Charles Coleman Finlay, Prodigal Troll

Prodigal Troll

Charles Coleman Finlay

PYR, Jun 2005, $15.00

ISBN: 1591023327

The invaders overwhelm Lord Gruethrist's castle. However before they complete their assault, Gruethrist assigns brave knight Yvon and trusted nurse Xarragitte to take his infant son Claye to his grandmother's home. The two day trek is filled with danger as both adults are exhausted and much that is dangerous prowl the woods. Tragedy occurs when Yvon and Xaragitte are killed by a lion. However, Claye is saved when a female troll finds and adopts him over the objection of her clan, who dub him Maggot due to his small size and sickly looking skin color.

As Maggot grows up amongst the trolls who consider him inferior though he is much more intelligent than any of them, he concludes he needs to return to his species because something is lacking. He begins a trek to find himself by finding humans. This need leads him into war, a seemingly normal human occupation in which the bringers on, claiming ethical right, use other people's children to fight. That morality lesion leads him to the marauders, specifically Portia, but where that will go only time and reading the book (and sequels?) will tell.

Though this coming of age fantasy starring a tremendous protagonist (Tarzan of the trolls) is a fun tale, the storyline never decides between jocularity and biting social commentary. Still Maggot makes the tale as he as an "innocent" stranger when it comes to human behavior who observes the hypocrisy of people, especially those claiming a higher moral position to defend violent acts. Overall thought provoking, PRODIGAL TROLL is a fine tale with the hero's quest to continue in future adventures that is if Charles Coleman Finlay is not under NSA surveillance for communicating with alien trolls.

Harriet Klausner