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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Murder, Pregnancy
Disclaimer: I received this book free but that has in no way affected by review.
I’m new to Mr. Salvatore’s books. I’ve heard of his name and reputation as an excellent fantasy writer but this is my first foray into his worlds. I can easily see why he has such a strong following. Here is the description from Goodreads:
When Aoleyn loses her parents, she is left to fend for herself among a tribe of vicious barbarians. Bound by rigid traditions, she dreams of escaping to the world beyond her mountain home.
The only hope for achieving the kind of freedom she searches for is to learn how to wield the mysterious power used by the tribe’s coven known as the Song of Usgar. Thankfully, Aoleyn may be the strongest witch to have ever lived, but magic comes at price. Not only has her abilities caught the eye of the brutish warlord that leads the tribe, but the demon of the mountain hunts all who wield the Coven’s power, and Aoleyn’s talent has made her a beacon in the night.
Vicious, barbaric, magical, fantastic, enthralling, startling, terrifying … all words I’d use to describe this book. It follows the stories of two very different orphans in the world of Corona. One, Talmadge, a young man on his own in a savage world. He is a sensitive soul, troubled by the violence around him, and by the violence he must wield in order to survive. Second, is Aoleyn, who is a very young girl when we first meet her. She is part of a tribe whose brutality knows no bounds. She is a girl with spirit, power and an innate goodness that lifts her above the rest of her people. She is seen as strange, and desirable by the terrible leader of her tribe. Of course, you know that will not serve her well.
If I have a caveat about this book it is with the level of violence. A number of readers have complained about the frequency of violence and rape in the book. Please consider that when deciding whether or not to read this book. While rape exists in this book it is not graphic and not described in detail, but it is definitely there. We see a surfeit of “rape as plot device” in today’s t.v. shows and books, so I felt I had to ask myself, “Is it used in the same gratuitous, superficial way in this book?” Honestly, I don’t know. I do understand what the author was using it for. He illustrated the ways in which men feel free to use a woman’s body as a means of stealing their power, which is quite literally what is happening in this book. Men of Aoleyn’s tribe have no way of using the magic in this world. They use sex with magic wielding women in order to subsume their spirit and make use of their magic without their consent. It is also a key component of the power dynamic in this god-awful tribe. I can’t pretend that both of those scenarios do not exist in the world today, and that they haven’t been part of the dynamic between men and women for millennia. I can accept it as part of this story because it is not used in a titillating or useless device to weaken the women and bolster the story of a man. You may not feel the same way and I have nothing but respect for your opinion. In that case, this book is probably not for you.
Apart from that issue, the writing of this book is exceptional. It can be a little slow, but only because the author is taking his time with development of the cultures in this world, the magical system, and the rich physical world of Corona. The book is not without it’s moments of beauty. Talmadge, in his journey as a merchant, provides a glimpse at the wealth of culture and people in Corona. While it is a dangerous place, it has it’s own savage beauty. I want to revisit these two characters, Talmadge and Aoleyn. I want to see more of this terrifying world so I will definitely be looking into his other books set in this world, as well as awaiting the next book in this series.
Song for this book: May it Be – Hayley Westenra
I’m new to Mr. Salvatore’s books. I’ve heard of his name and reputation as an excellent fantasy writer but this is my first foray into his worlds. I can easily see why he has such a strong following. Here is the description from Goodreads:
When Aoleyn loses her parents, she is left to fend for herself among a tribe of vicious barbarians. Bound by rigid traditions, she dreams of escaping to the world beyond her mountain home.
The only hope for achieving the kind of freedom she searches for is to learn how to wield the mysterious power used by the tribe’s coven known as the Song of Usgar. Thankfully, Aoleyn may be the strongest witch to have ever lived, but magic comes at price. Not only has her abilities caught the eye of the brutish warlord that leads the tribe, but the demon of the mountain hunts all who wield the Coven’s power, and Aoleyn’s talent has made her a beacon in the night.
Vicious, barbaric, magical, fantastic, enthralling, startling, terrifying … all words I’d use to describe this book. It follows the stories of two very different orphans in the world of Corona. One, Talmadge, a young man on his own in a savage world. He is a sensitive soul, troubled by the violence around him, and by the violence he must wield in order to survive. Second, is Aoleyn, who is a very young girl when we first meet her. She is part of a tribe whose brutality knows no bounds. She is a girl with spirit, power and an innate goodness that lifts her above the rest of her people. She is seen as strange, and desirable by the terrible leader of her tribe. Of course, you know that will not serve her well.
If I have a caveat about this book it is with the level of violence. A number of readers have complained about the frequency of violence and rape in the book. Please consider that when deciding whether or not to read this book. While rape exists in this book it is not graphic and not described in detail, but it is definitely there. We see a surfeit of “rape as plot device” in today’s t.v. shows and books, so I felt I had to ask myself, “Is it used in the same gratuitous, superficial way in this book?” Honestly, I don’t know. I do understand what the author was using it for. He illustrated the ways in which men feel free to use a woman’s body as a means of stealing their power, which is quite literally what is happening in this book. Men of Aoleyn’s tribe have no way of using the magic in this world. They use sex with magic wielding women in order to subsume their spirit and make use of their magic without their consent. It is also a key component of the power dynamic in this god-awful tribe. I can’t pretend that both of those scenarios do not exist in the world today, and that they haven’t been part of the dynamic between men and women for millennia. I can accept it as part of this story because it is not used in a titillating or useless device to weaken the women and bolster the story of a man. You may not feel the same way and I have nothing but respect for your opinion. In that case, this book is probably not for you.
Apart from that issue, the writing of this book is exceptional. It can be a little slow, but only because the author is taking his time with development of the cultures in this world, the magical system, and the rich physical world of Corona. The book is not without it’s moments of beauty. Talmadge, in his journey as a merchant, provides a glimpse at the wealth of culture and people in Corona. While it is a dangerous place, it has it’s own savage beauty. I want to revisit these two characters, Talmadge and Aoleyn. I want to see more of this terrifying world so I will definitely be looking into his other books set in this world, as well as awaiting the next book in this series.
Song for this book: May it Be – Hayley Westenra
Need to return to this after CC3 is published.
I'm sad to say that reading this book felt more like a chore than something I enjoyed. The first few pages are compelling, but it suffers from stretching out everything too much. Rapid character switching, a journey that's beyond stretched out, and an unsatisfying ending just to name a few.
I would not recommend this to any of my friends. I am curious about the Drizzt series, and I'm hoping this book is not indicative of R.A. Salvatore as an author, because I've heard his other series is phenomenal.
I would not recommend this to any of my friends. I am curious about the Drizzt series, and I'm hoping this book is not indicative of R.A. Salvatore as an author, because I've heard his other series is phenomenal.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
See this review and more on Books and Ladders!
I can't believe I finished but I have so many thoughts and I can't wait to share all of them with you. I definitely do not recommend this book to anyone.
I can't believe I finished but I have so many thoughts and I can't wait to share all of them with you. I definitely do not recommend this book to anyone.
Writing this review has proven to be quite a challenge. That might seem odd given the four-star rating, but Child of a Mad God has left me with a lot of conflicting feelings. But isn't that in itself the mark of a good book?
First an foremost I feel I have a responsibility to issue a warning to potential readers. To anyone uncomfortable or sensitive to the issue of rape this book may not be for you. While the act is never really graphic or explicit in detail, it is common and reoccurring throughout the story. It is however not considered an acceptable act among the wider world of Corona in which the book it set, merely a fact of life among one small but barbaric and brutal tribe of people. As you may have guessed this is one of the reasons for my conflicting feelings toward the book. Generally, I will stop reading a book for using rape as a story device. In my experience it usually comes off as a lazy and completely unnecessary plot device used solely for the purpose of eliciting an extreme reaction from the readers to cover up for a substandard story. Salvatore is in no way a substandard storyteller. The man who created a legend in Forgotten Realms is a master of his craft. As always his work here is compelling and wonderfully written. Am I convinced that this book benefitted from the constant of the act? No. But I can say that I am able to mirror the revulsion that Aoelyn, the central character living among these people, feels towards her own tribe.
As noted above Child of a Mad God is set in Corona, which is the same world as Salvatore's popular DemonWars Saga. I myself have not read any of the books from that series and did not know that this one was in anyway connected to them when I started reading. In this book, we actually follow two separate stories. One follows young Aoelyn as she grows into a young woman in a brutal mountain tribe, and the other follows that of Talmadge a trader who makes his way through tribes along the lake resting beneath the mountain that Aoelyn's people call home. The two stories don't really converge until about the last five percent of the book. Every time the story shifted to Talmadge it became apparent to me that I was missing information about this world. The way people, places, and certain events were mentioned felt like it was assumed I already knew about it. Since I didn't and I didn't understand how any of it had any bearing on the story at hand I had a hard time connecting to Talmadge's tale. To be honest his portions were rather depressing, almost on the same level I found Game of Thrones to be, which I gave up on because I was so depressed.
At this point, I'm sure you are trying to figure out how in the world I came out with a four-star rating for this book. There are two main drivers for that. First, after finishing I must know what happens next. And not only next, but previously. I am so intrigued by the things I learned of Corona in this book that I need to know what happened before and am excited to know if it will in any way change my interpretation of and appreciation for Talmadge's part of this book. The magic system is fascinating and we really only get information from the Aoelyn's understanding/religious beliefs, but it is made clear from Talmadge's side of things that this power is not limited to the mountain tribe and their crystal god but is also known to monks belonging to the religion of the larger more "civilized" kingdom. So I find myself craving more information about the crystals and their true origins.
Second is Aoelyn, I truly enjoyed her character. Her ability even as a child to comprehend that just because she is raised to believe that the way her tribe works and treats others is right does not make it so gave me something to root for. It honestly baffled me how women with the ability to wield strong magic willingly sit back and let men beat them and treat them like dirt because it is somehow their god given right to do so. Aoelyn is young, rebellious and naive when it comes to the way of the world but she has a deep sense of right and wrong in spite of her upbringing. Once she is in a position to start taking action on those feelings she does so even in the face of certain death.
Child of a Mad God comes out in about a week and I do wholeheartedly recommend picking it up. If you haven't already you can spend your week of waiting for the release to read the other books set in the captivating world of Corona.
First an foremost I feel I have a responsibility to issue a warning to potential readers. To anyone uncomfortable or sensitive to the issue of rape this book may not be for you. While the act is never really graphic or explicit in detail, it is common and reoccurring throughout the story. It is however not considered an acceptable act among the wider world of Corona in which the book it set, merely a fact of life among one small but barbaric and brutal tribe of people. As you may have guessed this is one of the reasons for my conflicting feelings toward the book. Generally, I will stop reading a book for using rape as a story device. In my experience it usually comes off as a lazy and completely unnecessary plot device used solely for the purpose of eliciting an extreme reaction from the readers to cover up for a substandard story. Salvatore is in no way a substandard storyteller. The man who created a legend in Forgotten Realms is a master of his craft. As always his work here is compelling and wonderfully written. Am I convinced that this book benefitted from the constant of the act? No. But I can say that I am able to mirror the revulsion that Aoelyn, the central character living among these people, feels towards her own tribe.
As noted above Child of a Mad God is set in Corona, which is the same world as Salvatore's popular DemonWars Saga. I myself have not read any of the books from that series and did not know that this one was in anyway connected to them when I started reading. In this book, we actually follow two separate stories. One follows young Aoelyn as she grows into a young woman in a brutal mountain tribe, and the other follows that of Talmadge a trader who makes his way through tribes along the lake resting beneath the mountain that Aoelyn's people call home. The two stories don't really converge until about the last five percent of the book. Every time the story shifted to Talmadge it became apparent to me that I was missing information about this world. The way people, places, and certain events were mentioned felt like it was assumed I already knew about it. Since I didn't and I didn't understand how any of it had any bearing on the story at hand I had a hard time connecting to Talmadge's tale. To be honest his portions were rather depressing, almost on the same level I found Game of Thrones to be, which I gave up on because I was so depressed.
At this point, I'm sure you are trying to figure out how in the world I came out with a four-star rating for this book. There are two main drivers for that. First, after finishing I must know what happens next. And not only next, but previously. I am so intrigued by the things I learned of Corona in this book that I need to know what happened before and am excited to know if it will in any way change my interpretation of and appreciation for Talmadge's part of this book. The magic system is fascinating and we really only get information from the Aoelyn's understanding/religious beliefs, but it is made clear from Talmadge's side of things that this power is not limited to the mountain tribe and their crystal god but is also known to monks belonging to the religion of the larger more "civilized" kingdom. So I find myself craving more information about the crystals and their true origins.
Second is Aoelyn, I truly enjoyed her character. Her ability even as a child to comprehend that just because she is raised to believe that the way her tribe works and treats others is right does not make it so gave me something to root for. It honestly baffled me how women with the ability to wield strong magic willingly sit back and let men beat them and treat them like dirt because it is somehow their god given right to do so. Aoelyn is young, rebellious and naive when it comes to the way of the world but she has a deep sense of right and wrong in spite of her upbringing. Once she is in a position to start taking action on those feelings she does so even in the face of certain death.
Child of a Mad God comes out in about a week and I do wholeheartedly recommend picking it up. If you haven't already you can spend your week of waiting for the release to read the other books set in the captivating world of Corona.
We I was bored. Probably could have finished it but had no desire to do so; it wasn’t bad yet neither was it great.
Im not going to say I will never read this but I am just not in my high fantasy era right now and im not going to force it.