Heartfire (Tales of Alvin Maker, Book 5) [Mass Market Paperback]

Orson Scott Card (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1999 | Series: Tales of Alvin Maker (Book 5)

Peggy is a Torch, able to see the fire burning in each person's heart. She can follow the paths of each person's future, and know each person's most intimate secrets. From the moment of Alvin Maker's birth, when the Unmaker first strove to kill him, she has protected him.

Now they are married, and Peggy is a part of Alvin's heart as well as his life.

But Alvin's destiny has taken them on separate journeys. Alvin has gone north into New England, where knacks are considered witchcraft, and their use is punished with death.

Peggy has been drawn south, to the British Crown Colonies and the court of King Arthur Stuart in exile. For she has seen a terrible future bloom in the heartfires of every person in America, a future of war and destruction. One slender path exists that leads through the bloodshed, and it is Peggy's quest to set the world on the path to peace.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"With delicacy and insight, incorporating folk tales and folk magic with mountain lore and other authentic details, Orson Scott Card has evoked a vision of America as it might have been."-Greensboro Tribune-Review

From the Back Cover

"With delicacy and insight, incorporating folk tales and folk magic with mountain lore and other authentic details, Orson Scott Card has evoked a vision of America as it might have been."-Greensboro Tribune-Review

Peggy is a Torch, able to see the fire burning in each person's heart. She can follow the paths of each person's future, and know each person's most intimate secrets. From the moment of Alvin Maker's birth, when the Unmaker first strove to kill him, she has protected him.

Now they are married, and Peggy is a part of Alvin's heart as well as his life.

But Alvin's destiny has taken them on separate journeys. Alvin has gone north into New England, where knacks are considered witchcraft, and their use is punished with death.

Peggy has been drawn south, to the British Crown Colonies and the court of King Arthur Stuart in exile. For she has seen a terrible future bloom in the heartfires of every person in America, a future of war and destruction. One slender path exists that leads through the bloodshed, and it is Peggy's quest to set the world on the path to peace.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy; 1st edition (May 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812509242
• ISBN-13: 978-0812509243
• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 0.9 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #284,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars The fire burns low. November 14, 2000

By Andrew X. Lias

Format:Mass Market Paperback

A long while ago, I came across an curious and interesting short story about the birth of a seventh son of a seventh son and I thought to myself that Card had created something truly special. More short stories came out and then a book, and I was a very happy reader. Then more books came out, followed by a hiatus.

After the hiatus, there seemed to be a bit of a drop in quality, but I wrote it off. Not every book can be a gem. Heartfire, unfortunately, is representative of a much more telling decline.

When I read Heartfire and compare it to the first books, one thing in particular stands out in contrast: the original stories were populated with interesting people who DID interesting things and who had interesting things HAPPEN to them. The twists and turns of the plots were surprising and enjoyable. By contrast, very little happens in Heartfire, other than people talking. And they do talk. They talk about philosophy, about what their circumstances, about things that they need to do, about *talking*, and about how they need to stop talking so that they can get a go on. There is lots (!) of dialog, but precious little ever happens. It is, quite literally, 150 pages into the story before any sort of discernable event actually occurs to anyone. And even when that occurs, it ultimately ends up leading to scads of more dialog and a weak as water resolution.

I realize that Card loves his characters, nor can I fault him for that given that he's managed to create some very distinct and interesting individuals, but it does a disservice to them, and to the work as a whole, if they do nothing more than stand around explaining themselves to each other ad nauseum.

It *was* a great series, but I honestly think that Card has lost his way.... I think that he has a general idea of where he wants it to end, but no idea of how to get there. Heartfire seems to be nothing less than an attempt to stall his readers while he tries to figure that out. I'm sorry, but it's not fair for him to ask us to pay for the privilege of waiting for him to manage that task, nor do I think that I'll be spending anymore money to do so. Heartfire is a fading ember and I think that it can lead to nothing but cold ashes. Read more ›

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a good book but I'm getting frustrated. June 16, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This latest in the Alvin Maker series is, like all of Card's writing, entertaining, thoughtful and contains elegant prose. Unfortunately, the only reasons for this installment seem to be the exposition of the alternate America--we already get it, I think--and the introduction of new "disciples"--enough already! The half of the book that covers Alvin's experience with New England witchcraft laws would be far more interesting if most of this moral territory hadn't been covered so thoroughly in Seventh Son. Purity is an interesting new character, but there are already enough major characters in this saga. I think most readers, like me, are itching for some progress toward the Crystal City, assuming that Card intends to take the series that far. We can only hope that later installments will reveal a vital purpose for each of the "good guys". Much more interesting was the part set in Camelot--Card's concept of the name-taking is quite good. We do see some change in Calvin's heart after he nearly dies, I think. But still, at the end, the only definite change in anybody's situation is that Alvin will have a couple more followers. The one non-plot related complaint I have is that some of the dialogue--especially the banter in the opening chapters--is a little tiresome. It's better later, though. If you like Card or have read the previous books in the series you should read this book. It's not as good as some others in the series but still a darn good read. If you haven't read any of the Alvin Maker series DON'T START HERE, it will just confuse you. All in all, this book meets Card's high standards--it just fails to meet some of the longtime reader's expectations.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars After Ender and Homecoming, Card destroys yet another series September 3, 2002

By Christopher Culver TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

HEARTFIRE, the fifth book in Orson Scott Card's "Tales of Alvin Maker" series, is a travesty. Card has ruined this formerly interesting history of an alternate America and Mormon allegory. HEARTFIRE kills the series that came before it like CHILDREN OF THE MIND destroyed the Ender Quartet and EARTHBORN wiped out the Homecoming novels.

At the end of ALVIN JOURNEYMAN, Alvin and Peg Guester were wed and travelled to the home of the Weavers in Appalachee. The beginning of HEARTFIRE sees them departed on separate journeys, Peg has gone to the Crown Colonies to find a way to stop the oncoming war over slavery, while Alvin is wandering around the Northeast and eventually finds himself on trial (again) for witchcraft in Puritan-controlled New England.

There is so much wrong with this novel. The plot is sloppily resolved, and indeed it could be said that Peg's half of the story isn't resolved at all but simply abandoned. Card wraps up Alvin's trial in a mere two pages as if he has grown tired of writing this installment. Calvin's redemption seems like it never progressed past the draft stage. In order to hide his shabby plot and silly characterization, Card stoops to a prurient sex scene where Calvin forces himself on a resisting-but-willing dame like something out of a romance novel (of course, that's what the awful cover art makes the book look like).

Alvin Maker is now essentially omnipotent, communicating telepathically with Peg across huge distances and able to run the entire length of the East Coast in a single night (funny how Card constantly talks about how the greensong is too weak now, but has Alvin perform such deeds). This makes Alvin considerably less interesting as a protagonist, as there are no surprises or suspense.... Gene Wolfe, in his Book of the New Sun cycle, was wise enough to end the series after the apotheosis of his hero Severian. Card, however, is going to drag us through two more volumes with this unbelievable character.

Ironically, however, Alvin doesn't figure very much in his own series anymore. Most of the novel relates the thoughts of Peg, Calvin, and Verily Cooper. Alvin is reduced to an "aw, shucks" country boy cameo. There's absolutely *no* progress in this novel towards the building of the Crystal City.

I used to recommend The Tales of Alvin Maker, its first two volumes were very entertaining, but after RED PROPHET it's become worse with every volume. I daresay I'd now recommend avoiding this series. Read more ›