It’s been a while since Cormac McCarthy has released a new novel. So, fans should reach back to find some of his older books for solace.

Fans know that solace is not comfortable. Not in a Cormac McCarthy book. 

And newcomers should be warned. Solace in a McCarthy book can be disturbing.

Whether it is “Blood Meridian,” “No Country for Old Men,” “The Road,” etc., McCarthy’s world is dark, terrible, violent, etched with pathos and bitter humor.

“Child of God,” first published more than 40 years ago, is no different.

In the short novel, McCarthy introduces readers to Lester Ballard, a man who haunts the Tennessee hill country more than it can be said he lives there. 

Ballard is an odd bird driven to depravity after he is falsely accused of rape. 

The accusation and subsequent discovery of a dead couple in a car seems to release all of his hostilities toward the world.

“Child of God” is beautifully written, which is expected of a Cormac McCarthy book, but is anything but beautiful in terms of context and content.

“Child of God” is a dark, brutal journey, one which McCarthy masterfully knows how to guide.