Red Prophet (Tales of Alvin Maker)

by Orson Scott Card

Hardcover, 1988

Status

Available

Call number

PS3553.A655 R43

Series

Tales of Alvin Maker (2)

Genres

Fantasy

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Tor Books (1988), Edition: First Edition, 311 pages

Description

Fantasy. Fiction. HTML: In the first tale of Alvin Maker, Seventh Son, Orson Scott Card introduced his readers to a very familiar�??but just slightly different�??pioneer America where magic works. Hex signs are powerful, good and evil presences roam the land, and many people have special talents. In this thrilling sequel, Alvin Maker is awakening to many mysteries: his own strange powers, the magic of the American frontier, and the special virtues of its chosen people, the Native Americans. Young Alvin Maker, the seventh son of a seventh son, has extraordinary talents for a white boy�??he can cause stone to split smoothly under his hands, his knots never untie, he can knit bones, and he can call small animals to do his bidding. Stranger still his talents are imperceptible to the Indians, who usually hear the fire-setting of the sparks and the water-finding of the dowsers as an interruption in their music but who cannot hear Alvin at all. Lolla-Wossiky is an Indian whose fate is closely linked with Alvin's. He's been an undignified drunk since he was eleven, when he watched white men murder his father. The black noise in his head since the death shot rang out has drowned out the green music he needs to live well, and his life is a constant search for the right balance of alcohol to still the black noise without silencing the green music�??until he meets Alvin. Soon Alvin must summon all his powers to prevent a tragic war between Native Americans and the white settlers of North A… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C

This the second book in the Tales of Alvin Maker, although I think enough background is given, some even repeated from a different point of view, it could stand alone. It's a fantasy set in an alternate history America--which is a lot of what made it so fun. Things seem to have split off from our

Timeline at least by the time of the English Civil War. There's a Lord Protector and Crown Colonies in 1800--but also a United States. Benjamin Franklin was reputed a wizard, George Washington was beheaded for treason and Thomas Jefferson a guerrilla fighter. Oh, and there's magic. One with a definite American folk magic feel. It's a world oh so different than the usual faux Medieval European fantasies that you so commonly find. (And made me wonder at times how Card's Mormon beliefs might have played a role in shaping the story.) And this read I noted how natural Card's dialogue is--it doesn't use elisions or strange spellings, but syntax and word choice to give a flavor of how people spoke.

And here we have Alvin the Maker--Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. The first book opened with his birth and followed him until he was ten years old. This book isn't as tightly focused on him. If it's focused on anyone, I'd say its Ta-Kumsaw--known in our history as Tecumseh--and his brother Tenskwa-Tawa (Tenskatawa). Card's portrait of both is admiring and sympathetic. William Henry Harrison, in our history a United States President, is presented as a villain. This definitely left me wanting to find out what happens next in this world. Booklist called this second book "harsher, bleaker and more mystical" than the first, and I'd agree. Made me want both to move to the next book, and want to learn more about the history Card used in the book.

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LibraryThing member sirfurboy

This book was a great read - and as usual, Card is inventive and unorthodox. What appears to be an anti-religious tirade settles into a more considered point of view. Meanwhile there are some interesting diversions into things that actually make a society strong and meaningful, and into issues

surrounding native Americans, whilst all the time taking the overall story of a seventh son of a seventh son forward.

Not Card's best work, but certainly not his worst either - and well worth reading.

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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 jjones42

Early nineteenth century alternate history in an America where magic works. Nice mix of Tippecanoe and folk tradition. Orson Scott Card writes his normal readable tale.

LibraryThing member HippieLunatic

As an ever-growing fan of Card, this book was perhaps one of my least favorites. There were too many viewpoints (or perhaps rather diverse scenes), and while I appreciate the attempt to show us many different aspects of the world he has created, I was a bit overwhelmed.

I will certainly continue

with the Alvin Miller series, but I much preferred Seventh Son. I realize this is a very different perspective than most other readers.

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LibraryThing member bethlea

This book looks at the Native Americans.
I myself have a fascination with Vegetarians vs meat eaters.
Tenska-Tawa tells Alvin that when he needs meat, he calls to an animal. When the animal offers itself, he can kill it and eat it. He hates that the white man just randomly kills and kills more than

he needs.

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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 aethercowboy

Continuing on in the tales of Alvin Maker, seventh son of a seventh son, Card brings us a tale that could stand alone of its own right, but continues on with the mythos of Alvin Maker's world.

We meet a disgraced indigenous American whose addicted to whiskey, named Lolla-Wossiky, who aspires to be

free of addiction and be somewhat respected by his older brother, Ta-Kumsaw.

Alvin and his older brother, Measure, are on a journey to a blacksmith, under whom Alvin will apprentice, but along the way, they get entangled in the local affairs of the indigenous people and their discrepancies with the colonists and other invading forces.

Set in a world where the American revolution never happened, and an air of magic affects the people in the land, Card paints a stunning alternate history that will surely appeal to most readers of fantasy, alternate history, as well as colonial fiction. If you're particularly verse in history, Card has scattered several delightful bread crumbs throughout the work that you're almost certainly going to enjoy.

Recommended for any fan of Card's, or any fan of alternate history.

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LibraryThing member Neale

I didn't enjoy this one and won't go on with the series. I thought seventh son had some promise and it picked in the second half of the book. I couldn't get into this one - its seemed disjointed and didn't flow very well. I usually like OSC books but this one didn't hit the mark.

LibraryThing member celticstar

I found this a bit slow in the beginning compared with the first book but once the story got going I enjoyed it.

LibraryThing member Arkholt

I really liked it. I can't say I liked it as much as the first one, mainly because I found the parts with Hooch and the parts with the French to be uninteresting. I understand why they were there, but I really didn't care what was happening.

I loved the rest of it though. I really like how the

alternate history still somewhat mirrors the real history of Tecumseh and Tenscwatawa. I loved the ending. It's extremely sad because Vigor Church will never be the same again. I love it, though, because Card does an amazing job of making me feel the whole extent of what happened.

In all, it was good. Although there were some boring parts, the good parts definitely kept my interest, so I wanted to keep reading.

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LibraryThing member LaserWraith

An interesting book, but ruined because only a small part is from Alvin's point-of-view.

LibraryThing member cargocontainer

I own a copy, read count: 1

I was pretty disappointed with this book. The first book in the series was a decent enough book, with focus on some average frontier settlers and some interesting happenings among them. The second book tried to leap onto a much broader stage and failed. Focusing on major

historical figures far more than on real people, turning them into loathsome creatures with nothing to recommend them. I find it difficult to relate to anybody in this book because no common sense is shown by any of them. Everyone is some kind of crazy extremist, and there are only a couple people in passing who seem even human. It took me almost a month to trudge through it, and less than a week for the previous volume, which I enjoyed. If volume three is not an improvement, I may abandon the series.

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LibraryThing member AltheaAnn

The second in the Alvin Maker series.
Similar to what Card did in the 'Ender' series, this book starts off covering a lot of the same time period and events as the previous book, but taken from a different character's perspective. It also ventures further into 'alternate history' territory (and boy

is it alternate!)
It's about the well-known Native American leader Tecumseh, and his brother Tenskwatawa, who was known as a prophet. (all true).
I have to say that I think the book would have worked better as a pure fantasy story rather than alternate history. As it stands, it doesn't just venture into; it is ALL ABOUT the stereotypes of Native American culture. It's a very allegorical story, but if you want to have a culture be part of an allegory, it works better if it's a made-up culture, not peoples' real lives and history.
For example, an critical point in the story is the famous battle at Tippecanoe. In reality, this was a bloody but equally joined battle between Tecumseh's forces and those of to-be-President Harrison (who, in the book is more-evil-than-evil). In reality, Harrison did win, but there were an about-even number of casualties (less than 100) on each side.
In the book, "Tippy-Canoe" is a massacre: In revenge for the supposed killing of two white boys, white gunmen slaughter NINE THOUSAND Natives who, sworn to peace and non-violence, peacefully line up, unarmed, to be slaughtered.
Now, if Card wants to make a point about martyrdom, that's all well and good, but I have issues with completely rewriting reality like that. And I know I'm not the only one who gets tired of seeing Native Americans portrayed as mystically close to nature, blah, blah, blah.

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LibraryThing member buffalogr

This really should have been a good book. It's the second in the Alvin Maker series and it's about Tecumseh's brother, the Prophet. The author, in a forward, said that the story of Alvin Maker goes on and on and on for nine or ten episodes. That's what really makes it drag on and on. If the story

were snappy and to the point, with some magic pizazz, it would be better. I really enjoy the historical details that went into this work--but they occur only after the book drags on and on. Get it? I probably missed Card's point by looking for something to happen in the slowness of this alternate history. I give up--I can read something more enjoyable than Alvin Maker #3.

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LibraryThing member kmajort

one was enough.

LibraryThing member kslade

Another good one in series. LDS elements in it.

LibraryThing member DaleVanWyhe

Very good reading and I find the book makes me think about what a true Christian is? Recommend reading all the Alvin Maker books to know what is going on.

LibraryThing member Grumpus

The story of a young man empowered with magic and love helps to rewrite true history in the hearts of the readers today. Makes you want to believe in O.S. Cards knack for writing what you want to be true.

LibraryThing member AMKitty

DNF because the constant harping on white=evil and red=good became too tiresome.

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