The Ring

This novelization of a forthcoming film is Moran's third, longest and least interesting novelafter Armageddon Blues and Emerald Eyes all of which have appeared in the last six months. Recalling the miniseries V , the epic subject here is a revolution that turns into a war on many fronts. A millennium after a nuclear holocaust, the protagonist Cain is born into a peaceful if depopulated Earth whose Rulers enjoy wealth and immortality thanks to the technology they deny their subjects. Surviving an intended death sentence of exile to a radioactive desert, Cain returns to raise armies and to steal the awesome weapon called the Ring. The Rulers' move to a new planet still leaves him with other foes, including the genetically altered Giants. Moran's usual flat characterization is matched this time by his drawn-out, derivative plot, based on a screenplay by William Stewart and Joanne Nelsen. (October)