Review: PATHFINDER by Orson Scott Card

[Norma_Rudolph]

Reading Pathfinder reminded me why Orson Scott Card is making the big bucks.
It is a very complex play on time travel and all the possible manifestations of it. It follows the travels of Rigg, a boy with the ability to see the path of humans and animals, both now and in the future. His father is killed by a falling tree. His last words instruct Rigg to go to the capital and find his sister who he was not aware that he had. He is given a bag of jewels that his father left him and sets out.

He is joined by a boy who's brother Rigg tried to save under confusing and incriminating circumstances. This boy has a strange talent of being able to slow down time.
They meet up with a kind but tough inn keeper who helps them get to the capitol without getting robbed, killed or otherwise. On the way they try to sell one of the jewels which turns out to be an ancient artifact and gets them all, especially Rigg, into terrible trouble. Rigg finds out that he is actually a prince, but unfortunately many people want him dead. He is taken to where the royals are kept under house arrest, which isn't a bad thing because that is where his sister and his mother are. Therefore he has honored his fathers request.

Rigg's sister also has a time gift that allows her to be invisible as she speeds up time.
Many more things are revealed at this point which would be spoilers so I won't go there.
Rigg and his friends and his sister eventually realize that the only way to survive is to cross the "wall" which has never been crossed because it makes you insane to go near it. Using their incredible talents they figure out a way and everything changes after that.

Interlaced with this story is the story of how the planet was colonized by peoples from earth who not only crossed a huge distance but also travel far back in time, in a sort of "wrinkle in time" way only much more complicated.
If you like time travel books you will love this one, but don't think too hard about it or you will go crazy .

I give Pathfinder a full set of stars.

[Little House]

I have been slowly working my way through Orson Scott Card's books. I haven't tried pathfinder yet, but it sounds very interesting. I will have to put it on my list of books to read.

[kasi33]

I own most of his books, and it looks like it's time to own more!!