We continue to follow the adventures of young Cadderly in R. A. Salvatore’s The Fallen Fortress. You can see that the trials that this young man goes through are shaping who he is. While he is continually forced to things which go against his nature, his moral compass remains in check. He fears the growing responsibility, but accepts it anyway. Cadderly understands his role in stopping a potential war.One thing I like about all of Salvatore’s books, which is displayed clearly in this one, is his depiction of female characters. They are strong and intelligent. They hold their own against any man. In The Fallen Fortress this is exemplified by Danica and Dorigen. Dorigen is as formidable an adversary as the villains in the previous novels. She holds the fear of the troops under her. Danica is a powerful warrior. She excels at hand-to-hand combat. Though she is Cadderly’s love and traditionally, the woman stays at home, he has too much respect for her and her abilities. I am glad to see that in these novels, typically read by men, the women are portrayed in a position of strength.
