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Eye for Eye
Mick Winger is only seventeen—and already he’s killed over a dozen people. Not on purpose; he never meant to hurt anyone. But when Mick gets angry, people die, even the people he loves the most. Now he’s on the run from his own terrible talent, and from those who would use his power for their own obscene purposes. But Mick is not alone. There are others like him. And if he will not join them, they will make him pay…EYE FOR EYE. Orson Scott Card is one of the world’s best-loved writers, winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards two years in a row. He is author of Ender’s Game and many New York Times bestsellers. Card’s latest novels are Shadow of the Giant and Magic Street. This recording features Stefan Rudnicki, narrator on numerous audiobooks and recipient of an Audie for his solo narration on Orson Scott Card’s Lost Boys and an Earphones Awards for his productions of Card’s Ender’s Game, Speaker for the Dead and Crystal City.
3 pages, Audio CD
Published May 31, 2006
2 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Orson Scott Card
891 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 55 reviews
October 27, 2015
Review originally published on www.fantasyliterature.com:
Orson Scott Card’s novella Eye for Eye is in the form of an interview… or an interrogation. Mick Winger, a seventeen year old boy who is being questioned by an unknown person, tries to explain that he understands it’s wrong to kill people, especially if whatever they’ve done to make Mick angry isn’t enough to justify killing them. The problem is, whoever makes Mick angry has a high likelihood of dying of some form of cancer. Mick has gradually learned to control his temper, especially since he has realized that letting his anger loose sends a pulse of sparky energy, visible only to Mick, that strikes the person who angered Mick with prostate cancer. Or leukemia. Or some other form of cancer. Mick has killed more people in his life “than Al Capone.”
Mick grew up in an orphanage, but now that he’s gained some control over his abilities, there are several people after him ― including his birth parents, who are part of an isolated, fanatical cult of extended family members who all possess Mick’s killing ability to one degree or another. Any babies born to the group’s members who exhibit a powerful ability are left on the doorsteps of social services, so they won’t kill anyone in the group until they’re old enough to learn to bottle up their anger. (They’ll kill other innocent people instead.) Mick has the most power the group has ever seen ― and now they want him back in the fold.
Published in 1987, this novella clearly shows the influence that televangelists, like Jimmy Swaggart and Jim and Tammy Bakker, had on society at that time. Card created an insulated, zealous group that mouths religion but is intent on the destruction of others who oppose or disagree with them. In this story, however, it’s not a distant punishment from God, in His own time, but a more immediate death sentence imposed by their paranormal abilities, occasionally helped along with weapons.
Eye for Eye won the 1987 Hugo Award for best novella. Like many of Card's works, this story explores hypocrisy, in this instance where it's coated with religion. It’s an intriguing story, but feels dated at this point in time, and it's fairly predictable.
Orson Scott Card’s novella Eye for Eye is in the form of an interview… or an interrogation. Mick Winger, a seventeen year old boy who is being questioned by an unknown person, tries to explain that he understands it’s wrong to kill people, especially if whatever they’ve done to make Mick angry isn’t enough to justify killing them. The problem is, whoever makes Mick angry has a high likelihood of dying of some form of cancer. Mick has gradually learned to control his temper, especially since he has realized that letting his anger loose sends a pulse of sparky energy, visible only to Mick, that strikes the person who angered Mick with prostate cancer. Or leukemia. Or some other form of cancer. Mick has killed more people in his life “than Al Capone.”
Mick grew up in an orphanage, but now that he’s gained some control over his abilities, there are several people after him ― including his birth parents, who are part of an isolated, fanatical cult of extended family members who all possess Mick’s killing ability to one degree or another. Any babies born to the group’s members who exhibit a powerful ability are left on the doorsteps of social services, so they won’t kill anyone in the group until they’re old enough to learn to bottle up their anger. (They’ll kill other innocent people instead.) Mick has the most power the group has ever seen ― and now they want him back in the fold.
Published in 1987, this novella clearly shows the influence that televangelists, like Jimmy Swaggart and Jim and Tammy Bakker, had on society at that time. Card created an insulated, zealous group that mouths religion but is intent on the destruction of others who oppose or disagree with them. In this story, however, it’s not a distant punishment from God, in His own time, but a more immediate death sentence imposed by their paranormal abilities, occasionally helped along with weapons.
Eye for Eye won the 1987 Hugo Award for best novella. Like many of Card's works, this story explores hypocrisy, in this instance where it's coated with religion. It’s an intriguing story, but feels dated at this point in time, and it's fairly predictable.
December 13, 2025
I liked this little novelette fine. It felt very dated in a lot of ways but was an interesting thought experiment
August 28, 2019
Крайно откачена история за 17 годишен сирак, опитващ се да избяга от зловещата си дарба да убива без дори е да докоснал жертвата. Отлично разказана.
May 5, 2015
I read Ender's Game recently and loved it. So, I thought I'd read as many OSC books as my library had. I picked up The Lost Gate and finished it despite the fact that it was boring as could be. I hoped that that particular book was simply a fluke. But Eye for Eye is on par with that. I couldn't finish it. I was so bored. I didn't care about the characters. The narrator does a terrible job of invoking any sense of interest for me. I can't tell if it's his portrayal or the text or both, but either way I do not recommend this audiobook.
January 20, 2015
If our thoughts and looks could kill we would not have overpopulation issues, but at least some of us would have deep ethical troubles.
July 4, 2015
Great gripping read, though science-fiction not a genre I normally appreciate. Great author, will read more of his work. Would have been 4 star except that a novella, and not a totally developed plot or maturation of character. A very intrigue ridden, though-provoking story. A story & idea I will remember.
February 23, 2014
This was a fun audio story. It lacked that thing that makes most of OSC's books spectacular in my mind, but it was a fun and enjoyable read and Stefan Rudnicki yet again does a phenomenal job narrating.
June 14, 2018
This is partly SciFi, and partly Fantasy. A young man realizes that he has a special power, the power to kill with his mind... or maybe it is with his anger. But he doesn't want to kill so he tries not to let people get close to him. Then he finds that there are others like him.
The story takes place as a narrative... the main character telling his story to someone else. One assumes it is a psychologist or similar professional. It is an engaging story and I wondered why the author hadn't created a longer story. There seems to be potential for it.
The story is also similar to the book Slan by A. E. Van Vogt. In that book, people with a special ability are hunted down, partly out of fear.
Any problems?
1. There is some non-marital sex involved. It is not described in detail.
2. The author uses a lot of Bible quotes and satirizes TV evangelists... specifically Tammy Fay Baker. It is nothing you haven't heard before.
3. No profanity is used that I recall.
4. The characters that the author portrays as ignorant, I agree can be ignorant and easily misled with specious religious arguments.
5. Finally, the author seems to misunderstand the biblical injunction "An eye for an eye", or at least his characters do. If one reads that biblical passage carefully, it is clear that it means the VALUE of an eye for an eye. In most court cases where someone injures another, and there is no way to make him whole again, the victim must be compensated for his loss... usually with money. Therefore the court must come to a judgement as to the value of an eye, or tooth or whatever has been lost. This is done in the modern day, and why modern people cannot understand that ancient people were confronted with the same issue is beyond me.
I'd probably read this story/novella again.
The story takes place as a narrative... the main character telling his story to someone else. One assumes it is a psychologist or similar professional. It is an engaging story and I wondered why the author hadn't created a longer story. There seems to be potential for it.
The story is also similar to the book Slan by A. E. Van Vogt. In that book, people with a special ability are hunted down, partly out of fear.
Any problems?
1. There is some non-marital sex involved. It is not described in detail.
2. The author uses a lot of Bible quotes and satirizes TV evangelists... specifically Tammy Fay Baker. It is nothing you haven't heard before.
3. No profanity is used that I recall.
4. The characters that the author portrays as ignorant, I agree can be ignorant and easily misled with specious religious arguments.
5. Finally, the author seems to misunderstand the biblical injunction "An eye for an eye", or at least his characters do. If one reads that biblical passage carefully, it is clear that it means the VALUE of an eye for an eye. In most court cases where someone injures another, and there is no way to make him whole again, the victim must be compensated for his loss... usually with money. Therefore the court must come to a judgement as to the value of an eye, or tooth or whatever has been lost. This is done in the modern day, and why modern people cannot understand that ancient people were confronted with the same issue is beyond me.
I'd probably read this story/novella again.
September 8, 2024
I really really enjoyed this story. I don't think it explicitly stated a general decade/ era, but this reminded me of the mid 20th century or at least the late forties through the early 60s.
The sci-fi elements were great and the lack of advanced technology made it feel very timeless, but because of the speech of the protagonist, it felt very southern gentleman-ly in some regards and I enjoyed that. This story is one of the few that I've ever read that genuinely made me come to my own conclusions that the narrator was a person of color or of mixed ethnicity. And no, that is not because of the way the protagonist was treated. In general, he was treated very fairly; I don't remember it explicitly stating it, but that, but I feel as though that would bring deeper meaning to so many aspects of this short story based on the backstory we are given.
The main character feels creole or appalachian, someone hard to define yet their own definition. Genuinely, well done Mr. Card for making this character so universal that I couldn't automatically make him white like me. That auto-select feature in the mind of a reader is very hard to bypass and you did it with flying colors.
Very Very well written for such a short tale.
The sci-fi elements were great and the lack of advanced technology made it feel very timeless, but because of the speech of the protagonist, it felt very southern gentleman-ly in some regards and I enjoyed that. This story is one of the few that I've ever read that genuinely made me come to my own conclusions that the narrator was a person of color or of mixed ethnicity. And no, that is not because of the way the protagonist was treated. In general, he was treated very fairly; I don't remember it explicitly stating it, but that, but I feel as though that would bring deeper meaning to so many aspects of this short story based on the backstory we are given.
The main character feels creole or appalachian, someone hard to define yet their own definition. Genuinely, well done Mr. Card for making this character so universal that I couldn't automatically make him white like me. That auto-select feature in the mind of a reader is very hard to bypass and you did it with flying colors.
Very Very well written for such a short tale.
March 5, 2020
I have the greek version of this book (1993) and I finished in within 2 hours. I do not know if it is the fact that I read the whole story without having to leave the book aside for once, but I really liked the story and I'd like to learn more about it. I feel like it could easily be a tv series, since there is a plot that could be stretched out in many directions and with some good cast, it could be really popular. I imagined Asa Butterfield (the Ender's Game protagonist) being the protagonist in this book also, and I really liked the idea. Idk. The narration was certainly not what you usually read in a book, but it was intriguing and made you want to know what happened. It's like when you question yourself in your head why you acted a certain way, imagining someone else is asking you and then answering those questions. 👍
December 22, 2023
مراجعه روايه العين بالعين ⌛️
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القصه :
مايك وينجر لم يتجاوز بعد السابعة عشرة من عمره، وقد قتل بالفعل عشرات الأشخاص، ليس عن عمد، فهو لم يقصد قط إيذاء أي شخص، ولكن عندما يغضب ميك يموت الناس، حتى الأشخاص الذين يحبهم كثيرًا. والآن يحاول الهرب من هبته المخيفة، ومن هؤلاء الأشخاص الذين يستخدمون قوته من أجل أغراضهم الدنيئة. هذا لأن ميك ليس وحده، هناك آخرون مثله، وإن لم ينضم إليهم فسيجعلونه يدفع الثمن… العين بالعين.
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رأيي :
الروايه فكرتها سيئه وليست جديده ، تطرقت لمواضيع دينيه ومسيحيه ومعتقدات خاطئه 💢 .
الترجمه كويسه مفهومه مع ذلك تضيع في الاحداث شوي ، حسيت بملل كثير وانا اقراها رغم كون الروايه قصيره جدا ( فيها كلام لا يناسب الصغار 15+ )
10/4⭐️
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دار النشر : @yatakhayaloon
الكاتب: ارسون سكوت كارد
عدد الصفحات : ١٧٠
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القصه :
مايك وينجر لم يتجاوز بعد السابعة عشرة من عمره، وقد قتل بالفعل عشرات الأشخاص، ليس عن عمد، فهو لم يقصد قط إيذاء أي شخص، ولكن عندما يغضب ميك يموت الناس، حتى الأشخاص الذين يحبهم كثيرًا. والآن يحاول الهرب من هبته المخيفة، ومن هؤلاء الأشخاص الذين يستخدمون قوته من أجل أغراضهم الدنيئة. هذا لأن ميك ليس وحده، هناك آخرون مثله، وإن لم ينضم إليهم فسيجعلونه يدفع الثمن… العين بالعين.
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رأيي :
الروايه فكرتها سيئه وليست جديده ، تطرقت لمواضيع دينيه ومسيحيه ومعتقدات خاطئه 💢 .
الترجمه كويسه مفهومه مع ذلك تضيع في الاحداث شوي ، حسيت بملل كثير وانا اقراها رغم كون الروايه قصيره جدا ( فيها كلام لا يناسب الصغار 15+ )
10/4⭐️
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دار النشر : @yatakhayaloon
الكاتب: ارسون سكوت كارد
عدد الصفحات : ١٧٠
February 18, 2020
Krátká novela o klukovi jménem Mick Winger, který dokáže "jiskřit" a oddělat tak lidi třeba tím, že u nich vyvolá rakovinu. Jeho schopnost (a prokletí) je řízena spíše emocemi a náhodou, než jeho přáním zabíjet. Snaží se ji tedy nevyužívat. Jenže s tak extrémní silou o vás vždycky budou mít zájem určité vyšší mocenské skupiny lidí (např. zde klasická fanatická náboženská sekta), které se pouští do ping pongu a přetahování Micka na dobrou a špatnou stranu. Je to velmi krátké a moc se toho vlastně nestane, myslím si, že kdyby se námět prohloubil, mohlo by z toho vzniknout něco jako 'Carrie' od Kinga, ale na druhou stranu právě ten krátký rozsah mě přiměl se do tohohle pustit.
December 20, 2017
This is certainly no the type of book I would usually read since I tend to avoid science fiction. I cannot say I did not like it entirely, but it was odd at best. It is set as an interrogation or interview so except for a few sentences, the entire read is first person from the protagonist's POV. His tone is a bit off-putting. The plot is interesting enough but by the time I finally cared about the main character or storyline, the book ended. Abruptly. Nothing whatsoever is resolve and in the end it goes nowhere. Odd.
September 9, 2024
I had originally read this novella for an assignment in one of my classes. I had found out about Card's views and some of the things that he had done and tried to go into this with an open mind. I couldn't even finish it because of how bad I felt it was. The only female character introduced was just sexualized and completely hallow, the writing style was just weird and felt like it jumped around a lot, and the random mentioning of the main character getting sexually assaulted was just unnecessary in my own opinion. I just really disliked it.
August 18, 2021
Випадково натрапила на цього автора і, здається, для мене це буде чи не найцікавіше відкриття цього літа. Я обожнюю фантастику про паранормальні ментальні здібності людей. А тут ще й головний персонаж Мік не є ані "білим", ані "чорним", вагається, не знаючи, хто друг, а хто ворог, та й наприкінці все ж виходить так, що він має не тільки суперздібності до зараження онкохворобами, але й може досить конструктивно використовувати свій дар. Так що інтриг вистачило до останньої сторінки книжки.
May 17, 2019
Totally in the vein of Alvin Maker and a tad disjointed but still an enjoyable short read.
May 3, 2021
Jednohubka na večer. Zajímavá myšlenka. Škoda, že to autor nerozvedl víc.
April 28, 2022
DNF. I’m uncomfortable with some of the language and sexist aspects of this book. Strike two with this author.
September 30, 2022
The pursuit of a boy who can kill with his thoughts.
May 13, 2023
This was a great listen on a road trip!
December 24, 2024
Wasn’t really sure if I was enjoying this book at first, but it sucked me in about halfway through. Very entertaining sci-fi!!
December 30, 2024
I want more!
April 19, 2025
القصة مشوقة ولكن الكثير من الاسئلة لم يتم اجابتها، وددت لو كانت هناك تكملة واحداث أكثر
January 6, 2012
A solid, if uninspiring, story by a solid, if uninspiring, author.
Don t get me wrong, he is good – but this isn’t his best work.
1/6/12 – Addendum:
on second thought I have given this book a three-star rating. I was disappointed in it, but it didn’t deserve my initial two-star rating based upon its own merit. It deserves a three.
I gave it the lower rating because a recognized, mainstream, published author like OSC should be better IMOP. I don’t think he would be able to break into the market today, not based upon the quality of the work I am seeing from people who are having to self-publish; people who are frankly more creative than Mr. Card seems to be. Still it is a good book, so it deserves the three.
Don t get me wrong, he is good – but this isn’t his best work.
1/6/12 – Addendum:
on second thought I have given this book a three-star rating. I was disappointed in it, but it didn’t deserve my initial two-star rating based upon its own merit. It deserves a three.
I gave it the lower rating because a recognized, mainstream, published author like OSC should be better IMOP. I don’t think he would be able to break into the market today, not based upon the quality of the work I am seeing from people who are having to self-publish; people who are frankly more creative than Mr. Card seems to be. Still it is a good book, so it deserves the three.
April 9, 2016
Mick figured out when he was a child that there was something odd about himself. When angry at someone, he could "kill" them by striking them with cancer. He has tried hard to control this because he does not want to be responsible for killing anyone..
It was o.k. It just didn't live up to the description for me, but it was still o.k., just not as good as I'd hoped. It's very short, though, so it didn't take long to listen to.
It was o.k. It just didn't live up to the description for me, but it was still o.k., just not as good as I'd hoped. It's very short, though, so it didn't take long to listen to.
May 4, 2014
3.5
Orson Scott Card creates interesting worlds with people that are more than just a little different.
You don't want to make Mick mad because he loses control of his thoughts, those thoughts can kill you! Mick is more dangerous than the Incredible Hulk because you never see him coming...unless you have similar powers!
More like a novela, you can whip through this one in no time!
Orson Scott Card creates interesting worlds with people that are more than just a little different.
You don't want to make Mick mad because he loses control of his thoughts, those thoughts can kill you! Mick is more dangerous than the Incredible Hulk because you never see him coming...unless you have similar powers!
More like a novela, you can whip through this one in no time!
Read
May 18, 2016This short tale is captivating and a great use of first person. The premise is intriguing. There is kin group with the power to focus and direct their electromagnetic energy for killing or healing. They've been targeted by a group for culling because of their dangerous powers. Card is such a good story teller.
May 23, 2008
I've read lots of excellent books by Orson Scott Card, and lately I've read lots of not-so-good books by Orson Scott Card. This one, about a young man with an "interesting" problem, was one of his better books. It's not quite up there with Ender's Game, but it's well-written and fast-paced.
October 24, 2022
This needs a reread. Mick has unintentional skills that can hurt or kill using his mind and he can't control it. - Fascinating!
A great short read! And as OSC says, better as audio :)
A great short read! And as OSC says, better as audio :)
August 13, 2010
point of view through 17 yr. old boy; story is "adolescent boy" crude in many spots. Interesting concept, and short read. Not my favorite though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews