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Summary: WONDERFUL BIBLICAL FICTION
Review: Orson Scott Card is a wonderful writer and capable of writing in so many different genres. In this novel, Card brings to life the story of Sarah from the Old Testament. Working from conjecture, poetic license and diligent research, Card details the life of Sarah from the age of 10 when she first meets her future husband Abram until the day she peacefully passes from this world knowing that she kept her faith with God.This is a great story of love, faith and trust.
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Summary: Is this the same book???
Review: I just finished this book and I am wondering if it is the same book; by the same author. The book was a very quick read. I would almost rate it a young adult book. There was nothing great or special that would make this book stand out. The characters are the same. There is no backsliding, no nation destroying lapses of faith by these folks. The good are good, and the bad don't change at all.There is no Drama. On the whole I would recomend this book because I like OSC, but this is not his greatest. It is a good weekend read.
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Summary: Card always brings
Review: Card always bring people of biblical proportions down to earth in a way that makes them seem very real, even if their lives are foreign to us. In this case he does this literally, choosing the story of Abraham and Sara as his tale. I remember the story fairly well, even if it is broken into several pieces in my mind. Reading Card's interpretation brought it all together for me. It is very moving to see such faithful and devoted followers of a faith to express concerns as to whether or not they are right. One has to take the details with a grain of salt, however, as Card identifies himself as both a Mormon and a storyteller. So, as long as you understand what slant his religious views may give to a story that is shared by many denominations, and keep in mind that he did need to fill in many blanks to maintain continuity, then this story should entertain and educate you. I think he did an incredible job, and this should be read by anyone that won't be offended by the minor liberties that had to be taken in order to make the story work.
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Summary: a tradition of strong women, and strong marriages
Review: Unlike what one other reviewer has written here, I believe this book is very much in keeping with almost all other novels Card has written: characters of strength and integrity committed to some grand cause, sometimes misunderstanding each other, coming to equality in relationships by the end. Of course, a little politicking/social maneuvering is thrown in as well, as well as historicity of customs and action (oooh, how racy =were= those Egyptians, anyway? One wonders if today's fashions of tight Tshirts and bun-hugging jeans, though not as translucent as the Egyptian linens, would have been found objectionable by the modest desert nomads?) While Card adds details not found in the original Biblical source (and he also admits to adding some details that are not found in the Old Testament, but are in Mormon scripture), he also edits the story to sew up some plot holes - not unreasonable, considering, as with many of the Genesis stories, there is more than one source (checking my Bible, it mentions that both the Eloist and Yahwist sources both contribute (so named because of their words for God - either Eloi or Yahweh)). One sees the repitition of the device of the man claiming his wife to be his sister in the Bible - not only twice in the case of Abraham and Sarah, but also in Isaac's story. Many of these plot changes may irritate a Biblical fundamentalist, but they are not too glaring. I had to go back to the Bible to figure out what was changed -- the story pretty much agreed with the tale I remember hearing as a child. However, the best part of this book was Sarah herself. Like most women in Card's fiction, she gets to be a strong person in her own right - not pretending to be less intelligent or skilled than she is, not bowing under men's authority or words simply because they are men. People might complain about the less attractive female characters Qira and Hagar, but he also gives these women autonomous characters. They do not blend into the background, but are shown as captains of their own souls, even if they turn out to have made poor choices. Most importantly with Sarah, Card shows how a person of faith lives when they do not get to hear God's voice directly. Abraham gets to hear God speak, so he is sure in knowing that he shall be the ancestor of a great people, he is sure that he shall win military conflict, he is sure of eventual success. Sarah must hear the words of God through others, and in a world that offers many gods, she doubts and is hurt by the conflict between her doubt and her faith. I see this book as being popular among people of faith, whatever their religions, for it mirrors some of their own conflicts (If there is a benevolent God, why is there so much suffering? Am I being punished by God for something?) in their souls.
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Summary: Artful Storytelling
Review: No matter what genre he chooses, Orson Scott Card can't seem to write a bad novel. Biblical fiction isn't a "hot" topic, but after reading "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamont, I was curious as to how one of my favorite sci-fi authors would approach such a story. The story of Sarah and her husband Abraham is one I half-heard about in Sunday school as a child. Orson Scott Card brings it vividly to life so that the characters become more than just biblical figures, but real people with real lives, real doubts, and real faith. The book does start slow, but as I read on I found myself appreciating Card's ability to take time with the everyday aspects of Sarah and Abraham's lives rather than focusing entirely on the dramas and miracles of biblical proportion. Regardless of whether or not you agree with Card's basic religious assumptions or his interpretation of Sarah and Abraham's story, this book is still a great example of Card's artful storytelling at its best.
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Summary: another amazing tale
Review: This man never fails to amaze me! I really didn't know what to expect with a biblical tale. After surviving Catholic school I never really expected to enjoy Bible stories that much but Card really made the characters come to life for me in a way the nuns never had! I felt as if I has stepped into the Old Testament and was living in a tent along side Sarah. The way he fleshed out the characters and gave you insight as to what they may have been thinking really grabbed my attention and actually made me get out my Bible again to see if maybe there are more stories like Sarah's I may have missed.
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Summary: A Card Like No Other
Review: This book is much different from anything else Card has ever written!! He came to my college and read us the 1st chapter (before it was published) and I was hooked. this is defiantely a book to stand in line for. It gives one a new appreciaiton of the biblical characters, as well as a good story. Maybe life wasn't so bad living in a tent surrounded by sheep and goats. Religious fiction just isn't my thing, but I can't wait to read the other books in this series (he said there would be three total).
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Summary: Simply Amazing
Review: I have never been a strict religous person, even though I have attended Catholic School, but this was one of the best books I have read in years. It was wonderful to see all the characters of this bible story, mostly Sarah, come to life on the page. Card did an amazing job of portraying the thoughts and the emotions of Sarah. If you haven't read this book yet, what are you waiting for?
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Summary: If you think you know O. S. Card, you are in for a surprise!
Review: If you think that Card is just a science-fiction or fantasy writer, this book will set you straight. He takes the story of Sarah, wife of Abraham, and give it fictional, but balanced treatment; that is, all the heroes and heroines are still heroes and heroines, and miracles do happen. But, Card is no Biblical Literalist; he assumes that stories can be garbled or told twice (for example, it is only once, in this book, that Abraham claims that Sarah is his sister.)It is like reading Genesis with new eyes; as if an old dirty picture had been cleaned, and you see details you never saw before. Give it a try, and prepare to be delighted. This is Card's best, up to now.
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Summary: Sarah
Review: This is an amazing book. OSC took a few chapters from the Old Testament and created wonderfully deep characters. I laughed and I cried. He has a wonderful understanding of a woman unable to have children. I highly recommend it!
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