11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Boring ramble from a talented author, September 19, 2001
Many other reviews here seem to be highly praising, but I found this fourth installment of Card's clever, original series a big disappointment. Nothing really happens except a lot of chatting and repitition. How many times do we have to hear the plot of "Red Prophet" and "Prentice Alvin" restated? The former was a bit preachy, the latter more exciting; I enjoyed both but didn't need to hear their stories repeated in almost every chapter, it seemed.
Moreover, I kept waiting for the stupid trial to end so everyone could get on with the story and actually DO something but when the trial ended so did the book!
The book wasn't terrible, however--Card always writes with skill and a unique voice (though he rambles in ways a beginning author could never get away with.) For some good points, Calvin in Europe was fun, and I liked the British attorney, and I loved learning what Taleswapper's true knack is.
Yet Alvin and Peggy both seemed too old for their roles. The innocent spunk that made them such fun when they were younger is boring and stale a little strange in people in their late twenties. They finally get together, but it seemed anti-climactic. And Peggy's pregnant already? How divine.
Most of all, though, is that I feel Card is badly misusing his alternate history. It's fun to see the twisted-around versions of real historical figures, but Card disappointed me with almost all of them. For example, William Henry Harrison was delightful as a cruel military man in "Red Prophet," but in this book he does just what he did in real history: become president and die after getting sick at his inaugural address. I guess Card was having fun with making events seem inevitable, but that seems a waste of a good alternate history.
Similarly, it was hinted that the land is headed for war, with the slaveholders and royal colonies against the "United States,"
Appalachee, etc. That's just the American Revolution and the Civil War at the same time--as if those things were bound to happen in any version of history. And while Napoleon's empire is fun to hear about, I thought he was more interesting as a general exiled to Canada. Again, seems like Card isn't being as creative as he could be.
And after four books, I wish I knew more about the places on that wonderful alternate map besides Hatrack River and Dekane. I wanted to see the Crown Colonies and New England. And I'd like some hints about what's happening in the rest of the alternate world, apart from Europe.
The Unmaker was hardly in it at all! The magic that was so fresh and clever in "Seventh Son" has gotten pretty boring. Also I though it was pretty goofy that Mike Fink showed up eager for redemption as a devoted follower of Alvin. And there are very few interesting female characters. . .Why none of the historical women at that time? There were some! I'd like to see an alternate America where women could vote in the 1800's!
All in all, very discouraging. I felt the same way about the Ender Series: Ender's Game blew away, it's one of the best books ever, but the rest of the series is boring and preachy. Card makes great, super-smart children but they grow up dull.
Maybe Heartfire will be better.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another great story within a story, February 2, 2004
I originally read this several years ago, and re-read it recently after getting the new book in the series. As I read this series as a whole, I am staring to notice that the individual stories form each book (The war in Red Prophet, the story of Arthur Stuart in Prentice Alvin, and the trial in this book) and the new characters that keep coming along, are starting to overshadow the overall story of Alvin's quest to build the Crystal City.
This book started a little slowly, so I thought it might not have been as interesting as the previous books in the series, as often happens once you get this deep into a series. But with the introduction of Verily Cooper and Alvin's trial, the book really picks up the pace. I look forward to re-reading the next book (Heartfire) followed by the The Crystal City, which will hopefully conclude the series.
If you've enjoyed the other books in this series, you probably won't be disappointed by this one.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
a lot of reading for little substance, June 3, 2005
The Alvin Maker series starts off with a unique and fascinating alternate history of a world where people have "knacks" which allow them to do what would be considered "magic" to most of us. Alvin's knack is "making" and the first two books explained his world and shaped his character through some interesting and unique experiences.
The third book signalled the beginning of a decline in the series as Card moves toward his favored story of a main male character (Alvin) who is supposedly noble and good above all else. The third book is saved by an interesting and appropriate storyline about slavery but the same cannot be said of the fourth.
Unfortunately, in the fourth book, he makes the Alvin behave so stupidly as a means of attempting to martyr him that the reader soon loses respect for the main character. There is honor in self-sacrifice but not in someone who thinks that covering up the lies and misdeeds of others is a form of "good". Doesn't Card ever think it might be interesting to explore the theme of fostering positive character growth in others by having their lies and misdeeds dealt with directly by the person who they have harmed? I'm not talking about Rambo-type behavior but the fact that the Ender's series, the Homecoming series, and now the Alvin Maker series have pathetic men who believe bad decisions make them strong and noble is getting tiresome.
The worst part isn't the retread of the same old story but the fact that this story simply goes on and on and seems to have very little point other than to drag poor undeserving Alvin through the muck and have him sit by and do diddly about it. This is not only uninteresting for the reader but actively annoying.
Other reviewers have pointed out that this book brings together a cast of characters that will eventually serve a purpose in future novels in the series. I believe that those characters could have been brought in through a much less drawn-out and tedious storyline. Essentially, a few chapters of a novel which continues the move toward building the Crystal City (Alvin's ultimate goal as outlined in The Red Prophet) should have done it rather than subjecting us to no less than 3 separate liars accusing Alvin of various misdeeds and us having to suffer through excruciating details.
I decided after reading this book that this would be absolutely the last series of Card's novels I'd ever read. He's an excellent writer but he needs to tighten up his writing and get a new character or two. Ender, Nafai and Alvin are all just too similarly spineless.
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