The Path I've Found and Chosen

Justin Loc

Pathfinder
By Orson Scott Card

Rigg is not normal. His intellect and strength are impressive, but the ability he holds is what stands out. The teenager can see the trails of movement for both people and animals. They show him where a specific creature has been and the path they took. He can see all paths that have been made throughout history, and can tell the age of them through color. Blue means it is new, while red means it is ancient. For Rigg and the man he calls Father, this ability fits perfectly for the role of being a trapper, a type of hunter. On the day Father dies in an accident, Rigg learns from him that his mother lives and his sister exists, and that he must find them. Thus, a journey to find answers and uncover secrets begins. Rigg will be forced to question everything he has been taught and to know who he can trust on the way.

I chose to read this book because of the interesting idea of Rigg's ability and that it is known as science fiction, my personal favorite genre. But, after beginning this book, I found myself with more than I bargained for. For as far as I have read, I have found the action both interesting and intense from Rigg's point of view. Scenes are heavily detailed, shown by how each action and thought witnessed and made by Rigg are described: "He couldn't be solid, could he ? [ . . . ] Yet this man looked so real-the hairs and pores on his calves, a raw place where something had scraped against his ankle, the frayed and half-opened hem of his kilt,"(30). Descriptions of appearances and actions make the story and scenes easy for the reader to imagine happening. Another aspect, the element of mystery, is abundant, as even Rigg's power itself is a mystery. The need of finding out answers to all my questions is overwhelming, making it extremely satisfying to learn more and more about both Rigg's world and life. This is what gives me the most motive to keep on reading. One more thing I like about Orson Scott Card's style of writing is how character development is done wonderfully through both dialogue and actions. The characters' different personalities and moods are what make the story more relatable and less boring to read. An example is when Father explains to Rigg the situation he (Father) is in: "'I don't know where you are-' 'Shut up,' said Father [. . .] 'I'm pinned under the tree,' [. . .] 'You cannot move it because I have been pierced by two branches, completely through my belly,'"(11-12). Father shows that he is impatient and straight to the point in this scene, which makes sense since he knows his life is about to end.

Personal reasons for why this book has won my favor are the writing style for Rigg's narration, and Rigg's personality itself. I both respect and enjoy Rigg's perspective, as the imagery is strongly built, and I really like having a story easy to understand without reading over it twice. *Glares at Great Expectations.* Rigg's personality is very interesting and relatable towards me. I can feel like I'm in Rigg's shoes sometimes: "'I understand,' said Rigg. 'Did I ask you whether you understand? Of course you understand. Don't waste my time.' Silently Rigg said, My two words didn't waste as much time as your three sentences,"(13). I do this often when someone tries to argue with me but says something hypocritical in the process. But I doubt I would do this when the person I'm arguing with is dying.

Pathfinder is a great book for those who enjoy a little mystery in their science fiction. With a page count of over 650, I recommend to start reading this whenever you have time to spare. There's no rush to finish it shortly after starting, but I believe you'll want to if it suits your taste!