Crystal City: Tales of Alvin Maker VI

Crystal City neetly ties up many of the threads of the Alvin Maker series - then opens a number of new threads. The Alvin Maker series also seems to be closely related with some of Card's other book series.

Like Card's Homecoming saga, this is based loosely on Mormon history. In this case, many key events in Alvin's life are based on those of Joseph Smith. In Crystal City, Alvin leads a group of "outcasts" out of exile to build a "tabernacle" on some swampland on the Mississippi. (This seems a lot like Smith leading Mormons from Missouri to Nauvoo, Illinois and building a temple there.) There is also the constant fear that Alvin will die if he goes to jail in Carthage City. (Smith was killed in Carthage.) It makes me wonder which character will turn out to be the "Brigham Young" character that leads the people to Utah. (Perhaps his lawyer friend? or possibly his adopted brother-in-law?)


However, despite borrowing some key events from Joseph Smith's life, Alvin's life is much more than a fictionalized version of the Mormon prophet's life. The greatest difference is the vastly different America that he inhabits. "Knacks" and special abilities are relatively common. The states and countries are different. Alvin is not founding a religion, but engaging in a similar bold task of "making". He also has significant roles in the establishment of a "red" nation and the abolition of slavery. Alvin's family relationship is significantly different than Smith's.

The family relationships are, however, very similar to those in Card's Ender's Game series. You could just about swap out Alvin with Ender and not notice a difference. Ender's brother Peter and Alvin's brother Calvin also seem to have very similar personalities, while Alvin's wife and Ender's sister Valentine could also be swapped. Even Alvin's pals and Ender's pals seem similar. It's almost as if the author took the same characters and plucked them down in a different setting and watched how they turned out.

Historical figures suffer a somewhat similar fate. Abraham Lincoln is portrayed glowingly as a down-on-his-luck entrepreneur that everybody loves. Jim Bowie is not treated so nicely - portrayed as a mean ruffian. Steve Austin's portrayal is somewhat sympathetic - though he gets his heart ripped out in Mexico before a volcano destroys the whole city.

The open threads at the end leave open a final book in the series. In the afterward to one book, Card mentions that there will only be one more book - and a likely long one. However, Card seems to have lost interest in this series, so it may be a long while.