Stonefather

Orson Scott Card has done it again. He has touched upon the dreams and desires of the lowliest in a desparate world. In Stonefather his storytelling is as fine as anything he has written. This tale of Runnel, a farmboy from the hills, who wanders onto an adventure and finds in himself the wherewithal to start a new life, takes on some of the same feeling as the early Alvinmaker Series and yet seems simpler in the telling. Mr. Card has created a new world that is more in the line with Middle Earth, minus fantastical creatures, than his other futurist or historical settings. Though a quick read, this little book is signature for Card in that it plucks the heartstrings that uplifts the reader. The world Mr. Card has created in Stonefather will appeal to readers who are inclined to read Fantasy and yet will not disappoint his fans.

You can read the summary of the story in other reviews. This is just some of my impressions about the novella. I've heard this was the start to a new series, which couldn't make me happier. I enjoyed Stonefather a lot more than some of Card's other novellas of late. The story set up the magic system in this new fantasy world and had a typical Card hero (a young boy coming into his power and learning more about it). Because it was a novella, I finished it in a day. So take a Saturday and sit down with this book. You won't be disappointed.

Orson Scott Card hooked me with a neat little story in Omni magazine many years ago called "Fat Farm"--in fact, his short story collection Maps in a Mirror is among my favorite books. I had felt that his interests in writing fiction were waning as he pursued other artistic and commercial goals but was wonderfully surprised to discover this story, which is reminiscent of "A Planet Called Treason" and harks back to Mr. Card's powerful early work. Though ostensibly a fantasy, I suspect that the world of the Mithermages and the conflicts of its inhabitants will bear more than a passing familiarity with current world events. Mr. Card is at his best when discussing Powers--he often utilizes creation themes and his characters, like all of us, have gifts waiting to be discovered. There are echoes of Jason Worthing lurking in this story of a young man who discovers that his life offers much more adventure than he had any reason to suspect. A young man from a hick town who comes to a realization of his pivotal position and stature, no doubt to play a major role in the promised series. With Power comes Choice and nothing is more evident in Mr. Card's writing than his care to portray the struggle to do good and to make wise choices. There is joy and meaning in this story as well as evident mastery in the telling of it. I look forward to the remainder of the series with great interest and am grateful to have found this volume before it sold out. It is a must own for any fan of Mr. Card's work. Highly Recommended

"Stonefather" is our introduction to Orson Scott's new series, the Mithermages. It's the story of Runnel, an abused child from parents who'd just as soon forgot he existed in a village that's a few steps below third world even for a fantasy. Runnel runs away from his village and discovers there's a whole new world out there. That includes friends, which is definitely a different concept for him. When he signs up as a servant in a stone mage's house, he quickly learns he's got some abilities of his own. The short's rich in details of the world, but the story vehicle is one we've heard before time and again. "Stonefather" is still a hopeful tale that opens our eyes to a new world that I'm very much looking forward to exploring. Rebecca Kyle, November 2008