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Songmaster (Mass Market Paperback)

by Orson Scott Card (Author) "There were many ways a child could turn up in the baby market of Doblay-Me..." (more)
Key Phrases: high room, High Room, Riktors Ashen, Mikal's Songbird (more...)
4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (48 customer reviews)


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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Card here offers the tale of Ansset, a young boy whose perfect singing voice has the power of amplifying people's emotions, making him both a potential healer and destroyer. This is the first hardcover incarnation of the 1988 award-winning novel.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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

"Orson Scott Card is a fine writer, with great insight, great idealism and love."--Science Fiction Review on Songmaster
-- Review --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Tor Books (December 15, 1992)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0812524861
  • ISBN-13: 978-0812524864
  • Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,069,401 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

48 Reviews
5 star:
 (25)
4 star:
 (11)
3 star:
 (9)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (48 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A True Masterpiece, June 25, 2000
By Bryon T. Smedley (Herndon, VA (Outside of D.C.)) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Songmaster (Mass Market Paperback)
Never having read any of the works of Mr. Card, and not even associating him with the whole "Ender's" phenomenon, I went into this book without any preconceptions or expectations. I found this to be one of the most insightful and unique stories written in the latter half of this century. The concept of a collective who communicates primarily through song is a twist on the norm, and Orson Scott pulls it off with utter brilliance in his prose and form. At one point I had to actually mark my place, put the book down and regain my composure, lest I surely lose my ability to see through the tears. These were not tears of sorrow, mind you, rather tears of joy. This story grabbed my attention and emotions and slung them around like only an E-ticket ride at the Magic Kingdom can do. I have since read anything and everything I can get my hands on by Mr. Card, and not once have I been disappointed. Although some of his works are better known and more popular, "Songmaster" remains my favorite. Find this book and purchase it immediately. On my honor, you will not be disappointed.

Bryon T. Smedley - bsmedley@novell.com

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars How does he do it?, August 19, 2001
This was my first Orson Scott Card book, and the second I finished it I rushed out to get another. In my opinion, Card is one of the best American authors ever, and he proves it in Songmaster. This book has so many complex ideas, feelings, nuances, and plot lines, I have no idea how Card dreamed it all up. He never ceases to amaze me, and I never cease to praise his written creations! This book will rock your world.
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20 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A Song of Power, August 3, 2004
This review is from: Songmaster (Paperback)
Card seems to have a predilection for having child protagonists. But not just any children, rather children who are special, who are prodigies, who in many ways are far stronger than most adults. This book is no exception, with Ansset as the premier Songbird of his day. Songbirds are specially trained child singers, trained in not just the basics of music, but more importantly in how to read the emotional makeup of their audience and express it in their songs.

Ansset is assigned to be the Songbird for the Emperor Mikal, a brutal man who thinks nothing of wiping out the entire population of a planet to further his ends. But the end Mikhal is driving toward is lasting peace throughout the galaxy - a truly benevolent dictator. It is just this moral ambiguity that Ansset sees and understands, just as he can understand, accept, and reciprocate the love of Josif, a bisexual who can only be attracted to one person at time.

In fact, there are no hard and fast moral laws laid down in this book. Fraud, kidnapping, assassination, murder, homosexuality, pedophilia, devotion, political machinations, and, yes, even true love all receive an examination here, and each item is shown in more than one light. A good part of this book's strength lies within these examinations, which are shown by the events and people Ansset is exposed to, rather than by any sort of expository dialogue. The rest of the strength lies within the raw emotion that sings throughout this book, an almost poetic handling of what would be in lesser hands a very ugly set of happenings. Characterization is excellent, for not just Ansset but also all the players around him: Mikal, Ricktors, Esste, Kya-Kya - each are unique individuals that breathe life into this work.

Not so good is the believability of the basic scenarios, from Ansset's incredible ability as a very young child to read the deep emotional makeup of those around him and sing that back to them, certain fighting skills that Ansset learns, even to the musical language members of the Songhouse converse with. While Card makes a good stab at presenting these items in such a way as to try and make them believable, and while reading it these doubts can easily be pushed into the background, after closing the book they leave a bit of a sense of something not quite right, a lack of direct applicability to the 'real' world. While this is not a great flaw, it does bring this book down from the level he achieved in Ender's Game, making it merely very good as opposed to that book's greatness.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars If you love books about pedophilia and homosexual intercouse, you'll love this book.
This book has a recurring theme of pedophilia and homosexuality, which really turned me off. Without that I'd have given this book 5 stars. Read more
Published 11 months ago by atomzer0

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly, It Has Stuck With Me
I finished reading "Songmaster" several months ago, and I decided not to review it at the time. The book was fun, and it kept me engaged so well that I raced through it, but it... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Andrew Corsa

3.0 out of 5 stars Orson Scott Card comparison
A story of one man, one boy... that is all. It is beautiful to read of his influence, love, emotion, experience. The power of the song is great. Read more
Published on January 19, 2006 by EAK

3.0 out of 5 stars Maybe not enough scifi for some

(Written for Worm's Sci Fi Haven by countezero, more of his reviews can be read here: www.wormsscifi. Read more
Published on December 16, 2005 by Worm

3.0 out of 5 stars Not one of Card's top ten hits - but a fine tune nevertheless
Reading the first few chapters of Songmaster I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a plot line without further ado. Read more
Published on August 31, 2005 by E. Cohen

5.0 out of 5 stars This is probably my favorite Orson Scott Card book.
I'll leave explantion of the story to the other reviewers. Instead I'm going to focus on what I personally liked about this particular work. Read more
Published on August 22, 2005 by E.D.B.

1.0 out of 5 stars Who'd have thought, such TRASH from Card!!
This was completely SICKENING. Just when you think my word, I never thought Card would be so twisted, he exploits another grotesque weakness of man and threads that fiber into... Read more
Published on June 22, 2005 by D.J.

3.0 out of 5 stars The Songmaster evokes shock and dismay...

For many years, since reading Ender's Game at the suggestion of a friend, I have considered Orson Scott Card to be among the great storytellers of our age because of his... Read more
Published on December 26, 2004 by William

3.0 out of 5 stars An inferior early effort from Card.
Orson Scott Card burst into fame with his multiple award winning novel "Ender's Game". "Songmaster" is a novel from earlier in his writing career, and like "Ender's Game"... Read more
Published on August 16, 2004 by Godly Gadfly

5.0 out of 5 stars Sing, Ansset, Sing!
"I will never hurt you.
I will always help you.
If you are hungry
I'll give you my food.
If you are frightened
I am your friend. Read more
Published on November 11, 2003 by Rosebud

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