Wildly creative and entertaining read with great emotional moments scattered throughout with the seeming ease and nonchalance that is typical of Card. And a great close to the series. If anything it suffers from a lack of tension due to the abilities of the characters, but the question with most stories, anyways, is not if the characters will triumph but how, and the how here is thoroughly enjoyable. It's an Orson Scott Card book so there are [relative] children with extraordinary abilities coupled with strong adult mentors. In this case the abilities are "time shaping" - to see where people (or animals) have been in the past, to move into the past, to move into the future, to slice time so that time-perspective gets interesting, and everything that implies. This is the third book in the series, though I think it does a better job than most in bringing a new reader up to speed without excessive exposition - so, one could likely jump into this one and then skip to the first.Lots of action spanning 3 planetary systems, though I wouldn't put it into the space opera genre. There are humans (if uniquely and powerful humans), sentient machines, highly intelligent mice, genetically enhanced symbiotic "facemasks" and aliens. The plot, or plots, are nested; recursively in some cases - as one would expect given the ability to time-shape. These include complex interpersonal relationships, nation-state jostling, global politicking and race-relations of the human vs non-human variety - all of this on four planets. At times, it is a bit bewildering; a head-scratching, rub-your-eyes-because-your-brain-hurts bewilderment, but this is an adventure story at heart - so, just hang on for the ride.The narration of the audiobook version is superbly done by three OSC book veterans, Kirby Heyborne, Emily Rankin and Stefan Rudnicki. This book has that triumvirate, but if you do take up the series there are also Don Leslie, Kristoffer Tabori, Scott Brick and Emily Janice Card - all quite excellent and they add a lot to the experience.One of the better sci-fi series out there, and easily worth your time.
What do You think about Visitors (2014)?
Good conclusion but left me with a headache thinking about the whole time space conundrum
—joshtoj
Will probably reread this one - just for all the insights--quotable quotes.
—Gholamreza
Not as good as the first two, disappointing, disjointed, pedantic.
—EmilieMorville
Fun finish to a pretty good young adult series.
—Neha
