The Prodigal Troll

by Charles Coleman Finlay and C.C. Finlay

Book Overview

The Prodigal Troll is a tale of a human child raised by a band of mythological creatures that is both hysterical and moving. When Lord Gruethrist's castle is laid under siege by an invading baron, he sends a trusted knight and nursemaid off with his infant son. Their escape across a wilderness landscape populated by fantastic creatures and torn by war takes unexpected turns until the baby is finally adopted by a mother troll grieving for her own lost...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591023130
• ISBN13: 9781591023135
• Release Date: June 2005
• Publisher: Pyr
• Length: 374 Pages
• Weight: 1.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

coming of age fantasy

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 story line 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

A moving story of heritage and romance

A human child raised by a band of mythological creatures grows up amongst cruel trolls and must leave his tribe to discover his own human roots in The Prodigal Troll. Maggot is not free even when he leaves his adopted home: the human world is complex and even romance with Lady Portia is fraught with complications. A moving story of heritage and romance evolves.

I'm Ready for More

For me, the mark of a good fantasy novel is if I leave it wanting more. I wasn't expecting the end of this book to surprise me the way it did. It gave me at once a compelling insight into Maggot's character that made me like him so much more than I already did, and an intense desire to find out what happens next. The writing is skillfully handled and I'm sorry I have to wait as long as I invariably will for the sequel.

Enjoyable

The versatile Charles Coleman Finlay has written a book that made me think of Kipling's Mowgli stories - and of the movie "Little Big Man." Very different, and after reading THE PRODIGAL TROLL you'll never think of trolls the same way again! The magic that weaves in and out of the book is in two equal parts: that which arises out of the mysteries of life and that which comes from a world steeped in magical creatures and processes, processes the author makes as natural as the seasons. - Wendy S. Delmater, Asssociate Editor, Abyss & Apex

Similar to Tarzan, but wonderfully NOT

This book has many parallels with Tarzan but the characterization is much more complex. If for no other reason, this book should be read for the trolls -- their actions and reactions are delightfully direct yet they have a complex society. They are vivid; they jump off the page. Maggot's struggle may be similar to Tarzan's, but his motivations are darker, more selfish (even if he himself is not aware of it), as are the motivations of all the humans. As I was reading, I found myself drawn futher and further along by a desire to find out more about both the trolls and the humans in this story. Their actions were puzzling at times, and it was a thrill to discover why, in later parts of the story, after learning what kinds of forces shaped their societies, they came to the conclusions they did and why they acted as they did. They did what any good character or group of characters do by the end of the book: they kept my sympathy. All in all, this book is well done and I'm hoping there is more to come from this insightful author.