Prentice Alvin

Prentice Alvin (1989) is an alternate history and fantasy book that was written by Orson Scott Card. It is the third book in Card's The Tales of Alvin Maker series and is about Alvin Miller, the seventh son of a seventh son (this gives him magical powers). Prentice Alvin was considered for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1989 and the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1990.

After being released from his time with Ta-Kumsaw, an Indian leader who taught Alvin the ways of Indian people, Alvin sets out to start his apprenticeship as a Smith in the town in which he was born.

While there he meets a young half-black boy by the name of Arthur Stuart, the son of a slave and a slaveowner who has been taken in by the owners of the town's guesthouse.

Another new friend comes in the form of Miss Peggy Larner, who he later finds out that she is the "torch" who helped him to be born so many years ago, and he has been linked to her since that day.

Eventually, Alvin is forced into helping Arthur to escape from some slavehunters, which requires him to change Arthur's DNA enough to prevent the hunters fromage using their "knacks" (special powers) to find him. Alvin also creates a plow of living gold, which is bestowed with magic, as his journeyman works to release himself from his apprenticeship as a Smith and also as a Maker.

The story ends with Alvin and Arthur leaving the town and going back to Alvin's home in the west.

• About the novel Prentice Alvin from Card's website