Amazon Prime Free Trial
FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button and confirm your Prime free trial.
Amazon Prime members enjoy:- Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
- Unlimited FREE Prime delivery
- Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
- A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
- Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.
-23% $19.18$19.18
Ships from: Amazon Sold by: Books Nooks and Crannies
$14.00$14.00
Ships from: Amazon Sold by: Epixtore
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Audible sample
Follow the author
OK
Alvin Journeyman: The Tales of Alvin Maker IV Hardcover – September 1, 1995
Purchase options and add-ons
- Print length381 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherTor Books
- Publication dateSeptember 1, 1995
- Dimensions6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
- ISBN-100312850530
- ISBN-13978-0312850531
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
Frequently bought together
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Review
Product details
- Publisher : Tor Books; First Edition (September 1, 1995)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 381 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0312850530
- ISBN-13 : 978-0312850531
- Item Weight : 1.5 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,255,970 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Orson Scott Card is the author of the novels Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, and Speaker for the Dead, which are widely read by adults and younger readers, and are increasingly used in schools. His most recent series, the young adult Pathfinder series (Pathfinder, Ruins, Visitors) and the fantasy Mithermages series (Lost Gate, Gate Thief, Gatefather) are taking readers in new directions.
Besides these and other science fiction novels, Card writes contemporary fantasy (Magic Street, Enchantment, Lost Boys), biblical novels (Stone Tables, Rachel and Leah), the American frontier fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker (beginning with Seventh Son), poetry (An Open Book), and many plays and scripts, including his "freshened" Shakespeare scripts for Romeo & Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Merchant of Venice.
Card was born in Washington and grew up in California, Arizona, and Utah. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Brazil in the early 1970s. Besides his writing, he teaches occasional classes and workshops and directs plays. He frequently teaches writing and literature courses at Southern Virginia University.
Card currently lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife, Kristine Allen Card, where his primary activities are writing a review column for the local Rhinoceros Times and feeding birds, squirrels, chipmunks, possums, and raccoons on the patio.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the series enjoyable and heartwarming. They appreciate the unique story with unexpected events and folklore mixed in. Readers praise the well-developed characters and easy readability. However, some feel the pacing has become less engaging over time, with repetitive themes and little new content introduced.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the series. They find it enjoyable and say it gets better with each new book. The series is good for both kids and adults.
"the whole series is wonderful when i finished one book i couldnt order the next one fast enough finally i just ordered all the rest so i could go..." Read more
"A good book, part of a series. You need to read the whole series in order to keep the plot lines in place...." Read more
"I have enjoyed the alvin maker series. The antics in the court scenes remind me of watching Andy Griffith Show. A good read!" Read more
"I thought this was an excellent addition to the series. I can't wait to keep reading! I didn't feel like it was slow and I love the new characters!" Read more
Customers enjoy the book and series. They find it enjoyable, delightful, humorous, and engaging for young adults as well as adult readers. The books are simple yet interesting, with strong family ties.
"...Delightful, humorous, heavy with love, the strength of family ties and small town bravery...." Read more
"It's a fun series. The books are simple fun...." Read more
"...I read and enjoyed the first book, "Seventh Son" as a young man...." Read more
"...The series is entertaining for Young Adults as well as intriguing for the adult reader...." Read more
Customers enjoyed the story's unique and heartwarming tale. They found it imaginative, with well-done historical fantasy elements like folklore and magic. The book touched a part of their psyche, while sounding profound and wise.
"...history found in text books, added to folk lore and magick; Creates a new story unlike any tall tale of the old frontier you will ever have heard..." Read more
"...It's easy. It's fun. And it touches something in my psyche that is a bit like holding onto my favorite teddy bear when I was still knee-high to a..." Read more
"...Concurrently, the heartwarming story of a young man on the path to greatness, and those that would share his life with him, it is truly touching." Read more
"Such a unique story. It takes a bit to get into these books, but the character development is great...." Read more
Customers enjoy the well-developed characters. They appreciate the author's ability to bring historical characters to life with a twist. While the book is not fast-paced, it's an engaging story about the protagonist pursuing a dream.
"...Slight change in place names, historical characters with just a bit of a twist of the history found in text books, added to folk lore and magick;..." Read more
"...; It isn't a fast paced book, but a good story about the protagonist pursuing a dream." Read more
"...He makes you care about his characters; makes you want to know what happens to them." Read more
"...I didn't feel like it was slow and I love the new characters!" Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They appreciate the author's skill in bringing characters to life.
"...Americana, while at the same time sounding profound and wise in virtually every paragraph...." Read more
"Card is a great writer, he manages to bring to life characters with different backgrounds." Read more
"Good author and good series for kids and adults alike." Read more
"A great easy read." Read more
Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it delightful and humorous, with a strong family connection.
"...Delightful, humorous, heavy with love, the strength of family ties and small town bravery...." Read more
"...There was more humor than I anticipated. However, something seemed missing. I am a Orson Scott Card fan...." Read more
"funny good alternate history book..." Read more
Customers find the pacing of the book slow. They feel the series becomes less engaging than the original and more repetitive in themes. The characters become annoying and little new is introduced.
"...and third books in the Alvin Maker series were progressively less engaging than the original, but all ALVIN JOURNEYMAN has in common with the..." Read more
"...However he introduces very little that hasn't gone on in other books of series. Still better than most and possibly a harsh three stars." Read more
"...out well, but as each new book came out it became more and more repetitive in theme, while the characters became more self righteous." Read more
"The series losses its energy in this book and I lost interest." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2016A really, really imaginative, capturing tale of how Our Country might have been in a parallel dimension. Slight change in place names, historical characters with just a bit of a twist of the history found in text books, added to folk lore and magick; Creates a new story unlike any tall tale of the old frontier you will ever have heard before. Delightful, humorous, heavy with love, the strength of family ties and small town bravery. This novel comes straight from the heart of Orson Scott Card. I can't wait to continue on to the next sequel.
I truly care about Alvin, Peggy, Taleswapper, Arthur Stuart, and TenskaTawa, the Red Prophet and his people. THAT is the measure of a great story., in my humble opinion.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2013It's a fun series. The books are simple fun. Card has tapped into some cultural stereotypes and collective dreams that most Americans harbor, or are at least aware of, then he takes those dreams and weaves them into stories. I've heard an interview with Card where he mentions Isaac Asimov as one of his greatest influences and he mentions that he believes that Asimov was one of the best writers in Science Fiction.
I don't agree. And I don't think that Card's writing style is inventive or his narration compelling for itself. He speaks as plainly as the country-folk he idolizes (and sometimes demonizes) in these books. That said I've read most of Asimov's science fiction work and several of his works that aren't science fiction and the same holds true for Card's writing. It's easy. It's fun. And it touches something in my psyche that is a bit like holding onto my favorite teddy bear when I was still knee-high to a grasshopper.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2019Bought this as addition to an old book I bought for myself in the late 80's. I read and enjoyed the first book, "Seventh Son" as a young man. I now have a teen Daughter who is quite the avid reader of SciFi/Fantasy books like I was. I dug "Seventh Son" out of storage and she really liked it. So for Christmas, she now owns mu old copy and I bought ALL the other books in the series for her. She was very happy to be able to continue the story. One of my few Christmas gift successes.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2014Much like the previous Maker books, the author manages to inject the colloquialism and quaintness of all that is Americana, while at the same time sounding profound and wise in virtually every paragraph. Concurrently, the heartwarming story of a young man on the path to greatness, and those that would share his life with him, it is truly touching.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2015Such a unique story. It takes a bit to get into these books, but the character development is great. The setting is something of an alternate universe where historical characters are meshed into the same timeline and some have superpowers called "knacks." It isn't a fast paced book, but a good story about the protagonist pursuing a dream.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2016Found the first Alvin Maker book in an old box and have been hooked ever since. The series is entertaining for Young Adults as well as intriguing for the adult reader. Although a story, Card presents much to think about in our own very real world.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2013I understand this was the middle of a series and had to set-up what follows. This book had the expected events and a few surprises. There was more humor than I anticipated. However, something seemed missing. I am a Orson Scott Card fan. This book, though, seemed average from someone I expect above average work. It won't stop me from completing the series anyway
- Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2012the whole series is wonderful when i finished one book i couldnt order the next one fast enough finally i just ordered all the rest so i could go right into the next book great reads!!! alot different from enders series both are great
Top reviews from other countries
- RoyBroReviewed in Canada on May 25, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Series
Although I haven't read the entire series yet I consider Scott Card's writing to be just as good, if not better, than in his Ender's Game series. Although Scott Card uses the history of mid nineteenth century america as a backdrop for his characters, he transforms this society and the resulting history by introducing the notion that America is the battleground for a fundamental conflict between the forces of mankind that oppose entropy and those within our species that, for very selfish reasons, support entropy. Scott Card leaves the question of whether the fundamental force is the devil or entropy unanswered through book IV but something devilish is definitely occurring in the world in which Alvin Journeyman find himself. Ender is the saviour of mankind in Ender's Game and his supporting cast helps him fight the alien invaders. Here, Alvin is mankind's saviour and he develops a supporting cast of his own to help him fight not only 'entropy' by creating a society of makers, but entropy's minions on earth, an equally interesting cast of characters that includes his own brother Calvin. A great read with a myriad of great characters!
- JanetteReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2014
4.0 out of 5 stars unexpected.
A surprising, unexpected idea. Interesting enough to make me purchase the sequel.
- PhillyReviewed in Canada on November 12, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Awesome book