The Folk of the Fringe

The Folk of the Fringe
Orson Scott Card
Copyright: 1989
Tom Doherty Associates

3 Bookmarks out of 5

I originally picked up this book from Ukazoo - a used bookstore near my undergraduate alma mater. There are four locations nationally, and I encourage you to check them out if you live near one of them! Anyway, I became an Orson Scott Card fan sometime last year when I finally broke down and read the entirety of the Ender Saga. In fact, I reviewed the most recent book in that saga not too long ago - it's called Shadows in Flight. I wanted to read some more Card's works, but I wasn't interested in getting involved with a series. So The Folk of the Fringe seemed like a one-stop shop and the price wasn't bad either ($3.99? Pretty much what it would cost to buy it online when you include the shipping and handling). What I didn't know at the time is that this book is actually a collection five short stories that have intertwining characters.

The first story, "West," was by far my most favorite story. It details the story of a group of Mormons attempting to make it to Utah in a future America that has been bombed (presumably) by the Soviets. This story-line intrigued me and I wanted the entire book to be their story. I felt like Card spent too little time detailing their grueling trek to Utah - on foot, I might add. But then again, this story was one about characters. And while it felt like Card was bashing groups who were not Mormon, the characters were compelling and left me wanting more.

The next story is "Salvage." Taking place near the now-submerged Salt Lake City, it details the story of a boy from "West" in his quest to find a sunken Mormon treasure. Out of the five stories, this one was the most forgettable. Its purpose seems only to serve as an introduction of Deague Teaver as the character of "Pageant Wagon" and to detail how important the temple is to the Church of Latter Day Saints.

The third story is - in my humble opinion - the best of all three. It's entitled "The Fringe" and details the character of Carpenter - a teacher who has cerebral palsy. Carpenter figures out that the folk in this particular town are stealing crops and selling them on the black market for high prices. The students in his class who benefit from this black market scheme become very angry and attempt to get retribution for the perceived wrong on their families. Carpenter is an amazing character and one I appreciated very much. It's not every day that an author has the courage to have the main character of a story be disabled and even then only reveal it one detail at a time.

The fourth story is "Pageant Wagon" and it is a novella in itself. Deaver Teague from "Salvage" is the main character here and the story follows his quest to feel a part of a community by his experience with a traveling family of actors/actresses. This could have been published separately and Card fans would have been thrilled. But as it may, I felt that in this story Card once again shows his misogynistic traits in portraying women as a group that needs to be protected by the men and, then again, showing women as the sole temptation of men.

The last story is "America" and was probably my second favorite in this series of five stories. It follows a Mormon teenager in the jungles of Brazil, dealing with the temptation of the flesh. Card seems to rarely touch on the theme of sex in his stories - and I have yet to see Card come right out and portray sex as something pleasurable. Usually he describes it in a purely biological fashion. (But I should note that I'm just beginning my exploration of Card as an author). However, I found this story refreshing in its raw power to portray the lust-fulness of youth and the conflicting emotions a religious youth can feel over it.

Overall, though, this book seems directed towards Mormons. Most of the character interactions deal with those who are of the Church of Latter Day Saints. I don't think it's a mistake, either, that Card details Utah as the only place in post-bombing America that is safe and that it is ruled by Mormons. But, more than that, I felt like some stories could have been shorter and others I would have loved to see elaborated upon. The author's note at the end will thrill Card fans and I think that Card's amazing ability as an author is a rallying point for the LDS - which can be seen as a culture that differs greatly from mainstream society.