Alvin Journeyman

by Orson Scott Card

Other authorsDennis Nolan (Cover artist), Carol Russo (Cover designer)

Hardcover, 1995-09

Status

Available

Call number

PS3553.A655 A78

Series

Tales of Alvin Maker (4)

Genres

Fantasy

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Tor (New York, 1995). 1st edition, 1st printing. 381 pages. $24.95.

Description

Alvin is a Maker, the first to be born in a century. Now a grown man and a journeyman smith, Alvin has returned to his family in the town of Vigor Church. He will share in their isolation, work as a blacksmith, and try to teach anyone who wishes to learn the knack of being a Maker. For Alvin has had a vision of the Crystal City he will build, and he knows that he cannot build it alone. But he has left behind in Hatrack River enemies as well as true friends. His ancient foe, the Unmaker, whose cruel whispers and deadly plots have threatened Alvin's life at every turn, has found new hands to do his work of destruction.

User reviews

LibraryThing member rakerman

A bit disappointing after the strong showing in the first three books - Card creates town characters based to some extent on an AOL group "Hatrack River Town Meeting" and the discussions he had there - I didn't find the town characters or plot very interesting or realistic. The book is kind of a

gift from Card to that AOL community.

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LibraryThing member wfzimmerman

I loved this series for the first few books, but the author seemed to run out of gas half-way through. I may well discard this.

LibraryThing member willowcove

My personal feelings about the author aside. The first book was a fun read. Unfortunately, each successive book in the series got more and more disappointing.

LibraryThing member bigorangemichael

In his introduction, Card acknowledges that when "Alvin Journeyman" was first published, some fans had been waiting several years for the next installment in the series. Had I been one of those fans, I would have probably been really annoyed that I'd waited a long time and only got "Alvin

Journeyman."

Just as is the case with the later Ender novels, the Alvin series seems to have descended into a series where people sit around and have lots of philosophical conversations that, while interesting, don't really do much to advance the plot. The most frustrating part of this is that we have some interesting subplots in here such as the rift between Calvin and Alvin that are brought up, sort of developed and then left dangling once the final pages are turned. Card hints at something more to come and maybe this novel is groundwork for that, but it still feels like an incomplete read. Or maybe this is just one long preview for the next installment in the series.

"Alvin Journeyman" seems to be more concerned with wrapping up bits from the last book and introducing a plethora of new characters more than it is about advancing the story of Alvin and his becoming a maker. Enough with visions of the Crystal City. Let's get onto actually building it or bringing it back.

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LibraryThing member laileana

Come live in an America that might have been. Where everyday people used hexes and charms in their homes and lives. Where a slave turned into a bird and flew to freedom with infant in her arms. Where Red men created a powerful magic with the sacrifice of their lives and in doing so created a

barrier no white man could ever cross. Where a Weaver sits in her cabin weaving our lives-as her ancestress did in the old country-as her cousins in the old country do even now-and as her daughter in the Red mans land does as well. Where Ben Franklin was a Wizard and a Maker and George Washington was beheaded. Where the Iroquis-in the books the Irawaka are one of the original states that sign the constitution-known in the books as The Compact. A Compact that makes Red men-Native Americans- citizens as well as black men-no slaves. The books tell the tale of Alvin, who is the seventh son of a seventh son and a very powerful Maker-almost like a wizard. He fights against the Unmaker. The books also feature a very prominent Torch-or psychic. In these novels Card weaves a wonderful Continent full of powerful characters.

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LibraryThing member HippieLunatic

This feels as though it was a book written in order to get to the next in the series. It did not have as much love or compassion as the others I have read so far. That is not to say, however, that the book was not enjoyable.

I found myself drawn into Calvin's life with his parallel travels, wanting

to know what will become of the two Makers from one family.

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LibraryThing member arouse77

fourth in the "Tales of Alvin Maker" series this episode focuses on Alvin returning to the town where he was educated to submit to trial for theft and to answer charges regarding a black boy he has taken under his wing and his possible status as a runaway slave.

in keeping with the rest of the

series, this book is part morality play, part revisionist history of an America where magic really works. this book is engagaing in the same manner as its companion peices in the series and a must for anyone who enjoys the other books.

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LibraryThing member Karlstar

Alvin, the man with the golden plow (I still wonder if that isn't a whimsical reference to James Bond) is still trying to oppose the designs of the Unmaker, build his own community of followers, figure out what he's supposed to do with his life, and somehow figure out how to build the Crystal City

of his dreams. This all takes place in an alternate history version of early 1800's America.

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LibraryThing member sedelia

This is one of the best alternate history series I've ever read. It's clever, well-researched, and incredibly entertaining. For those of you who know your early American history, you will appreciate Card's rendition of mid-nineteenth century America. What I appreciate the most about this series is

the writing. It's clean and efficient, and he trusts his reader. Despite all the information he throws at you, he doesn't stop and take the time to explain every little detail; he trusts that you'll pick up on the historical references.

One of the main things I love about this series is that you get to see the characters grow. By the end of each book, all the characters have gone through obstacles and are changed because of it. In this particular novel, Alvin is put in jail and tried for the "theft" of the golden plow from Makepeace. We are introduced to some very interesting new characters and meet up with quite a few old faces from Hatrack River.

Alvin Journeyman is also one of the more suspenseful books so far in this series. Between the trial, Calvin's troubles, and Peggy's dilemma about whether or not to go back to Hatrack River and help Alvin, I couldn't stop turning the pages. It is a bit slower going in this novel because of the lack of war and action, but I didn't enjoy it any less. It is a middle book in a series, so there's going to be quite a bit of set-up for the end, and I'm sure there will be a payoff.

Overall, I like how this series is progressing. I love how Alvin isn't the perfect hero -- he has a good heart to be sure, but he has many flaws and a lot of doubts about his work in the world. The challenges between Alvin and the Unmaker are kept fresh, and now we're seeing a big conflict coming up between Alvin and Calvin, something I saw coming, but I'm excited to read about nonetheless.

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LibraryThing member cargocontainer

I still haven't figured out why I keep trying to read this series. Every book takes half the book to get to any kind of a point, and spends the second half trying to justify that point, even if it wasn't enough point to write a book. In this particular volume, it took an entire book to take up what

shouldn't have been more than a chapter or two if, as I suspect, it was setting up for something later. I'm not convinced that three more books of this would be worth it.

I'll be honest here, the only reason I read this one was that I found it randomly in the clearance section of a used bookstore. $1 in hardcover, near perfect condition. That probably should have been a big clue.

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LibraryThing member Snukes

This has been my least favorite book in the series so far. The plot plodded - feeling more like an extra side-tale most of the time - and most of the encounters between characters were irritating or frustrating. Calvin is almost too evil to be believed, and all the French characters irritating. The

exchanges between Alvin and Margaret we also very strange. Knowing what I did about Peggy, I did not expect the level of resistance she suddenly put up against Alvin, and the death of her mother seemed like an inadequate excuse. I do hope the next book gets on with it now that all the relationship issues have been established or resolved.

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LibraryThing member exfed

So far in the Alvin Maker series of books, I found this one to be the weakest. The first several books were so different and captivating, its only by comparison that this one fell somewhat flat. However, I'm committed to the series so on to Heartfire!

LibraryThing member darushawehm

There is a lot about this series to like, but I fear that the more books in it I read the less I'm finding those likeable aspects. At this point, it feels very much like the characters are being thrown into random trials for the sake of plot, rather than simply living their extraordinary lives like

they were in the first books.

That being said, I'm sucked in now, and need to see what happens, so I'll doubtlessly finish the series.

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LibraryThing member AltheaAnn

Card is an extremely good writer, and his books are always a pleasure to read, but at times I did feel that the stories here occasionally suffered for being too allegorical, and too much about Card's ideas of morality.

In the 4th book, 'Alvin Journeyman' Alvin tries to strike out on his own, with

his visions of creating a 'Crystal City' (kinda like Augustine's City of God?) before him... however, he is accused, falsely, of theft, and his concepts of justice impel him to sit in jail and face charges, even though his powers mean that he doesn't have to. Too much of the book is really spent in courtroom drama, and Alvin begins to really just seem annoyingly 'moral.' As a foil, the character of his younger brother Calvin is drawn - Calvin also has quite a lot of magic powers, but none of Alvin's desire to use them only for good - he kinda rides a line between being amoral and actively malicious.

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