Book Review: Wyrms

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Wyrms     Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
Orson Scott Card
Class/Genre:   Science Fiction   Woman Main Character
Tor, Apr 2003, $14,95, 304 pp.

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’s death. 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

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner