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kacey's review against another edition
2.0
This book is dull. Readable dull, but still dull.
Calvin has a stick up his butt about Alvin and goes to Europe.
Alvin's been accused oh-so-unjustly for a crime which balloons to two crimes, then a whole mess and poor him, just a long suffering martyr who refuses obvious help.
Peggy decides to tackle the issue of slavery singlehandedly but she's still so hung up on Alvin that she can't stay away.
Basically the entire novel is all posturing and discussion and then a drawn-out farce of a trial. And unlike the first three novels, this one does not span any significant amount of time. Where all other Alvin Maker novels to this point have covered years, Journeyman is...oh, about a month. And it is the longest to date.
It's readable, but not all that interesting.
Calvin has a stick up his butt about Alvin and goes to Europe.
Alvin's been accused oh-so-unjustly for a crime which balloons to two crimes, then a whole mess and poor him, just a long suffering martyr who refuses obvious help.
Peggy decides to tackle the issue of slavery singlehandedly but she's still so hung up on Alvin that she can't stay away.
Basically the entire novel is all posturing and discussion and then a drawn-out farce of a trial. And unlike the first three novels, this one does not span any significant amount of time. Where all other Alvin Maker novels to this point have covered years, Journeyman is...oh, about a month. And it is the longest to date.
It's readable, but not all that interesting.
alyssaarch's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of the best alternate history series I've ever read. It's clever, well-researched, and incredibly entertaining. For those of you who know your early American history, you will appreciate Card's rendition of mid-nineteenth century America. What I appreciate the most about this series is the writing. It's clean and efficient, and he trusts his reader. Despite all the information he throws at you, he doesn't stop and take the time to explain every little detail; he trusts that you'll pick up on the historical references.
One of the main things I love about this series is that you get to see the characters grow. By the end of each book, all the characters have gone through obstacles and are changed because of it. In this particular novel, Alvin is put in jail and tried for the "theft" of the golden plow from Makepeace. We are introduced to some very interesting new characters and meet up with quite a few old faces from Hatrack River.
Alvin Journeyman is also one of the more suspenseful books so far in this series. Between the trial, Calvin's troubles, and Peggy's dilemma about whether or not to go back to Hatrack River and help Alvin, I couldn't stop turning the pages. It is a bit slower going in this novel because of the lack of war and action, but I didn't enjoy it any less. It is a middle book in a series, so there's going to be quite a bit of set-up for the end, and I'm sure there will be a payoff.
Overall, I like how this series is progressing. I love how Alvin isn't the perfect hero -- he has a good heart to be sure, but he has many flaws and a lot of doubts about his work in the world. The challenges between Alvin and the Unmaker are kept fresh, and now we're seeing a big conflict coming up between Alvin and Calvin, something I saw coming, but I'm excited to read about nonetheless.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
One of the main things I love about this series is that you get to see the characters grow. By the end of each book, all the characters have gone through obstacles and are changed because of it. In this particular novel, Alvin is put in jail and tried for the "theft" of the golden plow from Makepeace. We are introduced to some very interesting new characters and meet up with quite a few old faces from Hatrack River.
Alvin Journeyman is also one of the more suspenseful books so far in this series. Between the trial, Calvin's troubles, and Peggy's dilemma about whether or not to go back to Hatrack River and help Alvin, I couldn't stop turning the pages. It is a bit slower going in this novel because of the lack of war and action, but I didn't enjoy it any less. It is a middle book in a series, so there's going to be quite a bit of set-up for the end, and I'm sure there will be a payoff.
Overall, I like how this series is progressing. I love how Alvin isn't the perfect hero -- he has a good heart to be sure, but he has many flaws and a lot of doubts about his work in the world. The challenges between Alvin and the Unmaker are kept fresh, and now we're seeing a big conflict coming up between Alvin and Calvin, something I saw coming, but I'm excited to read about nonetheless.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
smcleish's review against another edition
4.0
Originally published on my blog here in May 2000.
After a gap of a few years, Card has continued this series, one of my favourites of the fantasy genre. It is set in a fascinating alternate history USA in which much of the country remains in the hands of the colonial powers, and where magic is relatively commonplace.
Alvin Journeyman picks up the story of Alvin (usually referred to as Smith or Maker, from his occupation and magical gifting respectively) where the previous books left off, and carries the story through the setbacks he experiences trying to teach something of his magic art to others, so that together they can build the Crystal City that Alvin has seen in visions. These setbacks include the enmity of his jealous brother Calvin, hysterical accusations from a besotted teenage girl, and a legal suit from the smith he served as apprentice.
The major characters continue to develop, though their over polarised nature (too much black and white) is a flaw of this novel as it was of its predecessors. The characters interact believably, and the climactic trial is well prepared. The backwoods American background, with the interesting twist provided by the alternate historical elements, is as convincing as ever. Alvin Journeyman is a fine addition to the series.
After a gap of a few years, Card has continued this series, one of my favourites of the fantasy genre. It is set in a fascinating alternate history USA in which much of the country remains in the hands of the colonial powers, and where magic is relatively commonplace.
Alvin Journeyman picks up the story of Alvin (usually referred to as Smith or Maker, from his occupation and magical gifting respectively) where the previous books left off, and carries the story through the setbacks he experiences trying to teach something of his magic art to others, so that together they can build the Crystal City that Alvin has seen in visions. These setbacks include the enmity of his jealous brother Calvin, hysterical accusations from a besotted teenage girl, and a legal suit from the smith he served as apprentice.
The major characters continue to develop, though their over polarised nature (too much black and white) is a flaw of this novel as it was of its predecessors. The characters interact believably, and the climactic trial is well prepared. The backwoods American background, with the interesting twist provided by the alternate historical elements, is as convincing as ever. Alvin Journeyman is a fine addition to the series.
joannawnyc's review against another edition
2.0
The Biblical/religious parallels started to pall after a while.
peridotmage's review against another edition
5.0
Probably my favorite in the series so far (or maybe tied with the first). Same sort of feel as the first, less oh-em-gee-world-altering portions, but plenty of set-up for interesting things to come.
raehink's review against another edition
4.0
I never finished this series although I enjoyed the first four books. In this one, Alvin returns home and begins to plan his future utopian city and society.
apostrophen's review against another edition
3.0
Note: I won't be finishing this series, given the author's homophobic stance - I'm not going to fill his pockets. But these were my thoughts on the book before I knew how horrible a man the author was:
Quite happily, this book had quite a bit of Calvin (Alvin's younger brother, who, since Alvin's eldest brother died just after Alvin was born, is also a seventh son of a seventh son). Calvin Maker is extremely jealous of Alvin's abilities (and is poisoned to the thought of trying to even match Alvin or learn from Alvin), and when Alvin returns to his home town, Calvin takes off, to learn to be Alvin's better, at any cost. Calvin is a real scoundrel, and written so well it's enjoyable to read.
You also meet a new character in this tale, Verily Cooper, child of a barrel-maker who becomes a barrister, who also has a similar Making knack, and who, by chance encounter with Calvin in Europe, comes to the Americas to meet Alvin. That Alvin has by this point got himself in jail is no coincidence, and I think Verily quite stole the show in this book.
Also - finally we see Alvin and Peggy speaking to each other a bit more in this book, and the outcome satisfied me. Peggy is fast becoming my favourite character in the tale.
I'm still getting annoyed at the various references to places like Hio and Mizzipy. There's a lot in this novel, and it reads denser and with than the others so far. I'll have to hold off on reading book five for a while, as I'm fast running to the end of this series!
Best Line: "...You have achieved, in life, that infinite power which is usually reserved to the novelist." / "The power to use up enormous amounts of paper and ink to no avail?"
Quite happily, this book had quite a bit of Calvin (Alvin's younger brother, who, since Alvin's eldest brother died just after Alvin was born, is also a seventh son of a seventh son). Calvin Maker is extremely jealous of Alvin's abilities (and is poisoned to the thought of trying to even match Alvin or learn from Alvin), and when Alvin returns to his home town, Calvin takes off, to learn to be Alvin's better, at any cost. Calvin is a real scoundrel, and written so well it's enjoyable to read.
You also meet a new character in this tale, Verily Cooper, child of a barrel-maker who becomes a barrister, who also has a similar Making knack, and who, by chance encounter with Calvin in Europe, comes to the Americas to meet Alvin. That Alvin has by this point got himself in jail is no coincidence, and I think Verily quite stole the show in this book.
Also - finally we see Alvin and Peggy speaking to each other a bit more in this book, and the outcome satisfied me. Peggy is fast becoming my favourite character in the tale.
I'm still getting annoyed at the various references to places like Hio and Mizzipy. There's a lot in this novel, and it reads denser and with than the others so far. I'll have to hold off on reading book five for a while, as I'm fast running to the end of this series!
Best Line: "...You have achieved, in life, that infinite power which is usually reserved to the novelist." / "The power to use up enormous amounts of paper and ink to no avail?"
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