A review by kristaallysa1
Earthborn by Orson Scott Card

2.0

This book is beautifully written like all of Orson Scott Card's books. He is one of my favorite authors. That being said, this is my least favorite book in my least favorite series I've read by him. Part of my problem comes down to not realizing this series was based on the Book of Mormon when I started it. I had some frustrations with the previous books with things such as the treatment of women as second class, where their primary purpose always seemed to be to support their husbands and raise children. But overall, the previous books read as good science fiction with an interesting premise. What if the god of a world were actually a machine controlling humanity from the sky? What would happen if that machine started to break down? Under Card's deft pen, it made for an interesting story. This 5th book reads less like an interesting science fiction book and more like a religious manifesto, incorporating Mormon theology into what seems like every sentence. In addition, Card abandoned almost all the previous characters and plot. The purpose of coming to earth in the first place was to help restore the oversoul. That whole premise is completely brushed over here. Instead, he introduces a whole new cast of characters, none of whom were very interesting to me. I just couldn't bring myself to care about them. The only parts that really engaged me were the portions that involved Shedemai and the oversoul (the only characters that remained from the previous four books.) In addition, he never satisfactorily resolved the question: Who is the keeper of earth? I'm sorry, but I just don't buy that the keeper was a real god. Why would a real all-powerful god create (or have humans create) machine gods to watch over other planets? Overall, I am disappointed in this book and just glad to be done with it.