Review Page: Hart's Hope by Orson Scott Card
| Title: |
Hart's Hope |
| Author: |
Orson Scott Card |
| Genre: |
Fantasy |
| Publisher: |
Tor Books |
| Date of Publication: |
February 1988 |
| ISBN: |
0812521358 |
No. of Reviews: 1
Av. Rating: 7/10
Buy this book from the Amazon website.
06.10.2000 - Shahrazade - 7/10
List of Reviews | Bio
As I've said before, I'm generally impressed by Orson Scott Card and Hart's Hope is an interesting read from a generally impressive author. I'm rating it seven out of ten as well above average - at least in part because it's a little different to what you might expect from Card. Always skilful at characterisation, he has chosen to write this novel in a more archaic fantasy style than his usual down to earth sociological depictions.
The plot is a collection of events centred in the city of Hart's Hope in the Kingdom of Burland and the setting is unashamedly fantasy. The story is written as an explanation to King Palicroval of how his illegitimate son Orem could have come to the point of being on trial for treachery and yet be innocent but it does so in a stylised multi-linear narrative of stories within stories that succeeds because the seductiveness of the style overcomes the occasional disjunctions of the plot.
Orem is the central character and has enough history backed up behind him to make him plot crucial even without the fact that Card shows here his customary skill at evoking a character. Orem is a 'sink' a person who negates the power of magic and although the events of the plot overtake him he is an attractive protagonist because of the way he evolves an ethical response to the most complicated machinations of Card's other characters.
This book reminds me of Tanith Lee's Tales of the Flat Earth (a wonderful series but sadly out of print now) because of the way it presents the stories and the fact that none of the characters are unequivocally good or evil (a feature rarely seen in fantasy and one it has in common with George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire sequence).
It is flawed. Perhaps essentially so, given that it is so deliberately aimed at a niche interest. I think some people may find this book an incredible inspiration and others will become so annoyed at its conceits they can't stand to finish it. But on balance I would recommend it although I'd advise potential readers to tread cautiously and perhaps begin with some of Card's other titles: for example the fine Ender's Game.