As Roland Brown is writing the script for the Alvin Maker comics (we're starting with Red Prophet; the publisher is the Dabel Brothers, who are also publishing Wyrms as a comic book series), he's run up against the fact that we can't leave ages as vague as I tend to do in my fiction.
So we need to know how to nail down the relative ages of the children in the Miller family: "David, Calm, Measure, Beatrice, Elizabeth, Ann and Mary. Eleanor, Vigor (sorta), Wastenot and Wantnot's ages were easy enough to figure out."
My guess is that there is NO reference to their ages that is exact at all. Anybody know otherwise? Because some poor artist has to DRAW these people.
Meanwhile, I'm assuming that I DO give a list of them that at least tells their birth order. Right? Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
4 8 15 16 23 and 42?
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
At what point in the story?
Posted by Evergreen (Member # 8410) on :
I wasn't able to find the ages of David, Eleanor, and Calm, but you did say that Eleanor is the oldest daughter and Calm is the oldest son (after Vigor, of course).
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
quote: At what point in the story?
Well, Alvin is 4 four years after he's born in Hatrack River. Four years after that he's 8. After Red Prophet or so he's 15, followed directly by being 16. Being 23 though is a while later, I think during Crystal City, perhaps Heartfire. I don't think he's ever 42 in the story.
The same pattern follows for the other characters as well.
Posted by A Rat Named Dog (Member # 699) on :
OSC, don't listen to T_Smith. He's just rattling off Hurley's numbers from LOST
Smith, you're going to ruin a whole comic book, you jackanapes!
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
That's a 10 dollar word right there.
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
I used it as the name of one of my characters in City of Heroes. He was a little monkey with red and green motley painted on his fur.
No one can stop the JACKANAPES!
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I'm going to post some events as I find them to try to nail this down:
Vigor is oldest and "lived to be a man but never married." (Seventh Son, next to last page of Chapter 4).
Alvin is 6 when he saw the Shining Man, 10 when he was captured by Reds (Red Prophet, first page of Chapter 7)
The twins were 12 when Alvin was born (Seventh Son, first page chapter 2)
Four years between Alvin and his next older sibling (sister, presumably). Id, last page chapter 2.
Elanor is 14 when Alvin is born, younger than all the boys except the twins, Alvin, and Calvin. Id. Chapter 4, p. 19 (of the book, not the chapter)
Calvin was 3 when the ridgebeam fell (Id., Chapter 6, p. 37)
Matilda was 16 when the ridgebeam fell (Id., Chapter 7, p. 52)
Alvin was 6 when the ridgebeam fell (Id.)
Mary was 10 when the ridgebeam fell (Id.)
Beatrice 15, Elizabeth 14, Anne 12 when the ridgebeam fell (Id. p. 53).
RESULTS so far: Calvin: -3 Alvin: 0 Waste/Want-not: +12 Mary: +4 Anne: +6 Elizabeth: +8 Beatrice: +9 Matilda: +10 Elanor: +14 Calm: Older than Elanor and married when Alvin was 6, so say at least + 15. David: Older than Elanor and married when Alvin was 6, so say at least +16. Vigor: "Lived to be a man" when Alvin was born, so say +18-20.
That's all I could find, so I pretty much just confirmed Evergreen's findings, except for finding Elanor's age.
[ August 26, 2005, 10:30 PM: Message edited by: Dagonee ]
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
This is great. I bet this is everything Roland needed. You're great, folks!
Jackanapeses rule. So stay out of the jackanapeses' way.
Posted by trance (Member # 6623) on :
eh?
Posted by trance (Member # 6623) on :
jackanapeses?
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
OK, I just came across the part where we find out Arthur Stuart arrives at Hatrack when Alvin is 11. Just for completeness's sake:
Arthur Stuart: -11
Posted by mothertree (Member # 4999) on :
Eh, this seems as likely a spot to post this as any place. Someone was talking about hereditary magic over on the writer's workshop and it got me thinking:
"Thinking of Seventh Son, I imagine Alvin Miller must have weeded out any women who did not come from large families. I wonder if there was anyone he wanted to marry but because they were an only child he couldn't. I wonder if he ever thought of having sons with several different women. Hmmm. I wonder if Calvin tries this. I wonder if such a person shows up and creates trouble for Alvin Jr. And he could be French, too."
However, it seems as though Calvin didn't start sowing his wild oats until he got back from France, so it would have to be a French person in Canada or somethin.
Anyway, I know ideas are cheap. I just want to know what happens next! I got First meetings but I wonder if part of why I haven't finished it is I like my mental version of things instead. That Theresa was recruited by Graff to marry JP.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:I got First meetings but I wonder if part of why I haven't finished it is I like my mental version of things instead. That Theresa was recruited by Graff to marry JP.
That's how things go in your mind, and you haven't even read FM yet? You really need to read it.
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
Ok…. Got to tease here a bit. So remember this is unserious. So here it goes….
Scott you always talks about how your stories are like your kids. Specifically I remember you saying its like if someone says they don’t like this book is sort of like saying you don’t like this kid. Or something like that. So…… maybe my question should be more towards Puppy. Does Scott have to ask Kristine what order you all were born in and age ranges? Sheeze……..
Ok, sorry, couldn’t resist. On a more serious side I think it is so great that you check out little things like this to make sure all is done right. Not to mention probably saves valuable research time so you can spend more time writing great books! Now back to the typewriter with ya!
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
Jay, I'm pretty sure OSC can tell you what order he wrote the books in. Just like he can tell you what order he had his children in.
But I suspect he'd be just as hard-pressed to tell you details of my life now as he is to recite precise details of the content of his novels That's pretty normal ...
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
Oh for sure! Heck I have to look up details about my own life. Some of those government applications want to know everything!!
Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
Roland? You mean Roland Deschain?
Posted by MidnightBlue (Member # 6146) on :
quote:Originally posted by Orson Scott Card: As Roland Brown is writing the script for the Alvin Maker comics
Posted by LadyDove (Member # 3000) on :
Do we have release dates yet for the Alvin and Wyrms comics? Also, will we be able to buy them here or will we have to go through another site?
BTW, Fat Farm is amazing. I really love Jin's art paired with Johnson's adaptation.
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