The Memory of Earth

The Memory of Earth, published in 1992, is a science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card. It opens the Homecoming Saga, a series that loosely adapts the first half of the first book (1 Nephi) from the Book of Mormon.

Card, a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has drawn on his faith in many works, including *Ender’s Game* and *The Tales of Alvin Maker*. The Book of Mormon has been a particular influence on his writing. He has noted that his frequent use of conjunctions like "and," "then," and "but" at the start of sentences comes from the phrase "And it came to pass." As a young writer, he felt drawn to retell Book of Mormon stories. *The Memory of Earth* directly takes its plot, themes, and message from that scripture.

The story is set on the planet Harmony, where humanity has lived for 40 million years after Earth was destroyed by war. To prevent a repeat of that disaster, a computer called the Oversoul was left to guard the planet. Its main job was to stop humans from developing technology that could lead to global conflict. To do this, humans were genetically altered so they could link with the Oversoul. Through this connection, the Oversoul makes people easily distracted when they think about forbidden technologies, causing them to forget those thoughts. After so long, the Oversoul is starting to fail. It selects a group of humans to return to Earth and find the Keeper of Earth, hoping it can find a way to keep control over the people of Harmony.

The Oversoul recruits Volemak, father of the main character, Nafai. Nafai and his brother Issib begin to resist the Oversoul’s ability to override their thoughts. Through this, they learn of its danger. Nafai starts hearing the Oversoul’s voice in his mind. The first book focuses on the family’s eventual betrayal, the taking of the Index, and the downfall of Gaballufix, who had been plotting to ally the city of Basilica with a hostile nation. Nafai, his older half-brothers Elemak and Mebbekew, Issib, and their father Volemak are forced to leave the city. They return to retrieve the Index of the Oversoul, which lets them communicate with it directly. Because of Nafai’s careless mistakes and unexpected successes, Elemak, his oldest brother, begins to hate him—a theme that continues through the saga.