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My six-year-old daughter Alex Beam was the impetus for Children of Madness. Every day she proves how much of a better person she is than me. She is positive and outgoing, dumbly brave and non-judgmental. Down for anything and always expecting the best out of people. Loyal to a fault.
My previous sci-fi trilogy (The Station Trilogy) focused on true anti-heroes, damaged characters who did as much bad as good. It was dark and brooding and lacked hope. With Children of Madness, I wanted to write about true heroes with pure hearts. I wanted to showcase the power of children, who maintain wonderful qualities that most adults lose somewhere along the way.
Light shines brightest amidst darkness, so I needed to place this group of child friends in a world of war, sickness, greed, and perversion. But unlike adults, who would fold under such evil pressures, the children would persevere, powered by duty, loyalty, love, and friendship.
Finally, I wanted to show that, despite best intentions, well-laid plans, and strong support systems, bad things happen… horrible things. The world can be ugly, but there is always beauty to be found. Unfortunately, oftentimes only young eyes can see it.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Children of Madness by Jarrett Brandon Early presents a haunting and innovative epic fantasy that defies traditional genre boundaries. Set in the toxic, forgotten town known as the Stenches, the novel follows the Sour Flower Gang on a dangerous quest to locate the mythical Snail-Gods and potentially save their people from the oppressive Gloomtide. Early creates a world that is simultaneously alien and deeply familiar, exploring profound themes of sacrifice, resilience, and the precarious balance between salvation and destruction. The narrative goes beyond simple adventure, inviting readers to question the nature of heroism, belief, and survival in a world that seems fundamentally broken. Through intricate world-building and complex character dynamics, Early crafts a narrative that challenges readers' perceptions of traditional fantasy storytelling.
Author Jarrett Brandon Early demonstrates an extraordinary approach to world-building that pushes the boundaries of epic fantasy. I was immediately captivated by the way he creates a universe that feels both imaginative and uncomfortably plausible, blending detailed fantastical elements with moments of deep philosophy. The Sour Flower Gang is a suitably complex ensemble of characters to go through this journey, and their emotional plot arcs add depth to the narrative. Early's prose is particularly remarkable when discussing characters and their emotions, managing to be both poetic and grounded in real feeling, which allows readers to become fully immersed in this challenging and mysterious world. His ability to navigate the delicate line between epic storytelling and intimate character exploration makes this novel a truly standout work in the fantasy genre. Overall, I enthusiastically recommend Children of Madness as a groundbreaking and thought-provoking literary novel.
