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Treason: Der Spender Planet
Lanik Mueller ist der Erbe einer der reichsten Familien auf dem abgelegenen Planeten Treason. Als Nachfahren eines Genetikers verfügen er und sein Clan über eine einzigartige Fähigkeit: Sie können sich zusätzliche Gliedmaßen und Organe wachsen lassen, die dann amputiert und an eine intergalaktische Organbank-verkauft werden. So erhält Laniks Familie das Geld für dringend benötigte Metalle, denn noch immer träumen sie davon, ein Raumschiff zu bauen und ihren Planeten zu verlassen, auf dem sie seit dreitausend Jahren festgehalten werden, weil ihre Urahnen Rebellen waren.
Als Laniks Körper immer schneller immer neue Organe produziert, wird er verstoßen - und eine gefährliche Irrfahrt beginnt. Er wird gejagt und gehetzt, doch dann begreift er, daß die Menschen von Treason nur eine Chance haben: Sie müssen sich zusammenschließen, um die Fesseln ihrer Knechtschaft abzustreifen.
Wie aber soll ein Ausgestoßener sich Gehör verschaffen, wenn ihn alle Welt haßt?
Als Laniks Körper immer schneller immer neue Organe produziert, wird er verstoßen - und eine gefährliche Irrfahrt beginnt. Er wird gejagt und gehetzt, doch dann begreift er, daß die Menschen von Treason nur eine Chance haben: Sie müssen sich zusammenschließen, um die Fesseln ihrer Knechtschaft abzustreifen.
Wie aber soll ein Ausgestoßener sich Gehör verschaffen, wenn ihn alle Welt haßt?
332 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
15 people are currently reading
965 people want to read
About the author
Orson Scott Card
893 books20.7k followersOrson Scott Card is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is (as of 2023) the only person to have won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for his novel Ender's Game (1985) and its sequel Speaker for the Dead (1986). A feature film adaptation of Ender's Game, which Card co-produced, was released in 2013. Card also wrote the Locus Fantasy Award-winning series The Tales of Alvin Maker (1987–2003).
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
February 27, 2013
I remember this book in dreams and sometimes scenes from it seem to replace memories from my childhood. I read it when I was young and the ideas and themes presented within are so raw and vivid. This is not just a sci-fi novel, this is a journey through the readers life. It fills in any gaps you had from being sheltered, or simply missing out on certain lifestyles. This book made me think, dream, and believe, so many new things.
Read
June 24, 2012I read this book when I was nineteen ( 30 years ago).. I loved it .. it has stuck in my mind.. *I read so so many books that unless a book really touches me in some manner I forget about it ,, not remembering having read it I will at sometime down the road pick it up again and start reading then realizing that I had already consumed it.. this book touched me .. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone.. especially if you like science fiction..
July 23, 2020
4.5/5 stars
I have read most of the reviews for this book. To generalize them, I would say they are either "I read this x years ago and gotta say it made my childhood! 5/5 stars" or "The book's fine but Orson Scott Card is the embodiment of dish soap getting in my eye so fuck this piece of shit! 2/5 stars". To be honest, quite uncreative considering the book we're talking about here.
A Planet Called Treason is a sci fi fantasy(with a lot more fantasy then sci fi but I digress)about a spunky non-consensual-transgender prince Lanik who is an actual cancer cell slowly getting beaten down by life as he travels around Space Australia(probably more hospitable than Australia though), exiled for being a radical regenerative (which is where the non-consensual-transgender and cancer cell part comes from). This description does not do it justice but this is the gist of it. Around this gist, a believable world of different approaches to societal living emerges and the different quirks and ways of living of each country/city/area. In this way, it feels like I've read something similar to "Guliver's Travels" as we examine the winnings and failings of each family's lifestyle and philosophy. And upon that, another layer of substantial plot emerges as Lanik is tortured physically, mentally and spiritually through his journey through the story.
This book drew me in from the moment I picked it up, with an almost uncanny pull and never let me go. I was entranced by it, for to many factors to count and I urge you, if you enjoy throwing yourself into a world of the fantastical, to read this book.
The writing is somewhat humorous at times but knows when to be serious and when shit hits the fan. I could vividly recall everything that happened in the book but not just that; the tone of the scene could also be recalled as well as Lanik's evolving mental state.
Although Orson's view in some aspects such as a person's skin tone, or gender can be pretty annoying to read, I found it bearable because the mindset of most such people in Treason draws parallels to that of the Middle ages or Iron age and I know people had more... conservative views at such times. This racist is somewhat used cleverly though because, if you pay attention, as we read on, we can gauge how Lanik had matured as those comments appeared less and less.
As the book unwinds, we see everything connected and lay bare, every twist and turn upon this narrative piece( which is only dare I say just above 200 pages) finally resolved and to be honest, it got to personal depths for me personally as I(as well as many others) could feel this sense of connection with Lanik's journey as a specially relatable hero's journey. The last few pages of the book was delightfully satisfying, simply beautiful.
I would have given it a 5 star but the 0.5 stars goes out to Mawabao Mawa as a character being pulled a Kaguya on Madara. A moment of silence for Mawabao Mawa, the queen.
Actually though, if Orson's views weren't reflected in small but impactful ways in this book, this would be in my top 5 favorite books.
Also Head canon: Lanik and Helmut were hella gay, Scott just didn't go in depth cause he homophobic.
I have read most of the reviews for this book. To generalize them, I would say they are either "I read this x years ago and gotta say it made my childhood! 5/5 stars" or "The book's fine but Orson Scott Card is the embodiment of dish soap getting in my eye so fuck this piece of shit! 2/5 stars". To be honest, quite uncreative considering the book we're talking about here.
A Planet Called Treason is a sci fi fantasy(with a lot more fantasy then sci fi but I digress)about a spunky non-consensual-transgender prince Lanik who is an actual cancer cell slowly getting beaten down by life as he travels around Space Australia(probably more hospitable than Australia though), exiled for being a radical regenerative (which is where the non-consensual-transgender and cancer cell part comes from). This description does not do it justice but this is the gist of it. Around this gist, a believable world of different approaches to societal living emerges and the different quirks and ways of living of each country/city/area. In this way, it feels like I've read something similar to "Guliver's Travels" as we examine the winnings and failings of each family's lifestyle and philosophy. And upon that, another layer of substantial plot emerges as Lanik is tortured physically, mentally and spiritually through his journey through the story.
This book drew me in from the moment I picked it up, with an almost uncanny pull and never let me go. I was entranced by it, for to many factors to count and I urge you, if you enjoy throwing yourself into a world of the fantastical, to read this book.
The writing is somewhat humorous at times but knows when to be serious and when shit hits the fan. I could vividly recall everything that happened in the book but not just that; the tone of the scene could also be recalled as well as Lanik's evolving mental state.
Although Orson's view in some aspects such as a person's skin tone, or gender can be pretty annoying to read, I found it bearable because the mindset of most such people in Treason draws parallels to that of the Middle ages or Iron age and I know people had more... conservative views at such times. This racist is somewhat used cleverly though because, if you pay attention, as we read on, we can gauge how Lanik had matured as those comments appeared less and less.
As the book unwinds, we see everything connected and lay bare, every twist and turn upon this narrative piece( which is only dare I say just above 200 pages) finally resolved and to be honest, it got to personal depths for me personally as I(as well as many others) could feel this sense of connection with Lanik's journey as a specially relatable hero's journey. The last few pages of the book was delightfully satisfying, simply beautiful.
I would have given it a 5 star but the 0.5 stars goes out to Mawabao Mawa as a character being pulled a Kaguya on Madara. A moment of silence for Mawabao Mawa, the queen.
Actually though, if Orson's views weren't reflected in small but impactful ways in this book, this would be in my top 5 favorite books.
Also Head canon: Lanik and Helmut were hella gay, Scott just didn't go in depth cause he homophobic.
September 26, 2019
Mmm, nope. I’m out. I’ve liked other books by Orson Scott Card, but now as an adult I am well aware of his politics. I even go so far as to never buy his books new on principal because I don’t want him getting a penny from me, even though his writing in the Ender series was great.
That being said, this book is not great guys. It’s 208 pages of racism, sexism, classism, ableism, and probably more isms that I didn’t get to because I put the book down mid-book and don’t intend to pick it back up. The premise seems interesting - a culture of people who regenerate constantly and use their excess limbs for income. But god forbid you not fit a binary gender spectrum! Then you’re really a freak and are immediately cast out from society or sent to the pens - a place where they keep nonbinary people to harvest their limbs for the rest of their lives. It’s some terrifying shit, and I’d probably be into it if the writing weren’t so god awful. Clearly he improved over the years. This is not his crowning achievement by far.
I don’t recommend this book.
That being said, this book is not great guys. It’s 208 pages of racism, sexism, classism, ableism, and probably more isms that I didn’t get to because I put the book down mid-book and don’t intend to pick it back up. The premise seems interesting - a culture of people who regenerate constantly and use their excess limbs for income. But god forbid you not fit a binary gender spectrum! Then you’re really a freak and are immediately cast out from society or sent to the pens - a place where they keep nonbinary people to harvest their limbs for the rest of their lives. It’s some terrifying shit, and I’d probably be into it if the writing weren’t so god awful. Clearly he improved over the years. This is not his crowning achievement by far.
I don’t recommend this book.
March 6, 2014
-Ideas interesantes desde posiciones de principiante.-
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. Lanik Mueller debe heredar en un futuro los dominios de su reino/familia, cuyo don es la regeneración de su organismo, pero al ser diagnosticado como regenerador radical su posición social y familiar cambia totalmente. Su padre, combinando destierro, política interna y espionaje internacional, le manda a investigar cómo otra familia/reino, los Nkumai, están haciendo crecer sus dominios por la fuerza y a una velocidad alarmante. Y es que estas familias, junto a muchas otras, descienden de los hombres que la República desterró hacia ya muchos siglos al planeta Traición como castigo por conspirar contra su dominio y que ahora viven en un entorno medieval-feudal. Novela que fue revisada por el propio autor nueve años después y reeditada con el nombre de “Traición” contando la misma historia pero con algunos cambios formales.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. Lanik Mueller debe heredar en un futuro los dominios de su reino/familia, cuyo don es la regeneración de su organismo, pero al ser diagnosticado como regenerador radical su posición social y familiar cambia totalmente. Su padre, combinando destierro, política interna y espionaje internacional, le manda a investigar cómo otra familia/reino, los Nkumai, están haciendo crecer sus dominios por la fuerza y a una velocidad alarmante. Y es que estas familias, junto a muchas otras, descienden de los hombres que la República desterró hacia ya muchos siglos al planeta Traición como castigo por conspirar contra su dominio y que ahora viven en un entorno medieval-feudal. Novela que fue revisada por el propio autor nueve años después y reeditada con el nombre de “Traición” contando la misma historia pero con algunos cambios formales.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
May 11, 2012
Must read. So many unique ideas I don't know where to start. This is like Gulliver's Travels but the stories are different. Unlike the places that Gulliver went to where no one knew about any of the others, this is a planet aware of everyone else, but not aware. I won't elaborate on that at all, you have to read the book to understand.
As a FYI, this version is the first original edition. Orson rewrote this book and republished it later. It is also a version hard to get your hands on. (I may be persuaded to lend if you ask nicely.) If you are an avid OSC reader you should already know that he has done this sort of thing before. Ender's Game is another example. It would be wise of anyone to do some research when they read his books to find out if you are reading the only edition, a rewrite, or the original.
As a FYI, this version is the first original edition. Orson rewrote this book and republished it later. It is also a version hard to get your hands on. (I may be persuaded to lend if you ask nicely.) If you are an avid OSC reader you should already know that he has done this sort of thing before. Ender's Game is another example. It would be wise of anyone to do some research when they read his books to find out if you are reading the only edition, a rewrite, or the original.
November 7, 2021
This was the first science fiction book I've ever enjoyed, and it was honestly consuming and wonderful. The desert people who talk to rocks? Oh my God! The man who raced through towards death, and the stone lady who slowed herself down so that she watched life blur before her? Oh my God! Took me a bit though to take it seriously, the plot in the beginning was ridiculous. The main character, a prince, basically grows breasts and then pouts around because his life is ruined. But after I got used to the ever-present underlying (and apparent) sexism, it was consuming and wonderful.
July 29, 2008
THis is my favorite action book. Lanik Meuller embarks on an epic quest to free himself of the disease of being a R.A.D. to discover that he is in the middle of a war-of-families that has been raging between the people of the planet Treason since the time they were exiled to the planet from Earth. I can't tell you enough how much the book sings to me.
I do not like the parts where Lanik's girlfriend sleeps with the people who live in the trees who change time . . . but I guess if there weren't sex and weird magical things then it wouldn't be Orson.
I give it a 5/5 because it was the first book that opened my eyes to the world outside of my own. It took me to a far-away planet that has left me a better person from going there.
Cheers!
I do not like the parts where Lanik's girlfriend sleeps with the people who live in the trees who change time . . . but I guess if there weren't sex and weird magical things then it wouldn't be Orson.
I give it a 5/5 because it was the first book that opened my eyes to the world outside of my own. It took me to a far-away planet that has left me a better person from going there.
Cheers!
March 18, 2015
This is one of those books that you'll keep on coming back to - it's one that I've read many times over the years, enough that I've broken the spine on the book! - and one that's absolutely begging for a sequel. Lannik Mueller is the heir to a great house on the planet, but this planet is different to any other in the universe and for the prisoners stranded there ... the changes to their bodies are just the tip of the iceberg. Read my full review here.
June 17, 2015
Wow. This was a magnificent fantastical story, any one of the many ideas within worthy of its own book. I love the combination of outrageous impossible things being real plus certain real-world truths remaining. Crazy & odd cultures, magic, ideas, all still part of a simple good vs. evil discussion. For me, that is a truly good read, not just "these guys are bad, goodness conquers, the end", but wondering what is really good anyway, what means are just, what is a life worth living.
December 28, 2018
Okay, this book is mostly Fantasy. There are some Sci/Fi elements, but the majority of skills mastered are pure Fantasy! Lanik Mueller is a Radical Regenerative. (He, and his bloodline, grow extra limbs, hearts, heads, breasts, etc.) He is targeted for assassination. He escapes, and the journey across Treason begins. He learns all kinds of cool stuff, like talking to rocks, and how to manipulate time . . . I don't do spoilers so that's as far as I will go! I gave it 4.0 stars! Enjoy! Or not!
August 18, 2008
I can't get this book out of my head. And I read it years ago. Go figure.
January 26, 2022
Great main character. Really good story. Bizarre, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will read this one again and again.
March 7, 2019
Existen dos versiones de esta novela y yo leí la primera. La re-escritura se llama simplemente "Traición" y por lo que he leído tiene ciertas diferencias notables. Sin embargo, me ha gustado mucho. Una novela que, a pesar de su relativa brevedad, explora un volumen de temas que bien habría merecido toda una serie. El protagonista habla con la piedra (con el planeta), no necesita respirar, ni beber o comer. Adquiere la habilidad de manipular el tiempo y, por si fuera poco, puede regenerarse tras cualquier herida y curar, manipulando incluso el código genético. Pasa de ser heredero al trono de Mueller a paria exiliado y errabundo. Parece demasiado para las menos de 300 páginas del libro, pero es Card, y lo ha hecho bien. Me pregunto por qué el autor concibió la historia y le dio forma como un libro único, cuando dejó tanto por explorar. Su periodo en Schwartz hubiera dado para un libro entero.
March 18, 2025
3.5. Me ha parecido un poco forzado los motivos por los que el protagonista va de un sitio para otro, aunque agradezco conocerlos. Todos diferentes con su particular cultura y habilidades. El personaje no ha conseguido que me meta en su historia, pero agradezco sus viajes. Para disfrutar con moderación. No es de los mejores del autor.
April 29, 2024
I loved this book. Read it multiple times.
January 13, 2022
This was the most bizaare story I have ever read, but I really liked it. It was, unique and grotesque but in good way. I loved the main character. I loved that he was aggressive and witty but caring A memorable read.
July 1, 2012
Even though the prose is not Card's best -- a problem largely fixed in Card's 1988 re-write titled simply Treason -- the underlying story is easily one of Card's best.
Without going into too many details, I will simply note that there are a lot of themes common to much of Card's work. On a planet populated by the descendants of intellectuals who had attempted to rebel against an interstellar society, iron is only mineable in a forbidding desert (c.f. Hot Sleep/The Worthing Chronicle). A young protagonist (too common in Card's novels to enumerate them all!) is sent on a journey, and along the way he discovers that, hidden behind political and military struggles, remarkable things have been happening on the planet.
Without going into too many details, I will simply note that there are a lot of themes common to much of Card's work. On a planet populated by the descendants of intellectuals who had attempted to rebel against an interstellar society, iron is only mineable in a forbidding desert (c.f. Hot Sleep/The Worthing Chronicle). A young protagonist (too common in Card's novels to enumerate them all!) is sent on a journey, and along the way he discovers that, hidden behind political and military struggles, remarkable things have been happening on the planet.
January 31, 2016
I read this a long time ago having found a copy in a used bookshop and I was shocked at how bad it was. Not the writing but the theme and I really wondered about the writer if that could come out of ones head. It was really racist to say the least. But over the course of years, I heard that it was reworked but I never read it again. Garbage. It put me off the author who I really enjoyed from Ender's Game, Wyrm, Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide. Never picked up another book written by him after that.
January 18, 2020
This science fictional novel is full of the author's views. He is a Mormon, from Utah, who has come out against homosexuals. Although he never mentions abortion by name, he is heavy handed in making sure you know his personal beliefs on the subject. He could have just written a manifesto without the poor "Dune" rip off. It would have been bad too, but I would have skipped it. I didn't know what I was getting into here.
July 18, 2018
Super sad that after years of trying to figure out what book this was, I found it, and discovered what my middle school self didn't see...it's incredibly racist and reveals a lot about OSC that I didn't pick up on then, but see really clearly now.
The world-building also wasn't as amazing as I remembered. Oh, well.
The world-building also wasn't as amazing as I remembered. Oh, well.
November 6, 2020
I had read this one as a young man and listened to it this time through.
I think I enjoyed it even more with time around. The plot was still fun, but I got more out of the thoughtful portions of the book.
Considering this was Card's first novel (written, not published) it is really good...much better than his more recent stuff.
D
I think I enjoyed it even more with time around. The plot was still fun, but I got more out of the thoughtful portions of the book.
Considering this was Card's first novel (written, not published) it is really good...much better than his more recent stuff.
D
February 8, 2011
I don't know how to describe this book. It started out good enough. Very interesting. And, then... Well, I just don't know what to say... it got weird... creepy...
February 20, 2021
Very good! I love the older books I'm only now reading more and more
Read
February 21, 2022Ew
August 15, 2025
A tableau-style sci-fi epic where, if you can get on board with what it’s offering, is a fun ride.
To get it out of the way early, this book comes with a couple disclaimers. Card’s religious upbringing is on display here more than any of his later work—there are racist slurs that were thankfully edited out of my edition, and ideas where you don’t have to squint to see the antisemitism. I am not someone who is willing to separate the author’s views from their work, yet I still weirdly found a lot to like here.
This book reminds me of the Medieval literature I read in college—“Faerie Queen” and “Beowulf” specifically. Lanik is a larger than life character whose prowess in battle and moral superiority are never meant to be questioned. The sooner you stop taking all his exploits on the page completely seriously, the easier a pill this book becomes to swallow.
Its closest in-genre analog would be Dune—we primarily follow humans trapped on a fictional planet with strange properties, who are able to unlock abilities that appear supernatural by pushing the human mind to its limits. Card lets his creativity run wild as he designs the various societies of Treason. Readers who have accepted the book’s epic tone will find these societies whimsical and interesting, and those who have not will not.
Overall, the bigotry prevalent on the page and the tableau-esque tone provide a high barrier to entry here. I feel uniquely prepared for a book of this nature by having read both Dune and a fair amount of Medieval literature, but I wouldn’t blame anyone if it wasn’t their cup of tea.
To get it out of the way early, this book comes with a couple disclaimers. Card’s religious upbringing is on display here more than any of his later work—there are racist slurs that were thankfully edited out of my edition, and ideas where you don’t have to squint to see the antisemitism. I am not someone who is willing to separate the author’s views from their work, yet I still weirdly found a lot to like here.
This book reminds me of the Medieval literature I read in college—“Faerie Queen” and “Beowulf” specifically. Lanik is a larger than life character whose prowess in battle and moral superiority are never meant to be questioned. The sooner you stop taking all his exploits on the page completely seriously, the easier a pill this book becomes to swallow.
Its closest in-genre analog would be Dune—we primarily follow humans trapped on a fictional planet with strange properties, who are able to unlock abilities that appear supernatural by pushing the human mind to its limits. Card lets his creativity run wild as he designs the various societies of Treason. Readers who have accepted the book’s epic tone will find these societies whimsical and interesting, and those who have not will not.
Overall, the bigotry prevalent on the page and the tableau-esque tone provide a high barrier to entry here. I feel uniquely prepared for a book of this nature by having read both Dune and a fair amount of Medieval literature, but I wouldn’t blame anyone if it wasn’t their cup of tea.
March 24, 2025
I picked this novel up at a used book store because the premise sounded absolutely bonkers and there were a couple really off the walls reviews on Goodreads. I think one guy said he couldn’t tell where his own memories ended and where the book began, which is crazy and hilarious lol.
I’m not really sure whether I would feel comfortable recommending this to anyone, and don’t know who I would recommend it to anyways. Regardless, I was really surprised to find that I loved this book. The first 1/2 is so weird and strange, but then it all starts to click and by the end of the novel it really didn’t seem all that unusual anymore. A word of warning though, while I would argue this is a surprisingly progressive novel, it was still written in the 1970’s and therefore carries some unfortunate baggage in its word choice and characterizations.
I really don’t want to give up any spoilers because the craziness of it all is I think the biggest draw, it really is an insane novel. I feel like every sentence was more unhinged than the last.
A short summary would be: A man learns he is a mutant and is cast out to wander the Earth, only to discover a plot which threatens the freedom of everybody on the planet. He must open his mind and uncover the secrets of the Planet called Treason in order to stop the plot before it is too late.
Unfortunately I don’t really know how to properly convey this novel’s oddity, nor its themes of freedom, oppression, philosophy, and sexuality.
I’m not really sure whether I would feel comfortable recommending this to anyone, and don’t know who I would recommend it to anyways. Regardless, I was really surprised to find that I loved this book. The first 1/2 is so weird and strange, but then it all starts to click and by the end of the novel it really didn’t seem all that unusual anymore. A word of warning though, while I would argue this is a surprisingly progressive novel, it was still written in the 1970’s and therefore carries some unfortunate baggage in its word choice and characterizations.
I really don’t want to give up any spoilers because the craziness of it all is I think the biggest draw, it really is an insane novel. I feel like every sentence was more unhinged than the last.
A short summary would be: A man learns he is a mutant and is cast out to wander the Earth, only to discover a plot which threatens the freedom of everybody on the planet. He must open his mind and uncover the secrets of the Planet called Treason in order to stop the plot before it is too late.
Unfortunately I don’t really know how to properly convey this novel’s oddity, nor its themes of freedom, oppression, philosophy, and sexuality.
April 2, 2025
I was very impressed by A Planet Called Treason. I would never have even heard of it, had my brother not recommended it to me. While I’m familiar with the Ender’s Game series and adjacent works, I wasn’t familiar with any of Orson Scott Card’s other books. This book is one of his earliest works and was revised about 9 years after the initial publication. I’m certainly curious what the differences between the two are.
What strikes me in this book is how imaginative it is. Starting off in Mueller, we get the sense that this is a fairly run-of-the-mill medieval-esque world with some SciFi elements, like the eugenics program and the Ambassadors. Even in Nkumai, nothing seems particularly out of the ordinary. It’s in Schwartz, followed by Ku Kuei and Anderson, that we get our tastes of what is truly unique about this world. Each new advance surprised me in a pleasant way.
Overall, I thought the story was strong. Lanik started out as an unsympathetic character but grew on me as the book went on. While he became extremely powerful, particularly with his Schwartz and Ku Kuei gifts, he wasn’t corrupted by it, partially I suspect from the limitations that came with being connected to the Rock from Schwartz. The ending was also satisfying and unexpected; I half expected him to go to the stars and resolve things there, but the return to a peasant lifestyle was a nice way to end the book as well.
You can tell the book was written in 1979 by some of the language and gender roles, but it didn’t detract from the experience. As with all books, knowing the time they were written goes a long way to enjoying them.
What strikes me in this book is how imaginative it is. Starting off in Mueller, we get the sense that this is a fairly run-of-the-mill medieval-esque world with some SciFi elements, like the eugenics program and the Ambassadors. Even in Nkumai, nothing seems particularly out of the ordinary. It’s in Schwartz, followed by Ku Kuei and Anderson, that we get our tastes of what is truly unique about this world. Each new advance surprised me in a pleasant way.
Overall, I thought the story was strong. Lanik started out as an unsympathetic character but grew on me as the book went on. While he became extremely powerful, particularly with his Schwartz and Ku Kuei gifts, he wasn’t corrupted by it, partially I suspect from the limitations that came with being connected to the Rock from Schwartz. The ending was also satisfying and unexpected; I half expected him to go to the stars and resolve things there, but the return to a peasant lifestyle was a nice way to end the book as well.
You can tell the book was written in 1979 by some of the language and gender roles, but it didn’t detract from the experience. As with all books, knowing the time they were written goes a long way to enjoying them.
July 30, 2022
BEFORE MY BODY HAD CHANGED TO MAKE ROOM FOR A WOMAN WHO DID NOT BELONG THERE, A WOMAN THAT THEY INSISTED ON SAYING WAS ME.
This book was a peculiar read. Amidst the unflinchingly violent misogyny, racism, and transphobia, there was a glimmer of understanding with Lanik's experience of being a "radical regenerative" being akin to being transgender. It is eerie that there are certain components of gender dysphoria that Card understood even if I don't believe he meant to.
Overall, however, this small component of the book could not save the hurried writing and the plot which lurched and raced forward like the Ku Kuei in quicktime. Lanik also suffered from Richard Rahl-itis... or perhaps it's the other way around. The thesis of the book was "war is bad" but coming from a character who is essentially a colonizer/imperialism stand-in, that's rich.
This book was a peculiar read. Amidst the unflinchingly violent misogyny, racism, and transphobia, there was a glimmer of understanding with Lanik's experience of being a "radical regenerative" being akin to being transgender. It is eerie that there are certain components of gender dysphoria that Card understood even if I don't believe he meant to.
Overall, however, this small component of the book could not save the hurried writing and the plot which lurched and raced forward like the Ku Kuei in quicktime. Lanik also suffered from Richard Rahl-itis... or perhaps it's the other way around. The thesis of the book was "war is bad" but coming from a character who is essentially a colonizer/imperialism stand-in, that's rich.
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