Songmaster Audiobook By Orson Scott Card cover art

Songmaster

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Songmaster

By: Orson Scott Card
Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
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Kidnapped at an early age, Ansset has been raised in isolation at a mystical retreat called the Songhouse. His life is filled with music, and having only songs for companions, he develops a voice that is unlike any other. But Ansset's voice is both a blessing and a curse, for it reflects all the hopes and fears of his audience, and, by magnifying their emotions, can be used either to heal or to destroy.

When it is discovered that his is the voice that the Emperor has waited decades for, Ansset is summoned to the Imperial Palace on Old Earth. Many fates rest in Ansset's hands, and his songs will soon be put to the test: either to salve the troubled conscience of a conqueror or drive him, and the universe, into mad chaos.

A man for all genres: don't miss our many other titles by Orson Scott Card.©1978 Orson Scott Card Science Fiction Fantasy Classics

Critic reviews

"Orson Scott Card is a fine writer with great insight, great idealism, and love." (Science Fiction Review)
"Card understands the human condition and has things of real value to say about it. He tells the truth well, ultimately the only criterion of greatness." (Gene Wolfe)
Beautiful Storytelling • Complex Characters • Emotional Depth • Unique Concept • Excellent Performance

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it is an amazingly beautiful story. it is probably one of my favorite single novel stories I have ever found.

Beautiful

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I first read this book as a young woman many years ago. I was riveted. I stayed up all night, two nights in a row, to finish it. I am now an old woman, and i find the book every bit as good as when i was a girl. I laughed, i cried, i was happily entertained.

Still amazing

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Sweet and deep and hard, but worth it. I personally disagree with the reviews calling this story a book about pedophilia, because I think it's a little silly to believe children don't have to navigate the desires of the adults around them. The real criticism is around how the queer community is treated. I won't spoil, just try it and see. The performance was excellent. OSC always gets the emotions right, the jealousy, the heartbreak, the inadvertent ways we hurt and help each other.

I'm not crying, you're crying

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I first read this when it was first published. I read it again every few years, because it is so amazing. Stefan Rudnicki brings new dimension and grace to a story already filled with them, and is fast becoming one of my favorite voices...thank you so much for making it better than it was before.

By far my favorite of Card's stories.

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Rruk (pronounced 'ur ruk') proves the universe can indeed be changed by one child's kindness.

I selected this book based upon 2 things: searching for more things performed by Stefan Rudnicki and knowing Orson Scott Card can weave an incomparable tale.
I was not disappointed.

[there are potential triggers in this book as OSC does include some difficult and horrible things: c@ptivity, mutil@tion (not describing the actions of the horrific injury inflicted upon a character but alluding to it in an undeniable way), psychologic@l torm€πt (head games at their worst but NOT as something even remotely beneficial), a situation that could have been a precursor to a child being u§€d (the person with the inclination to harm the child was swiftly punished), and I'm sure I'm forgetting other important aspects alluded to or openly confronted in the course of the novel... but NONE of these things are EVER portrayed in a 'good' or 'benign' light - the evil of them is glaring]

I didn't move for 5+ hours when I started the book

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