Red Prophet

By Orson Scott Card

Though I listened to the audiobook version of the first book in this series, Seventh Son, I actually read this book the old-fashioned way: with my eyes. Though I prefer the hardback editions of books, the paperback was the only one widely available anymore, so that's what I picked up from Amazon.

When did I start? Back in March? I'm really not that slow of a reader, I just never have much time for it: being a dad and husband is time consuming! I actually finished this book about two weeks ago, this post is just late. But still, a month and a half is far too much time for reading a novel this length.

While I really enjoyed Seventh Son, I wasn't sure what to think of this one. From the title it was apparent it was about a Native American medicine man of some sort. I couldn't figure out what that had to do with the series. The series is supposed to be about Alvin Maker, after all: it's the Alvin Maker series! It begins in a fort in Card's fictionalized American pre-Civil War days. The fort is heavily visited by whiskey-loving Native Americans (Card's characters call them "Reds"). The action stays focused here for a while, without any mention of Alvin. It focuses mainly on two Reds, brothers. One is a drunk and one is a brave warrior of wide renown.

After a few chapters of focusing on these Reds, focus switches back to Alvin and one of his brothers, Measure. I won't say anymore, for fear of providing spoilers.

I have to say this book, though it is fiction, is the first writing I've encountered that really educated me on the mindset of Native Americans. Why did they hate white men so much? In what ways were they so different? How were they so connected with nature and the world around them? This book, though it is fiction, really got the answers across to me. Seeing the European encroachment through their eyes showed me the hows and why and effectively illustrated their impact on the Native Americans' cultures.

This book, while good, wasn't a real big page-turner for me. While it had some excitement, it wasn't full of it. I would recommend it, but don't expect to be gripped from beginning to end. I found myself staying up late to finish some sections, but not for the whole book.

The book describes some mystical beliefs of the Reds, though I'm certain Card made them up. However, they are not far askew from real Native American beliefs, mythologies and religions, from what I know. I'm not an expert on the subject, but the traditions he invented sounded authentic to me.

In short, this book provides more details of the childhood of Alvin Miller (not yet Maker). It covers a little over a year of his life, and also provides more context as the world in which he lived and grew up in. I couldn't help but be reminded of another of Card's heroes, Ender, while reading this book. Like Alvin, Ender was a young prodigy and gifted with talents not everyone understood, including the hero himself. And Ender ultimately became a Messiah figure in the mythology of his fictional universe. Though I haven't gotten there yet, I suspect that's where Alvin is headed. The title "Maker" sure implies that it's coming.

External links

• Card's page on Red Prophet
• Wikipedia entry on the book