Althea M. (althea) reviewed on 9/16/2008 + 774 more book reviews

Card is an extremely good writer, and his books are always a pleasure to read, but at times I did feel that the stories here occasionally suffered for being too allegorical, and too much about Card's ideas of morality.

6th, and at the moment last volume: 'The Crystal City.' Starting out at an unofficial orphanage for mixed-race children, Alvin unwittingly, by trying to help a sick woman, causes a plague of yellow fever, and ends up getting run out of town. Taking the orphans with him, and then meeting a voodoo queen, La Tia, Alvin somehow finds himself at the head of an 'army' of escaped slaves, freeing more as they make their way north, seeking a place to live free. Of course, these could be the citizens of Alvin's dream of a perfect city. And Abe Lincoln, a genial shopkeeper, will do what he can to help. Meanwhile, Calvin goes off with some decidedly not-nice men to conquer Mexico and kill everyone there - which seems to be OK, as they do human sacrifice. At the end, it is made overly clear that Alvin's vision is about the Mormon Tabernacle, which is a bit annoying.

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