While all of Card's fiction is morally serious, some of his novels, notably Hart's Hope and the award-winning Ender's Game, are violent. Red Prophet is more violent than Seventh Son and shows the negative side of human behavior more graphically. Nevertheless, Red Prophet remains appropriate for readers older than about ten-years-old.

Card does not dwell upon violence, but frankly acknowledges its place in American history. In fact, he reminds his readers that the violence we read of in history books happens to real people, to children, fathers, and mothers. Violence is never glorified, but is seen as arising from evil and error, from the power of unmaking.

In his exploration of the relations between settlers and Native Americans, Card suggests the wisdom that might be gained by considering the different strengths that various cultures can bring to the American enterprise of building the ideal city on...