The Lost Gate

Orson Scott Card

Jan 2011 · Mither Mages Book 1 · Sold by Tor Books

About this eBook

Orson Scott Card's The Lost Gate is the first book in the Mithermages series from the New York Times bestselling author of Ender's Game.

Danny North knew from early childhood that his family was different, and that he was different from them. While his cousins were learning how to create the things that commoners called fairies, ghosts, golems, trolls, werewolves, and other such miracles that were the heritage of the North family, Danny worried that he would never show a talent, never form an outself.

He grew up in the rambling old house, filled with dozens of cousins, and aunts and uncles, all ruled by his father. Their home was isolated in the mountains of western Virginia, far from town, far from schools, far from other people.

There are many secrets in the House, and many rules that Danny must follow. There is a secret library with only a few dozen books, and none of them in English — but Danny and his cousins are expected to become fluent in the language of the books. While Danny's cousins are free to create magic whenever they like, they must never do it where outsiders might see.

Unfortunately, there are some secrets kept from Danny as well. And that will lead to disaster for the North family.

The Mithermages series
The Lost Gate
The Gate Thief
Gatefather

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Ratings and reviews

Enthralling story. Started off a little slow but it definitely picked up. I really enjoyed that Orson threw all of the folklore stories humanity has ever come up with and made it work. I like these versions better.

Picked this up after reading a preview in a copy of Ender's game. Orson Scott Card has devised a fun magic system applied in our world; I would recommend this if you enjoy Card's other works.

Great world building and fun concept, but weird plot and failed attempts at deeper meaning ultimately make this a solid read for the plane or train, but not something to get engrossed in during true down time.

About the author

Orson Scott Card is the author of the novels Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, and Speaker for the Dead. Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the only author to win these two top prizes in consecutive years. There are seven other novels to date in The Ender Universe series. Card has also written fantasy: The Tales of Alvin Maker is a series of fantasy novels set in frontier America; The Lost Gate, is a contemporary magical fantasy. Card has written many other stand-alone sf and fantasy novels, as well as movie tie-ins and games, and publishes an internet-based science fiction and fantasy magazine, Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. Card was born in Washington and grew up in California, Arizona, and Utah. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Brazil in the early 1970s. Besides his writing, Card directs plays and teaches writing and literature at Southern Virginia University. He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife, Kristine Allen Card, and youngest daughter, Zina Margaret.