I'm a huge fan of Ender's Game, and everything Ender related. Its very likely you are as well, if you're reading OSC unless you picked this book up by accident. I'm even a fan of quite a bit of OSC's short fiction. Despite some of the deeply ingrained cultural ideas of Mormonism, I think there's a lot of thought and complexity going on in a lot of what he's written, reflecting some real internal strife.
Seventh Son is...none of that. The general idea of old american (and apparently in later books, other cultural traditions') folklore and folk-magic by and large being real is a great conceit to start from. There's a lot to explore, including the clash of more organized religion and the folk traditions. The non-white traditions and peoples aren't handled to well in this initial book, though I'm told that improves somewhat over the course of the series. I would even have settled for a more fantastic and straightforward treatment of Mormon beliefs as magic.
Unfortunately, what we mostly end up with is a relatively shallow good vs. evil (couched as 'maker' vs. 'unmaker') story, where the both the good and bad guys are relatively one-dimensional, lacking the ethical and moral grey areas OSC handles so well in Ender. It also ends up really heavily skewed towards christian beliefs and mythos, with even the maker and unmaker ideas being very thinly veiled christ/antichrist or divine/satan metaphors. It feels a little like religious propaganda as it stands. Making it focus on a child hero, like Ender, was also an odd choice, given that that there is none of the same sort of ethical struggle surrounding using a child as a savior regardless of the personal costs.
Unless it was going to be more anthology series, with each book touching on different tales of folk traditions in the americas (or elsewhere) being real, I think this might have also been better off wrapped up in one, longer novel rather than the extended series.
Its a pretty light/rapid read, but probably not worth seeking out. ( )

Please be aware that this book doesn't have an ending.

Story: 7.5 / 10
Characters: 8
Setting: 8.5
Prose: 8

Absolutely fantastic book, except for the lack of an ending. Technically, all the open questions were answered, but it feels so unsatisfying that story couldn't be completed. Though I am a huge fan of the Ender's Saga and Shadow Series, I cannot trust an author who won't give me an ending. As a result, I am not interested in continuing what is very likely one of the best fantasy series available.
I'll stick with Card's science-fiction instead.

Tags: Colonialism, magic, religion, light fantasy, makers, torches, elements, numerology, apprenticeships ( )

Read it for book club. I don't think I'll continue the series. ( )

Looking for an unusual book? Here you go.
It took some real imagination for the author to create an alternate-history tale where people exhibit a variety of supernatural "knacks." These knacks are magical abilities that to some are viewed as natural blessings, but to others they are deemed evil--the equivalent of witchcraft. I will tell you now that if you don't want to read an entire series, you might pass on this book. It was a good book that basically introduces the characters. There is evil and good, kindness and cruelty, magical happenings as well as things that closely resemble our reality. A strong religious theme dominates the plot, and it doesn't shed the most flattering light on Christianity. Only having read book one, I am not certain where that will lead. ( )

Interesting trilogy about Alvin Maker who has some magical powers in early America. Pretty much based on Joseph Smith story. I also read the next two. ( )