Seventh Son
core novel 1987 The Tales of Alvin Maker
Record
| First published | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.88 (37,681 ratings, collected 2026-08-21) |
| Page count | 241 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780812533057 |
| Internal chronology | 1 |
Synopsis
Seventh Son, published in 1987, opens the Tales of Alvin Maker on a frontier version of early America where folk magic genuinely works, following Alvin Miller, the seventh son of a seventh son, a birth order that in this world's folklore marks him as someone destined for unusual power. From infancy, Alvin survives a series of near-fatal accidents that seem far too coincidental to be chance, hinting at a hidden conflict between forces working for and against him. As Alvin grows up in a frontier settlement shaped by real folk beliefs and practical magic, the novel follows his family's efforts to understand and protect his emerging abilities, setting in motion the journey that will eventually connect Alvin's fate to the distant, prophesied creation of a utopian settlement called the Crystal City.
Where it sits
- Universe: The Tales of Alvin Maker
- Series: Tales of Alvin Maker core; position 1 of 7 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Orson Scott Card
Awards (verified)
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 1988: won
Notes
- From the series record (Tales of Alvin Maker): Complete 7-novel alternate-history fantasy saga, an alternate frontier America where folk magic works; concluded 2026 with Master Alvin.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings, but they resolve to the exact same sequence for this book, so one combined line is shown instead of two identical ones.
- Reading order, within the series Tales of Alvin Maker: position 1 of 7: next Red Prophet (1988)
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tales_of_Alvin_Maker
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh_Son_(novel)
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