Imagine, a world with no war. For forty million years, humankind has lived in the world of Harmony with no war. Forty million years ago, humanity made the Earth unlivable. Some humans left in search of a new world. They wanted to ensure that they would not follow the same path. To that end, they created the "Oversoul", a series of satellites that could exercise control over the humans below through a sort of implant genetically engineered to be in every human on Harmony. Not only did it prevent war, but it also shared all of the knowledge, literature and art produced by humanity with the rest of the planet.
Basilica, the city of women, was the envy of the planet. However, after forty million years, the Oversoul is beginning to weaken. Some satellites have been lost; memory systems are beginning to fail. Men are beginning to lust for power. Basilica is in the way.
In this first book of Homecoming, Card introduces most of the major characters of the series. Luet, the waterseer, who has a special connection to the oversoul. Rasa, one of the most influential women of Basilica. Nafai, fourth born son, but with his older brother Issib, a cripple, have a stronger connection to the Oversoul than their two older brothers. Gaballufix, would be conquerer of Basilica. Card does an excellent job of developing his characters and makes this book compelling reading.
In the second book of this series, the oversoul continues to weaken. It can no longer make 'stupid' men who are bound and determined to violiate its will. A man named Moozh is determined to do just that. With an army using forbidden technology, he comes to Basilica under the guise of protecting her, but truly desires to own her.
All the while, the heros of the story work to accomplish the Oversouls will. In so doing, they learn that there is also a Keeper of Earth. Earth is ready for humanity to return! Those who are chosen must leave the city and embark on an incredible journey. Unfortunately, Lady Rasa is under house arrest, Moozh determined never to let her go and allowed them to serve the Oversoul. Mooze, in attempting to becaome a Basilican, attemted to marry one of her girls. He is met with a startling surprise that forces him to relent and send the heros of the story on their way.
Card maintains his supurb writing in this continuation of the Homecoming Series. More characters are introduced. All sixteen travellers have been developed. Each have distint personalities and from Card's clarity of writing, each are easy to imagine. The continuation of a masterpiece.
Exiled from Basilica, how will our group of sixteen survive in the desert. Some are devoted to the Oversoul, others have no allegiance to this computer that wants them to travel through the desert and eventually travel to this place called "Earth". How will the group deal with those willing to do all to thwart this mission? How will the group deal with the murderous at heart? How will they travel through the desert, especially when sixteen becomes more than thirty? How will they react when they find paradise on the route? How will they react when Nafai solves the mystery and begins readying the ships for the long journey to Earth? The answers may surprise you.
Card keeps you in the edge of your seat with his skillful writing, character development, and plot development. You never know quite where the story is going to go, or how the group will get out of its predicaments. Compelling reading.
After forty million years, humanity has returned to Earth. Has such a long time in Harmony guided by the Oversoul trained out of humans the very things that caused them to have to leave Earth in the first place, or is the relationship between Elemak and Nafai going to fester and become the genesis of the ills of Earth from long before.
Complicating matters is the prescence of two additional sentient species, the "Angels" and "Diggers". How will Elemak and Nafai and the other humans deal with these two species? Will they use them?
Card's compelling well-written series doesn't disappoint. His characters continue to develop and there are always surprises throughout. Few science fiction series have such complex, well-developed characters as the Homecoming series.
