Pastwatch

The Redemption of Christopher Columbus

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Scott Brick, Christopher Cazenove, Gabrielle de Cuir, Arte Johnson, Moira Quirk, Stefan Rudnicki, Orson Scott Card

Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

In a not-too-distant future that is not quite ours, there has been a major scientific breakthrough. It is a way to open windows into the past, permitting historical researchers to view, but not participate, in the events of the past.

In one of the most powerful and thought-provoking novels of his remarkable career, Orson Scott Card interweaves a compelling portrait of Christopher Columbus with the story of a future scientist who believes she can alter human history from a tragedy of bloodshed and brutality to a world filled with hope and healing.

©1996 Orson Scott Card (P)2005 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A bold and compassionate alternative history filled with believable historical and fictional characters." ( Library Journal)

History so far from known history.

Perhaps this book was written at a time when it was generally believed that the Americas were sparsely populated before 1492. Or before it was known that European diseases had a 99% mortality rate. Or before it was known that the Mexica/Aztec empire was about to fall only because of the ravages of disease. Or before considering that per capita, England public torture and executions surpassed those of all sacrifices/tortures/executions of the triple alliance. It's unreadable.

Slow beginning, but worthwhile!

Pastwatch begins as a story of future wokeness run amok, but develops into an excellent time travel/historical fiction novel.
My only gripe regards the Tagiri's complete failure to realize that by changing the past she will annihilate everyone in the present, until the pastwatch mathematicians force her to reckon with this obvious consequence of her aims. I don't believe for a second that someone managing the first ever project to change the past wouldn't have considered such possibilities during their decades as project lead. This unrealistic character flaw is why I can't give pastwatch 5 stars. But 4 stars isn't bad!

Fantastic contained story

In all the series that seem to dot the novel landscape this is a truly wonderful self contained story that makes you think and is a true joy to listen to. Cannot recommend highly enough. Excellent!

Stellar. Another masterpiece.

I'm not a normal reader for this genre, but OSC nailed it. The story is compassionate, riveting. and of course - thought proviking.

Parts of it were a bit much in detail but that's history and didn't take away from the story at all.

If it weren't free, it'd still be worth a credit.

Great book with.a great lessons

This book examines some very tough issues that plague the world in our time and our past. I feel that this book should be required reading in every place of learning throughout every nation, every land on this earth. I would hope and pray that all you reads or listen to this book take the hard lessons in it to heart.

Intriguing tale

What a good story. And the cast of readers did a great job. Like Marvel Studio’s “What if… ?”

Excellent and Hopeful

This book is so well written it almost seems prophetic. If you’re looking for a speculative, pre-apocalyptic, and ultimately optimistic story sprinkled with historical and non-historical fiction that broadens your horizons, then you will like this book as much as I did.

Utterly Brilliant

My wife and her brother had been telling me to read this book for a couple of years, but it wasn't on audio and I have no time for dead trees.

As both a time travel fanatic and a devotee of alternate histories, I thought this book was extremely well done. The level of craft that went into not just developing the details, but telling the story in a coherent and compelling way, is highly admirable.

Also, it is really interesting to see how Christianity fits into the plot. I'm a Pagan, but I really like how it was used here and don't see how the story could have been done without it.

Exciting story

The writrer did an eloquent job crafting a new amd amazing history. Thought provoking and fun.

Derivative?

I read a science-fiction story decades ago in which Columbus went native and built up a civilization and fleet that came back and challenged the Europeans. But I can’t find it. Google is not omniscient, especially about the past. Regardless, I enjoy Card’s allegories. This one is especially painful at the onset, in which there is discussion of how much of our current lives we would be willing to sacrifice so as to prevent slavery from ever having occurred. You might say anything, but one of the alternatives is nonexistence. Knowing that Card is a Mormon adds to the pleasure. The ways that the about-to-be snuffed out history tries to leave records for its replacement, is just too suggestive of Joseph Smith’s tablets. Here, unlike in the Ender series, Card offers a very satisfying recitation of post – dénouement events.