Originally posted at FanLit:http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...Red Prophet is the second book in Orson Scott Card’s THE TALES OF ALVIN MAKER, an alternate history set in a frontier America in which folk magic is real. In the first book, Seventh Son, we were introduced to the main protagonist of the series, Alvin Miller who, because he’s the seventh son of a seventh son, is a gifted healer. We meet Alvin as a baby and follow him into boyhood. At the end of the story he has a vision of a shining man who gives him moral guidance.In Red Prophet we learn that the shining man is Lolla-Wossiky, an alternate version of Tenskwatawa, spiritual leader of the Native American Shawnee tribe. His brother Tecumseh is their chief. While Card focused on the religious implications of a magical American frontier in the first book, the focus here is on the interaction between the “Whites” and the “Reds” and culminates with The Battle of Tippecanoe.At the beginning of the story, William Henry Harrison, governor of Carthage City, is dealing with the Native Americans his own way — with poison. He purchases huge quantities of whiskey and sells it to the “Whiskey Reds.” Because they have a low tolerance for alcohol (it’s genetic), they become alcoholics and many die. Andrew Jackson is disgusted with Harrison’s sneaky tactics; he wants to do the more honorable thing and just shoot them all.Tecumseh, who realizes that alcohol is killing his people and knows of Jackson’s plans, decides to lead his people against the Whites. He allies with the French in Canada, led by the effete Marquis de Lafayette and Napoleon Bonaparte (yes, Napoleon’s in America). Lafayette, however, has his own agenda. He secretly loves the idea of democracy and he admires the American spirit. He wants to use Bonaparte to bring democracy to France. (This storyline is amusing, especially when read by the narrators I listened to in Blackstone Audio’s version.)Alvin Maker, who is on his way to his apprenticeship, meets Tecumseh and becomes involved with the war. Not only is he instrumental in affecting the outcome of The Battle of Tippecanoe but, with the help of Lolla-Wossiky, the Red Prophet, he sees visions of possible futures and learns more about his powers.Orson Scott Card is a great storyteller and he’s got a big imagination. This alternate history is exciting, entertaining, thoughtful, and occasionally humorous. I thought Card’s depiction of the Native Americans’ magical connection with the land was beautiful and makes for a lovely American mythology. Many “Whites” who read Red Prophet will feel ashamed at how the Native Americans were treated by our ancestors. Some readers have accused Card of being racist (anti-European), but I didn’t feel this way and I noted that Card gives us many Caucasians to admire and shows us that not all “Red-White” interactions where destructive.Orson Scott Card is particularly good at voice, dialogue, and character nuance. His heroes are capable of doing evil and his villains can have good motives. Characters don’t always do what we expect them to and there are times when we might even change our minds about how we feel about them. I look forward to seeing these characters grow throughout the series.I’m listening to Blackstone Audio’s productions of THE TALES OF ALVIN MAKER which is performed, in alternating chapters, by Stefan Rudnicki, Scott Brick, and Stephen Hoye. All three of them are excellent readers. I’ve already purchased book three, Prentice Alvin, and book four, Alvin Journeyman, on audio.Red Prophet, first published in 1988, was nominated for a Nebula and Hugo award. It won the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
The second in the Alvin Maker series.Similar to what Card did in the 'Ender' series, this book starts off covering a lot of the same time period and events as the previous book, but taken from a different character's perspective. It also ventures further into 'alternate history' territory (and boy is it alternate!)It's about the well-known Native American leader Tecumseh, and his brother Tenskwatawa, who was known as a prophet. (all true).I have to say that I think the book would have worked better as a pure fantasy story rather than alternate history. As it stands, it doesn't just venture into; it is ALL ABOUT the stereotypes of Native American culture. It's a very allegorical story, but if you want to have a culture be part of an allegory, it works better if it's a made-up culture, not peoples' real lives and history.For example, an critical point in the story is the famous battle at Tippecanoe. In reality, this was a bloody but equally joined battle between Tecumseh's forces and those of to-be-President Harrison (who, in the book is more-evil-than-evil). In reality, Harrison did win, but there were an about-even number of casualties (less than 100) on each side.In the book, "Tippy-Canoe" is a massacre: In revenge for the supposed killing of two white boys, white gunmen slaughter NINE THOUSAND Natives who, sworn to peace and non-violence, peacefully line up, unarmed, to be slaughtered.Now, if Card wants to make a point about martyrdom, that's all well and good, but I have issues with completely rewriting reality like that. And I know I'm not the only one who gets tired of seeing Native Americans portrayed as mystically close to nature, blah, blah, blah.
What do You think about Red Prophet (1992)?
In a lot of ways, this feels like the second half of a longer novel that should have been paired with "Seventh Son." "Seventh Son" establishes the character of Alvin Miller, Jr. and the fact that he's the seventh son of a seventh son. "Red Prophet" expands the alternative history of the universe Card is creating, including a lot of time spent on the politics of the universe. Card also spends some time setting up the rules by which his fantasy will play during the rest of the series (or so I presume). This feels like the second half of what should have been one longer starting novel for the series. Alvin does feature but he's kept off stage for the first third of the book before finally coming into the story. The first third establishes the political situation, examines the powers used by the Native Americans in the novel and shows the rise of Lolla-Wosiky to becoming a prophet for his people. If it weren't so interesting, it could be terribly frustrating. And Card does find ways to intersect the events of "Seventh Son," expanding that book a great deal. And it helps remind readers of what's gone before. The book builds to a central scene, depicted on the cover when Alvin and the title character cross paths and share a vision together. Alvin sees the future he can build and where all things can lead, sewing seeds that I hope will pay off in future stories.
—Michael
Well after the first book I had high hopes only to have them dashed to bits. I have a habit of laying back into the pillows that has my heating pad on it to heat up my back and relax a few kinks in it while exercising the kinks out of my hands from crocheting all while still listening to the audiobook that I have been listening to while crocheting. For a few seconds I rest my entire body just before going back to work on the project. This audiobook and the narrators (the main one seems to be the one that was doing the preacher in the first book) is so BORING and so hypnotic in his way of speaking that I fell asleep. This does NOT happen often as I am hard of hearing and use everything in my power to hear what I am listening to. I woke up a short time later and got back to work but the book kept making me drowsy and the boring over abundance of detail and the lecturishness of the book just about did me in. I would not have been surprised to hear "you are getting sleepy and you will sleep for a week ......" it was that bad. Audible has some of the worst narrators it seems and the ones they seem to like are the ones with the hypnotic go to sleep voices and way of reading and I detest that. I want life in my books if I wanted to sleep I would listen to a hypnosis tape HRMPH
—Debra Meyer
Red Prophet by Orson Scott Card is the sequel to Card’s 1987 novel Seventh Son. Like Ender's Shadow, the changed perspective sequel to Card’s masterpiece Ender's Game, Card demonstrates his great ability to tell a story from more than one vantage and can even expand this re-telling into another book. Red Prophet continues the alternate American history began in Seventh Son and this time largely from the viewpoint of Lalawasike, known to most readers of American history as The Prophet, brother to Tecumseh. William Henry Harrison, Andrew Jackson, Lafayette and even Napoleon also figure into the revisionist tale of the time before the battle of Tippecanoe. As good a job as Card does at characterization, really very good in fact, building complexities into characters that at first seemed flat, the best part of this book, and likely the high water marks of the series, remains Card’s wonderfully imaginative alternate history of America. This vision provides a soapbox upon which Card shares with his readers what he thinks is best in the heart of America and how things could be better. Just like in Seventh Son, like him or hate him, at the end of the day Card tells a good story and Red Prophet is fun to read.
—Lyn
