I read the original book maybe 20 years ago and loved it. I haven;t read fiction for a good 10 years and this was my first plunge back into science fiction.

While simplistic in some ways this is a beautiful grand narrative. An alternative history where magic is real and is based on folk magic form the 198th century. An america that came about without wiping out the native Americnas and where the south remained a loyal colony for years longer than the US. An Iriquois nation part of the US, and west of the Mississippi is Injun land, and their native collective form of magic.

nto this is born a 7th son of a 7th son who has special powers that are potentially greater than the slight to strong "knacks" of most other folk. People are Christian and there is a serious rift between christian teachings and this magic which may or may not be the work of the devil. But LAvins is born to an honest family and he develops his gifts as he learns about life and the good and the bad of people in his life. As well as dealing with the forces of evil that want to destroy him and his potential for uniting the world.
I won;t say more but the conflicts and the personalities in all these books are fascinating and compelling and bring to light important issues of ethics and consequences and redemption. he is a beautiful writer and this is a broad canvas for Scott to express a huge range of moral dilemmas.