The Memory of Earth

The Memory of Earth. Orson Scott Card. Legend. 1992. 294 pages (Source: Library Audio)

First sentence: The master computer on the planet Harmony was afraid.

Plot: High above the planet Harmony, the Oversoul watches. It's 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 fullfilled 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.

My thoughts: So Earth was destroyed by nuclear war form what I gathered.  Their description of what they know is like reading old testament prophesy.  Trying to describe airplanes or missiles moving through the sky.  This is a million years in the future.  The people who escaped Earth went to this new planet called Harmony to start a new life.  There has been no war or violence.  Now the computer or Oversoul as it is know is beginning to mess up.  People are starting to get knowledge of weapons and have greed in their hearts.

But the Oversoul sees this and makes plans for a particular family to keep life moving in the right direction.  One of peace and harmony.  It was a decent book.  One for older teens as there are situations that insinuate sexual content.