Sarah: Women of Genesis (Women of Genesis (Forge)) [Mass Market Paperback]

Orson Scott Card (Author)

Book Description

Series: Women of Genesis (Forge) | Publication Date: August 30, 2001

Sarai was a child of ten years, wise for her age but not yet a woman, when she first met Abram. He appeared before her in her father's house, filthy from the desert, tired and thirsty. But as the dirt of travel was washed from his body, the sight of him filled her heart. And when Abram promises Sarai to return in ten years to take her for his wife, her fate was sealed.

Abram kept his promise, and Sarai kept hers they were wed, and so joined the royal house of Ur with the high priesthood of the Hebrews. So began a lifetime of great joy together, and greater peril: and with the blessing of their God, a great nation would be built around the core of their love.

Bestselling author Orson Scott Card uses his fertile imagination, and uncanny insight into human nature, to tell the story of a unique woman--one who is beautiful, tough, smart, and resourceful in an era when women had little power, and are scarce in the historical record. Sarah, child of the desert, wife of Abraham, takes on vivid reality as a woman desirable to kings, a devoted wife, and a faithful follower of the God of Abraham, chosen to experience an incomparable miracle.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From New York Times bestselling author Orson Scott Card comes the finely crafted novel of Sarah, about a beautiful and courageous Jewish woman who changed the course of history through her faith, wisdom, and commitment to her husband, Abraham. As a man writing from a woman's perspective, Card nevertheless shows great perspicacity. Sarah's range of emotions is credible, including her fear as she pretends to be Abraham's sister in order to fool the Egyptian pharaoh Neb-Towi-Re, and her pain as she deals with her barrenness. Later, the kindness Sarah showers on Hagar, her personal handmaid, conflicts believably with her agonizing jealousy over her decision to let Abraham father a child with Hagar. Card's research for the book results in detailed descriptions that help make it memorable, from the practice of religion and styles of dress to the accounts of desert and city life. He succeeds in offering a memorable tale for both those who are interested in biblical women as part of their faith and readers who just enjoy a good story. --Cindy Crosby

From Publishers Weekly

Although Card's popular science fiction and fantasy have always been permeated with religious themes, this version of the life of Sarah, Abraham's wife, is more in keeping with his lesser known Stone Tables, a reconstruction of the life of Moses. In his afterword, Card explains that here he is not an apologist for the Bible, but rather "an apologist for Sarah, a tough, smart, strong, bright woman in an era when women did not show up much in historical records." He takes the tantalizingly rich references to Sarah in the book of Genesis and determines to bring her to life for his readers. This novel is not an epic volume rich in cultural and historical detail about ancient Mesopotamia, Canaan and Egypt. Its focus is more what Card does best: exploring human motives and relationships, and the role of faith in individual lives. The entire novel is told exclusively from the point of view of Sarah and her sister Qira, whom Card has created as Lot's wife. Qira is the blind, selfish materialist who cannot understand the kindness or self-sacrifice of the faithful who surround her and who chafes against her husband's authority. Sarah, by contrast, is a wise and virtuous figure who struggles to have the unflinching faith of Abraham, even though she glimpses God's presence in her life only rarely. The narrative is sometimes uneven, and the sprinkling of references to LDS theology may be awkward for the non-Mormon reader. Overall, however, this playfully speculative novel succeeds in bringing Sarah's oft-overlooked character into vivid relief. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (August 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765341174
• ISBN-13: 978-0765341174
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #134,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Fiction & Poetry > Fiction
  • #35 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Fiction > General

More About the Author

Orson Scott Card is the bestselling author best known for the classic Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow and other novels in the Ender universe. Most recently, he was awarded the 2008 Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in Young Adult literature, from the American Library Association. Card has written sixty-one books, assorted plays, comics, and essays and newspaper columns. His work has won multiple awards, including back-to-back wins of the Hugo and the Nebula Awards-the only author to have done so in consecutive years. His titles have also landed on 'best of' lists and been adopted by cities, universities and libraries for reading programs. The Ender novels have inspired a Marvel Comics series, a forthcoming video game from Chair Entertainment, and pre-production on a film version. A highly anticipated The Authorized Ender Companion, written by Jake Black, is also forthcoming.Card offers writing workshops from time to time and occasionally teaches writing and literature at universities.Orson Scott Card currently lives with his family in Greensboro, NC.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you think you know O. S. Card, you are in for a surprise!, October 11, 2000

By 

Edith S. Tyson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sarah: Women of Genesis (Women of Genesis (Forge)) (Hardcover)

If you think that Card is just a science-fiction or fantasy writer, this book will set you straight. He takes the story of Sarah, wife of Abraham, and give it fictional, but balanced treatment; that is, all the heroes and heroines are still heroes and heroines, and miracles do happen. But, Card is no Biblical Literalist; he assumes that stories can be garbled or told twice (for example, it is only once, in this book, that Abraham claims that Sarah is his sister.)It is like reading Genesis with new eyes; as if an old dirty picture had been cleaned, and you see details you never saw before. Give it a try, and prepare to be delighted. This is Card's best, up to now.

51 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Artful Storytelling, January 2, 2001

By 

Jennifer Shoup "jennifer" (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sarah: Women of Genesis (Women of Genesis (Forge)) (Hardcover)

No matter what genre he chooses, Orson Scott Card can't seem to write a bad novel. Biblical fiction isn't a "hot" topic, but after reading "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamont, I was curious as to how one of my favorite sci-fi authors would approach such a story.

The story of Sarah and her husband Abraham is one I half-heard about in Sunday school as a child. Orson Scott Card brings it vividly to life so that the characters become more than just biblical figures, but real people with real lives, real doubts, and real faith. The book does start slow, but as I read on I found myself appreciating Card's ability to take time with the everyday aspects of Sarah and Abraham's lives rather than focusing entirely on the dramas and miracles of biblical proportion.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with Card's basic religious assumptions or his interpretation of Sarah and Abraham's story, this book is still a great example of Card's artful storytelling at its best.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Can a male writer convincingly write a female character?, May 29, 2001

By 

Margaret Dyal (San Antonio, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sarah: Women of Genesis (Women of Genesis (Forge)) (Hardcover)

While reading Sarah the above question kept occurring to me. Sometimes I thought Card created a female character that was convincing, appealing, and heroic. Other times I found Card's depiction of Sarah unbelievable. Many times while reading this novel, I thought to myself: "No woman I've ever known would act that way . . ."

However, I really did enjoy this novel. It is an easy read. I would highly recommend this book as a young adult book. Adults will enjoy it but it is not as engaging as I expected it to be.

Card does play with Biblical stories in order to make the novel more interesting. For example, Lot's wife is Sarah's sister, which creates several subplots including the destruction of Sodom.

I also thought Abraham was a little two-dimensional. And the treatment of the other female characters in the novel was stereotypical. Every female was "evil" or bad except for Sarah, who oftentimes lacked a certain depth and complexity.

Sarah is not a book I would reread again but I think it is worthwhile reading material.