Titanchild is the sequel to last year’s Talonsister, which was one of my books of 2023. It was a myth-inspired fantasy, mostly set in an alternative fantasy Britain. It oozed Green Man and Arthurian mythology, fusing it with something fascinating; William’s take on Titans. I’m pleased to report that Titanchild is just as good and marks Jen Williams as one of Britain’s most interesting writers of fantasy fiction.
Being a direct sequel you definitely shouldn’t read Titanchild before Talonsister, and you probably shouldn’t read any further in this review, though I’ll try and keep things as spoiler-free as possible. Honestly, though, go out and buy both novels and read them. I promise you, you won’t regret it. The two books comprise the “Talon Duology,” and the story is complete after Titanchild.
Regular readers will know I’m based in the UK, where both books are available. It would appear that in the US, you can only pick up Talonsister – here’s where you can find it!
What Is Titanchild by Jen Williams?
Talonsister left us with an almighty cliffhanger and things were about to get very bad in Brittletain. Titanchild carries on the story, shortly after the climax of the first book. Things have indeed become very bad for those who live on the island.
All the major characters from the first book have converged on Brittletain and hope to stave off the peril in which it now finds itself. As we know from the first book, the fates of all the main characters are intertwined and the future of humanity hangs in the balance.
Can they work together and throw off the oppressive new evil that rose in book one?
Why Read Titanchild?
Jen Williams has always written brilliant characters with meaningful arcs. The characters in the Talon Duology are no exception. It’s hard to pick a favorite as we travel so far with each of them over the course of the two books.
The setting in the Talon Duology is also excellent. Williams mentions in the afterword that Titanchild is dedicated to three of her history teachers. She acknowledges that this book is far from historical, but her love of history propelled her toward fantasy fiction. While the history on which the Talon Duology is based is mythological, it draws on a deep tradition of Britain as a green and pleasant (well, muddy at least) land. One filled with druids, kings, mystical wizards, and swords drawn from lakes. It draws on that tradition, but it plays and subverts it continually.
Layered over that is Williams’ interpretation of “Titans;” Again, Williams blends mythological beasts with her own creations (such as a titanic bear) and describes a millennia-aged conflict that permeates her world’s history. This adds a further dimension of legendary history that seeps through the Talon duology, absorbing the reader further.
Across the two books, Williams barely puts a foot wrong. The slightly slow build-up of Talonsister pays huge dividends by the end of the first, book and pays out double during the events of Titanchild. Towards the end, I wondered how the book would conclude satisfactorily, such were the threads that needed tying off. I need not have wondered. Titanchild’s epic climax was worthy of everything that had gone before it. The books as a pair are marvelous.
The story is now finished, but the world lives on. Will Williams return? Probably not, but I can definitely see that more stories could be told in this world of Titans, Druids, and human frailty.
If you would like to pick up a copy of Titanchild here, in the UK. If you haven’t read Talonsister yet, you’ll find that , here. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
