The Tales of Alvin Maker

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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. It takes place in an alternate history of the American frontier in the early 19th century, to some extent based on early American folklore and superstition. The life of Alvin Maker loosely follows the life of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

In Card's world, many people have a limited superhuman ability, or "knack". Alvin Miller, who is the seventh son of a seventh son, discovers that his knack far surpasses those of everyone else. In particular, he can change both living and nonliving matter simply by force of will (hence the title "Maker"). This power comes at a cost, however; not only does Alvin feel a great responsibility to use his power for good, but there are forces, in particular the element water, that actively seek his demise.

Alvin must discover how to use his abilities, and how to apply them for good, all the while struggling to survive. Along the way, he is helped by a number of people whose knacks are not as strong, but who see in Alvin a way to use their wisdom and abilities to contribute to a greater good. There are also those who try to misguide him or exploit his abilities for their own purposes.

The stories involve a number of historical events and figures. However, history takes a number of different turns from the real world. What was historically colonial America is divided into a number of separate countries, including a smaller United States between New England and Virginia and extending westwards to Ohio (New England itself is still a colony of an England where the Restoration never occurred), and a nation on the Eastern seaboard founded by the House of Stuart in exile. In addition, many of the historical figures are either caricatures or bear only superficial resemblance to their real world equivalents. Some of the historical figures are also accorded knacks, such as Benjamin Franklin (not a character, but repeatedly mentioned), who is said to have been a Maker, and Napoleon, who has the ability to make others adore and obey him.

Race also plays a large part in the stories, particularly in the way that culture shapes the abilities that people of different groups develop. Whites have knacks or cultivated skills that we might recognize from the folklore and traditions of colonial America and western Europe. Reds align themselves with the rhythms of nature. Blacks channel their skills into creating objects of power, in a manner somewhat similar to the beliefs and practices of voodoo.

A recurring and main theme of the books is the conflict between Creators and Destroyers--namely, Making such as Alvin does, and Unmaking that he confronts.