FINN THE HALF-GREAT
By Theo Caldwell
Tundra Books
377 pages
$24.99
Ages 9 - 12
Reviewed by Steven Stanley
Steven Stanley is a Roanoke fan of fantasy, science fiction and various other genres.
For those who think mythology is a dry, dusty subject with no entertainment value, here’s a book that proves them wrong.
Finn McCool is the greatest hero in Irish history. Theo Caldwell has chosen to tell tales of a Finn never before known. His character has a giant father and a human mother, making him a half-great, some 14 feet tall and tremendously strong. Like his traditional Celtic namesake, he has tasted the Salmon of Wisdom and can call upon godlike knowledge in times of need. Even more importantly, he has a charisma that turns many potential enemies into allies or even friends.
The son of a great warrior, Finn has powerful enemies even before he is born. He is raised in secret by aunts and an uncle, who keep secret the full truth of his heritage. Once he sets out from their remote valley to face his father’s killer, he finds he is only a little fellow in a world filled with huge, dangerous creatures. Taking up his sire’s great red sword, he journeys to Tara in search of allies.
But this is only the beginning. When his bride, Oonagh, is stolen, Finn must gather friends and battle tremendous odds to find her. His enemies are legion and terrible. Along the way, he encounters numerous strange creatures, including the supremely dangerous Jack in the Green, whose inhuman speed and slashing shears have slain innumerable giants.
In his first novel, Canadian-born Theo Caldwell re-creates one of the great mythic heroes in a format that can be read by children. He introduces new elements to the tales that have circulated in Ireland for centuries. Characters such as the wary Escape Goat and the highly sociable Turducken are not mentioned in ancient writings, but they do make interesting additions to this blending of Norse, Irish, and Britonish sagas. What the book lacks is illustrations; with the author’s descriptive powers and light-hearted touch, it seems ready-made for adaptation as a graphic novel or comics series.
If you have children who enjoy fairy tales, “Finn the Half-Great” might well brighten their eyes for a few hours. Come to think of it, this book might brighten adult eyes, too.
