Savage Messiah

October 31, 2005
Set in the world of Eutracia, Newcomb's repetitive first volume in a new fantasy trilogy relies on the same gimmick as The Scrolls of the Ancients
(2004), the final book in his Chronicles of Blood and Stone series. Once again a villain returns from the dead; Wulfgar, whom the heroic Tristan "killed" in The Scrolls of the Ancients
, is now the all-powerful Enseterat, whose mastery of the dark magic of the Vagaries is enhanced by his direct contact with the ancient Heretics of the Guild. A more serious flaw is the book's system of magic. People are drawn toward the evil Vagaries or the good Vigors by the "lean" of their blood signatures. Magic can change this natural lean, but since characters gain their magical abilities not by study or practice or experimentation but by "forestallments" imbued into their blood, they lack free will. Newcomb's prose isn't strong enough to compensate for an uninspired adventure whose protagonists amount to mere automatons.

November 15, 2005
Only Tristan can heal the Orb of the Vigors, from which comes all good magic in the land. Until then, death and chaos rule the kingdom. As he journeys first to find a way to restore his enchanted blood to its original state, Tristan -along with his companions -visits the Sea of Whispers, the Parthalon, the Well of Forgiveness, and other mysterious and deadly places. The first volume of a new trilogy set in the same universe as his -Chronicles of Blood and Stone, - Newcomb's latest fantasy saga features some familiar characters as well as new friends and enemies. Magic, intrigue, and plenty of action make this a good choice for most libraries, particularly where the author's previous series was popular.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2005
The first book of the Destinies of Blood and Stone continues the saga of the Chosen Ones of Eutracia from the Chronicles of Blood and Stone (" The Fifth Sorceress" , 2002; " The Gates of Dawn," 2003; " The Scrolls of the Ancients" , 2004). The kingdom has had a bit of a breathing space, but the Orb of Vigors is still bleeding magical energy, and Prince Tristan, the only one who can restore it, still has the tainted azure blood he gained when destroying the destructive sorceresses. Because there is so much he cannot do until his blood is cleansed, Eutracia lies open to attacks from enemies known and unknown. This fourth of a planned nine books in three trilogies can be appreciated by itself for its meticulously plotted action, though to fully grasp the characters' development, retreating to the Chronicles is advised. The long-term prospect for Newcomb's saga-in-progress is that it will be another megafantasy along the lines of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. So far, it is good enough to make that good news. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)