Treason

First off, I am not a huge science fiction buff, but I like to read some scifi once in a while, just for a change of pace.
I loved Ender's Game when I read it years ago, but found that the sequels were a little slow and boring. I'm referring to Speaker for the Dead and Xenophobe.
"Treason" is the best Orson Scott Card scifi book I've read since Ender's Game. It is actually a story he wrote long ago, but is distinctly in Card's excellent storytelling style.
The book moves along well from the beginning, with fascinating places and characters, and has a thought-provoking theme. It was utterly enjoyable, an easy, yet intelligent, read (listen), and I didn't put it down until it was finished.
Oh yes, and the narration of Stefan Rudnicki is excellent as always.

This is probably one of the best audio books I've listened to in the science fiction genre. I listened to Ender's Game & Shadow before this one and really enjoyed both of those two. But this book combines science (fiction), space/time, metaphysics, and a bunch of other concepts fairly neatly into one story. The story starts out a little slow for me but it may be that I'm less interested in genetics than in other areas covered in the book. It picks up nicely after that.

Definite 5 stars...

I am a huge fan of Orson Scott Card, and have passed this book to many of my friends, so I was excited to find it was released on audible.

Card is an amazing story teller and I love how they read like a movie and there is no unnecessary descriptions. He has an amazing imagination and I have read everything of his that I could get my hands on in the past 10 years.

This book in particular is one of my favorites because I enjoyed learning about each community and wondered what the next unique developed talent would be!

The reader, Stefan Rudnicki, sometimes annoys me because his voice is so deep that the resonance literally hurts my ears. He narrates most of Card's books, so I have had to just deal with it and I didn't think it was so bad in this book. In fact, I thought he did probably his best job with this book so far.

I couldn't figure out which cameo was Card because I have only listed to it once... Next time I will definitely listen closer to try to pick him out!! If anyone figures out which character he is, do tell!

Lastly, I just love Card's support of audio books and enjoy listening to his background on the books. I am always left wanting to know more about him and how he thinks. He is a true artist!! If I was more of a writer myself I would take one of his writing classes to uncover how he does it!!

Love this book and highly recommend it along with Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, and Song Master.

I guess the picture of what looks like a space ship on the cover art - and a poor understanding taken from the plot summary - led me to think this was a more conventional science fiction story. There is nothing conventional about it - but then it IS Orson Scott Card after all. While I have never heard the Ender series everyone seems to think is so great, I have heard other Card novels and he is always original. You really have to suspend disbelief on this one, but the story, characters and narration all make that possible.

Orson Scott Card is a phenomenal writer. This is a fast paced story that sweeps you off your feet and ends much too soon.

It's Lord of the Rings meets Asimov's Foundation and has quickly become one of my favorite Sci Fi books.

It's a tight story without any fat or dead end distractions just a great story. I could not put this one down.

Treason is the story of a prison planet populated by the descendants of exiled families who long ago attempted to overthrow Earth’s tyrannical republic.

They were defeated and shipped to a distant planet called Treason, where they’ve spent the last few millennia evolving into warring kingdoms based on the professions, educations and family names.

Clans that regenerate their bodies, slow down or speed up time, changes sexes, mask identity, commune with the rocks, shape shift, the list goes on based on the learned educations of the different families, politicians, bankers, geneticists, investors, physicists, doctors, psychologists, theologians, socialites, engineers, philosophers, and professors etc...

It's intensely amusing and intriguing to read how each one of these highly evolved specialized skills matches to specific families and why - I think everyone reading this will get a smirk on their faces when reading how politicians have evolved. ;) This is just the beginning of the journey.

I could go on for hours talking about this book - In my opinion this beats out Enders Game and is Cards best work.

Loved Ender... Treason, not so much. It is clearly a good solid story that just came off a bit flat for me. I found it a bit rambling and disjointed; it never just grabbed me. OSC has stated that, if he could have done a rewrite, the first person perspective is the first thing he would change. The story line is interesting and extremely creative but did not hold my interest as much as I was expecting. Stefan Rudnicki is one of my top five narrators and his strong narration was the saving grace for me. I'm still a big OSC fan and, based on other reviews, understand that my opinion of Treason does not run with the majority. Can't win 'em all.

I like everything of Card's that I've read. This was just as good as most of his work. Very similar in some ways (young man + extraordinary powers + saves the world + questions regarding whether the world is worth saving) but still the world itself is very interesting and distinct. Very thought-provoking.

Sure there are stereotypes and it's pretty clear what Card thinks about women and minorities and academics, but the science fiction part was interesting enough to make the mild moralizing and stereotyping bearable.

The narration is very well done.

Very interesting story, with twist in turns in it that were unexpected. Find his writing style is just like someone telling a story. Enjoyed it a lot but I have been a big fan since the enders game trilogy.

I read this book, probably 20 years ago, and it was my favorite book. That's why I chose this book as my test-case for the audio book experience. It reminded me, again, why Treason was my favorite book. It explores many realms of the mind, and body through science fiction.

I thoroughly enjoyed Card's bravery in exploring so many diverse themes.

The reader, Stefan Rudnicki was particularly adept at assigning accents to key sub-characters and remaining true to them throughout the story. Fantastic.

I was particularly impressed with the discoveries towards the end of the book that were planted early on in the reading.

This is the first book I read of Orson Scott Card, and now the first audio book was fittingly this one. Card is a Science Fiction Genius. Thanks, Audible, for picking this one up in your library.

I love all of the books I have read from Card. This is the first one I listened to and was not disappointed. This was written before the Ender series and though vastly different, is similarly themed: Expand past your prejudices and become something greater and affect change for the better. I really enjoyed this book.