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36th out of 763 books
—
659 voters
Songmaster
An SF classic from the author of Ender's Game.
Kidnapped at an early age, the young singer Ansset has been raised in isolation at the mystical retreat called the Songhouse. His life has been filled with music, and having only songs for companions, he develops a voice that is unlike any heard before. Ansset's voice is both a blessing and a curse, for the young Songbird can r...more
Kidnapped at an early age, the young singer Ansset has been raised in isolation at the mystical retreat called the Songhouse. His life has been filled with music, and having only songs for companions, he develops a voice that is unlike any heard before. Ansset's voice is both a blessing and a curse, for the young Songbird can r...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
December 6th 2002
by Orb Books
(first published 1976)
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this is truly my favorite scifi book of all time. it's got orphaned children, gay-questioning sex, weird psychic powers, enough tragedy to make me cry, and bards. How could I not love it? well, I did when I was 14. I really should qualify my sci-fi reviews since many of these are from my teenage years and it could be that if I read them now I'd be like huh what is this crap, like when you watch a cartoon movie like The Last Unicorn as an adult and think now why does that tree have boobs? But I b...more
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This is, hands down, my favorite fiction book of all time. It's unfortunate that it is usally classified (and shelved) as science fiction, which it is not. The occasional travel from one planet to another does not science fiction make. This book alone made me an Orson Scott Card fan for life, and because of it I can forgive him the various other authorial sins which, IMHO, he has committed in his career since.
I'm pretty sure I sought this out after reading "Mikal's Songbird" in a (science fictio...more
I'm pretty sure I sought this out after reading "Mikal's Songbird" in a (science fictio...more
5 likes · like · see review
Apr 10, 2007
Ryan
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
singers who like sci-fi/fantasy
Shelves:
fantasy,
science-fiction
Since this was one of Orson Scott Card's pre- Ender's Game books, I didn't quite know what to expect. It is science fiction in that space travel and multiple worlds are involved but it is nearer to fantasy since, for me anyway, sci-fi/fantasy both share a need for something other-worldly, hi-tech invention or magic respectively. Songmaster's other worldly aspect is the music itself and since it really doesn't count as invention or magic it can safely straddle the two genres.
I didn't care much f...more
I didn't care much f...more
2 likes · like · see review
Dec 30, 2008
Rachel
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone interested in OSC, queer stuff, or OSC+queer stuff
Recommended to Rachel by:
Leah
This is a very, very strange novel. I've been a fan of OSC since I was very young, and since I was a young teen I've been very disturbed by the almost violent intolerance of homosexuality he expresses in his essays. This attitude seemed so at odds with the values woven into the stories of Ender and Bean - stories of children who are different, but good, and catch a lot of crap for it but save their tormentors anyway.
This book answered some of my questions. No spoilers here, but suffice is to say...more
This book answered some of my questions. No spoilers here, but suffice is to say...more
3 likes · like · see review
Spoiler Alert! Piece of trash. I've gotten more enjoyment from reading the back of a box of cereal. Orson is a homophobe and just proves it with his disgusting treatment of homosexuality in this dank and dark book. Everything in this book is all about pedophiles for the first half. The first supposedly gay character screws a woman first thing (I think Mrs Card is a little confused about the word homosexual). Ultimately, he pays for his abomination with castration and suicide. The main character...more
Nutshell: school for the Euterpean arts involves itself in galactic politics, leading to homophobic crimes, coups d'etat, &c., 20,000 years in the future.
Principal is a pre-Ender wunderkind, a victim of child trafficking. Euterpeans know the victim status and the location of the grieving parents, but elect to ignore it all (69). In addition to being scum, they're also stupid, insofar as their constitution selects the new schoolmaster by virtue of whoever finds the corpse of the current scho...more
Principal is a pre-Ender wunderkind, a victim of child trafficking. Euterpeans know the victim status and the location of the grieving parents, but elect to ignore it all (69). In addition to being scum, they're also stupid, insofar as their constitution selects the new schoolmaster by virtue of whoever finds the corpse of the current scho...more
2 likes · like · see review
Love- that’s the first thing that strikes me when I think of this book. Love, and the ease with which Ansset is able to love. Indeed, love, relationships and music is the central theme of this book. Card, in his novel Songmaster explores the power of music and emotions through Ansset, the prodigal Songbird of Mikal, the Emperor. Set in a futuristic time when the whole Galaxy is under the Imperial rule of the Earth, the book begins with the three year old Ansset joining the Songhouse, and moves o...more
I got 85% into it and had to give up. What a waste of time.
Ansset is a completely unrelateable character. Not only does he never stay one age for more than a few chapters, but he is estranged from friends, even more than Ender. He is an alien.
The culture was too free with sex, too, which is disturbing in the least. And the way they treat children at the songhouse is disturbing. There was little loyalty among friends or lovers, even with "good" characters.
I disliked Mikal, and Riktors, and Kyaren...more
Ansset is a completely unrelateable character. Not only does he never stay one age for more than a few chapters, but he is estranged from friends, even more than Ender. He is an alien.
The culture was too free with sex, too, which is disturbing in the least. And the way they treat children at the songhouse is disturbing. There was little loyalty among friends or lovers, even with "good" characters.
I disliked Mikal, and Riktors, and Kyaren...more
This was one of four or five books that I started the year with, all reading at the same time, in different spots in my home. Once I got past the first chapter or two, I felt compelled to finish this, to the exclusion of others.
Songmaster is set in a world with Earth, but significantly different from the world we know. Earth is both the armpit of the universe and the home of the Emperor of Everything. What a dichotomy! Earth is a government of continents, not countries, and the US is divided int...more
Songmaster is set in a world with Earth, but significantly different from the world we know. Earth is both the armpit of the universe and the home of the Emperor of Everything. What a dichotomy! Earth is a government of continents, not countries, and the US is divided int...more
Every time I see an Orson Scott Card book, I think, "Hey, why haven't I read that yet?" There are in fact dozens of his books that I have not delved into, and today I was reminded why I'd lost my enthusiasm for this talented writer.
Songmaster, is one of his earliest novels and I found it disturbing on so many levels. Oh, it starts out benign enough, with life in the song house as Anssett learns to sing. As soon as we get into this story, however, it's over and Scott has begun another plot which...more
Songmaster, is one of his earliest novels and I found it disturbing on so many levels. Oh, it starts out benign enough, with life in the song house as Anssett learns to sing. As soon as we get into this story, however, it's over and Scott has begun another plot which...more
3 likes · like · see review
I read this book when I was young and it opened my eyes to the possibility of mm romance, which is why this story holds a place in my heart. From a modern point of view, there's some definite awkwardness to it, but it's still a great story.
A boy raised to be a singer in the courts and homes of powerful people. He catches the eye of a powerful man and he spends out his term in that man's control as his personal songbird. Then, when he reaches maturity, he is supposed to return home, but the man h...more
A boy raised to be a singer in the courts and homes of powerful people. He catches the eye of a powerful man and he spends out his term in that man's control as his personal songbird. Then, when he reaches maturity, he is supposed to return home, but the man h...more
I don’t remember when I first read Songmaster--probably early middle school. For several years after I read it, through into high school, it was my favorite novel. I went on to read the Card’s Ender books, some of the Alvin Maker novels, and a few of his other novels, and I enjoyed them as well, but then time passed and I moved onto other authors. At some point I read some of his views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and that took away any interest I had in going back to his work. But I...more
I wanted to like this book, honestly, I did. I'm a fan of Card's 'Ender' books, and the synopsis to Songmaster was one of the most intriguing I've ever come across. While reading however, I found myself constantly questioning the point of the plot. "Songmaster" is quite frankly a poor story. Poorly composed, and poorly told. It's little more than a series of uninteresting things occurring, one after the next, with no larger story arc, and virtually no entertainment value.
The various sexual theme...more
The various sexual theme...more
2 likes · like · see review
This was the first OSC book that I've ever read and although the ending dragged a little I have to say that (based solely on the writing) I really enjoyed it.
There is one major issue that I have with this book: I was first pleased to see that without this being a book solely about being gay or gay issues there were a large number of gay characters many of whom were sympathetic and interesting. Then I noticed a theme. They were all ultimately punished.
(view spoiler)...more
There is one major issue that I have with this book: I was first pleased to see that without this being a book solely about being gay or gay issues there were a large number of gay characters many of whom were sympathetic and interesting. Then I noticed a theme. They were all ultimately punished.
(view spoiler)...more
Card is amazingly creative and I love most of his earlier scifi works though I am not as interested in his recent historical works.
It has always surprised me that he is mormon when his books are so open minded and full of possibilities beyond what most people can imagine.
My mom is a composer and recommended the book to me. I found it to be very accurate in the portrayal of an artistic person and the sensibility that goes with being musically inclined.
It has always surprised me that he is mormon when his books are so open minded and full of possibilities beyond what most people can imagine.
My mom is a composer and recommended the book to me. I found it to be very accurate in the portrayal of an artistic person and the sensibility that goes with being musically inclined.
This book is really hit and miss for me, but it might be because I'm not a giant sci-fi fan. I picked it up and read over 150 pages in one sitting. But when I returned to it, I was suddenly turned off by the pacing and felt like the book was just taking forever to go anywhere.
Only when there was a very sudden shift in the plot did I become interested again, but then the pages kept turning.
Kyara and Ansset very skewed perceptions of what living and interacting with other people means. There are...more
Only when there was a very sudden shift in the plot did I become interested again, but then the pages kept turning.
Kyara and Ansset very skewed perceptions of what living and interacting with other people means. There are...more
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De cierto modo este libro me recordó a Let the Right One In, y no porque sea un libro sobre vampiros, en este no hay vampiros, ni porque se desarrolle en Suecia, porqué tampoco es así, de hecho en ambiente y trama no tienen nada que ver el uno con el otro, pero lo que tienen muy similar es el hecho de que, les ambos son historias de amor hechas y derechas y no mafufadas (jojojo, que palabra tan más graciosa) cursis.
El libro trata sobre Ansset, un niño que posiblemente tenga la voz mas hermosa de...more
El libro trata sobre Ansset, un niño que posiblemente tenga la voz mas hermosa de...more
It's hard to say what I really think of this book. Generally, I thought it was an interesting story, and Orson Scott Card's style of writing is a good. The book is rather long, and it seems that at several points it could end. Yet it continues, almost as if there were small sequels, not enough to make full-fledged books but appended to extend the story.
There were a couple of things that were disturbing and rather unexpected, and these involved physical expression of love between two men, and som...more
There were a couple of things that were disturbing and rather unexpected, and these involved physical expression of love between two men, and som...more
I've read and enjoyed most of Orson Scott Card's books. 'Songmaster' is not an exception. It's funny, though, that although many of Card's novels contain dark elements and portray gentle people who are compelled by circumstances or their own moral decisions to commit acts of great violence, this particular novel was really harrowing to read. Ansett, the novel's protagonist, is similar in many ways to Card's most famous protagonist, Ender Wiggen. Exceptionally gifted, required to bear heavy burde...more
Songmaster is one of Card's older novels. It has many of the hallmarks of his writing. In particular, the main character is a boy who is astonishing prodigy. (see Ender's Game, Pathfinder). Annset is a singer -- who can move others with his voice in ways no one else has been able to.
But Songmaster in other ways seems a complete departure. I did not expect to read an Orson Scott Card novel that is this violent. I did not expect to find homosexuality, much less a mostly sympathetic treatment of ho...more
But Songmaster in other ways seems a complete departure. I did not expect to read an Orson Scott Card novel that is this violent. I did not expect to find homosexuality, much less a mostly sympathetic treatment of ho...more
It's been so long since I last read this book that the only thing I knew was that I liked it. With this in mind I decided to pick it up yesterday when I simply had to read something. Halfway through the book I couldn't fathom why I remembered liking the book and it only seemed to get worse as I read through it.
I pushed through and finished it and found that again, I like the book, but for the life of me I cannot say why! It's such a huge mixture of pain and sorrow and you can see that Ansset has...more
I pushed through and finished it and found that again, I like the book, but for the life of me I cannot say why! It's such a huge mixture of pain and sorrow and you can see that Ansset has...more
It's a very touching and amazing story. At least twice the story could have ended - everything was tied up nicely and at a pleasant point - but then the story starts again after a few years have passed and something happens that changes everything. Sometimes it's just about growing up and needing to move forward, other times it's something terrible that changes the character's life. Nothing lasts forever, the book seems to point out, yet, at the very end we are left with hope and happiness becau...more
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Not what I would have expected of the author of Ender's Game, but maybe he didn't have found his voice yet.
The characters seemed empty to me, like puppets only dancing to the tune of their writer. The main character could have benefited from the visit of the Blue Fairy, because he acted like a robot most of the time. All of them were so far from the rich characters of his other works.
There are good ideas in this book, but they're hampered by the coldness of the tone and the characters, by the s...more
The characters seemed empty to me, like puppets only dancing to the tune of their writer. The main character could have benefited from the visit of the Blue Fairy, because he acted like a robot most of the time. All of them were so far from the rich characters of his other works.
There are good ideas in this book, but they're hampered by the coldness of the tone and the characters, by the s...more
It's been a while since I've read anything by him and I'd definitely forgotten how beautiful how world building is. His prose is so lovely and he'll contrast it by writing in an event or something so horrible or ugly that it sometimes takes another read or two of the passage to comprehend what exactly happened. Songmaster follows one man from events that make his existence significant to his death. The young man transforms from a gifted young singer in an isolated school to the companion of an e...more
Mar 13, 2013
Stephanie A.
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommended to Stephanie by:
ONTD, by accident, while complaining about the author's homophobia
Shelves:
boy-protagonists,
sci-fi-and-dystopia
Not my genre, but I came for the Kyaren/Josif/Ansset triangle I had read about. Those parts were gorgeous, and not even as triangle-shaped as I had feared. The first pairing was a wonderful relationship; I loved his sense of humor and how they related to each other. The second pairing was just kind of sweet, especially with how hard Josif tried to resist feeling anything he'd be tempted to act on. I found I just really loved Josif and his capacity for love (even if he could only give it fully to...more
This stands easily among the best of Card's works, and although many reviewers have compared the protagonist, Ansset, to Card's best-known character, Ender Wiggin -- the similarities seem to me to be mostly superficial -- I found this to be very much of a piece with Card's two novels that preceded it: Hot Sleep, and especially A Planet Called Treason
Of all Card's characters, Anssett is surely most similar to Lanik Mueller. Both Anssett and Lanik were raised in privilege, with the expectation of...more
Of all Card's characters, Anssett is surely most similar to Lanik Mueller. Both Anssett and Lanik were raised in privilege, with the expectation of...more
Couldn't see where Card was going with this one, had to re-read it several times, but keep coming back to it as one of the best of his books. Very dark at times, but that could describe almost anything Card writes.
Jul 19, 2011
Splen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
nobody because anybody's criticism is heartbreaking
Shelves:
orson-scott-card
I recommend it to nobody because anybody's criticism would be heartbreaking.
I am an Orson Scott Card fan.
But if someone inquires more closely,
I confess that this is my absolute favorite O.S.C. book.
Also, I used to own this particular copy, but now my book collection is missing it. I lent it to someone I cannot remember (family member or friend) and no one knows where it is. I liked it because the cover was extremely worn, and falling off.
It was also signed by OSC.
I have been holding out to find...more
I am an Orson Scott Card fan.
But if someone inquires more closely,
I confess that this is my absolute favorite O.S.C. book.
Also, I used to own this particular copy, but now my book collection is missing it. I lent it to someone I cannot remember (family member or friend) and no one knows where it is. I liked it because the cover was extremely worn, and falling off.
It was also signed by OSC.
I have been holding out to find...more
Sep 29, 2012
Kathleen
added it
If you believe that music has power to touch the soul, then you will want to read this book. The story of Ansett, both as a child with an incredible gift for singing to others what he feels from their inner souls and required to share with emperors, and as an adult who must live with what happens to him as a result, is mesmerizing and hard to put down. (That was an awful sentence - sorry!)Music is very important to me, as I both sing and play piano, so this story really spoke to me. But it was r...more
Sep 07, 2012
Thom Mckiernan
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Thom by:
Wife
My wife got this book for me because a friend recommended it for me as a good Sci-Fi novel. It actually isn't very Sci-Fi at all, in fact it seemed more like ancient history. The cover of this edition is very misleading and has no relevance to the content what so ever!
Regardless of those facts, it was a great story! I haven't read a book so quickly in ages. The plot is quite epic and spans a long period of years, countries and planets. Part of the magic of this story is how it the characters use...more
Regardless of those facts, it was a great story! I haven't read a book so quickly in ages. The plot is quite epic and spans a long period of years, countries and planets. Part of the magic of this story is how it the characters use...more
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Orson Scott Card is the author of the novels Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, and Speaker for the Dead, which are widely read by adults and younger readers, and are increasingly used in schools.
Besides these and other science fiction novels, Card writes contemporary fantasy (Magic Street, Enchantment, Lost Boys), biblical novels (Stone Tables, Rachel and Leah), the American frontier fantasy series Th...more
More about Orson Scott Card...
Besides these and other science fiction novels, Card writes contemporary fantasy (Magic Street, Enchantment, Lost Boys), biblical novels (Stone Tables, Rachel and Leah), the American frontier fantasy series Th...more
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“I will never hurt you.
I will always help you.
If you are hungry
Ill give you my food.
If you are frightened
I am your friend.
I love you now.
And love does not end.”
—
81 people liked it
I will always help you.
If you are hungry
Ill give you my food.
If you are frightened
I am your friend.
I love you now.
And love does not end.”
“all living things are manipulated as long as there is a will, it is bent and twisted constantly. Only the dead are allowed the luxury of freedom, and then only because they want nothing, and therefore can't be thwarted.”
—
3 people liked it
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