The Last Sacrifice

Prolific fantasy and horror author Moore launches the Tides of War epic fantasy series with this inconsistent novel. His setting, reminiscent of Scotland by way of Middle Earth, is full of angry gods and unrepentant mortals. When Brogan McTyre’s wife and children are held captive and later murdered by the Grakhul, a host of immortal servants to the gods, he vows to stop at nothing to seek his revenge. The plot is zippy and Moore adequately captures his characters’ attributes. However, his voice is inconsistent; grandiose language (“the foolish that trespassed did not live long to speak of their journeys”) often collides with coarse colloquialisms (“You only ever get that smile when you’ve just been laid”). Repetition of phrases and story elements distracts from the plot. Newcomers to epic fantasy might enjoy Moore’s newest book, but to seasoned readers it will feel like a retread of older concepts. Agent: Howard Morhaim, Howard Morhaim Literary. (Jan.)