Rating: 
Summary: Sweet Sarai
Review: This was an interesting account of the wife of "Father Abraham." I love that, at the end of the book, Card explains why he made certain decisions about the story and where he did his research. I don't always agree with his interpretation of the story, but (as has most Biblical fiction) the book has made me anxious to open my Bible and read its account of Sarah, digesting every word like precious wine (excepting that I don't actually like wine, but you get the picture). My favorite part of the book was his interpretations of Lot's wife and Hagar, the handmaid who bore Ishmael. If those women truly were how they are portrayed in this novel, then it would explain a lot about why their lives turned out how they did.
Rating: 
Summary: a change of pace for one of Sci-Fi/Fantasy's best
Review: I'ma big fan of OSC's sci-fi books, with their strength being character development & ethical dilemmas as opposed to "gadgetry" or technological advances. So I was interested to see what he would do with the fictional account of a biblical matriarch from 3,000 years ago (give or take). I found this book profoundly moving.As a man reading a book by another man, about a woman from long ago & lacking in historical details of what her life was really like, you would think this book would lack authenticity. I can't say how women would react to it (although my wife found it excellent). But to me, the author's portrayal of Sarah's stigma of barrenness, her struggle to find a role for herself in Abraham's world, her deft handling of their visit to the Pharoah in Egypt, and her weary patience with her (fictional) spoiled sister Qira (in this book, the author has her married to Lot of Sodom & Gomorrah fame), all ring true. This is supposed to be the first of a series of three books on women from the Old Testament; based on this one, you can definitely sign me up for the next two.
Rating:
Summary: Not Exactly The Bible Story
Review: Orson Scott Card, who usually writes science fiction, turns his hand here to the story of Sarah, from Genesis. He begins with a spunky ten-year old "Sarai" and her bratty sister "Qira" who will later turn out, interestingly, to be Mrs. Lot. Card takes a number of liberties with the biblical story, but he has done prodigious research, and is able to make those almost prehistoric times, customs and peoples believable. I enjoyed the book and recommend it, but it has some limitations. The characters are one-dimensional and they never seem to grow or change. I was disappointed in the portrayal of Abraham's relationship to God--it was unique and unheard of for his time, not just another religious guy. Still and all, the book was most enjoyable and easy to read!
Rating: 
Summary: Sarah
Review: Card is a master storyteller as usual, but I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I had known where he was coming from.
I knew Card was a Mormon and I knew Mormons believed in the Bible, so I had assumed that he would write a novel which, while it may include Mormon perspectives, would not contradict the Genesis account. Hence, I was unpleasantly surprised when the novel contradicted the Genesis account many times.
Consistently, his contradiction of the Genesis account was to make his heros, Abram/Abraham, Sarai/Sarah, and Lot appear completely virtuous. Where the Biblical account showed them as fallible human beings who generally tried to follow God, the Abram, Sarai and Lot of Card's story were 100% virtuous! The only almost-sin that seemed to be permitted was occasional doubt and jumping to conclusions.
One of the compelling things about the Bible is that it doesn't hide the sins of the saints. We see that the saints were normal, fallible human beings who make mistakes, yet God still uses them and blesses them. This is in fact realistic, so I am surprised Card made them more "perfect" than the Bible made them out to be.
Card's appendix where he explains where his coming from helped me appreciate the novel a lot more. I wish that he had extracted parts of it and put it into a forward, so that I would have been prepared for those jarring contradictions. I could have accepted an intellectual position to say that the Genesis account is "basically historical" but "somewhat embellished by its transmitters along the way" and simply enjoy the novel for what it is: a novel.
If this novel were to be republished, I strongly suggest that this information be put in a note that would be read before the reader hits the story itself.
Rating:
Summary: A Truly Magnificent Author, but.......
Review: I get that he doesn't know women so much. I love the way OSC can create characters or bring humanness and depth to real people. His "Stone Tables" is one of my favorite novels of all time. Yet in "Sarah" I could not relate to her or the other female characters. They seemed paper-thin, weak sometimes, and without passion or deep power. Maybe he didn't go deep enough, or maybe he's caught up in all the patriarchal illusion of the Church. Or maybe he, like many men, doesn't really know women. I couldn't wait to read "Sarah" to get to know her. But I found I didn't like her much. I think I'll wait to meet her and the other great women in person. Or write the novel myself.....hmmm!
Rating:
Summary: a change of pace for one of Sci-Fi/Fantasy's best
Review: I'ma big fan of OSC's sci-fi books, with their strength being character development & ethical dilemmas as opposed to "gadgetry" or technological advances. So I was interested to see what he would do with the fictional account of a biblical matriarch from 3,000 years ago (give or take). I found this book profoundly moving. As a man reading a book by another man, about a woman from long ago & lacking in historical details of what her life was really like, you would think this book would lack authenticity. I can't say how women would react to it (although my wife found it excellent). But to me, the author's portrayal of Sarah's stigma of barrenness, her struggle to find a role for herself in Abraham's world, her deft handling of their visit to the Pharoah in Egypt, and her weary patience with her (fictional) spoiled sister Qira (in this book, the author has her married to Lot of Sodom & Gomorrah fame), all ring true. This is supposed to be the first of a series of three books on women from the Old Testament; based on this one, you can definitely sign me up for the next two.
Rating: 
Summary: Tiresome
Review: I love this type of book, and Orson Scott Card does it so well! I read "Rebekah" after I read this one, and I plan on reading "Rachel and Leah" as soon as it is released in paperback.
Both "Sarah" and "Rachel" cover the lives of their respective biblical characters in such depth and understanding. For a man to penetrate so deeply into a woman's mind who lived so long ago is truly inspiring.
I really enjoy Card's interpretation of events. It seems to match my own fairly well. He sticks to what's in the Bible, but adds and interprets based upon his knowlege of human behavior.
Buy this book and read it over and over! Prepare to go on a journey into the characters, with the characters, and outside of the characters.
Rating:
Summary: Sweet Sarai
Review: This was an interesting account of the wife of "Father Abraham." I love that, at the end of the book, Card explains why he made certain decisions about the story and where he did his research. I don't always agree with his interpretation of the story, but (as has most Biblical fiction) the book has made me anxious to open my Bible and read its account of Sarah, digesting every word like precious wine (excepting that I don't actually like wine, but you get the picture). My favorite part of the book was his interpretations of Lot's wife and Hagar, the handmaid who bore Ishmael. If those women truly were how they are portrayed in this novel, then it would explain a lot about why their lives turned out how they did.
Rating:
Summary: One of my all time favorites!
Review: Excellent combination of historical fact and fiction. Card has a vivid imagination that allows readers to go back in time and feel as if they were a part of Biblical history. Just be careful to remember that truth and fiction are craftfully interwined here and not to lose sight of the important messages behind the story. As one of my all time favorite books, I had to read Rebekah and Stone Tablets immediately thereafter. I'm still waiting for the 3rd installment of the Women of Genesis trilogy.
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