The Child Thief

I was familiar with the artwork of Brom long before I realized he was writing books.  I recently picked up a hardcover copy of The Child Thief on a whim, unsure of how well an established artist might fare in the tangential medium of writing.  His artwork is great, but I was skeptical that anyone who publishes his works under a monosyllabic moniker could possibly offer more substance than ego.  At least the book has numerous stunning illustrations - that was what tipped my curiosity over the edge.

Suffice to say I am very glad I did purchase the book. Its wonderful prose immediately drew me in.  Brom paints as effectively with words on a page as he does with oils on a canvas.  Either way his true talent is revealed in his imagery.

The story itself is a dark retelling of Peter Pan - the devilish imp who kidnaps children and manipulates them into waging an insane and bloody war against his enemies.  Not at all the playful tale of prolonged childhood desires, no Tinkerbell, no fairy-dust, The Child Thief is more in the vein of Lord of the Flies than any Disnified image you might hold of Peter Pan and his 'lost boys.'  Brom admits when he read the original J.M. Barrie story he was struck by the savage side of Peter (only occasionally hinted at), and sought to explore what such a powerful, feral child might really be like.

The Good:  Drawing heavily from Welsh mythology, Brom creates a memorable world populated by strange and authentic characters.  I especially loved the bad guys.  The Captain was both a horror - and thoroughly human.  His actions completely reasonable according to his circumstances.  The war and bloodshed between his crew and Peter's made especially tragic because of its inevitability and its pointlessness.  Much of the conflict was framed as antipathy between the Holy Church and the older Pagan traditions, allowing Brom to highlight the hypocrisy and senseless evil of unyielding dogmatic beliefs  - on both sides.

The Bad:  Although it was an enjoyable read, I was sorely disappointed by Brom's inconsistent utilization of myth and magic.  At first it seemed 'magic' held significant symbolic meanings, perhaps even offering the reader a glimpse at some deeper human truth (as is often the case in great myths.)  From chapter to chapter however, the power and use of certain magics would inexplicably change.  The end result was to strip these events of any deeper significance, 'magic' becoming no more than a bluntly wielded plot device.  Any hint at underlying significance apparently little more than the vestigial traces of the original myths Brom cribbed from - misunderstood, unappreciated, and ignored.  I have no problem whatsoever with taking directly from (and even changing) existing myths, but it seemed the real tragedy was to write so well, draw in all the right elements, and yet remain blind to the story's full potential.

Overall I would recommend the book to anyone interested.  It was always intriguing, at times unexpected, but never quite fulfilling. I myself enjoy an entertaining distraction - and The Child Thief is - but if you're not already impressed with the premise and cover art (or are squeamish about explicit violence), you could probably pass it by.  It delivers in full on it's promise, but only just.  What you see is what you get.