Child of a Mad God

December 18, 2017
Lackluster worldbuilding, characters, and prose are major minuses in the first volume of Salvatore’s latest fantasy series set in the DemonWars Saga universe. No knowledge of prior books is necessary to follow the story, but only readers who already have some emotional investment in the world of Corona are likely to care about yet another magical character’s coming-of-age. The lead is Aoleyn, an orphan who is first introduced as a three-year-old and gradually learns that she has special powers, including levitation. This leads to a predictable confrontation with a powerful force of evil. There is no real depth to her development, and Salvatore’s attempt to amp things up with gore and sexual violence is gratuitous. Excessive use of exclamation points and odd name choices are also distractions. There’s nothing here that hasn’t been done better elsewhere.

January 1, 2018

The Blood Moon brings danger every time it rises, for it allows the demon to hunt. It also witnesses the birth of Aoelyn into the Usgar tribe, for she is destined to change the future. After the loss of her parents, the tribe raises her to either serve the Coven and their crystal powers or to become a warrior's wife, but Aoleyn is not one to allow her life to be determined by anyone but herself. Secretly learning to use the crystals herself, she finds the journey to adulthood bringing her full circle to face the Blood Moon and the demon that hunts her. Alternating points of views give readers a full perspective of the story line, while harsh sequences draw them into a dark world where magic and brute force are necessary for survival. VERDICT Exciting action and a wealth of well-drawn characters mark Salvatore's (The Highwayman; The Ancient) series launch. Fans and new readers alike will be pleased.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., South Deerfield

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2018
Fans of the prolific Salvatore (Hero, 2017) will be excited by the new realm in the series kickoff Child of a Mad God. Corona is explored separately through three different story lines, painting a well-developed world. Aoleyn is a child of the Usgar tribe, considered by the other tribes of Loch Beag to be either demigods or demons due to their brutal magic-fueled raids. As Aoleyn grows into a young woman, she develops an amazing knack for this magic and a rebellious view of her tribe's way of life. Talmadge, a trader, travels far and wide in the world, always returning to the peacefulness of the Loch Beag tribesexcept when that peace is interrupted by the Usgar. Occasional interludes from the travel journal of the mysterious Aydrian Wyndon connect some dots while at the same time drawing the reader's curiosity to portions of the world that are barely mentioned. Readers will eagerly await the next entry to discover what more Aoleyn and Talmadge learn about their places in their shifting world and how, exactly, Aydrian Wyndon and other cultural mysteries fit in.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)