Pathfinder

Pathfinder, Book 1

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki, Kirby Heyborne, Don Leslie, Kristoffer Tabori, Scott Brick

Length: 17 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Rigg is well trained at keeping secrets. Only his father knows the truth about Rigg’s strange talent for seeing the paths of people’s pasts. But when his father dies, Rigg is stunned to learn just how many secrets Father had kept from him - secrets about Rigg’s own past, his identity, and his destiny. And when Rigg discovers that he has the power not only to see the past, but also to change it, his future suddenly becomes anything but certain.

Rigg’s birthright sets him on a path that leaves him caught between two factions, one that wants him crowned and one that wants him dead. He will be forced to question everything he thinks he knows, choose who to trust, and push the limits of his talent... or forfeit control of his destiny.

©2010 Orson Scott Card (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The implications of the boys' power to manipulate the past unfold cleverly…, feeding into the Machiavellian political intrigue for a pulse-pounding climax….Card's many fans will be thrilled by this return to his literary roots.” ( Kirkus)

Hooked from the start!

I wasn't able to stop listening! I caught myself sitting in my car for at least an extra ten min any time I went somewhere. I can't wait to start book 2 tomorrow! The only negative part about this book was that the narrator's switched and it messed with the flow of the book. There was one in particular somewhere in the 40's (audio chapters, not book chapters) that was absolutely terrible. It pissed me off the entire chapter and sounded nothing like the other narrators. If he would have been the main narrator, I would have missed out on this adventurous story, because I never would have made it through more than one chapter. I even paused it, jumped to the next chapter to make sure he didn't read anymore, then went back.... Otherwise the main narrator was great and the story kept me constantly entertained!

convoluted but good when you get into the story

i will check out the other series just to find out.
it was a bit convoluted between time walking
non the less entertaining

Really enjoyed this book.

What made the experience of listening to Pathfinder the most enjoyable?

The story really captured my attention and kept me interested. I enjoyed the fact that it was a science fiction story set in a time that in many ways resembled much earlier history on earth.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrators do a great job giving voice to the characters.

Any additional comments?

My teenage daughter also loved the book and it's fun to listen to the same thing and be able to talk about it.

good, not his best...and not just for the YA crowd

A good story...similar to but not nearly as good as The Lost Gate........or try the Lost Boys- a very different OSC...a beautifully written tale of a family's love, loss and faith. Why are there no films of his books?

fun story

A few of treason's ideas in a new story. Well done. Can't wait for the next story.

Great Story, But sorry... 2nd reader BAD!

What made the experience of listening to Pathfinder the most enjoyable?

The first half (reader) and entire story was wonderful. It kept you guessing (as all Card's books) and getting to know each person in the story.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Starting in Chapter 9 a new reader takes over. He was SO so so so bad I felt sick. The tempo, the voice, the rhyme and persona of the story hits a brick wal because of this one flaw. His voice sounds like a frog sick from smoking in his death throws. - I wish I was kidding or even smiling, but it's that bad.

Well thought out!

Complex story with great characters that develop as the story progresses. For those who loved the Ender series this is a must to read or listen to.

Another entertaining and thought provoking story

OSC scores again. humor, science, sci fi, tension, great characters, love, betrayal. what more is there?

To many different voices for the same character

The story is good, I'm still interested in finishing the first book and then the second, but the constanct changing of the narrator for the same character makes the listening not so fun. If it had been read by Stefan Rudnicki throughout the entire books I would have been much happier, or Scott Brick but not both and definately not the others. All in all I will finish them because I actually like the story.

O. Card the master of coming of age stories.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

The narrators took turns reading sections of the book. To be honest I didn't realize that was happening at first. Everyone did such a good job.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were numerous parts in the story that made me laugh out loud. I think you may need to be a geek or serious friends with a geek to get those jokes.

Any additional comments?

I loved the book. My only mistake was starting to listen to it before the rest of the series was out. As always Mr. Card sets up the next book perfectly so you want to go straight into it. Now I have to wait.