banter, and the speedy-but-high-quality writing skills of a ninja.
...assuming ninjas have insane writing skills...?
Whatever. :) If you have time to read a long book, and want one that will entertain you while it stretches your thinking muscles, then this is the one for you! I can't wait to read the sequel!
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