The Memory of Earth

Homecoming, Volume 1

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

High above the planet Harmony, the Oversoul watches. Its task, programmed so many millennia ago, is to guard the human settlement on this planet, to protect this fragile remnant of Earth from all threats...to protect them, most of all, from themselves.

The Oversoul has done its job well. There is no war on Harmony. There are no weapons of mass destruction. There is no technology that could lead to weapons of war. By control of the data banks, and subtle interference in the very thoughts of the people, the artificial intelligence has fulfilled its mission.

But now there is a problem. In orbit, the Oversoul realizes that it has lost access to some of its memory banks, and some of its power systems are failing. And on the planet, men are beginning to think about power, wealth, and conquest.

©1992 Orson Scott Card (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"I'm hooked....A thoroughly enjoyable piece of storytelling. What the heck - bring on number two." ( Chicago Tribune)
"Card is a master storyteller, and The Memory of Earth is eminently readable." ( The Seattle Times)

Just loved the story and characters

Just loved the story and characters and looking forward to listening to the others in the series

Mr. Card paints a fascinating scenery.

Mr Rudnicki lowers his voice too much to show whispering but he is always enjoyable to listen to.

Great Story

As usual, Orson Scott Card writes an intriguing story, and Stephen Rudniki brings it to life with his narration.

sodom and gomorrah, sci-fi style

This series is very entertaining, especially if you've studied the bible and like SCI-FI. And I love the narrator.

I loved listening to this book.

Would you listen to The Memory of Earth again? Why?

Yes, Stefan Rudnicki, has an amazing voice and Card has a wonderfully creative story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Oversoul. I like the logic and compassion that the computer has as it watches over humanity.

What about Stefan Rudnicki’s performance did you like?

My father never read to me as a child, if he had, I would have wanted him to sound just like Stefan! It is almost melodic, but he never makes you sleepy just relaxed enough that the story can take hold of you.

Definitely not Ender's Game

In all ways, this is mediocre. I finished it, but this is not a book I will ever revisit. And I doubt I'll ever finish the series unless a review tells me it miraculously changes for the better.

The Book of Mormon w/ Scifi Overlay

I'm enjoying it, but can you just rip off the Book of Mormon like that? it's literally the plot, taken from the LDS religious text... kinda... bold?

Iffy in the beginning, amazing by the end

The first few chapters felt a little cheesy to me, but I was amazed by the end, and now I can't wait to listen to the next one!

This is the first book by Orson Scott Card I've read/listened to. I loved the world he created, the plot, and the dynamics between all the characters.

Entertaining approach to SciFi

I like the characters, brotherly rivalry. Some family interactions could be a little more realistic. The long view of the world of Harmony was interesting and I can't wait for more. I hope Card gets into the morality of the Over Soul more than he seemed to in this book.
The Narrator was fantastic. He is always great and gets out of the way so you can enjoy the story. I don't think I once thought about the narration. Was too involved.

Typical OSC book...

Fan of OSC and all of his books. I enjoyed the story and I must admit that the ideas presented within this series are starting to intrigue me, but this just seems to have a very similar feeling as many of his other books/series.

Granted I will still read all of them because I enjoy the narrative style, but if I had to describe it to another person, I would say more of the same.