The Crystal City Review

The Crystal City by Orson Scott Card. Tor, New York: 2003 (first mm edition Aug. 2004). 340 pages. pb, ISBN 0-812-56462-6

"The Tales of Alvin Maker" novel series comprises one of Card's most popular and original fantasy worlds, focusing on what the United States might have become had magic been part of the settling of the American continent, and had somewhat better relations existed  between the European newcomers and the indigenous peoples who where already there. Its central character, Alvin Maker, continues to live out his destiny in this novel, where he seeks to to make his vision of the Crystal City -- a place where all can live in peace -- become a reality. But there are dark forces arrayed against him, both magical and mundane, and as readers of this series well know, Alvin and his family and friends won't be able to achieve their goals without paying a price.

Alvin's wife, Peggy, a powerful seer, has foreseen a vicious war and sends Alvin to Nueva Barcelona (the title the Spanish occupiers have given New Orleans) because she knows he needs to be there -- and that's all she knows for sure. Alvin is even less sure why he's there, but he trusts his wife's visions.

I started reading in this series because I found its central premise intriguing, and so far I haven't been disappointed in any of the books I've read which feature Alvin Maker. This novel also doesn't disappoint. Card's ability with dialogue, regional dialect and character development are all highly evident here, as are his skills with theme, story structure and pacing. The story moves right along and the physical action and mental cogitation necessary for characters to make decisions is clearly described without being overdone. It's an absorbing read.