The Ships of Earth

Homecoming, Volume 3

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

With the continuing failure of the Oversoul, the artificially intelligent guardian computer of the planet Harmony, the human colonists have begun to repeat the devastations of war and conquest wrought on Earth.

To repair itself and avert disaster, the Oversoul has called a group of 16 refugees from the fallen city of Basilica to a hidden, abandoned spaceport where the ancient starships lie. Now Wetchik, Nafai, and all their family must brave the desert wastes and cross the wide continents, guided by the voice of the Oversoul, to await the command to prepare the great interstellar ships for flight again. But among this group, not all have chosen their exile, and the angry resentment of those who were forced to join will make the difficult journey harder.

Listen to more in the Homecoming series.©1994 Orson Scott Card (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[T]he book rises to great power....Card [is] one of the genuinely towering talents working in science fiction today....this volume carries forward a superior story." ( Booklist)
"Readers of The Ships of Earth will find the book rising to Card's usual high level, with scenes of enormous power." ( Chicago Sun-Times)
"[A] well-turned series, with intriguing ideas, well-developed characters and setting, and a plot huge enough to satisfy the most extravagant tastes." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Great narration Story ok

I guess this is a necessary part of the overall story but the second half of the book is not nearly as interesting as the first half (without giving away the plot) Still looking forward to listening to the next book 😀 as the overall story is very good

Solid book, slow start but grows on you

Overall, interesting story. Far more an exploration of the heart, mind and core animalistic needs and wants of humanity than a typical sci-if story. But thought provoking and interesting.

a fully captivating story

I enjoy every single book from Orson Scott Cardand to hear the voice of Stephen Rodniky. The Saga really captivates me because of the character development

Good book- to listen to while driving

He does a great job of giving insight into peoples minds and thoughts and feelings. Story follows along very well from the first two books excited for the last.

Enjoyed the journey

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this considering I knew this was going to be about a long land crossing. I found the plot engaging and not preachy. There was also a twist for one of the characters that I certainly wasn't expecting; I'm glad Card included it.

There was one repeated sentence, but otherwise, a clear, expressive narration.

Good enough

I liked the previous books in this series and this one was good enough to finish but the formula was showing a bit.

this far and no further

if you did make it to this book you will find it much the same. I don't really recommend the fourth book unless you love Orson Scott Card immensely.

Excellent continuation of the series!

This book is intriguing in terms of its exploration of more of the planet Harmony, its deeper portrayal of the Oversoul, and its long-overdue introduction of both new characters and new technology.

The story here is just as good as books 1 and 2. Card's consistently stellar writing definitely makes this whole series a worthwhile read!

Great story.

Love the story and character development. Really brings home true people and group challengers while telling a great story. Thanks

What a great book in this series

It's a thrilling book in this saga, it has its lows and ups but in general a great great book