Ruins (Pathfinder, #2)

Oct 23, 2012 Leah (Jane Speare) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: next-in-current-series

I started to read Ruins less than a day after I finished Pathfinder. Now, that’s 672 pages of time travel, followed by 544 more pages of time travel. These books are quite heavy, and require paying lots of attention.

I didn’t quite pay enough attention. The time abilities are so complicated, and since OSC said he made sure to defy all normal rules of time travel in fiction/theory, well, my small knowledge in the matter became null. For the most part I got what was going on, but if I had to explai...more I started to read Ruins less than a day after I finished Pathfinder. Now, that’s 672 pages of time travel, followed by 544 more pages of time travel. These books are quite heavy, and require paying lots of attention.

I didn’t quite pay enough attention. The time abilities are so complicated, and since OSC said he made sure to defy all normal rules of time travel in fiction/theory, well, my small knowledge in the matter became null. For the most part I got what was going on, but if I had to explain it to someone, I don’t think I would be able to remember most of the semantics. (So that’s a good excuse for you to read it, right?)

There are more religious…views? values? in Ruins. Maybe not more, but more prominent, I noticed more. At least that’s how I interpreted it. An example is when he explained how there were only a few thousand years of human history on Earth. And the fact that there is only one main character that’s a girl doesn’t do well in my opinion either. Parem is the princess, and a stinking spoiled one at that. She is written to be very weak and dependent on her companions; when walking, she is unused to the exercise and tends to complain and get carried a lot. Oh, but all four boys in the party are all amazing and strong. Yeah, not so cool. A few other minor things, but I’m not going to dwell.
I don’t mean offence, please. Just as a non-religion person and feminist, I couldn’t just ignore it.

Something I missed from Pathfinder: At the beginning of each chapter of Pathfinder (and Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow for that matter), there is that other-fontly mysterious point of view that lasts from a paragraph to a page and a half. I really liked those. It kept me reading onto the next chapter, and trying to figure out how it related to the main story. Ruins didn’t have it! But, I got over it eventually.

More technology is introduced, including more information on the starships and expendables. It’s fun to see how Rigg and co. react to the strange words and seeing what simple objects fascinate them. We also meet more fascinating colonies in other Wallfolds…not all that friendly!

Okay…geek moment here…slight spoiler, but it’s not that bad. There are MICE in here. Does that mean anything to any other geeks out there? That’s right, they are the masterminds! Not the only ones, but basically they become a huge part of the story, and are super smart and control the world. Ah, thanks for that little Douglas Adams tribute there, Card. I really appreciate that!

I also really like the way philosophical/ethical questions pop in Rigg’s decisions all the time. It makes the story that more thought provoking and exciting. Especially concerning the facemasks; don’t worry, you learn about those in the first chapter.

So even though I had to reread a few passages when some timeslicing/jumping/whatever went on, you get used to all the technobabble soon enough.

I am curious how many books plan to be in the series.

Four stars!(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 Angie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, teen-fiction, website

Oof, this was a tough one. I actually forced myself to finish this after putting it down day after day. I remember really enjoy Pathfinder, but this one was a clunker. I think Orson Scott Card is a brilliant writer but sometimes brilliance does not translate well on the page. And sometimes writer's views on things get a little heavy handed. This is one such book. Card has put a lot of political and religious rhetoric into this book. Sure he weaves it into the story, but you can tell these are hi...more Oof, this was a tough one. I actually forced myself to finish this after putting it down day after day. I remember really enjoy Pathfinder, but this one was a clunker. I think Orson Scott Card is a brilliant writer but sometimes brilliance does not translate well on the page. And sometimes writer's views on things get a little heavy handed. This is one such book. Card has put a lot of political and religious rhetoric into this book. Sure he weaves it into the story, but you can tell these are his views that he is pushing on the reader. It takes away from the enjoyment of reading. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and I have no problem with them writing about those opinions and views even if they differ from my own. However, I don't expect them to be pushed on me in a sci-fi book. If I wanted to read about politics and religion I would, but I wanted something else from Ruins.

The rhetoric was not my only problem with this book. This book picks up after the events in Pathfinder. Our troop of heroes has passed through the wall and find themselves in a different world. They have to figure out what is going on in each of the wallfolds they visit and figure out what to do about the visitors from earth who are on their way. They are exploring their time shifting/traveling powers and becoming stronger. However, they are also the biggest bunch of whiny babies I have ever read. I found that I couldn't stand a single one of them. It is nothing but jealousy, envy, impetuousness, struggling for power for this group. No one acts as they should; they go back and forth on their feelings for each other. There are constant struggles to be the top dog of the group. These people were supposed to be friends; they came through some terrible events and yet all the seemed to care about was themselves. I didn't find any redeeming qualities in these characters and it really wasn't until the last few pages that they actually started working together. I also had a huge problem with how this was written. There is a lot of exposition in this book and not a lot of dialog. And the dialog is often filled with pages of exposition. A character will speak and then the other character will take two pages analyzing and griping about what was said before finally responding. Seriously! It got old really fast.

I am a fan of Card's work. I loved Ender's Game and actually want to reread it again. But I think his writing is uneven across books. He gets a little too wrapped up in getting his "message" out that he forgets to just write a good story. (less)

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Nov 09, 2012 Caitlen rated it 2 of 5 stars

I just....couldn't get through it. Orson Scott Card has a pattern of writing AMAZING first books that totally blow me away (Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow, Pathfinder....) but then the rest of the series just slows down so much and/or gets sooooo politically deep that, while still interesting, just becomes no longer enjoyable for me to read. He is sooo talented and sooooo smart and his political theories and ideas are absolutely brilliant, but the books are just not my idea of "fun" reading. I real...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Kirkus rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-fiction

There are a few times when we can see O.S.C brilliance, though they are to few and to far between to make this book anything more then an 1 star rating.

With Ruins it becomes clear what O.S.C is trying to create. He is trying to tell a story of species facing genocide. One cant help thinking that he tells us an alternative story of Enders game. This time we are the Buggers and we are trying to stop humanity from destroying us. Rigg tries fill the shoes of Ender Wiggin.
Ender wasnt allowed to mak...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Ellie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-revels

Original review posted on Book Revels

The story of Rigg continues in this second installment in the Pathfinder series. Rigg and his friends have left their home wallfold. Soon they discover the mysteries of other wallfolds as they race to prevent a devastating future for their planet, Garden.

Orson Scott Card is a master storyteller. I know this, and yet somehow I’m always amazed at the intricacy of his plots and the logistics of the worlds he creates. The first book in this series, Pathfinder, es...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Brandon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: completed-books-brandon

This book was amazing! The story is so deep and richly complex that I was very glad to find out that it is not the last book in the series (although for a time it seemed like things could have wrapped up in this book). Card's characters have their usual richness and philosophical depth and their personal conflicts are almost as engaging as the overall conflict.

I can't praise Card enough for how he manages time-travel. It is a wonder that he keeps track of all of the threads and effects, but it i...more

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May 24, 2013 Brian Kayser rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Here is the review I posted on Audible.com

"A good follow-up, but could have been better"

What did I love best about Ruins?
I guess the characters and wanting to find out what happens with them after crossing through the wallfold.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
Finding out what's in the other wallfolds, but unfortunately you only learn about a few of them. The least interesting thing was maybe some of the needless banter between the characters.

What does the...more Here is the review I posted on Audible.com

"A good follow-up, but could have been better"

What did I love best about Ruins?
I guess the characters and wanting to find out what happens with them after crossing through the wallfold.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
Finding out what's in the other wallfolds, but unfortunately you only learn about a few of them. The least interesting thing was maybe some of the needless banter between the characters.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I really like Stefan Rudnicki's voice and characters. Kirby Heyborne and even Emily Janice Card did a good job. But having different chapters done by different narrators throws you off a bit - but not as much as in Pathfinder.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No, not really. It was okay, but at the same time kind of blah, and drawn out.

Any additional comments?
I'm invested now, so I will probably get the next book when it comes out. That's kind of funny actually. I didn't know this was a 3-book arc until the very end of this book, when I heard the music that only plays at the beginning and then the end. I was like, WHAT, that's the end. Then I realized that... oh, it's "to be continued".

Overall I thought it was way too long and drawn out for not much happening really. Then some things just didn't make since. I hate to give a spoiler, but at one point in the book they are ready to go to a different wallfold only to find thousands of people waiting excitedly for them on the other side, waving. They don't want to cross over into a mob of thousands even if they look friendly, so they travel back in time a few days before the mob arrives. But then they find that only two people are their liasons and NO ONE ELSE wants anything to do with them for years. That just didn't make since.

Don't get me wrong, It was entertaining, just a bit too much fluff and some plot issues in my opinion. Then also, the problem with any time-travel story where you can do it willy-nilly, you have to wonder why they don't use it more to fix things. They DO in many cases, but in others they don't and you have to wonder why not. OSC does a decent job explaining the why and why nots at times, but sometimes it just doesn't add up. Again, that's the issue with time-travel stories.(less)

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Apr 29, 2013 zjakkelien rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, sf

In Pathfinder, Rigg and Umbo learn about their time-shifting abilities and their world. They escape their own wallfold, the enclosed area of the planet Garden where they live, and learn there are in total 19 wallfolds. The history of Garden and the time-shifting abilities make Pathfinder a fascinating book, and this is continued in Ruins. Rigg and his friends visit several of the wallfolds, and what they find there is equally as imaginative as their abilities. The developments of mankind have be...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Tia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this book to be a good sequel to Pathfinder. I do understand some other readers disdain for the characters bickering. I however, was not bothered by their childish thoughts and outbursts because they are in fact children. I think Orson Scott Card takes his time creating internal monologue for all the characters, which might seem tedious to read and get through, but I found it to be a nice way to make the characters seem the most real. Umbo deals with jealousy and resentment while Rigg st...more I found this book to be a good sequel to Pathfinder. I do understand some other readers disdain for the characters bickering. I however, was not bothered by their childish thoughts and outbursts because they are in fact children. I think Orson Scott Card takes his time creating internal monologue for all the characters, which might seem tedious to read and get through, but I found it to be a nice way to make the characters seem the most real. Umbo deals with jealousy and resentment while Rigg struggles with the responsibility that is thrown upon him. All things are dealt with in a way that would happen realistically. Yes, I do think the the characters get annoying, but I think it builds on the characters. I did find Param's character to be annoying, but I in no way found it to be a political standpoint against women. It is explained thoroughly that she is the way she is because of her royal upbringing, which in fact makes complete sense. She was bred to rule, how could she at 15 or something, with no other parent, act otherwise? I also enjoyed, even though this is a young adult book, that it didn't fall into the standard conflict of young romance. It doesn't dismiss the possibility, but it doesn't make it the main conflict which is so relieving. I found the story to be just as captivating as Pathfinder, and much less confusing. I also was not swayed by OSC's opinions on religion or politics. I thought the way each character thought was cohesive to the character. I didn't find it preachy at all. In fact, i had completely forgotten that some of the reviews mentioned it until I came here to write mine. To me, it's a different planet, yes they are humans but genetically altered. I didn't find the human existence of 11000 years to be a sign of creationism, because that's when the humans landed on the Garden. I guess if you want to read that far into it, it can be construed as religious intent, but I thought it was subtle unlike most of the reviewers. I also like to separate the authors real life and their written work if it's at all possible. He wasn't outrightly telling me to become Mormon through his characters, and I in no way felt inclined to do so by reading this book. I enjoyed it. It does however end with a cliff hanger and having been released so recently, I can't anticipate the next book for a while. I'm excited for the follow up and to see how everything turns out. Though nothing necessarily gets resolved in this book, much is learned and the anticipation for the end grows. I enjoyed it thoroughly, though it was easier to put down than Pathfinder. (less)

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Mar 26, 2013 NVHS LMC rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, adventure

The next review is of Ruins, the sequel to Orson Scott Card’s literary masterpiece, Pathfinder. And if it’s possible, this installment is even better than the original.

On a distant planet known as Garden, Rigg Sessamakesh has passed through the boundaries that the fear-inducing Wall imposes on his kingdom, while leading his small group of loyal companions into the unknown beyond. Outside of all they once knew, the group soon discovers the ruins of a long-forgotten, highly advanced human civiliza...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Matthew Barrett rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoys Orson Scott Cards' books, and read most of them, but sometimes, in some of his books, his characters become too powerful, in a way. Plus, the main character in nearly every book he writes is a precocious teenage boy. They're the only ones who can do what they do, but have very little temptation to do evil with it. The character in Treason by the end was way too powerful, Alvin in his Alvin Maker books could change everything, and the boy in his other series he's writing, beginning with...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Tammy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I would not have enjoyed this book if I had not read the first in the series: Pathfinder. Again, Card's world-building is fascinating and his time travel mind-boggling. I had to reread more than one passage just to understand where he was coming from, but loved the demands on my imagination. The immaturity of certain characters and their egos were a bit trying at times, but not enough to make me want to give up on them (most of the time).

Unfortunately, this second book did feel like a "middle i...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Ezra Mccalment rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

I think that a lot of the criticism of this book is unfounded. First, it's Orson Scott Card, and for whatever reason his writing style just sucks me in regardless of content. Unless it's several books into the Alvin Maker series. As such I'm somewhat biased.

However, this is one of Card's more complicated timelines with a lot of deep content. To include, according to everyone else, religious views and political views that Card pushes on the reader who is not able to detach their thoughts from the...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Michael rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh my I don't know how I read this whole book but I did, and to put it plainly is sucks...

I enjoyed Pathfinder #1... but this book was just bad...

Whats wrong with it you ask...

First the characters whine way to much, and they don't stop whining... and all they do is whine entire chapters are filled with nothing but whining

Second the characters become unlikable... because of the whining...

Third the preaching... wow there are pages and pages of the preaching about the authors opinion... and some...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ruins is Orson Scott Card's followup to Pathfinder. Rigg and his companions have passed through the Wall and entered a world much bigger than anything we saw in the previous book. Beyond that, I won't try to describe the story because, one, it would sound absurd in summary form, and two, it's so complicated I'm not sure I could explain it if I wanted to. But Card's gift is that he can ground the most fantastical stories by telling them through the eyes of his very relatable characters. The meat...more Ruins is Orson Scott Card's followup to Pathfinder. Rigg and his companions have passed through the Wall and entered a world much bigger than anything we saw in the previous book. Beyond that, I won't try to describe the story because, one, it would sound absurd in summary form, and two, it's so complicated I'm not sure I could explain it if I wanted to. But Card's gift is that he can ground the most fantastical stories by telling them through the eyes of his very relatable characters. The meat of the story is in the relationships, in the dialogue and the introspection as Rigg's group faces one unfathomable problem after another. It's good people trying to do what they think is right, butting heads and failing more often than not because they're real, flawed people, and because no one really knows what's right in the first place.

In Pathfinder, Rigg, Umbo, and Param discovered their various time traveling talents, and much of Ruins is about developing those skills and discovering the implications of them. The big flaw of many time travel stories is that, if you can go back and change something that went wrong, why wouldn't you? The reason, of course, is that if it were that simple there would be no story. Not here; in Ruins going back to fix things is virtually the entire story. Rigg and his companions are constantly flitting about through time, often creating more problems than they anticipated. Sometimes all the talk of time travel and mechanics is a bit overwhelming, but if you just sit back and accept that it works as they say it makes for an exciting read.

For all that, the story is really about trust, about truth and lies, and about how to act and make decisions even when you don't know if you can trust anything you think is true. The one thing that is certain is that something terrible will happen to their world if they don't find a way to stop it.

My main beef with the book is how abrupt the ending is. Pathfinder was plenty open ended, but at least the major problems introduced in it were resolved by the end. Ruins had me flipping pages to see if I had missed something; it just sort of stops in the middle of a scene. It's frustrating, but I guess what it really means is that I'm invested in the story and can't wait to see what happens next.(less)

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Dec 10, 2012 Mckenna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book. I am personally a philosophy and sci-fi nerd, so don’t read it if you hate philosophy and need a lot of action. In the first book, you don’t know that characters as well, but in this one Card really develops them a lot more. I ended up hating half of them. Umbo’s ceaseless grumbled kind of ruined it for me and Param was just unbearable. All of the incessant grumbling between the Rigg, Umbo and Param got on my nerves at times. Loaf seemed to be the only voice of reason and he...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Barb Middleton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

In French class I could never roll my "r's" properly so my teacher would have me practice holding my lips together and blowing air out to make a sputtering sound. I never could make my lips sound like a motor boat. I ended up spitting all over the desk and sputtering all right. Sputtering... I can't take it anymore. I'm sputtering at this book the same line. I finished it, but was relieved when it ended. If you love philosophy, physics science, genetics, epidemiology, sociology, biology and lots...more In French class I could never roll my "r's" properly so my teacher would have me practice holding my lips together and blowing air out to make a sputtering sound. I never could make my lips sound like a motor boat. I ended up spitting all over the desk and sputtering all right. Sputtering... I can't take it anymore. I'm sputtering at this book the same line. I finished it, but was relieved when it ended. If you love philosophy, physics science, genetics, epidemiology, sociology, biology and lots and lots and lots of internal monologue than you won't sputter over this book. I needed more action and less yadda, yadda, yadda. Don't get me wrong, the yadda was interesting in parts. But other times it left my head spinning.

Rigg, Param, Umbo, Olivenko, and Loaf have escaped being murdered by the queen by going through the wallfold into one of the 19 territories that split in a time travel experiment. Rigg, Param, and Umbro have learned how to better use their gifts of time travel and they spend time exploring the colony of Odinfold. As they argue with each other and try to learn from their flaws, others are trying to kill them. They do not know who to trust and who not to as they try to save the world. They must learn to trust each other before they can make any progress on their quest.

The world building is brilliant and is one of the reasons I kept turning the pages. The effects of parasites and disease on cultures was done really well, not to mention the different scenarios involving the different territories was complex and intertwined with other plot elements. I admire how the author tackles the complexities of parallel societies and how they evolved over time.

My complaint is the characters. They change internally which adds tension, but the author tells and doesn't show. At times the characters sound preachy and the three young characters sound too much alike. I wanted their voices to be more distinct, like Loaf. His tell-it-like-it-is sarcastic voice is quite distinct from the others. I also got sick of the three teenagers arguing ad nauseum. And having too many philosophical merry-go-round discussions. I finally started skimming those parts because they were exhausting and didn't accomplish anything in the end. When one of the character's explains he hates philosophy because you talk and talk and talk but in the end you don't know any more than when you started I was nodding my head in agreement. Or nodding off to sleep.

I do wish I could walk through a wallfold and learn a language like the characters in the book. I ended up dropping French class and never learned to roll my "r's." I switched to Norwegian. Yah, I can talk like dat, you betcha. Maybe this book was too sophisticated for my brain. Try it! Decide for yourself. (less)

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Nov 06, 2012 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book 2 of the Pathfinder series...and Jared & I have decided that Card is brilliant in writing the first books of his series (Ender's Game, Alvin Maker, Homecoming) then just kind of starts sucking. It's all about how the characters think & feel & bitch & whine. Card still weaves an interesting story to keep you reading, but they just never seem to have the excitement of the first book. After YEARS of reading Card, I have no idea why it took us this long to realize it. This book...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Troy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

I agree with many of the reviews of this series. I really loved the creation of this world in Pathfinder but felt like it went splat in Ruins. The characters became more annoying than anything else and the storyline just dragged. I am not sure will even read the last book in this series because I don't really care about it. The first book was more from Rigg's POV while Card tries to branch out in this one to show different POVs. I think he should have stayed with a limited POV. There isn't much...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Vernon Ray rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-by-people-i-have-met, hatrackers, waiting-to-get-the-whole-series

Word of the day: Including.

Long Story Short: The crew from [Book: Pathfinder] travel all over garden trying to figure out what they are supposed to be doing while also trying to figure out who's boss.

This book should be called Lies, because all of it everyone lying to everyone else. The mystery is in sorting out the lies. In that way Ruins is very much like a procedural. There are a lot of good ideas, by making 19 wallfolds Card has given himself ample worldbuilding opportunities. I'm still geek...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Jenny GB rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rigg leads Umbo, Param, and his friends into the other walls to explore them with the hopes of finding a way to prevent the destruction of Garden that will happen in about two years. They visit three more of the folds and meet some people that they thought were lost. A lot of questions are answered, but many more are raised and at the end the novel we will clearly need to read at least another book to find all the answers. I enjoyed this novel more than the previous one because it wasn't slowed...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Ed Tinkertoy rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am a big fan of Card, but this book just did not get it for me. The previous book which is the lead-in to this one was good and laid the groundwork for a great followup book. It told us that the ships arrived on the planet Garden and we learned that 19 separate worlds were created. But as the group made their way out of the first one, they never went to any more than two other worlds. Now unless Card plans a couple follow up books to continue the tale, this book lost a grand opportunity to pro...more

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Apr 29, 2013 zjakkelien rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Pathfinder, Rigg and Umbo learn about their time-shifting abilities and their world. They escape their own wallfold, the enclosed area of the planet Garden where they live, and learn there are in total 19 wallfolds. The history of Garden and the time-shifting abilities make Pathfinder a fascinating book, and this is continued in Ruins. Rigg and his friends visit several of the wallfolds, and what they find there is equally as imaginative as their abilities. The developments of mankind have be...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Daniel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: from-publishers

Rigg and his friends have finally passed the Wall into Vadeshfold. They believe that they will find a safe haven, invisible to the eyes of the people who want to kill them. But there are new dangers that are exotic to them. They soon discover that Vadesh-- the wallfold's expendable-- is untrustworthy, but they cannot even overcome their issues and trust each other. They learn that there is a danger fast approaching towards Garden. They must learn to trust one another, learn to control their time...more Rigg and his friends have finally passed the Wall into Vadeshfold. They believe that they will find a safe haven, invisible to the eyes of the people who want to kill them. But there are new dangers that are exotic to them. They soon discover that Vadesh-- the wallfold's expendable-- is untrustworthy, but they cannot even overcome their issues and trust each other. They learn that there is a danger fast approaching towards Garden. They must learn to trust one another, learn to control their time shifting abilities and alter the past, or there will be no future for Garden.

The thing that I most liked about this novel was how the author adds just the right amount of depth to the characters and their emotions. Similarly with the first novel, I enjoyed the premise of the book, however, the author just writes the book in a way that didn't appeal to me at all.The thing that I most disliked about the book was that it was basically pointless. The protagonists just kept on going into the past to try and figure out how to stop their world from ending and by the end of the book, they still fail to discover WHO DID IT, WHY THEY DID IT, AND WHAT THE RESOLUTION IS! It was an endless ring of time shifting, going back to the present because it failed, then time shifting to another point and still coming back to the present because it failed. Similarly with the first book, Pathfinder, the author also answers questions with questions for chapters at a time with no real answer you just stare at the book thinking "that was pointless".

Overall, this book wasn't as appealing as I expected it to be and it is the same for the first in the series. For the most part (by that I mean the plot), the novel was good and the characters were great but I think it could of been better if the author had a proper resolution and STOPPED answering questions with questions for CHAPTERS at a time.

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Dec 09, 2012 Rick rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the second book in Pathfinder series. The background: earth sends a ship to colonize another planet and it encounters difficulties. Before it jumps through hyperspace, its computers make 19 calculations, each off just a fraction, that, because of the pilot's inherent ability to manipulate time, create 19 different ships that head to the planet, but 11,000 years in the past. Each of the ships crashes into the world and a country/land area is created around it with walls that people cannot...more This is the second book in Pathfinder series. The background: earth sends a ship to colonize another planet and it encounters difficulties. Before it jumps through hyperspace, its computers make 19 calculations, each off just a fraction, that, because of the pilot's inherent ability to manipulate time, create 19 different ships that head to the planet, but 11,000 years in the past. Each of the ships crashes into the world and a country/land area is created around it with walls that people cannot pass. Fast forward to today, where our protagonist, Rigg, and his companions, Umbo, Loaf, Olivenko, and Param, live. Rigg and Umbo and Param have power over time. Rigg can see paths that people leave through time, Umbo can travel back in time, and Param can jump forward in time. Together, they can travel and do some pretty amazing things.

And, they have been tasked to save the world. Turns out, that Earth is sending a follow-up ship to Garden (the new planet's name), and that that ship destroys the world. So, Rigg and his companions need to save the world.

The story is engaging. I got tired at first of the bickering between Umbo and everyone. But, I guess it pays off later, and also tells me that Mr. Card does a very good job of characterization. The story is interesting and has enough twists to keep your mind engaged. I was a bit taken aback that some of the wallfolds (areas delineated by walls) were more technologically advanced than Rigg's original wallfold. But, heck, they had 11,000 years for society to evolve, so I guess I should have expected it.

The main conflict this time around comes with Rigg and companions trying to figure out which of the new characters they meet is lying to them (hint: if their mouths are moving...). They move through three different wallfolds and meet the people who live there. Plus, they gain the services of a flyer that helps to transport them throughout the wallfolds quickly. There are some explanations about how Rigg, Umbo, and Param got their powers. Exciting developments happen to a couple of the members of the company. And there is a very interesting development at the end of the tale. The book is 530 pages in length, and I left it wanting more. That is what I call a successful story. I am in for the next installment!(less)

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Dec 29, 2012 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-cd, fantasy, lds-authors, young-adult

Well, Card managed to disembowel another promising series. Unlike the Alvin Maker series, which holds itself together for the first few books, he ruins this one in book two.
I have a few theories as to why such a talented, intelligent author can't tell a coherent series story. I think the main reason is that as his characters and plot lines are running through his head, they become more complicated and realistic to him. (This is great for us, because we get fully flushed out characters and satisf...more Well, Card managed to disembowel another promising series. Unlike the Alvin Maker series, which holds itself together for the first few books, he ruins this one in book two.
I have a few theories as to why such a talented, intelligent author can't tell a coherent series story. I think the main reason is that as his characters and plot lines are running through his head, they become more complicated and realistic to him. (This is great for us, because we get fully flushed out characters and satisfying plot.) But it seems the longer this process goes on, the more complicated the twists get, and the more random story ideas Card tries to meld together, trying to make them into something resembling a sequel. Instead of picking his best premise and making book two about that, Card insists on using ALL twenty-eight of his brilliant story ideas. And then because his plot threads are so abstract and convoluted that it would take a doctor of physics to understand them, the characters spend at least a quarter of the book explaining and analyzing every idea and possible course of action in minute detail. (Actually I think my estimation might be a little low.)
The dialogue is unbelievable. Imagine a group of philosophy professors sitting around trying to impress each other with their elevated language and grasp of the abstract. Then, almost as if he was trying to make the kids act their age, Card throws in some arguments (did I say some? I meant forty-five) to make them seem immature or to increase conflict in what might have been an otherwise boring stretch of paper. In the end all the bickering just made me want to close the book (turn off the CD). The tension among the group of time-travelers was over the top and forced. Especially when Param suddenly turns into a wench for no other reason that she suddenly remembered her mother was also a wench. This series was supposed to be Card's first foray into the YA field but is completely undistinguished from his other books. Writing a book about teenagers does not make it for teenagers. Especially when it requires a PhD to understand what's going on.
But even with all the problems I had with this book, I was thinking about giving it five stars. Card's imagination almost made up for the lack of linear story telling, and at a few parts he manages to write some exciting scenes. When the book ended abruptly with a spectacular plot fumble, I grew bitter. Three stars feels generous now.
(less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Dany rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book drove me crazy! It annoyed me. I liked it. I didn't like it. It wore me out with time travel and causalities. I couldn't follow them or figure half of them out despite Mr. Card's lengthy attempts to explain them all. The mistrust and questioning all the characters had of everyone's motives made me wonder how they could make decisions at all sometimes, bordering on paranoia. And these 3 children got under my skin so much with their immaturity (okay, they are kids, I get it) but I actual...more

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Jun 08, 2013 Hacedores Desierto rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ciencia-ficción-dura, hard-sci-fi, juvenil, khardan, time-travel, viaje-en-el-tiempo, young-adult

Está bien, muchos recordaréis que Pathfinder me dejó el regusto de encontrarme de nuevo con algo parecido a Las naves de la tierra, y muy alejado de Ender,a pesar de tener en común todos el tema del joven que busca encontrar su destino. Ruinas se mantiene en esta misma esfera, acercándose más a ese retelling de la Biblia que es Las naves de la tierra que a las aventuras del joven soldado. No me cabe ninguna duda de que cualquiera que adore el estilo de Card tendrá en este libro otro motivo más...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Betsy Dion rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, scifi

This book was a great follow up to the first book in the series, _Pathfinder_. It was great timing, too, because I was coming down with the flu, and then I remembered that this book was supposed to come out soon, and I checked the library and they had just gotten it in. Yay! :) Definitely helped me take my mind off of being sick. And it is always fun to knock through a book in a day and a half.

This book had a similar feel to the first book. It doesn't go into as much detail about time manipulati...more

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Feb 18, 2013 BAYA Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Card continues the story that began in Pathfinder. Rigg, his sister Param, and his best friend Umbo use their abilities as time-shifters to manipulate the world around them and to discover secrets that are being kept from them. They are told that Garden, the world they live on, will be destroyed by humans from Earth in the near future. They must find out all they can about the various Wall-folds (Garden is separated into many sections) develop a plan to save Garden. The story is told in alternat...more

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title link	preview: Ruins
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Ruins (Pathfinder #2)

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