Seventh Son
Encyclopedia
Seventh Son is an alternate history/fantasy
novel by Orson Scott Card
. It is the first book in Card's The Tales of Alvin Maker
series and is about Alvin Miller, the Seventh son of a seventh son
. Seventh Son won a Locus Award
and was nominated for both the Hugo
and World Fantasy
Awards in 1988. Seventh sons have strong "knacks" (specific magical abilities), and seventh sons of seventh sons are both extraordinarily rare and powerful. In fact, young Alvin appears to be the only one in the world. His abilities make him the target of The Unmaker
, who recognizes Alvin's powers as those of a Maker—only the second ever, and it had been a long time since the first had walked on water and turned water to wine. The Unmaker works largely through water, trying to kill Alvin in his early years, before he can master his abilities.
west. When they try to cross the Hatrack River, the Unmaker tries to stop the as-yet-unborn Alvin from becoming a Maker, sending a tree down the river to crush the wagon the pregnant Mrs. Miller is riding in. Her son Vigor diverts the tree, but is mortally wounded in the act. Because a seventh son must be born while the other six are alive, Vigor desperately clings to life until Alvin is born. Help is dispatched at the insistence of five-year-old "torch" (a person who, among other things, can see the life forces of people and under certain conditions, their myriad alternate futures) Peggy Guester, who sees Alvin and Alvin's possible future as a Maker.
As the years pass, Alvin avoids numerous attempts by the Unmaker to kill him, often helped by the intervention of Peggy, who continues to watch over him and help him use his power with her "torch" powers. When he is ten years old, Alvin encounters "Taleswapper" (William Blake
) a travelling storyteller who arrives in the town his parents have founded. Meanwhile, the Reverend Philadelphia Thrower becomes a tool of the Unmaker. When the Unmaker manages to injure Alvin, Taleswapper encourages him to heal himself, and Thrower (acting as a surgeon) attempts to kill him, but finds himself unable to by a mysterious force. Alvin heals himself (with the aid of his brother Measure) and is contracted as an apprentice to a blacksmith in the town on the Hatrack River where he was born.
The book's sequel, second in the tales of Alvin's life, is Red Prophet
.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel by Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
. It is the first book in Card's The Tales of Alvin Maker
The Tales of Alvin Maker
The Tales of Alvin Maker is a series of novels by Orson Scott Card that revolve around the experiences of a young man, Alvin Miller, who discovers he has incredible powers for creating and shaping things around him...
series and is about Alvin Miller, the Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
The seventh son of a seventh son is a concept from folklore regarding special powers given to, or held by, such a son. The seventh son must come from an unbroken line with no female children born between, and be, in turn, born to such a seventh son...
. Seventh Son won a Locus Award
Locus Award
The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet...
and was nominated for both the Hugo
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
and World Fantasy
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
Awards in 1988. Seventh sons have strong "knacks" (specific magical abilities), and seventh sons of seventh sons are both extraordinarily rare and powerful. In fact, young Alvin appears to be the only one in the world. His abilities make him the target of The Unmaker
The Unmaker
The Unmaker is the main antagonist in Orson Scott Card's alternate history/fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker. Never directly confronted, it is a supernatural force that breaks apart matter and aims to destroy and consume everything and everyone...
, who recognizes Alvin's powers as those of a Maker—only the second ever, and it had been a long time since the first had walked on water and turned water to wine. The Unmaker works largely through water, trying to kill Alvin in his early years, before he can master his abilities.
Plot summary
Alvin's family is migratingHuman migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
west. When they try to cross the Hatrack River, the Unmaker tries to stop the as-yet-unborn Alvin from becoming a Maker, sending a tree down the river to crush the wagon the pregnant Mrs. Miller is riding in. Her son Vigor diverts the tree, but is mortally wounded in the act. Because a seventh son must be born while the other six are alive, Vigor desperately clings to life until Alvin is born. Help is dispatched at the insistence of five-year-old "torch" (a person who, among other things, can see the life forces of people and under certain conditions, their myriad alternate futures) Peggy Guester, who sees Alvin and Alvin's possible future as a Maker.
As the years pass, Alvin avoids numerous attempts by the Unmaker to kill him, often helped by the intervention of Peggy, who continues to watch over him and help him use his power with her "torch" powers. When he is ten years old, Alvin encounters "Taleswapper" (William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
) a travelling storyteller who arrives in the town his parents have founded. Meanwhile, the Reverend Philadelphia Thrower becomes a tool of the Unmaker. When the Unmaker manages to injure Alvin, Taleswapper encourages him to heal himself, and Thrower (acting as a surgeon) attempts to kill him, but finds himself unable to by a mysterious force. Alvin heals himself (with the aid of his brother Measure) and is contracted as an apprentice to a blacksmith in the town on the Hatrack River where he was born.
The book's sequel, second in the tales of Alvin's life, is Red Prophet
Red Prophet
Red Prophet is an alternate history/fantasy novel by Orson Scott Card. It is the second book in Card's The Tales of Alvin Maker series and is about Alvin Miller, the Seventh son of a seventh son...
.
External links
- About the novel Seventh Son from Card's website
- Seventh Son at Worlds Without End