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Just started reading this book. I'd say I've read about 80% of Card's work, and this is pretty good so far (Haven't noticed any of his political bias/opinions he's been putting into his work lately).
And as I was reading, I saw a word that suddenly brought me back some: "knack." And when I realized that this was part of a 3 book series, and he had more Ender novels coming out, etc etc, I just thought to myself:
When is he going to finally write the last Alvin Maker book?
This book, although a compelling read so far, is really just a mashup/ripoff of Alvin Maker merged with Norse mythology. I'm going to keep reading it, and I'm sure I'll love it, and I'm going to read the next two books, but I'm slightly discouraged that there's still no news on the 7th Alvin Maker book, especially when I see that Card still has the ability to write about fantasy.
Any thoughts?
Posts: 7 | Registered: Jan 2012
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Admittedly, I haven't read all of the available Alvin Maker novels (I still have currently only read Seventh Son, Red Prophet, and Prentice Alvin), but I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the series as a whole.
Having said that, I've also read The Lost Gate, and I didn't feel it to be a "ripoff" or "mashup" of the Alvin Maker series even in the least. I actually like the magic system in The Lost Gate better than that of the Alvin Maker series. The appeal for me of the Alvin Maker series were the alternative history elements (partially due to the series's fictionalized parallels with the very real historical figure Joseph Smith). Whereas, the expanding created mythology and magic system in The Lost Gate has much more potential (and was also originally established in the short story "Sandmagic" [which I believe was written in 1979] which predates the Alvin Maker series). In a lot of ways, I found the mythology in The Lost Gate to have more similarities to the novel Hart's Hope, which isn't an insult to either novels or a cry of derision or repetition.
I feel like suggesting one is ripping off the other is a rather moot point considering the vast vast VAST number of fantasy novels with similar magic systems. It'd be like accusing every novel with a wizard of being a rip-off.
In my opinion, The Lost Gate is a unique and almost breathtakingly revitalized style of prose for Card (along with the novel released around the same time Pathfinder which is itself also the start of another series and also similar to The Lost Gate or the prior novels of The Homecoming series.)
I'm more excited for the sequels to The Lost Gate and Pathfinder than for the conclusion of the Alvin Maker series.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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If anything is "rip off" about TLG (and Pathfinder, for that matter), to me, it's that OSC is still in love with the "young boy with extraordinary abilities, in trouble" storylines. But I'm okay with that. I like those storylines, too.
And a special "yeah that" for SteveRogers about being more excited about the Mithermage and Pathfinder sequels than Alvin, at this point. I found both of those books to be really exciting and creative and, despite that OSC sticks to similar themes within his own works, original. I feel like as a writer he is only improving with time, especially in the technical aspects of writing.
(which is comforting to me because some of the other writers I like-- King, for example-- seem to be fading or getting lazier with time)
Posts: 115 | Registered: May 2011
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I found Pathfinder and The Lost Gate both much more compelling to read than the later Alvin Maker novels.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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I completely rescind everything I said. The beginning of the book reminded me of it, being on the compound with the family and having special "knacks", but as I continued to read (and finish) the book, I can see distinct differences and I take back my original post.
That being said, I still want to know how the Alvin Maker series ends, because geez, there's only ONE book left let's be serious.
Also looking forward to the next two novels as well, even though I don't think OSC really left any big cliffhanger at the end of Lost Gate to speculate about what's going to happen.
Posts: 7 | Registered: Jan 2012
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I disagree. I think the mythology of The Lost Gate and the parallels between Earth and the other universe leave very much to be excited about.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Well, I see what he's saying. It's not as "urgent" a situation, as in an actual cliff-hanger. But, that doesn't mean there isn't anything to be excited about, or to want to find out about, or to guess about.
About.
(Just had to say it one more time)
Posts: 115 | Registered: May 2011
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