Stonefather ~Orson Scott Card

–published in this version 2008
–112 pages, Subterranean Press
–4/5 stars

A light snow was falling, a long four-day weekend was coming to a close, the seasonal sounds of televised football were buzzing in the background and I felt the need to pull something off the shelf that I could complete in one sitting–something that would mimic the warm glow I was already feeling after a very restful holiday. Stonefather, one of my latest acquisitions from that smoldering temptress Subterranean Press, looked like it would fit my requirements nicely. A few hours later, in the waning light of day, I closed this novella with a contented sigh and the remembrance of just why I enjoy the way that Orson Scott Card tells a story.

This novella-length story was previously featured in the Wizards anthology and was re-released in this special edition by Subterranean Press to act as a prequel of sorts to Orson Scott Cards forthcoming Mithermages series. Though I am not generally a fan of long, drawn out series, this novella whetted the appetite in such a way that I will be tempted to join in as Card releases these volumes.

Stonefather tells the tale of a young man, Runnel, who grows tired of his father’s beatings and his siblings’ animosity and decides to leave his small farm-based community to travel to the city of Mitherhome, the legendary city of the water mages. Stonefather follows the path of a typical coming-of-age story in that our hero acquires a greater knowledge of himself and his own worth through the trials and tribulations of his journey. Where Stonefather stands out is in Card’s skill with characterization. Almost immediately I developed a liking for Runnel and it is a feeling that carried throughout the story. In this very slim volume Card manages to capture the essence of this young man in a way that makes you want to follow him on his journeys. Along the way Runnel meets a small cast of characters most of which were also very enjoyable to encounter. A story like this, one that does not have the good fortune of having hundreds of pages to be told, can very easily suffer because of its brevity and although I had a few minor quibbles it is a testament to the craftsmanship of Orson Scott Card that he was able to present a character, and a world, with such meat to it in so few pages.

If I were to judge this novel with a more critical eye I would probably give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars. As the book came to a close I felt that Card changed from a more leisurely but engaging pace to a very rushed pace as he tried to bring closer to some of the relationships that sprang up during Runnel’s journey. While I completely understand the need to do so, particularly as this story was included in a previous anthology, I wish Card would have taken the time to flesh the ending out a bit more. This was a minor quibble, however, because of the liking I had taken to the character by this point. I rated the book 4 out of 5 stars because of my experience with it. I quickly became lost in the world Card created–a world of strong nature magic with a character who loved rocks and mountains and stone. It was a fascinating and comforting world that Card created and Runnel has a bit of the everyman to him that makes him easy to relate with. I was able to shut out the world around me and experience the glimmer of magic in Card’s story and the satisfaction I felt after being told a good story on a Sunday afternoon cannot be overstated. This was a very enjoyable way to close out my reading for the month of November.

This particular volume has a gorgeous cover illustration and interior illustrations by Tom Kidd. His rendering of the world, albeit only a brief glimpse, is very fitting with the world Card paints with his words. This volume appears to be available through Amazon though it is sold out at the Subterranean site. And this story can also be found in the Wizards anthology. I highly recommend this read and look forward to being tempted by Card’s upcoming series.