I love old R.A. Salvatore stories, yes I'm an old Forgotten Realms reader. I enjoyed reading about Talmadge and Aoleyn. I wanted to love this. But some of the subject matter was frustrating. I felt like there were pages and pages of me pulling the story's teeth. Thinking - where is this going? When will we get there?
I don't recall Drizzit's journey being so tedious.

I picked this up because I saw there was a 2nd book. I do not know if I can do the 2nd leg of this journey. Which is sad. Because, Aoleyn and Talmadge are interesting. But, I'm not sure why some of the more tedious points were there.
I may have to just to see if it gets better.
Mr. Salvatore is still a good writer. Maybe, it's just my personal tastes have changed. ( )

It's not Drizzt but it has potential. I think this book was probably 200 pages longer than it needed to be. Those first 250 pages just dragged along, almost didn't get thru them and was ready to set it aside but it finally picked up. I have the next 2 books already and I am trying to keep my hopes up but have been finding Salvatore to be getting extremely wordy in all his writings lately. :( ( )

It's not Drizzt but it has potential. I think this book was probably 200 pages longer than it needed to be. Those first 250 pages just dragged along, almost didn't get thru them and was ready to set it aside but it finally picked up. I have the next 2 books already and I am trying to keep my hopes up but have been finding Salvatore to be getting extremely wordy in all his writings lately. :( ( )

Too much introspection and not enough action ( )

Now I understand why R.A. Salvatore is such a popular author! ( )

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased 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.

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 ( )

Child of a Mad God is the first in a new series by RA Salvatore, the writer who introduced us to the crow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden. Set in the world of Corona, a world made familiar in the Demon Wars Saga, this book explores lands far from Honce-the-Bear, in a time after said wars. This story spans a decade or more, and follows several main players- Aeolyn, Seonagh, Talmadge, and Tay Aillig, whose lives are shown in a series of 'snapshots’ (possibly 'montage’ is the more appropriate word).

Aeolyn is a daughter of the Usgard tribe, an orphan raised first by a nameless elder, and later by her aunt Seonagh. The Usgard are a brutal mountain tribe who can use the stone magic, though it is different from the more refined style of the Abellicans. They raid the tribes living along Loch Beag, at the foot of their mountain, taking supplies and slaves. During one raid, when Aeolyn is but a wee, yet wild, thing, a pregnant woman is taken captive. Her child, born a slave, becomes a companion of sorts for Aeolyn as the years go by.

Seonagh takes over teaching and caring for Aeolyn, a daunting task as the young woman is willful and headstrong, refusing to settle for a woman's place in the Usgar tribe. Aeolyn wishes to learn the magic of Usgar, and to join the privileged Coven, but she is impetuous and that makes her a danger on many levels. Can Seonagh temper her fire before the men of the tribe decide she isn't worth the trouble of keeping around?

Tay Aillig we meet as a young, yet experienced, warrior who grows to become Usgar-laoch, leader of the warriors. Tay Aillig has bigger plans in mind. The fierce war leader wishes to become Usgar-triath, a position combining Usgar-laoch and Usgar-forfach. Along his quest for power, Tay Aillig has a plan to rid his people of the deadly demon fossa who walks the earth under the Blood Moon.

Down along the lake, the trader Talmadge grows from stripling to mature, yet gentle-hearted, man. Much of his life we see is shaped by a singular incident along the shores of the loch, when he is forced to take a life. Later, he loses another to the loch, bringing him to a terrible low point. For a time he stays away, and when he ventures back, it is only to become a captive of the Usgar.

Besides these interchanging viewpoints, there are some introspective essays from the viewpoint Aydrian Wyndon, much like Drizzt's in the Legend of Drizzt series. This is the only time we hear from Aydrian in this book. I imagine he becomes important in later books, and the essays give valuable information. These storythreads converge in a final battle against the demon fossa, a battle that truly brings Aeolyn into her own.

The perspective does shift between characters. At no point did I have trouble following the shifts, but if you dislike that style, be forewarned. While Corona was never my favourite (that would be Faerûn, and Drizzt’s adventures), I do enjoy the magic system of this world, and it was neat to see yet another group that had learned to use the magic of the stones. The anthropologist in me enjoyed learning about the cultures of the Usgar, and the lake tribes. The head-shaping practised by the lake tribes was a fascinating facet. Oh, yes, and I loved that there are snow leopards!

I was on the fence about Aeolyn. I liked her spirit, and she was rebelling against a harsh culture, which is how cultures change and evolve. I just think she could have been a little savvier about it, knowing the consequences of acting out against the norms. I look forward to seeing how she grows over the next books, and changes her tribe.

I liked Tay Aillig. I know I probably shouldn't, but I couldn't really see him as a villain when he acted as his culture dictated. He's another potential culture-changer, albeit likely opposite of how Aeolyn would change it. I'd really like to think he could change himself, and become an ally of Aeolyn. Not bloody likely, I know, but on can hope.

Talmadge I liked too, and hope we see again. He's a sweet man, with a good heart. It's through him that we really get to explore the lake tribes, and I'd love to see more of them in general. He's been through so much and I hope he finds the lasting happiness he deserves.

Recommended if you're a fan of Salvatore's works in general, or are a fan of fantasy with interesting magical systems.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
***Reviewed for the Manhattan Book Review as well. ( )