Heartfire: The Tales of Alvin Maker, Book Five

Orson Scott Card

Apr 2010 · Alvin Maker Book 5 · Sold by Macmillan

About this ebook

The bestselling Orson Scott Card's The Tales of Alvin Maker series continues with Heartfire

Peggy is a Torch, able to see the fire burning in each person's heart. She can follow the paths of each person's future, and know each person's most intimate secrets. From the moment of Alvin Maker's birth, when the Unmaker first strove to kill him, she has protected him.

Now they are married, and Peggy is a part of Alvin's heart as well as his life.

But Alvin's destiny has taken them on separate journeys. Alvin has gone north into New England, where knacks are considered witchcraft, and their use is punished with death.

Peggy has been drawn south, to the British Crown Colonies and the court of King Arthur Stuart in exile. For she has seen a terrible future bloom in the heartfires of every person in America, a future of war and destruction. One slender path exists that leads through the bloodshed, and it is Peggy's quest to set the world on the path to peace.

The Tales of Alvin Maker series
Seventh Son
Red Prophet
Prentice Alvin
Alvin Journeyman
Heartfire
The Crystal City

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Ratings and reviews

I find that this entry in the Alvin Smith story did not satisfy me as much as the previous ones. Why? The story centered more on the other characters and Alvin seemed to be more of an outsider commenting on the happenings rather than the active and central character I had grown accustomed to and apparently had expected him to be. Nonetheless, the issues and circumstances encountered and raised were quite thought-provoking, and I did enjoy the court room showdown at the end. Though, I expect that I am missing some nuance in the Adams/Jefferson relationship depicted not being very familiar with the real life dynamics. I have to shake my head in wonder at the author is able to give each character such a distinctive "voice" and personality. The sheer craft of it is humbling to me. I look forward to the next entry in the series hoping to see more of the Maker making.

A Mormon conception of who Joseph Smith really was. Fascinating! (SP?)

When will the take be finished?

About the author

Born in Richland, Washington in 1951, Orson Scott Card grew up in California, Arizona, and Utah. He lived in Brazil for two years as an unpaid missionary for the Mormon Church and received degrees from Brigham Young University (1975) and the University of Utah (1981). The author of numerous books, Card was the first writer to receive both the Hugo and Nebula awards for best novel two years in a row, first for Ender's Game and then for the sequel Speaker for the Dead. He lives with his wife and children in North Carolina.