Rating: Summary: A crack-filler Review: I am quite surprised by some of the excessibly negetive comments about this book. True, it is not as good as Card's best, but sub-standard for Orson Card is a great deel better than a lot of stuff out there. The first and last couple of books in the Homecomeing series are slightly better than the Call of Earth, this book is mostly good for filling in the cracks.
Rating: Summary: I read the book in one day Review: I bought the whole ender series and lept at the chance to read this on. Orson Scott Card is the master of writing science fiction. It's as if he was there and is just relaying the info to the world.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Continuance of this series Review: I burned through this latest paper back book of the series while sitting on a beach in Florida on vacation. It made me forgot about the sun and surf. I was captured by the images and dialogue of the book. This story now takes the extended family we've followed from the start of the series to new discoveries and finally the beginning of the trip home..must read... I'm waiting anxiously for the next book in the series!Card is a master in developing characters you care about or at least understand. His style is distinctive and memorable. I reco buying all the books in this series and can't wait for the next one.
Rating: Summary: Not as interesting as the Memory of Earth. Review: I just didn't find it as interesting as the first book in the series. This entire entry is just an interlude between the first one, which was truly marvelous, and the third one, which was also wonderful, and though it is good enough and has enough interest to get you through it, it is unavoidably apparent that it is just a description of events after and before important occurences in the series. The Call of Earth has not the magic of the sweeping introduction to Basilica that is in Memory, nor the exciting travelogue adventures in The Ships of Earth. This book should have been included as part of either the end of the first book or the beginning of the third. I did, however find it enjoyable enough and worth reading.
Rating: Summary: Card is a masterful storyteller Review: I started the Homecoming series doubting it could top the Ender series. But what I found is a rich and compelling story, filled with spiritual significance. In Call of Earth, Card continues Homecomings with an even stronger story than the first. Brillant writing and amazing integration of a creative story, strong character development, and deep themematic elements.
Rating: Summary: A great peice of literature. Review: I thoroughly enjoined this addition to the quintet. Never was there a time when I felt bored with the story line or discontent with the tempo. Orson Scott Card writes great literature. He ties in an underlying philosophy to every novel and set of books that he writes. After you read one of his books, you come away a better person than you were when you started. The Call of Earth is no exception. This book tells the story of a man fighting his whole life against the influences of god, only to realize that everything he that he does to resist only aids god in his final cause. It puts under the microscope what happens to people when they realize that maybe god isn't all knowing and that sometimes he needs help. The story is also displays humanity at its best (love, compassion, faith, empathy, and the ability to except the ideas of others), and at its worst (Greed, jealousy, lust, religious hysteria, and pride). The characters are all expanded upon nicely, and a few minor ones come in to the fore ground adding a refreshing change. The ending could not have been better written and I was not the least bit disappointed. If you're looking for action and adventure don't read the set. If you're looking for a story that will stick with you your whole life, by all means, indulge yourself!
Rating: Summary: A great peice of literature. Review: I thoroughly enjoined this addition to the quintet. Never was there a time when I felt bored with the storyline or discontent with the tempo. Orson Scott Card writes great literature. He ties in an underlying philosophy to every novel and set of books that he writes. After you read one of his books, you come away a better person than you were when you started. If you're looking for action and adventure don't read the set. If you're looking for a story that will stick with you your whole life, by all means, endulge yourself!
Rating: Summary: Nafai continues to listen to the voice of the Oversoul Review: I was fortunate that when I read "The Memory of Earth," the first volume in Orson Scott Card's "Homecoming: Harmony" series that I had the next, "The Call of Earth," on hand. Things were just getting interesting when the opening book of the five-volume series concluded, as young Nafai was following the dictates of the Oversoul, the benevolent super computer that has been watching over humanity since it arrived on the planet Harmony, 40 million years after the supposed destruction of Earth. But the Oversoul is breaking down and needs to heed the call of the Keeper of Earth and return for repairs. The Oversoul has been responsible for keeping mental blocks in place that prevent humans from engaging in warfare and other lesser activities. But as the computer grows weaker, Moozh, a great warrior intent on flouting the will of the Oversoul, has raised an army using forbidden technology and is ready to attack Basilica, home of Nafai and his family. However, taking actions to stoop Moozh only delays the effort to get the Oversoul back to Earth. While the quest to return to Earth is the driving story of the novel, the main appeal of "The Call of Earth" is the interaction between the main characters. Nafai's position as the Oversoul's chosen spokesperson makes him somewhat bolder in expressing his affections for Luet, the object of his affections, but puts him at odds against his older half-brothers Ellemak and Mebbekew, who are murderously jealous about the new order. These stories will remind you of Old Testament tales of prophetic visions and brothers bent on killing brothers, and the book's ending will have the same sort of biblical resonance. The Harmony part of this series concludes with the third volume, "The Ships of Earth," before moving on to the two Homecoming books. This is a lesser series by Card, but still reasonably interesting, mainly on the strength of the characters and the matriarchal society in which they live that allows for the selective use of technology. It seems to me that when Card writes a series the tempo slows down considerably; this time around he also seems particularly adept at prolonging the inevitable as long as possible.
Rating: Summary: Nafai continues to listen to the voice of the Oversoul Review: I was fortunate that when I read "The Memory of Earth," the first volume in Orson Scott Card's "Homecoming: Harmony" series that I had the next, "The Call of Earth," on hand. Things were just getting interesting when the opening book of the five-volume series concluded, as young Nafai was following the dictates of the Oversoul, the benevolent super computer that has been watching over humanity since it arrived on the planet Harmony, 40 million years after the supposed destruction of Earth. But the Oversoul is breaking down and needs to heed the call of the Keeper of Earth and return for repairs. The Oversoul has been responsible for keeping mental blocks in place that prevent humans from engaging in warfare and other lesser activities. But as the computer grows weaker, Moozh, a great warrior intent on flouting the will of the Oversoul, has raised an army using forbidden technology and is ready to attack Basilica, home of Nafai and his family. However, taking actions to stoop Moozh only delays the effort to get the Oversoul back to Earth. While the quest to return to Earth is the driving story of the novel, the main appeal of "The Call of Earth" is the interaction between the main characters. Nafai's position as the Oversoul's chosen spokesperson makes him somewhat bolder in expressing his affections for Luet, the object of his affections, but puts him at odds against his older half-brothers Ellemak and Mebbekew, who are murderously jealous about the new order. These stories will remind you of Old Testament tales of prophetic visions and brothers bent on killing brothers, and the book's ending will have the same sort of biblical resonance. The Harmony part of this series concludes with the third volume, "The Ships of Earth," before moving on to the two Homecoming books. This is a lesser series by Card, but still reasonably interesting, mainly on the strength of the characters and the matriarchal society in which they live that allows for the selective use of technology. It seems to me that when Card writes a series the tempo slows down considerably; this time around he also seems particularly adept at prolonging the inevitable as long as possible.
Rating: Summary: Oversoul? Try over-sold! Review: I'm quite a fan of Orson Scott Card, and I appreciate that he lets his faith infuse his writing. Although not a Morman, I recognize Card's inherent morality as one of his strong points. Unfortunately, in this book, and in this series, Card has gotten away from forming his writing by moral dilemmas, and instead has gotten into subtle propaganda for the LDS church. It's kind of like L. Ron Hubbard writing about Xebu or clams. The combination makes this work both below Card's normally excellent standards, and also not a very good book.
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