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corvingreene's review
3.0
I loved this series as a kid, though now that I know Orson Scott Card is a nasty LDS homophobe, and that this series is, essentially, a re-telling of the Book of Mormon, I'm much less interested/impressed.
itsbean's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
diabolicalwaffle's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
zeydejd's review
2.0
second book in the homecoming saga, again, it was just okay. it really did very little to move the plot of the story along though. it felt like a filler book, a book that could have really been written in maybe a couple chapters of another book. that is to say, it didn't seem to drag on. orson scott card has a talent for never making a book feel like that. still, by the end, i said to myself: what was the point of that book?
olivas512's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
craftingrama's review against another edition
3.0
a bit long winded in parts it was ok the narrator was good will have to continue on to find out what happened
winterscomin's review
3.0
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.
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.
littlemimus's review
2.0
(This is a quick note of my thoughts on the book; nothing formal)
This book wasn't a big improvement on the last one, if at all. Well, to give Card some credit, he made sure there was appropriate chaos and conflict following the (oh so convenient) death of Gaballufix in Book 1. At least it was realistic in that he shows how there are consequences to every action. However, the politics in the book (concerning Basilica) are still way to simplistic and have some faults. Also, the story hasn't really progressed much and the characters havn't really started on their great adventure/mission yet. I'm starting to get... a BIT... impatient. Ok, I'll read book three, but if I'm still left unsatisfied, I'm dropping this series. My love for Card's books only goes so far!
As a side note, there is still so much drama in this book. I mean, the beginning conflict was... WAY too exaggerated and dark (and crude). Some things were also really unrealistic or lazy like in the first book
This book wasn't a big improvement on the last one, if at all. Well, to give Card some credit, he made sure there was appropriate chaos and conflict following the (oh so convenient) death of Gaballufix in Book 1. At least it was realistic in that he shows how there are consequences to every action. However, the politics in the book (concerning Basilica) are still way to simplistic and have some faults. Also, the story hasn't really progressed much and the characters havn't really started on their great adventure/mission yet. I'm starting to get... a BIT... impatient. Ok, I'll read book three, but if I'm still left unsatisfied, I'm dropping this series. My love for Card's books only goes so far!
As a side note, there is still so much drama in this book. I mean, the beginning conflict was... WAY too exaggerated and dark (and crude). Some things were also really unrealistic or lazy like in the first book
Spoiler
For example, Moozh is actually the father of the waterseer and ravler. SURPRISE! Then, he suddenly went from being a bad person to a loving father. I'm guessing Card didn't have any use for him afterwards since he was no long a big enough antagonist so he just kills him off. I was shocked at how lazy this all was!ncrabb's review against another edition
1.0
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.
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.