I've long enjoyed OSC's stories. Have gotten interested in Alt. History and the divergence points of the various timelines. I was browsing in Uchronia and found out that the divergence point for Alvin Maker's timeline is listed as 1520 C.E. I'm curious as to what event or personality triggered the divergence and where any mention of this can found or researched further. Thanks for any leads.
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
I'm not sure where that date comes from.
It's not really "divergent." The key issue is that folk magic works. Not elves-and-fairies magic, but folk cures and hexes, that sort of thing.
The earliest divergence I've made any point of in the stories is that England is still ruled by Lords Protector, the successors of Oliver Cromwell, and it is a Puritan state which rejects all magic as impious.
Posted by Kevin Kersten (Member # 9179) on :
Thanks for the response, Scott(?)!!! A very pleasant surprise. I do recall, as you mention it, noting the "Cromwellian continuence" in the course of enjoying the tales. Fascinating for me to note the differences in histories, like the weekly "exercises" in the newspapers comparing the two nearly identical cartoons with 7 or 10 things changed. It does seem arbitrary to set a date for divergence if it is rather a parallel physical universe than a divergent timeline. Still, even in fiction, what are the odds of such a similar history in the "nineteenth century" if the parallel universe would have had real working "folk majicks" throughout the history of human societies. Wow, it boggles...the potentialities! From the VooDoo macabre to "Puckish" effects thru the history. (I just read "Magic Street", allusion intended) I had assumed it might have been triggered by an event changing things as posited in "Dragons of the Cayahoga" or some title like that. Bang! Right in the middle of an Indians' game and a black pillar stabilizes, elves come out and dragons appear overnight and so on. Thanks again, not everyday I get to hobnob with a person read by tens of thousands. Wish you continued success, Without Puck's humor!
Posted by clod (Member # 9084) on :
*breaks out the rolling pin*
*rolls dough*
*wanders off to find some cookie-cutters*
Posted by Advent 115 (Member # 8914) on :
Yeay! Cookies. Mmmmmm, cookies.
I'll bring the milk!
Posted by Kevin Kersten (Member # 9179) on :