Treason by Orson Scott Card Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Treason
Book Review: an all-time favorite
Summary: 5 Stars
Treason is not only my favorite Orson Scott Card novel, but one of my favorite all-time novels. I generally lean toward Sci-Fi over Fantasy, but stll like this creative and well-constructed story despite the heavy Fantasy element.
I have returned to re-read it several times, and keep wondering when someone will make a film version. The story and visual elements would translate well to film, but I suppose there is too little franchise potential or cult following to justify it, especially in an industry that would rather bet on a sure horse than take a creative risk.
Book Review: dare call it Treason
Summary: 4 Stars
The metal-poor prison planet Treason is divided among 80 clans that are descended from the members of an intellectual cabal that threatened a populist empire 3 millenia ago. By selectively trading precious iron with each clan, the empire reinforces specialization, competition, and social fragmentation across the planet.
In Treason, Orson Scott Card tells the story of Lanik Mueller, a "radical regenerative" who is exiled from his clan of geneticists. Wandering (and bleeding) from land to land, he picks up capabilities and insights from each of the clans and eventually breaks his world free from Imperial control.
This book is a modest revision of Card's second novel, A Planet Called Treason. It's as solidly written and satisfying as any of his science fiction novels, Ender's Game excluded. Card demonstrates his talent for crafting SciFi with virtually no investment in science or technology.
Like all the SciFi classics (and prefiguring the Ender series), Treason is principally a vehicle for painless examination of social, moral, and ethical conundrums. I'm reminded that Card's greatest strength is his ability to honestly examine his characters and their issues from every side.
Book Review: sympathetic main character
Summary: 4 Stars
As an Orson Scott Card fan I expect to enjoy all his books. This book was no disappointment. As this is an earlier book, you can see the beginnings of the personalities and guilt ridden angst of his characters. Deals also with the destruction of a people much and the Ender series does later. Not a Nebula level novel but satisfying.Book Review: terrific reprint of the revised tale
Summary: 5 Stars
Dissolute and haughty Lanik Mueller is the heir to his family's ruling of Planet Treason. Like his kin, Lanik has the ability to regenerate injured flesh; unlike his clan, he can also freakishly regenerate body parts, which he barters for iron with the offworlder traders. A bored Lanik believes his destiny is in the stars and not with this backwater barbaric orb so as he obtains iron he plans to construct a spaceship.
While passing time, the bored Lanik soon awakens to a treachery that if achieved will destroy his family and devastate the planet. He begins a counter-plan as he finds a reason to live on his home-world. Soon Lanik will also discover he is not just a Rad with body regeneration skills, he has other powers that he will need if he is to truly free the various species living on Treason.
In 1988 Orson Scott Card tightened as he says 10% of his novel A Planet Called Treason; this is a reprint of the revised tale. The action-packed story line is a coming of age science fiction tale as Lanik goes from indifference to champion. The key to this fine thriller is the differing species residing and squabbling on the planet as young Lanik tries desperately to bring them together before disaster strikes. Mr. Card has taken what was a fun tale and turned it into a terrific taut novel worthy of his later works.
Harriet Klausner