"Orson Scott Card is at his world building best"
Over a millennium ago, humans established a religious
colony on Imakulata. The newcomers keep as far away from
the native Geblics, abuse the empathic Gauntish, and
enslave the slow thinking Dwelfs. Since the beginning of
the star ship landing, the Heptarchs have ruled humanity on
this orb. However, concern surfaces over The Starship Captain's
prophecy. The prediction is that the seventh seventh
seventh daughter or the 343rd since the first Heptarch will
be the mother of Kristos, either the savior or destroyer of
the human race. Patience is the daughter of the rightful
Heptarch, Lord Peace, slave to the pretender, King Oruc.
Peace and his slave Angel teach Patience to live up to her
name in order to avoid war. When Lord Peace dies, Patience
knows her protection died with her father. Before
the Oruc can end the prophecy by killing her, she flees.
Her adventure begins, but will she fulfill the prophecy
while on the run? WYRMS is Orson Scott Card at his world building best as he
creates a complex social system with several races that
feel sociologically authentic. As he always does Mr. Card
poses moral dilemmas that seem almost paradoxical as he
nudges his readers to consider right vs. wrong, but offers
no simple turpitude. There is plenty of action and the
cast, especially the heroine, is very complex and brave so
it is easy to see why this is an award-winning tale. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted March 25, 2003
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