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Homecoming Saga #2

The Call of Earth

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As Harmony's Oversoul grows weaker, a great warrior has arisen to challenge its bans. His name is Moozh, and he has won control of an army using forbidden technology. now he is aiming his soldiers at the city of Basilica, that strong fortress above the Plain. Basilica remains in turmoil. Wetchik and his sons are not strong enough to stop a army. Can Rasa and her allies defeat him through intrigue, or will Moozh take the city and all who are in it?

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

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About the author

Orson Scott Card

891 books20.6k followers
Orson Scott Card is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is (as of 2023) the only person to have won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for his novel Ender's Game (1985) and its sequel Speaker for the Dead (1986). A feature film adaptation of Ender's Game, which Card co-produced, was released in 2013. Card also wrote the Locus Fantasy Award-winning series The Tales of Alvin Maker (1987–2003).
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
Profile Image for Alina.
865 reviews313 followers
April 24, 2023
Being the second book in the series, I was afraid it will be less interesting. Fortunately, my bias was wrong! The characters are developed even more, both good and evil are present in all of them.
Profile Image for Nicholas Kotar.
Author 39 books367 followers
April 14, 2022
In a lot of ways, this is a far superior book to The Memory of Earth. The big baddie, Moozh, is a wonderful character, and really kind of the hero of the entire book. He's deliciously complex, brilliant, ruthless, but so human that you can't help but understand and even root for him a little.

Especially considering how rotten to the core Basilica is. The sequence with the two sisters and their errant husbands in the beginning was just awful. But brilliant of Card to be able to distill the rot at the heart of Denmark, so to speak, in a single, brutal interaction between sisters.

Nafai, unfortunately, is largely sidelined here and comes off as a bit more sanctimonious, partly because we see him from the perspective of other characters more often than in book 1. But the conversation between him and Moozh is one of the best and most compelling character conversations I've read in a long time.

Still, as much as I enjoyed this, I still can't help having this nagging feeling in the back of my mind. The idea of a supercomputer as God is highly problematic, especially as it becomes clear that it feels no qualms about manipulating humans and basically treating them like livestock (um... Matrix, anyone?) And the fact that most of the "faithful" people continue to treat the Oversoul as God even when they realize it's a human-made computer... it's very icky.

I can't help thinking that behind this really well-crafted far future parable, there's a writer who is profoundly aware of the manipulative nature of his own Mormon church. There's a sense that he's simultaneously honoring his church but also calling into question its entire mythology.

Or maybe I'm just reading into it. In any case, it's compelling.
Profile Image for Rita Webb.
Author 10 books195 followers
April 9, 2009
Orson Scott Card has managed to do what Robert Jordan could not: he develops a world, characters, history, politics and blends it all together so seamlessly that you forget that it is just a story.

Like Robert Jordan's books, the cast has grown and the world has become more intricate in its politics and deeper in its culture, but unlike Jordan, Card pulls it all together. As a writer, I just shake my head with my mouth hanging open. How did he do it?

In The Call of Earth, the Oversoul realizes that it doesn't have all the answers. Maybe it needs to depend on the wisdom and wit of humans to find the answers. So begins another journey in the Homecoming series.
Profile Image for Travis Bow.
Author 5 books19 followers
July 25, 2015
Slow start, great finish... another character, idea, and theology study with just enough story in it to be readable and interesting.

There was one great dialogue that I thought was pretty thought provoking regarding belief in God. Which of the following is belief in God?
A) just a choice: based on preference rather than evidence
B) an undeniable fact: the only way to possibly explain the evidence
C) a deniable but probable fact (like a scientific theory): the most likely way to explain the evidence
D) kind of a working hypothesis: one of many equally likely ways to explain the evidence, chosen from those ways based on preference (Nafai's theory).

"The Oversoul has never fooled me," said Nafai. "Those who follow the Oversoul willingly are never lied to."
"You never catch the Oversoul in his lies, is what you mean," said Moozh.
"No!" cried Nafai. "No. The Oversoul doesn't lie to me because . . . because everything that it has promised me has come true. All of it has been true."
"Or it has made you forget the ones that didn't come true."
"If I wanted to doubt, then I could doubt endlessly," said Nafai. "But at some point a person has to stop questioning and act, and at that point you have to trust something to be true. You have to act as if something is true, and so you choose the thing you have the most reason to believe in, you have to live in the world that you have the most hope in. I follow the Oversoul, I believe the Oversoul, because I want to live in the world that the Oversoul has shown me."
"Yes, Earth," said Moozh scornfully.
"I don't mean a planet, I mean-I want to live in the reality that the Oversoul has shown me. In which lives have meaning and purpose. In which there's a plan worth following. In which death and suffering are not in vain because some good will come from them."
"All you're saying is that you want to deceive yourself."
"I'm saying that the story the Oversoul tells me fits all the facts that I see. Your story, in which I'm endlessly deceived, can also explain all those facts. I have no way of knowing that your story is not true-but you have no way of knowing that my story isn't true. So I will choose the one that I love. I'll choose the one that, if it's true, makes this reality one worth living in. I'll act as if the life I hope for is real life, and the life that disgusts me-your life, your view of life-is the lie. And it is a lie. You don't even believe in it yourself."
Profile Image for Mel Windham.
24 reviews2 followers
July 15, 2014
This second book of the series tells the story of what comes next. Nafai and his brothers must go back to their old city and bring back wives for their upcoming journey. Eventually they must find their way to Earth, where humanity began, and repopulate it.

In many respects, I found this book to be better than its predecessor. Orson Scott Card spends less time relying on the "Book of Mormon" and much more time fleshing out the characters. He even introduces new major characters that have no parallel in the "Book of Mormon." The writing itself also seems improved and definitely free of the errors I saw in the first book.

This may surprise some Mormons, but this book spends a lot of time talking about sex. It's nothing explicit, but rather it explores different attitudes toward sex. This might be expected, considering the main plot point is about marrying the characters off. One of the characters also turns out to be gay, where Card gives a surprisingly sympathetic point of view (well, surprising to those who think they fully understand Card's views).

Towards the end of the book, I saw the pages running out, and I wondered where Card was going, but as always, he ends with a very satisfying ending that ties everything together.
Profile Image for Celeste Batchelor.
328 reviews25 followers
July 22, 2013
I read this book because a person I mentor was reading it and I felt I needed to keep up with them and discuss it. I definitely WILL NOT be reading any more. I am thoroughly disgusted with this author using a story from scripture with such vulgarity.

I discussed with my mentee why I will not be reading any more of this series. It was a good discussion about choosing good classics vs. something others are raving about that may not fit with our personal goals.

NOTE TO PARENTS: This book contains material I find inappropriate for youth and adults. It is crude and unnecessary.
Profile Image for Nolan.
3,743 reviews38 followers
June 21, 2019
I read the first installment in this series many years ago, and I’ve had this one in reserve on my hard drive for years, savoring and anticipating what I was sure would be a great experience. I came away largely disappointed and questioning whether I want to continue with the series.

This is a hard review to write. This entire Homecoming series is loosely based on the First Book of Nephi, which is one of 15 books that comprise The Book of Mormon. I cannot stress hard enough the importance of the concept of loosely based.

The author attempts early on here to depict the evil that has befallen the city of Basilica. In so doing, he creates scenes that I found vulgar and somewhat explicit. Those early scenes are entirely Card’s creation. They do not occur at all in The Book of Mormon but I understand why they are there. Card is attempting to help you see why 14-year-old Nafai, and his family have been directed to leave the city and return from a long-ago colonized planet to Earth.

When Nafai’s planet was originally colonized, a computer called Oversoul was in charge of its affairs. Oversoul regulated the entire planet, preventing its citizenry from developing war-like technologies and doing what it could to stop the cities that were colonized from decaying into tribes or worse.

For a time, it succeeded, but as it aged, Oversoul knew it could no longer prevent the colonists from warring against one another. The only hope for the colonists lie with young Nafai and his family. That family had to return to Earth and alert the Earth’s keeper as to the decaying condition of the Oversoul computer.

In this second installment of the series, Nafai and his brothers seek wives from among the women of Basilica. You see brief glimpses into the characters of the women chosen. Nafai’s mother is depicted here as some kind of sophisticate who understands the intrigue and machinations of the city’s politics, but a woman who is faithfully married to Nafai’s father, who barely figures into this book. Nafai’s wife is 13-year-old Luet, and she is portrayed here as being more virtuous and magnificent than anyone should ever be, especially at that age.

I won’t belabor your time much more with any additional plot information. I suppose I’ll give book three a try at some point in the event that it becomes and enthralling story again as it was in book one.
Profile Image for Jeff Koeppen.
688 reviews53 followers
May 12, 2023
The Call of Earth is the second installment of the five book series called Homecoming. The planet Harmony is inhabited by humans who are the descendants of people who fled a ruined earth a long time ago, and which is monitored by an orbiting satellite called the Oversoul. Somehow, all the people of Harmony are genetically altered so that the Oversoul can speak to their minds and influence their thoughts and actions. This was all set up by original settlers so that the Oversoul could maintain peace on the planet, and prevent the invention of certain technologies which would lead to weaponry, etc., which lead to the downfall of Earth. Well, the Oversoul is getting old and worn down and it is losing its ability to perform its duties, and things are starting to unravel on Harmony.

The story follows the continuing adventures of main characters, Nafai, who, along with a number of others in his family, is receiving messages through dreams from the Oversoul. The messages are instructing them to leave their city, Basilica, as a warlord who appears to be exempt from the Oversoul's influence is gathering an army and intends to take Basilica and other lands. The Oversoul has a plan but will it succeed, given that its powers of influence over the people are waning?

Like the first novel, I thought the concept was interesting and the plot moved along at a nice pace. The characters continue to become more fleshed out and their plight continues to become more serious as events unfold. And the antagonist warlord is a complex and unique character compared to the rest of the cast we've grown to know. I liked The Call of Earth better than The Memory of Earth and I thought it finished strong, unlike it's predecessor. It's got me on the hook now.
I don't think it's anywhere as good as the Ender series but definitely worth continuing on with at this point.
Profile Image for Karen.
180 reviews9 followers
February 28, 2019
3.5 stars
That didn't end up going at all where I thought it was going. It was a good read, but not great.

General Moozh was my favourite character for being so different from all the others, but perhaps he wasn't so different after all. There was a definite ending to some of the storylines, but I can see how others will continue in the next book, and I'm not sure I'll find it as enjoyable, but we shall see! Honestly these 300 pages could have been 100 - in the sense of it reading very quickly, and there being a lot of extra information that didn't seem useful at all, though may come up in later books.

Hopefully it won't take me as long to get around to book 3 as it did for between books 1 & 2.
Profile Image for Amos Lamb.
195 reviews5 followers
November 2, 2021
Better than Homecoming, Orson Scott Caard has a much better grasp at fleshing out the world in this sequel. It definitely meanders at times but overall the writing is sharper, the pacing is much better and the character of Moozh is a far better antagonist.
Profile Image for Jake.
29 reviews10 followers
Read
June 28, 2010
I really did not like the story. I had to stop reading it. The series is just a fantastical account of the Book Mormon stories. Not my thing, even though Card is an amazing author. He should stick to more "Ender" books.
Profile Image for Xabi1990.
2,126 reviews1,386 followers
February 8, 2019
Aunque no es una saga (saga del Retorno) muy valorada del autor, a mí los 5 libros que la componen me gustaron mucho. 8/10 todos y cada uno de ellos. Yo sí la recomiendo de pleno.
Profile Image for David Ryan.
457 reviews7 followers
September 5, 2018
Not going to continue the series - got too bogged down for me
Profile Image for Damián Lima.
583 reviews44 followers
April 27, 2021
Continuación directa de La memoria de la Tierra, no tan bueno como aquel, sobre todo porque este segundo libro de la “Saga del Retorno” meramente continúa, por momentos con poca audacia y dando vueltas sobre sí mismo, lo que el primero había “creado” (las comillas son por El Libro del Mormón, Orson).

Este segundo capítulo de las desventuras de Nafai y su familia introduce a un nuevo personaje, interesante, rebuscado, con algunos altibajos: el general Moozh, quien a través de una enredada maraña de motivaciones llega con su ejército a Armonía para ejercer la función de tirano que la muerte de Gaballufix dejó vacante. Al mismo tiempo, la narración deja de lado por completo a dos personajes importantes del primer libro: Volemak, el Wetchik, y el hermano paralítico, Issib. Una pena, porque la relación y los diálogos entre Nafai e Issib eran de lo mejor, y la misión de Volemak en el desierto era una de las más atractivas promesas narrativas (supongo que habrá que esperar al tercer libro para ello).

La organización de la narración es bastante interesante. Cada capítulo se inicia con el sueño visionario de alguno de los personajes, para luego desenvolverse hacia una escena que no es soñada. Hay un sueño recurrente que varios experimentan, sobre dos seres, unos alados, otros como ratas, que queda sin explicación y prepara lo que vendrá. La narración se centra mucho más en los personajes femeninos de la historia: Rasa, sus hijas y sus sobrinas. Algunas de las líneas son interesantes y están bien desarrolladas. Otras son bastante estúpidas, como la relación entre Kokor y Sevet. En definitiva, se plantean algunas cuestiones llamativas, pero se pierde y deja de lado la posibilidad de profundizar y complejizar temas que ya eran interesantes, así como las personalidades de los personajes más atractivos, como Nafai, Luet o Elemak. Un ejemplo: Nafai había cometido asesinato bajo la coerción del Alma Suprema y esto parecía que iba a traer grandes contradicciones y complicaciones a su personalidad, pero nada, absolutamente nada sucede al respecto, y el tema apenas es mencionado.

Algunos puntos flojos son que la historia no parece avanzar, sino dar vueltas sobre sí misma y quedarse a la espera de lo que está por venir. Si en mi reseña de La memoria de la Tierra llamé a esa novela “una especie de prólogo de 350 páginas”, en este caso La llamada de la Tierra podría pensarse (siendo malvado) como una nota al pie de 350 páginas, una historia bastante irrelevante a nivel general, que lo único que hace es sumar un problema al principio de la novela (la llegada de Moozh) y se encarga de resolver esa situación durante todo su desarrollo, sin avanzar en nada en cuanto a la misión migratoria de Volemak o la relación de los personajes con Alma Suprema, incluso en su conocimiento del destino que esta les depara. La trama también tiene momentos flojos e inverosímiles, normalmente justificados por las manipulaciones que Alma Suprema ejerce sobre los personajes. Hay también una cierta cantidad de momentos “cursis” que producen la sensación de estar leyendo a un autor novato y adolescente que recién escribe sus primeras palabras. Espero no estar siendo demasiado cruel con el buen Orson, uno de mis primeros amores del género ciencia ficción, pero creo que muchos aspectos de este libro dejan bastante que desear, y en general uno se queda con una sensación de vacío o falta que el primer libro no producía.

Tiene sus muy buenos momentos. La conversación final entre Nafai y Moozh es uno de ellos, una escena atrapante que mantiene un buen nivel de tensión y produce unos diálogos bastante inteligentes. Quizá citar un fragmento pueda dar una idea de esos buenos momentos que deja La llamada de la Tierra:

“Si quisiera dudar, podría dudar hasta el cansancio. Pero en algún momento una persona debe dejar de cuestionar para empezar a actuar, y en ese punto es preciso confiar en alguna verdad. Debes actuar como si algo fuera cierto, así que escoges aquello en lo que más crees, vives en el mundo en el cual depositas más esperanzas. Yo sigo al Alma Suprema, creo en el Alma Suprema, porque quiero vivir en el mundo que ella me ha mostrado.”
Profile Image for Benjamin.
Author 21 books27 followers
September 19, 2024



After being so disappointed with The Memory of Earth , I'm surprised I gave the second volume in the Homecoming series a chance. I figured Orson Scott Card could have got things on track by this book, getting rid of all the unnecessary fluff and useless ramblings. Instead, The Call of Earth made it clear to me that I will not be continuing this series. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I think part of the problem with this series is how it's written. Having recently read an eye-opening book on identifying "Show versus Tell," it shocked me how much of this book was written with "Tell" language. Granted, a lot of science fiction and fantasy books have to do this to explain interesting magic or technologies. The Call of Earth, however, spent another whole book stuck in this pseudo-Roman society that most people can easily visualize. I'm still convinced he threw this series together to meet a deadline, because it has never felt that inspired.

What's most frustrating is knowing that it could be better. I was expecting this book to be about leaving their planet in search of Earth. Instead, they merely talked about it for 10 hours. None of the characters stood out to me, and whatever plot was there was so forgettable, I don't even care to look up what it was. I get that not every author is going to have all their books be amazing or thought-provoking. But two in a row doesn't give me much hope that the other three books in this series will be any better.

Another disappointing entry in Card's Homecoming series, I give The Call of Earth 2.0 stars out of 5.
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Profile Image for Socrate.
6,745 reviews268 followers
July 30, 2021
Computerul principal al planetei Harmony nu era proiectat să intervină atât de direct în problemele oamenilor. Era profund tulburat de faptul că tocmai îl provocase pe tânărul Nafai să-l ucidă pe Gaballufix. Dar cum să se întoarcă pe Pământ fără Catalog? Şi cum să obţină Nafai Catalogul fără să-l ucidă pe Gaballufix? Nu exista o altă cale.
Sau exista? Sunt bătrân, îşi spuse computerul principal. Am patruzeci de milioane de ani, o maşinărie proiectată să dureze nici pe departe atât de mult. Cum să fiu sigur că judecata mea este corectă? Am provocat moartea unui om, iar tânărul Nafai suferă de remuşcări şi vinovăţie pentru ceea ce l-am împins să facă. Şi totul pentru a duce Catalogul înapoi la Zvezdakroog, ca să mă întorc pe Pământ.
Dacă aş putea sta de vorbă cu Păstrătorul Pământului. Dacă mi-ar zice cum să procedez. Atunci aş acţiona cu încredere. Nu m-aş mai îndoi de fiecare decizie, nu m-aş mai întreba dacă nu cumva tot ceea ce fac este produsul propriei mele decăderi.
Avea disperată nevoie să discute cu Păstrătorul, însă n-avea cum decât întorcându-se pe Pământ. Era un cerc frustrant. Computerul principal nu putea acţiona înţelept fără ajutorul Păstrătorului; trebuia să acţioneze înţelept ca să ajungă la acesta.
Şi acum? Şi acum? Este nevoie de inteligenţă, totuşi cine să mă îndrume? Am imens mai multe cunoştinţe decât poate stăpâni orice om, şi totuşi nu am alte minţi decât cele umane ca să mă sfătuiască.
Era oare posibil să fie de ajuns? Nici un computer nu ar fi vreodată atât de strălucitor de dezordonat ca un creier uman. Oamenii iau cele mai uluitoare decizii doar pe baza unor fragmente de date, deoarece creierul lor le recombină în moduri stranii şi pline de adevăr. Ar fi cu siguranţă posibil ca de la ei să se extragă unele idei utile.
1,681 reviews8 followers
April 16, 2025
The planet Harmony, some thousand light years from Earth, was settled some 40 million years ago by humans fleeing some disaster taking place on the home planet. A series of orbiting satellites run by an artificial intelligence computer known as the Oversoul, can control and monitor the populace through dream messages, accessible and interpreted by those particularly sensitive. Recently the messaging has become more urgent and seems to be indicating a desire for a return to Earth for the purpose of reseeding its biosphere with seed stock on Harmony. Meanwhile unrest has accelerated on Harmony, with the leaders of both the ruling house and its major opposition in the city of Basilica murdered by a young relative, Nafai, and his mother’s husband has exiled himself in the desert with his other sons. A power-hungry general known as Moozh has taken advantage of this unrest and has launched a successful offensive on the women-led city while it is in riot. Against his Imperator’s direct orders. A sequel to The Memory Of Earth, Orson Scott Card has given us a more nuanced character-driven book which gives us a deep dive into their motivations and demeanours. With a vaguely New Testament feel, it is nonetheless an entertaining book without advancing the overarching plot much.
Profile Image for Harold.
122 reviews
January 24, 2018
Card's world building on Harmony continues in his second book of the Homecoming series. The Call of Earth starts immediately where The Memory of Earth left off. Basilica, the city of women, is breaking with Wetchik in his self exile, Gaballufix's death at the hands of Nafai, and Gaballufix's militia beginning to rebel against an order that has been in the city for centuries. Along comes a "hero" who is there to clam this storm but really to make Basilica his own.

In this book the main character of Nafai plays not a lesser role but is written about less than the previous book. The Call of Earth focuses more on the Wetchik's family ties and other surrounding characters that the Oversoul is affecting to accomplish its plans for a return to Earth.

The Call of Earth is the direct continuation of The Memory of Earth. It continues to use the Oversoul as a stand in for God. Card does a great job showing the struggles that a person has with God and the questions a person asks in times of happiness and in times of sadness. Ultimately I think that one of Card's messages in the book is that you cannot escape the will of God even if you defy God.
Profile Image for Frank R..
360 reviews6 followers
February 28, 2025
This was going to be a two star review because of all the ridiculous political machinations and focus on a new character, the General. However, once I slogged through it and got to the late climax of this one, I feel all the slogging was worth it.

Truly, I did not see the ending of this one coming and Card still has the ability to “wow” outside the Ender Series! This book is also one of the few sequels that turns out to be better than the first book, but I imagine it’s because he wrote each volume with the entire series in mind and used the first book as a mere setup for the rest of the plot to unfold across four more books.

It’s also nice to see that the philotic connections (though they are not identified as such) are alive and well, uniting people in a mysterious universe that includes the Outside of the Ender Series! This series is biblical in scope and reads like the establishment of the patriarchal Abrahamic lineage of the Hebrews as they depart from civilization in search of a promised land. On this time, it’s Earth.
Profile Image for Bryan.
712 reviews23 followers
September 22, 2017
This parts of the Homecoming story explores the dynamics of marriage and sex in a society that is run by women. It is barely science fiction. It reminds me a little of Ursula Le Guin, except Le Guin is much more obvious and usually stretches the boundaries of relationships even more.

This story sends our group back to the the city of Bascilica to find wives. That is an interesting challenge because the marriage customs in the city are to be married for one year at a time. This mission to find wives is the reason there is so much discussion of marriage and sex in this book.

During this story there is also a political power struggle in the city of Bascilica. The Overseer (the supercomputer acting as god in this society) continues to manipulate the group to lead a group of people on a colonization mission.

The story is slow paced. There is not much progress toward the colonization mission, but there is some interesting dynamics explored in the relationships.
Profile Image for Tom Steele.
97 reviews8 followers
July 12, 2024
I found the parallels to Christianity to be the very thing that made this so good. I respect that a lot of people might not care for this, but if you go in knowing that Card clearly wrote these (and Worthing Saga) to discuss religious (Christian) themes in an analogous way, then the story is in many ways quite brilliant.

Two major concepts are discussed in the series. One is the analog to Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus. The other is the concept of Hell being a disconnect from our creator, rather than a punitive torture.

I enjoyed the series as both sci-fi and a look at some Biblical concepts through a different lens.

(It has been quite some time since I read this series so I don’t recall which books were specifically based on each story, so this review is perhaps more of the series than a single book. I enjoyed them all very much though. I find Card’s writing style to be VERY comfortable and easy to read, so for me most of his novels are good reading.)
Profile Image for Steven Brandt.
380 reviews28 followers
June 20, 2013
Mankind fled the Earth after finally destroying it with their weapons of mass destruction. The few humans left after the holocaust vowed never to let their species develop the ability to destroy itself again. And so, when they colonized the planet Harmony, some 1000 light years from Earth, they built a super-intelligent computer, calling it the Oversoul, to watch over their descendants. For almost 40 million years the Oversoul did what it was programmed to do, guiding humanity and always steering their thoughts away from any inventions that could lead to war on a large scale. Then the Oversoul’s network of satellites orbiting the planet began to deteriorate and the thoughts of men began to return to conquest and greed.

According to its programming, if the Oversoul ever lost control of its charges it was to gather up a faithful few and lead them into the desert, where the great ships still lay waiting with the purpose of returning them to Earth: an Earth which should by this time have healed itself, to begin again. The Oversoul searched Harmony and found fourteen-year-old Nafai and his family.

It will not be an easy road for Nafai. As the youngest member of his family, he will have to convince his three older brothers to follow him into the desert. And that’s not all. The Oversoul’s purpose is to begin a new colony on Earth, so Nafai will also have to get his brothers to find wives to go along and a scientist who can restore some of the useful plants and animals they will need.

But what will the brave travelers find if they make it to Earth? The Oversoul often speaks to the people of Harmony through dreams but now some of the key players are receiving dreams from somewhere else. The Oversoul admits that it does not precisely know where the rogue dreams are coming from but thinks it may be the Keeper of Earth, an even more powerful computer left behind to watch over the planet and call its children back when the time was right. But what message is the Keeper sending? The dreams are full of hairy flying creatures and giant rats that burrow in the ground. Is the Keeper truly calling them home, or is it warning them away?

The Call of Earth is the second book in Orson Scott Card’s epic Homecoming series. Card is doing a nice job of piecing the story together. Nafai had a hard enough time convincing his father and brothers to leave their home and go on the Oversoul’s errand, but it is unlikely he could ever have convinced the women to leave behind their comfortable existence.

That’s where General Moozh comes in. Moozh figured out a long time ago that there was something like a deity watching over Harmony. He also noticed that whenever his thoughts turned to war and conquest it became more and more difficult to focus on a clear path. Rather than follow the Oversoul’s urgings, Moozh trained himself to fight against the urges, and follow his own path toward glory. That’s what brings Moozh to the city of Basilica as a conqueror.

Moozh isn’t quite as clever as he thinks, however. The Oversoul knows that Moozh can resist it and so uses the old reverse psychology trick on him. Whatever the Oversoul wants Moozh to do, it urges him in the opposite direction, therefore getting exactly what it wants from Moozh anyway. This is an important piece of the puzzle because if Moozh had not come to conquer Basilica, the women would never have left their beloved city with Nafai and the men. Everything fits together nice and neat.

Having said all that, I have to admit that the pacing was a bit slow on this one. Card showed us an important piece of the puzzle here but I really felt like he took too long developing it. I mean, General Moozh conquered Basilica and all sixteen of the travelers finally come together in the desert to prepare for their journey and that’s pretty much all that happened. I didn’t feel like there was enough plot development here to warrant an entire book. But if you skip this one the rest of the series won’t make as much sense, so there you go.

The most interesting thing to me about The Call of Earth , and the series as a whole so far, is the parallel Card seems to be drawing to the bible. In the scriptures, God placed man on Earth, a fresh and unspoiled planet. Over time, man became more distant from God, following His urgings less and less. Finally, God got fed up and destroyed the Earth choosing one faithful family, Noah and his sons, to board the ark and be spared to start over. In Card’s Homecoming series so far, we’ve seen mankind placed on a new, unspoiled planet with the Oversoul as their guide and protector. Over time, man listens to the Oversoul less and less until finally the Oversoul chooses one faithful family to spare while the rest are presumably left to war and devastation. It hasn’t happened yet but Nafai and his family are on their way to board their ark, a spaceship this time, and have a whole new world to start over in. Kind of makes me wonder if Orson Scott Card is a religious man.

The Call of Earth , and the entire Homecoming series is narrated by sci-fi regular Stefan Rudnicki. There isn’t much I can say about Rudnicki that I haven’t said already. He’s a good narrator that never becomes dull after a while like some. You’ll never go wrong with a Stefan Rudnicki narration.

So the die is cast and the key players have finally come together. I can’t wait for them to make the trip to Earth and see what the planet has been doing for the last 40 million years without the plague of man on it.

Steven Brandt @ Audiobook-Heaven
Profile Image for Rachel Giffin.
10 reviews
July 19, 2017
I try to give every book I read the benefit of the doubt. This book was actually recommended to a friend to thought I'd like it, so I read it to be polite. That being said, I wouldn't have finished it except someone else asked me to read it.

Card has definitely written better stories. This one was just weird - the society was weird, the characters were weird, the plot was weird. I couldn't stop squirming as I read it. It was not enjoyable. I don't even remember what the book was about because I was stuck on all the weirdness to notice.

However, that doesn't mean it isn't a good book. It just wasn't my kind of book. It was disappointing after the first book, because the first one was much better. But you can't win them all, I guess.
Profile Image for Nathaniel.
Author 33 books282 followers
April 5, 2020
3.5 rounded up to a four because I couldn't give this three...

Why do I love this series so much yet also... find it hard to love? This is only book two, though I will probably read the rest of these books this month. Orson Scott Card has created such a cool planet. Basilica is my favorite fictional city I have ever read about and the characters... they're so deep and engrossing. I love the traditions in this book, the dialogue, and the humour.

I really don't know how to properly talk about this book. I highly recommend these books to anyone looking for classic sci-fi feels. It's such a fun reading experience.
968 reviews4 followers
October 7, 2021
So, I did find out how all the primary characters got back together as I had hoped. Another person, who one might have thought was important, and who did provide some important context, turned out to be a passing fad. That was well done. Most interestingly, another person closely related to the primary characters was gradually introduced and eventually connected to the passing fad, then left behind as well. All of this advanced to story and connections of the key players. Good stuff. As before, the ending does not end the story but is a reasonable stopping point. Kind of like another night of a thousand and one nights. Still an old school presentation.
548 reviews
October 31, 2024
First 2 books = Strong 3
Next 2 books = 3
Last book = 3 but with higher highs and lower lows, will write a separate review

I liked these books, but the character development felt quite stagnant (Elemak's shenanigans got old the Nth time with nobody learning anything) and Nafai's Jesus-like behavior was... expected, given that this whole story is a religious allegory, but not that compelling.

I liked the worldbuilding of Basilica (which featured in books 1-2) and the different species on Earth (which featured in book 4).

The characters were just ok, although OSC did a good job juggling multiple viewpoints in the ensemble cast.
Profile Image for David.
391 reviews5 followers
September 27, 2025
Coming off the strong start of The Memory of Earth, this second book kept me hooked. I enjoyed the overall story and the way Card adds layers of complexity through political intrigue and shifting alliances. Like with the first book, there were times I had to pause and remember who was connected to whom, but that didn’t take away from the experience.

I first found this series through Audible since it was included in my subscription, and I kept going because I wanted to see where it would lead. I had also enjoyed Ender’s Game before, and while this feels very different, Card’s ability to create compelling worlds is just as strong here.
Profile Image for Will Hudson.
229 reviews1 follower
March 23, 2019
Another great addition to this world that Card created. He is very good at creating characters that you either love or despise, with a few thrown in that live in the grey areas of life. You get into these characters and feel for them. You may not always understand their motivations, but you see where they are coming from. It's easy to see Scott's religious influence in this store more so than say Ender's game. I know that turns off a lot of people, but it doesn't bother me. I firmly believe that we all believe in something.

I am interested in seeing where this goes in the next chapter.
Profile Image for Steve R.
1,055 reviews65 followers
Read
August 23, 2019
The second volume in Card's Homcoming series about the events on planet Harmony. Macropolitical struggles between different cities are matched by micropersonal intrigues, principally centering on who is to marry whom, while the overarching problems of the decline of the Oversoul program casts an ominous shadow over the future of these people and their planet. Again, engaging espcially in terms of his characterizations, and supposedly based on the early historyu of the Mormons in western America.
Profile Image for Dawn.
1,668 reviews16 followers
July 10, 2023
The Oversoul is gathering the appropriate people together to go into the desert. The couples will have to be monogamous and eventually propagate the new population of Earth. Things are not going as planned and now the family has to wait on the Oversoul to somehow get their whole party out of the city with the supplies they need to survive.

Again the audiobook narrator killed it. Love his voice! This one was full of intrigue and political movement. The family is atrocious and they all hate each other. The ending was pretty good. I am moving on to the next book in the series.
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