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pc953's review against another edition
4.0
The writing and contents of the book I can't say I love, but I keep coming back for more. Each book feels like a segment of such a larger story and world and my fascination with this magical landscape is certainly piqued. I hope the actual contents of the book improve as the series goes on
bittersweet_symphony's review against another edition
4.0
More political and less fantastical than Seventh Son, Red Prophet contributes significantly to the geo-political and historical world-building for the remainder of the book series.
We encounter historical figures like William Harrison, Lafayette, Andrew Jackson, Tecumseh, and Napoleon Bonaparte, to mention the more prominent ones. This speculative history that Card creates seems to gift the series' more "magical" elements a greater sense of reality, as if North America would be a more knack-filled land of wonder had some historical events played out a little bit differently.
Alvin is featured less in this volume, but I believe it's necessary to allow for the foundation this makes establishes what builds up during the next few books. I look forward to the higher stakes and more mature adventures our protagonists encounters.
We encounter historical figures like William Harrison, Lafayette, Andrew Jackson, Tecumseh, and Napoleon Bonaparte, to mention the more prominent ones. This speculative history that Card creates seems to gift the series' more "magical" elements a greater sense of reality, as if North America would be a more knack-filled land of wonder had some historical events played out a little bit differently.
Alvin is featured less in this volume, but I believe it's necessary to allow for the foundation this makes establishes what builds up during the next few books. I look forward to the higher stakes and more mature adventures our protagonists encounters.
kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
I have to keep looking at the cover to remember that this is an Orson Scott Card novel. It's so different from his Ender series. I enjoy reading of Alvin's abilities and the knacks experienced by others in the series. The character interaction is so human and upwarming in spite of the ambitious a##holes and the overly godly. And, besides, I'm having great fun trying to reconcile our frontier American history with Alvin's.
I'm curious if Card solicited help for some of his twisty names; it's certainly been a laugh to read them into interpretation!
Have a look at Card's website...it's Alvin Maker's world all over...!
I'm curious if Card solicited help for some of his twisty names; it's certainly been a laugh to read them into interpretation!
Have a look at Card's website...it's Alvin Maker's world all over...!
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book--maybe even better than Seventh Son, except that it was extremely depressing to me. It was full of wonderful symbolism, and I really loved how Alvin and Ta-Kumsaw were together in this book. It made it interesting. I look forward to the rest of the series, and to finding out what will happen to Alvin.
seaclauss's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
itsfreelancer's review against another edition
4.0
War. Lots of war for the wrong reasons when common sense should've prevailed.
But if not for wars, we wouldn't have learnt from our mistakes. This book starts before the beginning of the first book and then seamlessly tells the story of the time after the first book ends. Alvin, our young ten year old confused hero has grown up. He has been an instrument of war and he has made his peace with it.
As I mentioned before, Orson Scott Card weaves this tale of fantasy and heavily includes American History. This time we got the war of the American Indians and the Americans while the French pulled the strings. What can you do when the greatest general in History, Napoleon Bonaparte himself uses magic?
But if not for wars, we wouldn't have learnt from our mistakes. This book starts before the beginning of the first book and then seamlessly tells the story of the time after the first book ends. Alvin, our young ten year old confused hero has grown up. He has been an instrument of war and he has made his peace with it.
As I mentioned before, Orson Scott Card weaves this tale of fantasy and heavily includes American History. This time we got the war of the American Indians and the Americans while the French pulled the strings. What can you do when the greatest general in History, Napoleon Bonaparte himself uses magic?
callmecat's review against another edition
1.0
At first I didn't like it because of how racist the author seems to be against "The Reds." But that's because the characters are. The author is clearly on the side of the Native Americans in this story. And he doesn't portray them as bad or all good.
But it still isn't done very well. I particularly disliked the way that they think of themselves as "reds" even though that's a derogatory term and apparently think in the same choppy English they speak--even an Indian that is absolutely fluent in English and extremely well educated!! So what the heck?! When the story is from their point of view surely they should be thinking in their own language and we should have a "translation" of it in proper English? Ugh. And maybe in real life they did call themselves "Reds" proudly and I just don't know about it. But either way, those two things really really seemed off and bugged me tremendously. I also had a problem with how much "scalping" was mentioned. I'm pretty sure that both sides did it, but you wouldn't know that from this story.
I'm not going to ever re-read this even if I start the series over. It's stupid and I didn't like it at all.
But it still isn't done very well. I particularly disliked the way that they think of themselves as "reds" even though that's a derogatory term and apparently think in the same choppy English they speak--even an Indian that is absolutely fluent in English and extremely well educated!! So what the heck?! When the story is from their point of view surely they should be thinking in their own language and we should have a "translation" of it in proper English? Ugh. And maybe in real life they did call themselves "Reds" proudly and I just don't know about it. But either way, those two things really really seemed off and bugged me tremendously. I also had a problem with how much "scalping" was mentioned. I'm pretty sure that both sides did it, but you wouldn't know that from this story.
I'm not going to ever re-read this even if I start the series over. It's stupid and I didn't like it at all.
larix10dua's review against another edition
4.0
It's interesting to hear the explanation for some of the things that happened in book one, and it's nicely bound together and continued.
rainware's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jeremybost's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting book, but ruined because only a small part is from Alvin's point-of-view.