It's hard for me to quite tell what I think of this book. On the one hand, the book is a kind of synthesis of the Old Testament. Important: it is not the Old Testament, or a parable representing the Old Testament. Events and scenes do not add up to the Old Testament, and the reader should not try to force them to fit it; that would be both artificial and superficial. It is clear that there is considerable influence from Old Testament writings, but the book is its own literary unit. Even so, there are a lot of scenes that help the modern reader make sense of some of the more difficult passages of scripture. If a person wants to actually understand the Book of Leviticus, reading this book will go a long way (for example, by presenting the situation of a nomadic people, and the effect of that environment on unequal legal punishment between men and women). I also appreciate Card being brutally honest about the flaws of his characters. They are a ''tribe,'' but they are not a tribe full of indescriminatingly good characters - just as we'd have to expect in a real tribe. Card doesn't get foolishly sentimental about his characters, unlike some authors.On the other hand, I'm sure I didn't like the deus ex machina at the end (and no, it's not comparable to the Incarnation, though Card may have thought so - I only write that to say that I'm not saying I don't appreciate the Incarnation). There are some clever problems, but those are not generally accompaniedby clever solutions. Also, while Card doesn't get sentimental about his characters as a whole, he does do so with a few of them individually. Luet and her sister seem to have no flaws - which in addition to ostracizing them from the group somewhat, also ostrasizes them in the reader's mind: they look fake against the other, obviously-flawed characters.Overall, parts of ''The Ships of Earth'' have catechetical potential for understanding the Old Testament, but is not a great piece of literature.
The Ships of Earth (1994) 352 pages by Orson Scott Card.This is the third book in the Homecoming series. Forty million years ago the human race sent colonists to Harmony. They stripped themselves of all means of global warfare and built a super computer to guide men away from the things that could lead to nuclear war. But this computer, the Oversoul, is beginning to have less control. Some of the forbidden items are beginning to be made. I could have sworn when I read the first ones they were I of II and II of II. Although this one picked up almost immediately after the previous book left off it was definitely the first two logically went together. The first two books focus on events in Basilica, and at the end our main characters leave the city to be the group that helps the computer repair itself.The Ships of Earth starts with our group of 16 hand chosen, by the Oversoul, men and women in the desert south of Basilica. The book follows the journey of the eight couples, their struggles, which are mostly with the group dynamics. Several members want to return to Basilica or to a city, the tension between Nafai and Elemak. These are Card's characters and he can have them act however he wants them to act, but they are a little bit on the soap opera side with their behavior. Then again how interesting would it be if there was no murderous rage between some of the characters.If you can accept the extremeness of the characters' emotions, there is a fairly good underlying plot, and the interactions of the characters is compelling just like a soap opera. If you enjoyed the first two in the homecoming series this is one you will also like. I am deciding whether I should continue on with Earthfall immediately or pick out something for a change of pace. It will be sooner rather than later.
What do You think about The Ships Of Earth (1995)?
Book 3 moves many years forward as the Basilican exiles form a new life in the desert. They will found a town, have many children and discover the location of the Oversoul.Through the years, Elemak, Vas and Mebbekew have not learned to accept the Oversoul and respect Nafai. Their human jealousy and pettiness cause a lot of strife.The large picture of rebuilding Earth is lost to them. I felt that getting bogged down in the day to day life shouldn't make us forget a higher purpose. Nafai and Volemak never forget the higher purpose of their life even when it isn't the easy choice.
—Mukta Mohapatra
The Oversoul, a computer built by humans escaping the destruction of Earth's ability to support life, has been guiding human evolution over the last 40 billion years to better be able to communicate with it and calm their destructive tendencies. Now the Keeper of Earth is calling that it is time to recolonize Earth. A group of 16 colonists has been selected by the Oversoul for being the top of its selective evolutionary process, but that does not mean that they are inclined to work together or even for the Oversoul's goals.There where a bunch of ideas here that you could really go on about in some length. One of them that could provide some particularly interesting conversation is the change from the characters living in a serial monogamous matriarchal culture to that of a permanent monogamous patriarchal one. Although the author does not present either matriarchal or patriarchal systems as superior, he does seem to have strong feelings about monogamy and homosexuality.I actually managed to read this book all the way to the last page without realizing that it was the 3rd book in the Homecoming Series. Card leaves no gaps though, and it is perfectly readable without feeling that you are missing anything.
—Omly
I still enjoy the series, but once again there were moments in this book that felt weird to me because it is a scripture story that I grew up with. Most of the time I don't think about the correlation between the two, but there were moments where I felt it was being flung in my face. I guess I should explain that I love the scripture story so I'm not sure that I am comfortable with the tweaks and changes that make it good science fiction. Does that make sense. For example, when I read the scriptures I don't sit and think about who was sleeping with who and whether or not it was good.Still a good story though.
—Charity Bradford
