Rating: 
Summary: Excellent as a religious story; decent as a work of fiction
Review: Taken in the context as a retelling of a religious story (from the book of Mormon, I believe), this and the first two books are fairly good. Some of the characters are clearly sympathetic, others not, and because it is a religious story, it is the "good", sympathetic characters who have the most faith, while the "bad" ones who lack it. Fortunatly, the "good" characters have their weaknesses and flaws, and the "bad" ones have redeeming characteristics, so it's not painfully moralistic.If it is not viewed as a retelling of a religious story, there are some elements that readers might find uncomfortable from our cultural context - for example, there are two thirteen-year-olds who are married, and soon expecting a baby. And again, because it is a religious story, many people might be upset by Card presenting his "solution" to homosexuality; while he seems compassionate, this part of the story underscores his somewhat arrogant and ultimatly hurtful attitudes towards homosexuals. The descriptive writing is top-notch, and his portrayal of the dynamics of an isolated group of people rings fairly true. If you enjoy reading religious story retellings or about small groups surviving in harsh climates, this would be well worth your time.
Rating: 
Summary: A dissapointing 3rd book...
Review: The first 2 Homecoming books in the series were much better than this one. You can basically skip this book in reading the series, because the only crucial part occurs at the end. The rest of the book is filled with dull descriptions and diaglogue of a boring trip through the desert. If you really want to know how the Homecoming series ends however, you should probably read this book, as boring as it may be.
Rating:
Summary: Completely ruined by his ideas about human nature.
Review: The gist of this series is that all people are inherently sinful, all people will always hate and kill each other, men and women will always clash in a ridiculous power struggle of the sexes, - oh yeah, and gay people are unnatural and should pretend they're straight.
I'm a big fan of Card's Ender and Alvin Maker series, but this one is poisoned by his Mormon background. His ideas about human nature are downright depressing. Not to mention the disturbing themes of inbreeding, 13 year old brides, and strong women who are degraded to becoming nothing but baby-making machines.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best and Worst of the Series
Review: The Ships of Earth is third in the Homecoming Series. I found the first in the series a brilliant book, the second was imaginative and interesting and this one alternates between brilliant and appalling. It's brilliant as it shows the struggles of 16 members of two families (really one) who have fled the decadent, fascinating city of Basilica to survive and flourish in the desert. They are guided by a vision from the Oversoul, the computer, that they are to find the lost ships of earth, repair them and return to earth in them. It's a breathtakingly vast concept. This could have, should have been a classic. Instead, there is much that is appalling about the book. There is an almost unbelievably ugly self-righteousness that creeps in (actually it leaps in), an attitude of "I'm right. You're wrong. Do as I say or I'll kill you." The threats of murder loom over the book and are never dealt with. Basically, Card divides his 16 people into two groups, one good and one evil. The good people keep the book interesting as they grow in depth and character, as people who don't think they have anything in common become friends and/or fall in love. However, the bad people become awful, in a very boring, repetitious way. There is hatred based on jealousy between brothers -- hatred that leads to murderous plots. There is hatred based on jealousy between two sisters. There a sameness to this hatred that gets very tiresome as it doesn't go anywhere. Worst of all (and a major cause of the hatred) is the selfrighteousness of the leader. He's the distant father-figure, fascinating in the first two books as he becomes a prophet leading his family on his mission to return to earth, appalling here as he literally forces his family to follow him with threats of death. The obvious move would be to reach a decision point, draw a line in the sand and tell people to join willingly or leave. Instead, people who don't want to be there are judged worthless and contemptible with an ugly self-righteousness, but they're not allowed to leave. The book becomes a fascinating study in the birth of religious fanaticism, only it's unintentional. It's a shame. The book would have been much better had everyone had to make an honest choice; had new people been added to the group as old ones drop out; had the struggle between whether the group would be matriarchal or patriarchal been more fully explored, etc. The list of flaws is very long, but so is the list of virtues. I think it proves that Card, even when he's on what seems to be the wrong track, is still an amazingly great writer.
Rating:
Summary: A slow book with a slow plot
Review: This book follows closely on the heels of the second book in the series, the Memory of Earth. It really does not advance the plot too much, and it could have really been combined with the second book in order to make a much more riveting novel. The characters do not make any major advancements, but instead simply continue their current feelings and actions. No future plot developments really begin to develop till really the end of the book, and then you are left hanging, but for which you will thirst for the 4th book in the chapter. If you are looking for a single book then you would be better off to read the first in the series. But if you are reading the Homecoming series, you will want to pick this book up.
Rating:
Summary: A Little Slow But Still A Good Story...
Review: This is a very good sequal to the Call Of Earth even though at some times it can seem a little dull. If you have enjoyed very much the first two books then you will also enjoy this one. I don't recommend this for people who havn't found much interest in the first two but it has an interesting twist in the end which will make you look forward to the next one. Happy reading!!!
Rating:
Summary: Allegory Attempted
Review: This is not analogy but allegory. Do not expect a point by point symbolic representation- not even at the level of Lewis' Narnia series. Card builds upon the Old Testament myths to create a world 40 million years from now, on a planet far, far away. He appears to not want to guess at how the Patriarchs might have lived in this place and time, or try to recreate their lives, as much as to use those same stories, and play with them, tweak them, and use the universal themes within the stories of Genesis to tell us something of life and humanity. So we see here the infighting between Jacob and Esau, as Jacob is younger brother to Esau, and also the strife between Joseph and his brothers, for Joseph has the special coat, and even more horribly, the special contact with Father and God. And here is the wandering in the desert of Moses, as they search for a promised land (promised by the oversoul computer), while all the while the followers gripe and complain and seek to return to the place where they were safe and happy, rather then risking with the promises of God/supercomputer. Interesting character development, and, as opposed to the first book in the series, some serious plot development too. I found myself inspired to trust in God more, to trust whatever the plans were that She might have (as the oversoul is referred to), and I to think to listen to God, when He might be speaking. One of the benefits of science fiction is it can get inside your brain. After putting this book down, I found myself trying to be constantly attuned to that inner voice of the Spirit, for what God might have to say to me.
Rating:
Summary: Allegory Attempted
Review: This is not analogy but allegory. Do not expect a point by point symbolic representation- not even at the level of Lewis' Narnia series. Card builds upon the Old Testament myths to create a world 40 million years from now, on a planet far, far away. He appears to not want to guess at how the Patriarchs might have lived in this place and time, or try to recreate their lives, as much as to use those same stories, and play with them, tweak them, and use the universal themes within the stories of Genesis to tell us something of life and humanity. So we see here the infighting between Jacob and Esau, as Jacob is younger brother to Esau, and also the strife between Joseph and his brothers, for Joseph has the special coat, and even more horribly, the special contact with Father and God. And here is the wandering in the desert of Moses, as they search for a promised land (promised by the oversoul computer), while all the while the followers gripe and complain and seek to return to the place where they were safe and happy, rather then risking with the promises of God/supercomputer. Interesting character development, and, as opposed to the first book in the series, some serious plot development too. I found myself inspired to trust in God more, to trust whatever the plans were that She might have (as the oversoul is referred to), and I to think to listen to God, when He might be speaking. One of the benefits of science fiction is it can get inside your brain. After putting this book down, I found myself trying to be constantly attuned to that inner voice of the Spirit, for what God might have to say to me.
Rating:
Summary: The saga begins to come together...
Review: While the first two novels were basically introductory, this one really seemed to take the story somewhere. Even so, if you like non-stop action, this series is not for you. The exitement of it is watching all the characters interact and develop, and every once in a while some action will sneak up without warning. I basically continues the adventures of these sixteen people, as their character development continues and the actual journey starts at last. I probably would have even rated it five stars had it not been for this book's somewhat sexist attitude. At first the women are strong and stand up for themselves and try to force the men to make the rules fair and equal, but in the end all of them except Rasa and Shedamai find their "true place" and become weak and sappy little mothers content to do nothing but leave all the important stuff up to the men and change diapers, and even they seem to "quiet down" a bit. Even the bad guys are unfair to women! The "evil" women are portrayed as nasty, petty, shallow, I'll-jump-in-bed-with-anyone-as-long-as-it's-not-my-husband type women, while the men threaten each other with murder and such! This book also makes it seem that commiting adultery is the worst crime a women could possibly commit, and yet it's somehow okay if a man does the exact same thing, because he can't help his hormones. Gimme a break! And am I the only one who finds people getting married at twelve/thirteen, marrying their uncles or cousins, and sleeping with their neices somewhat gruesome? Besides that though this is a good book that's essential to the saga, just not recommendable to children
Rating:
Summary: Excellent as a religious story; decent as a work of fiction
Review: While the reader doesn't really get to experience the actual ships of Earth in this book, it is still really enjoyable. The character interactions in this one are absolutely wonderful, providing realistic representations of human emotion and thought patterns.
The story itself is really good too. With such a misfit group of people thrown together, you'd expect a lot of drama. Well, you won't be disappointed because this book contains a rediculous amount of plotting and planning by two-faced people who all think that they understand everything, while they actually don't have any clue as to what is really going down. Nafai becomes a complete bad ass at the end of this one, and his brothers reach a peak of their treachery.
A really great tale. And only Card can advance seven years of his story in two paragraphs without pissing off the reader!
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