pocketholes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
anubis9's review against another edition
3.0
This book is a mixed bag. I was a little disappointed that we had to go back in time for so long before catching up with all the loose ends from book one, but Card makes it all worthwhile. Well, sort of. He then opens a few more cans of worms before ending the book. Card did his homework however, and there are more than a few key pieces of actual history nicely woven into his narrative.
jsburt's review against another edition
3.0
Better than the first book, but still kind of strange. Not decided on if I will read the next book in the series, but leaning towards not.
zeydejd's review against another edition
4.0
really good continuation of the series, i loved the alternate history aspect of it
craftingrama's review against another edition
1.0
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
jenner33's review against another edition
3.0
This book was rarely about Alvin, whom I missed from the story line.
alishaaye's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
yggie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
katiecatbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Best book I've read all year, as good if not better than the first. Had me looking up American history I hadn't studied since grade school.
Story: This is the second book in the Alvin Maker series, and I recommend that you read the first book before this one. Alvin doesn't even show up until about 90 pages in and those first 90 pages introduce our other leading characters, Ta-Kumsaw and Lolla-Wossiky. There's a lot of trouble going on in America involving William Henry Harrison, the whites and the Reds, northeners, southerners and others. A storm is brewing, politically and territoritally and young Alvin Maker has a big role to play in it.
Language: Orson Scott Card uses a lot of words in his version of America that will be easily understood by readers with some knowledge of America (ex. Mizzipy for Mississippi). This use of vocabulary draws the reader into this alternate history yet keeps the reader familiar and easily part of the world. Other than that, the language is very clear cut and easy to follow. Language plays a key role in the story and characters and Orson Scott Card writes expertly.
PACE: Fast. There is constant action, especially in the latter half of the book, and the reader is swept along with the characters from each action to the next. Some parts of the book occur concurrently among different characters so the reader follows the adventure in many ways.
Frame: Ethereal and spiritual. The book is titled Red Prophet and that should give away the tone of the novel. American Indian and spirituality. The prophet theme is key and runs across the whole book in many forms. There is violence in this book, so there are dar moments, but there are also many light moments, as in the first Alvin Maker novel.
Note: If you are not familiar with US history, do not go looking up about the events or characters in the book until you have finished reading. Although this is an alternate history, some parts in real history might be considered spoilers for the events that occur in this book.
Fantastic book, way better than I expected and I am an even bigger Alvin Maker fan than I was after reading the first book.
Story: This is the second book in the Alvin Maker series, and I recommend that you read the first book before this one. Alvin doesn't even show up until about 90 pages in and those first 90 pages introduce our other leading characters, Ta-Kumsaw and Lolla-Wossiky. There's a lot of trouble going on in America involving William Henry Harrison, the whites and the Reds, northeners, southerners and others. A storm is brewing, politically and territoritally and young Alvin Maker has a big role to play in it.
Language: Orson Scott Card uses a lot of words in his version of America that will be easily understood by readers with some knowledge of America (ex. Mizzipy for Mississippi). This use of vocabulary draws the reader into this alternate history yet keeps the reader familiar and easily part of the world. Other than that, the language is very clear cut and easy to follow. Language plays a key role in the story and characters and Orson Scott Card writes expertly.
PACE: Fast. There is constant action, especially in the latter half of the book, and the reader is swept along with the characters from each action to the next. Some parts of the book occur concurrently among different characters so the reader follows the adventure in many ways.
Frame: Ethereal and spiritual. The book is titled Red Prophet and that should give away the tone of the novel. American Indian and spirituality. The prophet theme is key and runs across the whole book in many forms. There is violence in this book, so there are dar moments, but there are also many light moments, as in the first Alvin Maker novel.
Note: If you are not familiar with US history, do not go looking up about the events or characters in the book until you have finished reading. Although this is an alternate history, some parts in real history might be considered spoilers for the events that occur in this book.
Fantastic book, way better than I expected and I am an even bigger Alvin Maker fan than I was after reading the first book.
lizbusby's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as the first book. I hope the next book in the series is less geopolitcal and more about what Alvin is becoming.