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Lost Boys  By  cover art

Lost Boys

By: Orson Scott Card
Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
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Publisher's summary

Step Fletcher, his pregnant wife DeAnne, and their three children move to Steuben, North Carolina, with high hopes. But Step's new job with a software company turns out to be a snake pit, and 8-year-old Stevie's school is worse. As Stevie retreats into himself, focusing more and more on a mysterious computer game and a growing troop of imaginary friends, the Fletchers' concern turns to terror. Young boys, whose names match a list of Stevie's nonexistent friends, have mysteriously vanished from Steuben. And as evil strikes out from the most trusted corners, it's suddenly clear that Stevie is next on the list.
©1992 Orson Scott Card (P)2004 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Winner, Science-Fiction, 2005

"Card skillfully uses terror as a background to everyday family life. For Stephen King fans and those who like their suspense mixed with the supernatural." (Library Journal)

What listeners say about Lost Boys

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow, that was different!

I have read (or listened to) many of OSC's books and this one was quite a departure from the Ender series! Apparently, it was partially autobiographical, but the story that he weaves is compelling and quite intense in the last few chapters. He starts slowly, develops the characters very well and then really nails you between the eyes with an amazing and unexpected conclusion!

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33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A knockout

This book knocked me out with a roundhouse hook that left me down on the canvas, seeing only stars. I won't say anything more to ruin your own experience, but the chills ran up and down my spine and I just said over and over, "Omigod, omigod, omigod."

The pace of this book is admittedly slower than most. In fact, quite a bit so. There's comparatively little "action" as compared to a lot of day-to-day stuff, but there's tension building all the time. And most books of this type need a solid grounding in day-to-day stuff to make the rest work.

Yes, there is a lot about Mormon life, but that is true to the characters. It is a major part of their personalities. This book is no tract for that particular religion. In fact, there's a particularly unlikeable Mormon character. I wonder if some people have a prejudice about reading a lot about religious details. Grisham details a lot about being a lawyer. Cook a lot about being a doctor. The list could go on and on about detailed books of one type or another. Why are detailed non-religious lives ok, but religious ones are not? And just for the record, I'm a non-believer.

So if any religious talk annoys you or you require a lot of action, then this may not be your cup of tea. But if you're willing to have patience for a big payoff, then I think you'll find it worthwhile.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

Let me start off by saying that Orson Scott Card is probably one of my favorite writers. But, I guess I had come to expect too much from him.

This book is very boring, not much happens, and it almost feels that the point of the book is to preach Mormon dogma and explore Mormon society. Ive never been bothered when Card explores philosophical or religious questions.. as a matter of fact, I think that is one of the things I've liked about most of his other works. In this book though, I kept thinking to myself "Blah, blah, blah.. I dont really care about the social structure of your church or how morally superior your characters are." I hate to sound harsh but it got very old.

Anyway, I typically love Cards work. This falls very short of what he is capable of. Couldn't even relate to most of it. If you are wanting to read Card at his best, read (or listen to) the Ender's series.. or the Alvin Maker series (when are we going to get the unabriged audio here @ audible? ;)

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Compelling

I was compelled to listen to this book to the point that I often didn't get other things finished because I had to hear more. The story creates a good deal of suspense and you become extremely involved in the characters which are developed with care. I felt some loose ends were not tied up at the end of the story and after finishing have some questions about events that are unexplained and seem inconsistent to me. However, this did not take away from my immense enjoyment of this book. I highly recommend 'Lost Boys.'

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The best from Orson S. Card yet!

To me this is the greatest of all his books that I've read; it's story is layed out in a meticulous and slow manner which shows how he must have enjoyed the characters themselves and how his creations evolved and interacted. It is also very cleverly written and scary too. It reminds me of the movie 'Unbreakable' by M. Night Shayamalan; he also masters the art of slowly and elaborately spinning out a story yet keeping the reader/viewer intensely interested. Highly recommended.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

It hit me hard.

I really connected with this book. It's not that I have any life experiences that are directly related, but that I am a 29 year old father finding his career. The characters were very honest. The father in this story reminded me so many times of my fears of raising my boys in such a harsh world. I knew it was coming the whole way through the book, but I didn't know where and I was so nervous for the family that I couldn't stop listening. Read this.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Not what you would expect

Despite what the other reviewers have written, this book is neither "boring" nor preaching in tone. The protagonists are devout Mormons, but this helps to give the story texture. Not being Mormon myself, I found the procedures of the faith interesting, and it helps give the characters a beleivable base upon which to build up the tension.
It is much more straight fiction than science fiction or fantasy (or mystery for that matter) and it succeeds quite well there. The dilemmas faced by the characters have the ring of truth and drive real emotions in the listener.
The mystery portion of the story, however, feels a little shoe-horned in. It definately make the ending noteworthy, but feels like a different story in some respects.
Overall I liked the book immensly, although others looking for an Ender-type story may not be as pleased.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A compelling read

Wow - what a range of comments on this book. Forget SciFi and what you know of Orson Scott Card.

This is far more than a mystery of a serial killer as 75% of the book isn't about that. But it is a compelling set of characterizations and how people deal with each other. Step and DeAnne are in the middle of it all.

Yes, we get deep in the Mormon faith and I found it interesting, especially all the people interactions. It also got deep into computers and computing programs - and employee/management interactions. And we got into parent-teacher. All I could do was root for the couple!

It drew me in. I stayed with it and then went quite for a ride at the end. Very satisfying

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawful

My title sumarizes the problem with this book: how long does it take to read the word- many times longer than it ought to. This novel goes on and on. Not much science fiction, minimal fantasy. Many hours describing the Mormon family life. After suffering through dull, monotonous drivel, the ending left me cold. I loved Ender's Game and the sequels and have enjoyed others of Card's books; I'll be more cautious next time. This novel actually left me angry at having slugged through it only to be left pained. The only saving grace for this book is Stefan Rudicki; he has a great voice. Don't waste your time or money on this book.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • M.
  • 10-27-06

A new way... a new road...

I can’t begin to explain how much I enjoyed this book.

As a person who doesn’t believe in organized religion, I have to say that it didn’t bother me that it was such a strong element in this story. It is a part of the characters lives, it is just a part of who they are. Another detail in the story.

The character build up is a bit slow, but it makes you a part of the family in the long run.

I have to say that, after 5+ years of membership at Audible, this was one of the best.

The narrator is excellent and holds you to the story very well.

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7 people found this helpful