FacebookTwitter
Hatrack River Forum   
my profile login | search | faq | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Hatrack River Forum » Active Forums » Discussions About Orson Scott Card » chronology of Alvin Maker series

   
Author Topic: chronology of Alvin Maker series
MateoMcD
Member
Member # 1452

 - posted      Profile for MateoMcD   Email MateoMcD         Edit/Delete Post 
This goes out to anyone who has good ideas on the subject, not just OSC (although I'd love to hear from him!):

I'm re-reading the Alvin Maker series, and I got curious about how the historical figures who appear in the book fit into the timeline (i.e. how much did OSC "fudge" the dates and ages... if he did at all?)

Explicit dates aren't given for all books and all events, but I'm working with a few benchmarks:
I want to say Alvin was born in 1801... is that right?
Alvin is 12 when he begins his Apprenticeship with Makepiece Smith and 19 when it ends,
Margaret is pregnant at the end of Alvin Journeyman and the baby is not born at the end of Heartfire,
Alvin is stated to be 26 years old at the beginning of Crystal City and Arthur Stuart is 15.
Using those pieces of data, I've pegged approximate years for each book:
Seventh Son: 1801-1812
Red Prophet: 1806-1813
Prentice Alvin: 1813-1820
Alvin Journeyman: 1822-1824
Heartfire: 1824-1825
The Crystal City: 1827-1828
If these dates are close to being accurate, I just have a couple of questions:
- The historical William Blake (Taleswapper) died in 1827, the same year The Crystal City begins. I'm assuming interacting with Alvin and magic in general could extend his life any number of years, so this is no biggie.
- John Adams would have been 89 years old in 1824, the year I have for Heartfire to begin. Hostorically, he died at 91 years of age... so, it's okay, but, man, he'd be old!
- Mike Fink was (probably) 54 in 1824, the year that I have Heartfire starting. I've seen 54 year olds that are still physically intimidating, but it does jar the image I had of him while reading the book.
- Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809, making his 18 at the beginning of The Crystal City. It seems young to already be a failed storekeeper, but those were different times.
Anyway, should I just chuck it all and assume that the existence of magic in this alternate history also makes the same people be born a few years earlier or later than they were in our history? Or should I just say OSC has full artistic license to muck with time to tell a better story (a sentiment with which I wholeheartedly agree)?

Posts: 99 | Registered: Jan 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
MateoMcD
Member
Member # 1452

 - posted      Profile for MateoMcD   Email MateoMcD         Edit/Delete Post 
Oh, yeah, Mike and Abe have a confrontation in the Crystal City, which would make it a confrontation between a 57 year-old and an 18 or 19 year-old. I guess if Stallone is making another Rocky at 60, there's no reason Mike can't take on gangly Abe.
Posts: 99 | Registered: Jan 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Orson Scott Card
Administrator
Member # 209

 - posted      Profile for Orson Scott Card           Edit/Delete Post 
Lincoln was born in '07. And it's an alternate history, so it's an alternate Lincoln. I mean, come on. And how old do you have to be to have a store fail?
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Stephan
Member
Member # 7549

 - posted      Profile for Stephan   Email Stephan         Edit/Delete Post 
As long as Taleswapper isn't keep track of his tales on a palm pilot, I'm content.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
MateoMcD
Member
Member # 1452

 - posted      Profile for MateoMcD   Email MateoMcD         Edit/Delete Post 
I like the idea of Lincoln being really young, just because it's a part of his life we don't really know much about historically, so it's neat to see the character we know from history being shaped and shaping the world around him.
Posts: 99 | Registered: Jan 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Soara
Member
Member # 6729

 - posted      Profile for Soara   Email Soara         Edit/Delete Post 
I think Lincoln could have been 18 in the Crystal City, as hard as it is to imagine him that young. [Razz]
Posts: 464 | Registered: Jul 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
hugh57
Member
Member # 5527

 - posted      Profile for hugh57   Email hugh57         Edit/Delete Post 
Maybe Lincoln's youth was at least part of the reason his store failed?
Posts: 241 | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Skysophyl
Member
Member # 7098

 - posted      Profile for Skysophyl   Email Skysophyl         Edit/Delete Post 
When is the Next alivin maker book coming out ?
Posts: 5 | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Stephan
Member
Member # 7549

 - posted      Profile for Stephan   Email Stephan         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by Skysophyl:
When is the Next alivin maker book coming out ?

November 31, 2006.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

   Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | Hatrack River Home Page

Copyright © 2008 Hatrack River Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2