Monday, March 21, 2016

The Worthing Chronicle


The Worthing Chronicle by Orson Scott Card
Endeavour Press: 2/26/16 (eBook)
eBook review copy; 272 pages
ISBN-13: 9780441918102


The Worthing Chronicle by Orson Scott Card is a recommended, maybe highly, 3rd book in his original Worthing series. This title was originally published in 1983 and is now available as an eBook.

Lared is a sixteen year old boy who was there, along with his family, to experience the Day of Pain, the day everyone in his small village lost the outside protection of what some called angels and now experience pain. It is the day his grandmother, who had been dead and buried for a year, was found dead again in her bed. There were three deaths that day, a noteworthy occurrence anyway, but it is unbelievable that one was a strong man and another was a child. They both should have had years to live. Whatever happened that day, now people can experience anger, pain, minor cuts, burns and major injuries. Whatever protected them has left.

The Scribe who was staying at their family's inn and kicked by his mule is also dying. Before he dies, he gives his books to Lared, an amazing event and one that is mocked by his mother. It is also the day that the mysterious Jason and Justice arrived on the planet and approached Lared. The visitors speak to Lared and his little sister in their minds. Only Jason learns their language. As Jason works alongside Lared, he instructs Lared that Justice will send him a story in Lared's dreams, Jason's story, that Lared is to faithfully write down.

There are interesting ideas here that could be expounded upon to make a more complete novel, but The Worthing Chronicle itself reads more like a collection of short stories that are amassed to make a novel. It might make a difference if you were to read the whole Worthing Saga rather than this third installment of the story. Some of the stories in the second half are more engaging than others. A solid 3.5 stars. It is interesting that those who know the Book of Mormon can see a heavy influence from it on this novel.


Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Endeavour Press via Netgalley for review purposes.

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