Seventh Son (Tales of Alvin Maker, #1) in Building a SciFi/Fantasy Library

May 04, 2010 TRXTRMXTR rated it really liked it

I love this "American" fantasy genre. Card not only revives the Frontier aspect of U.S. history with a new and interesting twist of magical fate, but he tailors the language and rhythm of the writing to embody a different age. At first I thought I might get tired of it, but it really holds well through the novel. Taleswapper is probably one of my favorite bard characters of all time, and the magic here is easy to grasp. It feels like something we might have seen in our everyday lives and not onl ...more

1 like · Like · see review

May 06, 2010 Bryan457 rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: do-not-reread, fantasy, alternative-history

This book begins a 6 book alternate-history series which is set in a nineteenth-century America in which distinctly American folk magic, legends and superstitions are real.
In this book the forces of chaos try repeatedly to put an end to young Alvin, the 7th son of a 7th son. Alvin begins to explore his power in a small way, as well as some of the ethics of having and using power that others don't have.
While a little slow in places, this was a fascinating book that left me wanting to know more of ...more

Like · see review

Sep 24, 2007 Jeremiah Hebert rated it really liked it

Great book about mid-1800's America with a twist- magic is alive and well. Alvin is the seventh son of a seventh son, giving him immense innate magic abilities.

Card's usual great writing. Best book of the series, but they are all worth a read. ...more

Like · see review