Hatrack River Forum: Author's note of The Red Prophet

This is topic Author's note of The Red Prophet in forum Discussions About Orson Scott Card at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by aragorn64 (Member # 4204) on :

In the author's note of Red Prophet it says "...and to my great-great-grandfather Joseph for the stories behind this book."

I know that some of the events in the Alvin Maker series are based on events in Joseph Smith's life. Does this mean that the Joseph OSC talks about is Joseph Smith?

Just out of curiosity, of course. [Smile]

Posted by aragorn64 (Member # 4204) on :

Here's a little bumpage.

Posted by Chris Kidd (Member # 2646) on :

no its not.

Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :

Yes it is.

The wife of Brigham Young that I'm descended from, Zina Diantha Huntington, was previously married (polygamously) to Joseph Smith but had no children by him. Under LDS temple rules, this makes all the children she had by Brigham "sealed" to Joseph as their ancestor. So genetically, I'm descended from Young, but by "sealing line," from Joseph Smith.

I don't expect anybody to take this seriously; it was a lighthearted acknowledgement. But key elements in Alvin's life are taken from Joseph Smith's, not to be allegory, but to provide the skeleton of an interesting story set in frontier antebellum America.

Posted by Yozhik (Member # 89) on :

That is so COOL.

Posted by aragorn64 (Member # 4204) on :

Hey, thank's for responding Mr. Card!

Huh, that's interesting. That clears up a few things.

Posted by Chris Kidd (Member # 2646) on :

I feel so stupid [Hail]