Pastwatch

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Summary: History is such a precarious thing!
Review: Not being American, I just know the accepted historical fact, "In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue". It has never had an impact on my life, which probably should feel more impacted by my country's own "discoverer", Captain James Cook, than it does. I put "discoverer" in quotes because like America, Australia was always there; ships had been banging into both of them for years, but no-one had bothered to claim them on behalf of European powers before them. Anyway, I just picked this book up because Orson Scott Card wrote it and that was good enough for me. I didn't even realise Columbus needed redemption. Boy, was I wrong.

The thing that struck me most in this story was how precarious life on Earth is. One guy takes it into his head to sail west, and unlike any others that may have preceded him, completely changes history. It's ironic that the great civilizations of the Americas could be brought to their knees by measles and influenza, but in the end, they got some retribution, because Columbus's people took syphilis back with them to Europe. Card's idea of people from the future backstepping in time to halt these plagues, thus changing the balance of power, is simple and ingenious. (Once you get into this speculation thing, it's hard to stop. There is some evidence emerging in Australia that perhaps the Portuguese could have had a claim on this country long before the British - this country could so easily have been another Brazil! Taking that speculation a personal step further, if that was so, my German ancestors probably wouldn't have migrated here 160 years ago, and my folks might have died as kids in WW2.)

When it comes to speculative fiction, not many people come near Orson Scott Card. He manages to turn a distant historical figure into a man of passion and courage, mixed with a healthy dose of obsession. He gives us some idea of what the cultures of the Americas could have been like before their decimation. The Prentice Alvin books proved he is one of the masters of "alternate history" (another is Howard Waldrop - try his "Them Bones", unfortunately out of print, for another intriguing alternate American history).

Unlike some other reviewers, I don't have a problem with the lack of explanation of how future technology works - if Card knew that, maybe he could invent some of the things he's written about and really get things moving. Think of it this way: try to explain Amazon.com to an Amazonian tribesman - he probably has never seen a book, let alone tried to buy one on-line! I can accept that technology to view past events could be available, particularly if I'm going to accept the possibility of actually going there. I recently read a book by Robert Silverberg where travel agents of the distant future arrange trips so that their clients can travel back in time to view great events and catastrophes of the past, just for fun! And even that was based on a much earlier book.

Orson Scott Card ranks right up near the top of my favourite writers. Whatever his topic, it is always handled with the compassion and spirituality his personal faith has given him, but which he doesn't overtly preach at us. Somehow, after reading his work, even a cynic like me can feel better for having a brush with his faith and his hope for mankind.

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Summary: This is why Card is a favorite!
Review: Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus is as good a piece of psycho-history as has been written. The main plot of this story - undoing the damage unwittingly wrought by Christopher Columbus - enlightens the reader about pieces of history that remain largely unexamined in a nation that celebrates Columbus Day as if CC himself were the first native. The evaluation of the actions leading up to Columbus' (largely accidental) journey to America, their repercussions and alternatives, stands with the strongest philosophical explorations of Card's best novels. Pastwatch is not particularly concerned with the development of any characters but Columbus, and even he is a little distant, but it is a rare instance where characterization is secondary yet competently executed. The only flaw (in my opinion) is two-thirds of they way through the novel when the time-travelers of the book, determined to help Columbus do it right, act on the majority wish of the planet's population against its more immediate well-being. Sadly, that most of the world is self-sacrificing may never be believable. As an examination of the seldom-told early history of Europeans in America, Pastwatch is an entertaining way to learn some disturbing truths that all Americans should know. As a work of fiction, Pastwatch examines the themes of responsibility, character and faith better than most non-fiction books focusing on those subjects. I highly recommend this book to any fan of science fiction, history or ethics. I can't say that about anyone but Card.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book with a few flaws
Review: Orson Scott Card is a wonderful writer. He is one of the most compassionate writers I have ever read, especially in science fiction. His scenarios are always fascinating. However, the one thing that bugs me about him is his fast and loose use of "futuristic technology" in his books. Because he writes in the sci-fi genre, he imagines he can get away with any sort of nonsence, like a machine that lets you see any moment in the past, from any viewpoint. This seems impossible to me and nowhere in the book does he even attempt to explain how this could be. I usually read hard sci-fi, so I like plausible technology. Or at least an attempt at explaination. However, if you forgive this one issue, Pastwatch is an excellent book. Not as good as Ender's Game or Speaker for the Dead, but better than most of the sci-fi drivel published these days.

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: One of my favorite books ever. A bit of history, some time-travel, and a lot of deep characters who sacrifice their lives for the greater good.

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Summary: An engaging read....
Review: Pastwatch's strongest point is its originality. It's an interesting look at Christopher Columbus. Although we don't know what Columbus was really like, it's neat to see a portrayal of what the man very well may have been like. Instead of the 2 dimensional Columbus we read about, we get a living, breathing, thinking, feeling Columbus.

How neat it would be to be able to look into the past like the members of Pastwatch. Would you risk what they risked by going into the past? (I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read it.)

As with all of Card's work, characterization is prime. He illustrates his character beautifully and they face a myriad of human dilemmas. I highly recommed this book for anyone, especially those who are interested in the discovery of the Americas.

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Summary: If you could change the past...
Review: The Premise: How different history would have been if only: 1) Columbus had just a bit more of a conscience, and/or 2) The native Americans had been just a bit more ready, technologically, to meet him, and/or 3) Columbus had been prevented from returning to Europe! Pastwatch, which exists in a future where all the earth is dying from pollution and environmental degradation, sends three messengers into the Past; one, to improve Columbus' conscience, one to prepare the native people and one to prevent the return. They hope at least one will get through, and succeed; all three do. The result is "too good to be true." As a time-travel novel, this book has its flaws; as a morality play, and a cool look at the complex nature of history (not to mention the complexities of human nature!) it is just about unequaled. Read it for the philosophy, not for the believability.

Rating:
Summary: Best Since Ender
Review: Although I always enjoy Orsen Scott Cards' books, Pastwatch was the most enjoyable since the Ender series...most like "Speaker for the Dead" in that once again Card explores great anthropological themes, this time about an alternate history of the meeting of European and triban South American culture. A great read.

Rating:
Summary: Great writer, so-so book.
Review: Orson Scott Card is certainly a great writer, but he falls way short here. The book starts off well enough letting us get to know a group of future historians who spend there time watching history on special machines that show them the actual events of the past. These historians believe that it is impossible for them to effect the past, but they learn that they are wrong. What follows is extremely contrived as Card suddenly decides that his ideal future is actually on the verge of a collapse so complete that society will never rise up again, and the people of the world VOTE to erase their very existance in hopes of creating a better world! Yikes! In spite of good writing and an excelent treatment of Columbus as a driven but basically good man, Card never manages to overcome his ridiculus set up. The scenes near the end are also very contrived as the characters transform to world of Columbus's day into a nearly perfect world with very little effort.

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Summary: The REDEMPTION of Christopher Columbus
Review: For one to understand the hero cycle of the primary character of this novel, Pastwatch, one must understand a little about the plot of the story. One probably knows about the devastating consequences that Columbus's voyage and ensuing colonization had on the native people of the Americas and Africa. They brought diseases that they were not immune to and also did not treat them as even human. Orson Scott Card writes about scientists in a fearful future who study that tragic past, then attempt to actually intervene and change it into something better. The plot of his new book is fairly straightforward: three time travelers from a ruined and doomed future Earth journey to the time of Columbus' landing, hoping to alter events so that the contact between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres will be less disastrous for the American Indians, indeed, for the whole world. At the heart of the book is a marvelous, enormously powerful portrait of Columbus himself. This is a superior addition to a superior body of work. Columbus starts in the book in a state of innocence, he falls from this innocence, he begins a quest, and he lives happily ever after. He is a perfect example of a hero.

First, in this novel one first will see Columbus in a state of total innocence. The reader finds Columbus in his home as a child. He lived in a house of a weaver. His father sold cloth to many people in a Genovese society including a certain group of gentlemen started to make it a habit to meet together in this house to discuss secret matters. One day Columbus's father spoke out at one of these meetings that he would always show his loyalty to there cause. The gentlemen only took it has a joke. Columbus, soon after which, asked his father we the men had laughed. His father said it was because he could never be a gentleman like them. A weaver has now way to become a gentleman in this world. At this point Columbus is completely innocent. He longs only for the well being of his family.

Second, Columbus soon has his fall as all other great hero's have. One day a gentleman who often came and met at the weaver's house was killed on his way over to the house. Christopher Columbus's father ran to help him. It was this day that Columbus decided he was going to do something good in life so he could end up better than his father and help his father become a gentleman. This is when he begins to go out in the world and learn how to become a sailor. Columbus now has given himself a quest in life.

Third, Columbus started his quest. He started going on small voyages with other crews. He was able to find enough riches to bring home and boost his father's status and his own. He became well known with the sailors and he found many opportunities to leave on another trip. During one voyage past Portugal his group was attacked by pirates. Columbus, first saving the life of a cabin boy, jumps from his burning ship and swims the very long distance to the land. This is when he receives a vision that it is his duty to sail west and teach christianity to all of the people that have never heard of it. He immediately sets this as his call to duty. He then spends many years preparing for his voyage. The hardest part, of course, was to get a King to agree with his voyage enough to sponsor him in his voyage. He finally obtains the resources he needs from the King and Queen of Spain. Then Columbus finally sails west into the great vast oceans to find the new land. Finally, Christopher Columbus reaches the new land. He finds a lady named One-who-sees-all who seems to have come from the future. All three of his boats are mysteriously destroyed. Some of his men mutiny. Christopher Columbus, however, had finally reached his goal in life. He began to teach the indians about his religion while they taught him how to live without slaves and prejudice. Together they form a more perfect country with all of the people in the Americas together in one main nation.

Last, Columbus lived happily ever after. He finished the conversion of the people to christianity. He than returned to Europe with a giant fleet of ships and told everyone of his great accomplishments. All of the people he converted in the Americas were better Christians than the people in Europe. They had no prejudice over anyone. They brought this back to Europe and enforced it with their great power. Columbus has learned himself to look at all human beings as humans no matter what the color of their skin. He has learned how to be a better Christian than even the monks could teach him in Europe. Columbus has changed to a much better man than he was before and it was now time to teach the rest of the world to have these same great qualities.

Rating:
Summary: Simply Wonderful
Review: This life of the characters in Pastwatch was my life for a strait 24 hours. I read the entire book straight through with hardly any interuptions. I personally enjoyed it because Orson Scott Card never took the story where I thought it would go. I would think of one idea and I would be totally wrong. Simply Wonderful. Spatical. Spatical. Spatical.