I hadn't really intended to read this, but Audible was having a sale, and I recognized Orson Scott Card (in fact, he's probably the only author I recognized at all). So I gave it a read (or a listen), and found myself enjoying it.Card is an accomplished writer, and it shows. The language and style makes it extremely easy to imagine what's going on. The landscapes are beautiful and sad, and it's as if each description is there for a purpose. It carries weight and emotion.I especially appreciated the magic. Elemental magic has been done to death, but it came out well here, only focusing on water and stone magics--a couple others pop up (beast magic, etc.), showing us how vast and mysterious this world really is. The descriptions of the actual magic and using it were top notch.The standard farm-boy leaving home trope is present, but again, Card is an excellent writer, proving that common tropes don't have to be cliches, as long as they're written well. I enjoyed this.I will say the ending felt a little too neat and convenient, and the last page or two needed a bit more context to be believable. Not that I was unhappy--I like happy endings, and wasn't expecting anything but a gray ending from Card--but it needed a bit more buildup earlier in the story.But definitely one of the better short stories I've read, and I would recommend it to just about any fan of fantasy. I really enjoyed The Gate Thief and the Lost Gate, and I feel that you should read those before reading this story. I listened to it as an audiobook, and loved this story...until the end. Thus the three stars. If you can stop yourself in time and skip the very end, do. You might give it all five stars. You'll know when to quit reading. I loved getting to reenter the world of mither mages, and getting to follow the story of a stone mage. I love how easily Card creates backstory without having long, drawn out explanations, and how you care about the main characters (mostly).
Do You like book Stonefather (2008)?
Very fun coming of age story in a unique world with magics
—damola
This is a fun decent shot story. 3 stars = I liked it.
—rockenstar1
Sõrmuste isanda tüüpi jutt, kivi- vs veemeistrid.
—jhesxley
Short and very very sweet. My favorite Mage story.
—Zigzag
