Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book, in an excellent series
Review: "The Tales of Alvin Maker" series by Orson Scott Card has been my husband's and my latest joint reading project. We recently finished Book 6 in the series, "The Crystal City."The series is set in an alternative version of Colonial America, in which various political entities hold interests in the North American continent and which people of various descent are steeped in magic that is common to their race. Thus, European settlers have "knacks" of varying degree and ability. The indigenous people move in harmony with the "Greensong" that encompasses all life. And people of African descent utilize physical objects, like poppets, to work their magic. The hero of the series, Alvin Maker, was born the seventh son of a seventh son -- a combination that blessed him with a particularly powerful knack. Although he was apprenticed as a smith, his true profession is that of maker, and Alvin wields tremendous power over natural forces like stone and metal. As the story progresses through successive volumes, Alvin gathers like-minded people to him in an effort to build the Crystal City of a childhood vision. And he learns, as his ability matures, that a maker is part of what he makes. A visit to Orson Scott Card's Web site (www.hatrack.com) recently informed us that the story is projected to encompass a total of seven volumes, which means there's only one left. I have great respect for Mr. Card for having established a finite, concluding number for the volumes in his series, because having read other writers' ongoing epics, I know the temptation to use familiar characters or locale can be a powerful one. Of the several multi-volume epics we have read, the authors' success has been varying. One of the biggest pitfalls, we've noticed, is that sooner or later the need to rehash past events for continuing readers or bring new readers up to speed tends to bog down the narrative if not handled with care. In the case of the Alvin Maker series, however, there is just enough "boilerplate" to keep things moving, or to offer an insight into the hearts and minds of Mr. Card's characters. The story continues moving forward, with new insights and revelations awaiting the familiar cast. So here's looking forward, in excitement mixed with regret, to the release of "Master Alvin." This is an excellent series, to be enjoyed while it lasts, and re-read fondly when it is over. And if "The Crystal City" is any indication of what is to come, Mr. Card is wrapping things up at the peak of his storytelling powers as channeled in "The Tales of Alvin Maker."
Rating: 
Summary: Entertainment. Don't expect much more.
Review: After waiting four years for the sequel to Heartfire, Orson Scott Card finally delights us with the further tales of Alvin Maker in The Crystal City. From the beginning, we are transported into the wonderful world of magical alternate history as only Uncle Orson can show us. Alvin and his brother-in-law, Arthur Stuart, are in the Spanish town Nueva Barcelona (once known as New Orleans) on a mission of unknown determination, by Alvin's wife, the "Torch," Peggy Smith.
Card writes in his usual Alvin series voice, providing frequent jabs and slapstick conversation among the characters, who argue among themselves in admiration. Although I think the snappy dialogue went a tad overboard in this book, I was nevertheless entertained with the story.
The book is an easy read, and went too quickly. After the early difficulties in the book, I think things wrapped together far too neatly toward the end. And it appeared that Card was rushing this one. It seems that something has been left out.
I have to remind myself that the Alvin books are written easily, so that youth can read them, and not be upset that we didn't explore the depths of characters who should be behaving like adults.
At 340 pages, it's well worth the short time it takes to read it. I understand that Orson Scott Card has one more book in the series and then he'll wrap it all up. Let's hope he takes less than four years to write this one.
Rating:
Summary: Alvin moves on towards his destiny
Review: Alvin Maker, or Smith, still after five books has not found himself or the Crystal City of which he dreams. Sent to Nueva Barcelona (New Orleans) by his wife Peggy, he more or less accidently becomes Moses to an Exodus of slaves and other downtrodden people. With yellow fever and soldiers not far behind, and the seemingly impenetrable Mizzippi ahead, he must try to lead these people to freedom. Meanwhile, his uncontrollable younger brother, Calvin, is stirring up trouble on an expedition to conquer Mexico . . . Good, but not great, continuation of the Alvin Maker series. As you can tell by the title, Alvin finally begins his Crystal City (and not surprisingly, since much in this series parallels Latter Day Saints beliefs, it seems to be on the site of Nauvoo, Illinois.) While we meet Abraham Lincoln in this series (an Abe who apparently did not buy a barrel of law books at a cheap price to enable him to study law on his own), Lincoln's explanation as to why he doesn't have a last name reflecting his profession is weak. Most of the people who don't have such last names are historical characters in our world (William Henry Harrison, for example). It's not a new complaint, but--Card should have thought this through. He's inventive enough. With Alvin seeming to parallel Joseph Smith, and with his people defying the U.S. to some extent, the groundwork seems to be laid for this universe's equivalent of the U.S. attack on Nauvoo and death of Joseph Smith, which eventually led to Brigham Young and his people's trek to Utah. How this will play out in Card's works should be interesting. Finally, Card really, really, should update his political maps to show the developments he has mentioned through the series--the new states, the closing-off of the Trans-Mizzippi, etc. The maps are the same as at the start of the series, though this book's version does show Springfield and Crystal City--the latter on the WEST bank of the Mizzippi. It's more an annoyance than anything else. Recommended, if you've read the previous five.
Rating: 
Summary: DULL AT BEST
Review: Another chapter in the saga of Alvin Maker that seems to have no objective, form or substance. As I read this book I continually wondered when I would finally get to a part with some interest or relevance, I never found it. Follow Alvin as he whups up on the nasty white man and saves the blacks, injuns and French. Oh yeah, he starts to build his crystal city but not in any way you might have expected. Is it bad? No. What it is is boring. Too bad, I have been following this story from the very beginning and really enjoyed most of it. There must be some extremely virulent disease going through the fantasy/SF community that has wiped out the ability of many writers to actually finish stories. Hopefully they will come up with a cure soon. Unfortunately it will be too late for this one. It is DOA, terminally boring. I can't in all good conscience recommend this one, even to Mr. Cards most fevered fans. Hopefully he will put this puppy to sleep in his next volume.
Rating:
Summary: excellent!
Review: At first, I was wary of this book-- my problem with Orson Scott Card is that he can't finish a series-- Children of the mind was horriffic, as was xenocide- so I was a bit nervous when I picked up The Crystal City. This book however, is a strong addition (and end?) to the Alvin Maker series-- by far, his best series (as a whole) to date. It ties up many loose ends, and ends on a positive note. As always, Card's writing sucks you into his world-- i couldn't put this book down. Some minor problems: 1. It's a pretty good stand-alone book, but there are some parts where the reader might get confused if they have not read the other books in the Alvin Maker series (read them!) 2. Alvin Maker's archnemesis-- the Unmaker, seemed not much more than an afterthought-- there are few worthy enemies in this story, (and not as much conflict) which sorely disappointed me. Mr. Card's forte is his character studies, and the book falls short in this area 3. There was no real resolution-- the book ends on a happy note, which is odd, given how many times disaster is foretold throughout the story. my only hope is thus that the ending was left open because he plans to write another book in the series-- if not, it is a disappointing ending.
Rating:
Summary: Yes, that Crystal City.
Review: For those of us eagerly waiting to learn what happens next to Alvin Maker, "The Crystal City" does not toy with us. In this, the sixth novel in the Alvin Maker series, all of the previous elements come into play. Alvin's work is far from done at the end of this book, but Card has fulfilled much of his promise to his readers. As we watch Alvin's dreams become real we also watch the author's. He continues to thrill us with famous characters in this alternate history. The rich dialects stick with me, and I catch them in my speech for days. Once again Orson Scott Card skillfully recaps the action of the previous books through the thoughts of his characters, so we learn even more about the past. Readers will benefit from reading the previous books in the series first. (Seventh Son, Red Prophet, Prentice Alvin, Alvin Journeyman, and Heartfire) The only flaw of this book is that it tries to cover too much of the story within two covers. Card has developed as a writer throughout this series. Each novel in this series is different from the others. "The Crystal City" is not primarily a story of action (although there is no shortage of miraculous actions). Instead it is a story of relationships-- trust, love, forgiveness, and hope. There is no final battle with the Unmaker at the end of this tale, and some readers may be disappointed by that. But there is triumph nonetheless. While I would eagerly read future books in the Alvin Maker series, I shall be content if this is the end.
Rating:
Summary: Yes, that Crystal City.
Review: For those of us eagerly waiting to learn what happens next to Alvin Maker, "The Crystal City" does not toy with us. In this, the sixth novel in the Alvin Maker series, all of the previous elements come into play. Alvin's work is far from done at the end of this book, but Card has fulfilled much of his promise to his readers. As we watch Alvin's dreams become real we also watch the author's. He continues to thrill us with famous characters in this alternate history. The rich dialects stick with me, and I catch them in my speech for days. Once again Orson Scott Card skillfully recaps the action of the previous books through the thoughts of his characters, so we learn even more about the past. Readers will benefit from reading the previous books in the series first. (Seventh Son, Red Prophet, Prentice Alvin, Alvin Journeyman, and Heartfire) The only flaw of this book is that it tries to cover too much of the story within two covers. Card has developed as a writer throughout this series. Each novel in this series is different from the others. "The Crystal City" is not primarily a story of action (although there is no shortage of miraculous actions). Instead it is a story of relationships-- trust, love, forgiveness, and hope. There is no final battle with the Unmaker at the end of this tale, and some readers may be disappointed by that. But there is triumph nonetheless. While I would eagerly read future books in the Alvin Maker series, I shall be content if this is the end.
Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL READING - especially for vivid imaginations!
Review: I disagree with some of the people who reviewed the other works in this series. They did what teachers do. They analyzed the books to the point at which they drained the pleasure from the reading. I think that the entire series needs to be read and considered as a single body of work.
Crystal City is amazing fantasy. It continues a story that teaches a lot about slavery and prejudices in early America. Prejudices that continue today. The story also teaches a lot about native America lore, beliefs and practices.
My ONLY complaint is that Orson Scott Card did not complete the series with this volume. He obviously left room for another volume.
A good friend told me that these stories portray Mormon philosophy. While it is true I need to be hit over the head with a sledge hammer to see symbolism, I have NOT seen it in the series. Maybe I don't know enough about that religion!
Rating:
Summary: Finally getting Somewhere!
Review: I enjoyed the realization of the Crystal City at long last, While Alvin had some new troubles and seems to have lost some of his abilities It was great to see the evolution of the altered history. Alvin placed the Crystal City where Joseph Smith built Navoo, of course this is a parallel, I wonder how the future will unfold now? Is Arthur Stuart a Maker because of Alvin's Teachings or because he has altered DNA? With So much Makery going on Peggy should give up trying to predict the future, or at least stop worring about it! What will America be after the war to come? What combination of factors will make Alvin willing to allow himself to die? Why on Earth wont he just make another plow of ordinary gold to get teh law off his back! It is a wonderful series, I love all of Card's Novels but this series makes me wish he did nothing else!
Rating:
Summary: Alvin Maker leads an Exodus from slavery to the Crystal City
Review: I had to go back and see how long it had been since Uncle Orson had published the last volume in the Tales of Alvin Maker, but I waited until after I read Book 6, "The Crystal City." It had been about five years, but without ever going back and jogging my memory I was able to pick up the narrative thread in the ongoing story. Besides, I was encouraged by both the title and the cover art for this novel that Alvin was finally going to take that golden plough out of his poke and finally lay the ground for his city, and in that regard I am not disappointed. However, this is still not the climax of the tale. Orson Scott Card's Tales of Alvin Maker series is set in an alternative America where some people are born with knacks, a magical ability that is both a great gift and a deep burden. Alvin, the seventh son of a seventh son, is a "maker," who can make things and fix things, using his doodlebug to get a sense of what needs to be done. After the death of his newborn son, Alvin is persuaded by his wife, Peggy (a "torch," who can see the various paths into the future that a life might take), to go to Barcy (the New Orleans of this world), and so he travels down the Mizzizippy with young Arthur Stuart on a flatboat with Abe Lincoln and his friend Coz. This matters because while Alvin Maker has his dream of the Crystal City, Peggy is concerned with preventing the great war that she sees coming over the issues of slavery. In this America the United States is put one of several "countries" competing for the North American continent. The south consists of Crown Colonies, Spain controls Florida and Nueva Barcelona (Louisiana), and the French still have Canada. Meanwhile, the descendants of the Aztecs are still performing human sacrifices in Mexica and Alvin's friend, Tenskwa-Tawa, the Red Prophet, controls the lands to the west of the Mizzippy. Beyond the Hio Territory where Alvin was born in Hatrack River, the Wobbish Territory where Vigor Church and Carthage City can be found, and even beyond the Noisy River Territory, Alvin needs to find a place for his Crystal City. Because when he saves a single life in Barcy, the act changes everything and forces a series of issues. The establishment of the Crystal City is obviously a major moment in the series, but clearly it is not the big payoff. As always, it is interesting to see Uncle Orson's take on some of the figures of American's history. If he liked John Adams, he likes Abraham Lincoln any more. However, Stephen Austin and Jim Bowie do not fare well, and Alvin has to worry about the latter almost as much as he does about his younger brother Calvin. I know there are those who want to read these stories as a religious allegory, but I have enjoyed taking the narrative at face value and I remain ignorant enough of the major tenets of Mormon theology so that I do not see anything more here than the American ideal dressed up in alternative clothing. However, I find it hard to believe that there is only one volume left in the series, because there seem to be too many threads left to weave together.
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