The Black God's War

Splendor and Ruin #0.5

by Moses Siregar III

Against the backdrop of epic warfare and the powers of ten mysterious gods, Lucia struggles to understand The Black One.

Her father-king wants war.
Her messianic brother wants peace.
The black god wants his due.
She suffers all the consequences.

King Vieri is losing his war against the lands of Pawelon. Feeling abandoned by his god, he forces his son Caio, the kingdom’s holy savior, to lead his army. Victory ought to come soon.

To counter Caio’s powers, Pawelon’s prince enters the conflict. Rao is a gifted sage, a master of spiritual laws. He joins the rajah to defend their citadel against the invaders. But Rao’s ideals soon clash with his army’s general.

The Black One tortures Lucia nightly with visions promising another ten years of bloodshed. She can no longer tell the difference between the waking world and her nightmares. Lucia knows the black god too well. He entered her bed and dreams when she was ten.

The Black One watches, waiting to see Lucia confront an impossible decision over the fates of two men—and two lands.

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Fiction, Ebooks, Young Adult, High Fantasy, Epic

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

My novel is a dramatic epic fantasy (cover below), with a novella-length intro now available as an ebook. I blog about the writing life at:

http://sciencefictionfantasybooks.net

You can find the novella at Amazon and Smashwords. Below, you'll find a YouTube video with my reading of the first chapter of my novel. The first chapter is also on my GoodReads profile.

When I was ten, I fell in love with an anime series: a space opera spanning three human generations, one that unfolded over 85 consecutive episodes and four months of after-school TV. Watching Robotech was a spiritual experience for me. I still remember how high I felt after watching the final episode for the first time. How many pleasures in life are better than a well-executed drama?

Because of that experience, I decided I wanted to be a storyteller when I grew up and hoped I could someday inspire others as that show inspired me. As things turned out, I have spent most of my life exploring religious and metaphysical questions, while writing a lot on the side, both professionally and for fun. In 2009, I decided to get back around to my heart's desire when I was a boy: Telling the big story.

My novella-length (24K words) preview of the novel is currently available for 89 cents on Amazon. The full novel is planned for release in print and as an e-book in May 2011.

I invite you to read a free sample:

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Gods-War-Int...
Smashwords link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/212...

I am the news manager at http://AdventuresinSciFiPublishing.com, and a monthly blogger at http://GraspingForTheWind.com

Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/MosesWrites
Facebook Profile: http://facebook.com/MosesSiregar3
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MosesSiregar
YouTube: http://youtube.com/SciFiFantasyBooks
Shelfari: http://shelfari.com/MosesSiregar

Reviews

[Matteo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
I liked the setting, different from the classic European Middle Age that you can find in the majority of fantasy books.
Here you have basically ancient Greece fighting against India and I personally found it quite refreshing.
The two cultures are very different and it is actually this big difference in terms of religion and beliefs that creates a conflict between them.
There is no good and evil side, but the main spark for the war is ignorance and prejudice.
Even the most peace-loving character refers to the other side as "dogs", while his people are "pigs", so it seems that war is the only way of interacting with each other, even if there is no logic reason for it.
On the other side, probably there is never a logic or good reason to have a war as we can see in the news every day.

Anyway the setting was not the only strength of this book.
Siregar definitely knows how to create three-dimensional and believable characters.
They are all far from perfect and some of them are really unpleasant, but they all felt real, probably just thanks to their flaws.

If i have to find some weaknesses in the book, I could say that the writing sometimes was too slow and heavy, at least for my taste.
However this is a debut and there is time to refine the style and improve in the next books.
The book is actually a prequel of the main series "Splendor and Ruin", so if that was just the appetiser, I am surely going to read it, starting from the first book "The Ninth Wind".

[Moses Siregar III]

This is the full novel (120,000 words/384 pages) promised by the much shorter excerpt novella, ‘The Black God’s War: A Novella Introducing a New Epic Fantasy.’ The novella is still available for free at all the major e-bookstores and it has its own page at GoodReads). Thanks for checking out my work!

[Kim Osborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

While waiting I may have to read this book again, it's a work of art, thank you for the time, imagination and effort you took on this book. I just love a book such as this that takes plenty of time to read, as I've said before I hate a short book, and love long novels. You've done yourself proud and I look forward to reading more of your works. I feel the need to add a Arendt bit more after reading some comments, this book allows you to use your imagination to fill in the areas that need fleshing out, that's what makes books better than movies....if you have an imagination that is. Also one comment in particular talks about deity betraying character, that's because in his heart he became worthy whereas his opponent had actually changed into a worse person by that point, you didn't notice his loss enraged him, and turned him into vengeance rather than peace? Anyway, it's only my opinion. I don't see the point in eviscerating an author because maybe you don't understand the concept of imagination, it's true that not everyone likes the same things, but is there really a need to be nasty? I still love the book and think it's awesome. I can't write and envy those who can. Good luck Moses in your future books.....again excuse my spell check that makes things worse, but I'm too lazy to fix it lol.

Kim osborn

[Mihir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: The Black God’s War is an Indie debut that has slowly gained a multitude of reviews and heaps of praise since its release last year. The author had contacted us for a review request and I was very intrigued by its blurb to not give it a try. The book was originally released as a novella that contained the first fifteen chapters and the novella is still free for those interested in giving it a shot.

The blurb details two nations at war. The Eastern kingdom of Rezzia is ruled by its kings and a theology that involves ten Gods. They are awaiting the birth of a special child who is prophesied and is titled “Haizzem” whose birth will herald the nation’s ascent in the war and finally lead them into victory over the western nation of Pawelon. The main story deals with the two protagonists who are the princes of each nation and who are tasked with resolving the crisis facing their nations. Rao is the Pawelonian prince who has acquired a reasonable command of his “Sadhna” or magical prowess. Caio is the Haizzem prince who has his magical powers and the blessings of the ten Gods to contend with. Lucia is Caio’s elder sister and the one person who understand the enormous pressure on him. She however has bigger problems as one of the Ten, Lord Donato the Black One seems to be hell bent on punishing her for reasons hitherto unknown. It will however be up to these three individuals to figure out their destiny and possibly save their nation.

Moses Siregar’s debut is a much nuanced one, it basically focuses on a war between two nations that are analogues for Greece and India but the actual story is focused via the individual characters. The story has many strong features beginning with its characterization; which is such a strong facet of the story that makes it that much more of an engrossing read. We get narrative threads from both sides of the field and from both major and minor characters. This gives us a fully three dimensional view into the happenings on the field of war and off it. Not only with Rao & Caio but also with Lucia and Narayani, Moses shows his versatility in showing characters from different social and marital backgrounds as well as gender. The characters are what emphatically power the story and the readers will be strongly enticed to discover what each and every one of them truly wants.

The world and back history is quite vast and makes for an intriguing read. Originally this was supposed to be the first book in a trilogy but the author has recently revealed that this is a standalone book and will serve as a prequel to the upcoming trilogy. The book perhaps takes a while to get into the meat of the story but the author wonderfully utilizes the time to build up the story via the world and its back-story. One thing that I liked a lot about the story was how the author used two of the oldest civilizations and then created dual facsimile nations that share a border and are at war for theological and political reasons. These nations have their own theology which point towards Greek & Buddhist mythological roots and this was a very cool thing to read about. Another plus point of the story is the tight focus provided by the author who narrows the narrative lens to the characters throughout the story and thereby maintains a very intimate view of the events.

The prose is another highlight of this story as not only does the author vividly describe each nation and its practices, he does it with aplomb and while he draws upon real world influences. He gives enough originality to his creations to distinguish them from the real-world counterparts. As a reader it’s always great to see something other than the pseudo-European medieval landscape and in this case, Moses hits a double whammy with his world-building skills. Lastly the story heads to a strong climax a la Kane and Abel however the end twist is something that will be hard to predict.

The story however loses some points because of its lackluster pace in the first half of the story, while the eventual plot is being set up and the characters are introduced. This setup is very reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson’s books wherein the book gains pace slowly and surely. The author also doesn't quite convincingly explain many parts about the back history of the world. Perhaps this was done purposefully as originally this book was supposed to be a part of trilogy and therefore the author would have had further unveiled the world in the future books. This partial non-disclosure however might not go down all too well with some readers. Overall however the negatives are few and are decidedly overshadowed by the positives.

CONCLUSION: Moses Siregar has written a debut that showcases talent and a desire to tell stories that are epic in scope and also incite wonderment. Give this Indie debut a try as it’s one of those that heralds the debut of a talented author, who hopefully will continue to enthrall his readers for a long, long time.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black God's War is a story propelled by human ambition and desire for cultural dominance, and ambiguous heroes choosing paths sometimes based on misunderstanding and poor information. It's war, and military intelligence is not always what it seems.

Faith and Spirituality is a character in this story, as much as Caio, Rao and Lucia. One side, (the Rezzian) has a much more personal interaction with their pantheon of Gods; there's a lyrical scene where Caio ceremonially chooses, or is chosen by, his patron god. In contrast, the Pawelons – a primarily non-theist nation - give lip service to the concept of personal responsibility and profess disbelief in a more personal type of mystical worship of Gods, and yet, they also display an incredibly strong “faith” in the abilities they develop through meditation. It's an adept and respectful handling of spiritual variance, and I appreciated that.

I loved the character of Lucia. She's strong, smart and interesting. As a female long-time reader of Science Fiction and Fantasy, I think I've read every permutation of overwrought, emotional and incompetent female character a man can write. Lucia is anything but incompetent, and even better, she is still emotional, but contextually so. She's passionate, a leader, and her actions have reasons. It's beautiful. She's not a stock male character rewritten to be a woman, she's the kind of intentional woman character that makes you believe that the writer is surrounded by strong, capable, intelligent women, and has taken the time to listen and learn what strengths, motivations, and ideas these qualities drop in his lap for the content of his story. I found this to be the best piece of Black God's War.

I'm torn by whether or not I wanted more fleshing out of the Gods. On the one hand, I think it's an important idea that we are driven by our own desires far more than the desires of our Deities. King Vieri wants to conquer, and he will do anything to accomplish that, even if it places him in direct conflict with the goals of his Gods. The ease at which he drowns out their direction rings true throughout the story. On the other hand, you have a Pantheon of higher beings that work as a single unit, each reflective of a different concept, with different supernatural abilities, which they can confer on their devotees. There are glimpses of a much larger story here. Why are these Beings so interested in this one protracted war? Why are they seemingly unconcerned with a whole nation that denies their existence? Why are they so incredibly powerful in battle, but with the exception of Danato, apparently so unable to directly influence any of their own people? I wanted to know this story.

That brings me to my only real complaint about the telling of this story. Even though I personally love a “wordy” story, I can't even count the number of epic-style fantasy stories I've read that were horrendously overwritten (*ahem* Jordan *cough*) sometime to the degree that I couldn't finish. Still, there is something to be said for the kind of writing that envelopes you in a world, and builds a universe in the mind. I want to feel the heat of the sand coming up through my sandals, and smell the stone and earth. I wish to see the citadel and hear the tent fabric flapping when the breeze comes up. I need to know about the sweat running down his back as he's locked in mortal combat, and the fear in his eyes, and the feel of the horses gathering up their muscles for the gods-powered burst of battle speed.

This story provides some of that, the combat scenes have a life of their own, but many of the other parts of the story feel like they were edited too closely. The soul of the story – the personal conflicts and relationships – were somewhat constrained, and left me wanting more development. Draw me a picture, I want to see it all. Maybe that's really too picky for a debut novel. Maybe I'm criticizing because I liked it so much. Maybe it just didn't otherwise feel like a debut. And yet, it's not a short novel, nearly 400 pages in the print edition, and I've started to really sour on the 700 page epic series debut. So maybe this accomplishes what a first in series should do – give me a story and a tease. It certainly does that, and whatever/whenever Splendor and Ruin, Book 2 exists, you can be sure I will be reading it.

[Lane Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moses Siregar has crafted a compelling, epic fantasy in THE BLACK GOD'S WAR, one that will keep you engaged from start to finish. I struggled a little bit with the name-dropping in the opening segments -- lots of characters to remember quickly -- but once I got into the story, I was anxious to finish it.

That I am not a big fantasy reader, yet still wanted to tear through this book, means, I suspect, that if you're a fantasy fan, you're going to love this book.

[Robert Duperre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

(Reviewer’s note: I received this book as an ARC from the author)

Spirituality and religion. These words have been the salvation and bane of human existence since we first formed coherent thought. From the tribal convictions of the earliest African nations to the ancient Greeks to the world as we know it today, we have celebrated them together, found solace through their teachings, fought and killed each other over their differences.

What Moses Siregar has sought to do in The Black God’s War: Splendor and Ruin Book I is show the dangers of intransigent religious belief, to do for literature what Aqualung by Jethro Tull did for music: demonstrate how spirituality and religion are projections of our own thoughts, fears, adorations, and prejudices, that desires propel our convictions rather than the other way around.

The Black God’s War tell the story of two warring peoples – the Rezzians, modeled after early European culture (Celtic in particular) who believe in a covenant of ten gods, and the Pawelons, whose principles and appearances mirror a more eastern, Buddhist/Indian ideal. We are first introduced to Lucia, the daughter of the Rezzian king Vieri, at the birth of her brother Caio, who, by the way of markings on his hands, is proclaimed the people’s Haizzem, or savior. It is here that Lucia is first haunted by Lord Danato, the god of the underworld according to Rezzian myth. He kills her mother and sets in motion a series of nightmare experiences that will forever alter the makeup of this innocent young girl.

By the time Caio is nineteen, the war that has begun (for nefarious reasons disguised as virtue) between the Rezzians and Pawelons has been raging for ten years. Lucia does all she can to fulfill her father’s wishes for victory, though she sometimes has a hard time telling what is real and what is a dream because of Lord Danato’s nightly visits. Caio, on the other hand, is gentle in nature. He wants peace, to use his uncanny abilities to heal people, not fight a war he doesn’t believe in. But being the Haizzem, it is his sacred duty to lead Rezzia’s army, so he does so…reluctantly at first.

On the other end of the spectrum we have Rao, the only remaining prince of Pawelon. He has become a sage, the most powerful sage in the history of Pawelon, and he takes it upon himself, along with his best friend Aayu, to travel from his homeland and assist his father, the Rajah Devak, in defense of their country against the invading Rezzian army. Like Caio, he wants peace – but unlike the Haizzem, his father, though brutal, is a generally fair man, and is allowed the courtesy of his own convictions. In almost every way this makes him the better of the Haizzem, one whose ability to love and forgive is below no other.

As the story progresses, we are thrown into multiple “coincidental” scenarios that are seemingly set up by the Rezzian gods. At least, this is the way things are presented on the surface. If one looks a little deeper, they will see that all the gods did was point the way. Every decision made, though sometimes predictable, was solely the result of the free thoughts and actions of the characters. They are all bound by their upbringing and nature, and it isn’t until they realize this that all the major players begin to actually change. And the nature of the gods, themselves, are brought into question as well. Are they timeless deities or a result of the combined subconscious power of the people? It’s a question the story asks often in the latter stages, and it’s one that really makes one think.

I won’t go any further on the plot other than to say the battle rages on, the gods get involved in some rather surprising ways, and eventually there is a rather brilliant climax that left me grinning from ear to ear.

As a novel, The Black God’s War works on many levels. For sheer entertainment value, we have many epic battle sequences. As a love story, we have Lucia and her brother’s protector, Ilario, as well as Rao and his lover, the young, beautiful, and precocious Narayani. As a spiritual tome we have many segments discussing the nature of spirituality and its effects on the people who practice it. And it’s also a tragedy, in by which only through sacrifice and understanding the nature of balance can the issues presented ever be truly resolved.

And that’s really what the book is about, when it all boils down to it. We have two differing opinions, western pre-Christian (that looks very much like early Christianity, despite the numerous deities), and the nature-loving eastern “godless” peoples. In some ways this book could be looked at as a fantasy retelling of the Crusades, as the lily-white forces descend on the dark-skinned masses, trying to “enlighten” them by basically killing off a whole gamut of folks. How one could ever read a spiritual text and think the murdering of a whole ethnic group because they don’t believe in your god is justified is beyond me. But it happens, and just as in this tale, the results are always disastrous.

Siregar does a fantastic job of painting both faiths in a kind light, though the Pawelon’s, by the nature of their not having started the war, obviously fares better in presentation. It allows for almost every character to come across as sympathetic – Lucia especially. Her tormented nature shines through in everything she does, from her conflictions to her anger to her confusion over the role she has to play in the grand scheme of things. She is the main character of this novel, and more than lives up to it.

That being said, if Lucia is the main character, Rao is the one who steals the show. With his compassion and understanding, his willingness to take risks and ability to see through the veil of righteous deceit, he comes across as an individual who could one day be a spiritual leader strong enough to lead his people to enlightenment. He is young in this book – about the same age as Caio – and yet we see a glimmer of the man he could be, the man he is well on his way to becoming. It really is quite beautiful.

And do you know why it’s beautiful? Because as a character, Rao is balanced. And as I said, this is the main point I think Siregar is trying to make. When his prose speaks of the nature of life and death, of the scales that must always be adjusted, he’s talking as much about the cosmos in general as he is any religious belief. The concept of Karma, after all, can be boiled down to a scientific principal – for every action there is an equal opposing reaction. We see it in nature, we see it in the universe, we see it in people. For every (perceived) evil in the world, there is an equal (perceived) good. I write “perceived” because, just as Siregar presents in The Black God’s War, evil is subjective, not quantifiable on any realistic scale. This book has no evil characters, even though the characters themselves often think their opposing party is such. And in order for their war to end, each individual must come to their own conclusions and make choices – yes, choices, free-thinking choices – about what is right, what is wrong, and what path will best lead to a sense of harmony, both between their respective peoples and within themselves. Some make this discovery, others don’t. You’ll have to read it to find out which is which and what happens when their choices are made.

For a first-time author, Siregar surprised me with the strength of his voice. It’s consistent, and he knows what he wants to say. However, it’s not perfect. He can be a bit wordy at times, and a couple of his major characters (a Pawelon sage and the Rezzian king) are a bit one-note. Normally I wouldn’t make a huge deal out of this, but with the other characters being so fleshed out, complex, and believable, the presence of these less-than-satisfactory entities was all the more obvious. Not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but something I feel I have to mention. As it stands, the author isn’t quite up to the level of Salvatore, Dalglish, or Pyle, but he’s not too far away. This book is proof of that.

In conclusion, The Black God’s War is a unique experience. The plot is intricate, the characters even more so, and the message is one of beauty. By the time you flip to the last few pages, I hope you have the shivers just as I did, which is how I know that Moses Siregar is going to be around a long time, and his voice, one of unity, passion, and loving sensibilities, is important – in the world at large as well as literature.

So bravo, Mr. Siregar. You wrote a damn good book. You should be very proud.

Plot - 9
Characters - 8
Voice - 9
Execution - 9
Personal Enjoyment – 10

Overall – 45/50 (4.5/5)

[Mike Vasich · Rating 5 out of 5]

BGW starts off with a scene where one of the main characters gets a visit from the eponymous god. Tragedy ensues, and he continues to show up time to time throughout the book. While the character views him--rightly so--as evil, the reader is not quite sure that this is so. This is due to the subtlety that Mr Siregar imposes on the god character. Rather than evil incarnate, he seems to be mostly put upon by fate (or whatever it is that drives gods).

This little thread kept me reading throughout the book--I was curious to see what exactly the god's intention was and why he picked her. The story heads into a war between nations, and I also liked the comparison between the Athenians and the Spartans here. In particular, I liked the Spartan characters' notions on war and battle--they were very much in line with what I imagine those actual people thought millennia ago.

Like nearly any book, the strength in the story derived from the relationships between the characters. I liked them mostly, but was annoyed by them at times, as well--they were like real people in that way.

I would recommend the book to anyone who likes epic fantasy. It was a fun read, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters.

[Timothy Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was continually amazed at how such a high quality book could be an author's debut. The specific description he uses to paint the scenery, fill us in on characters' inner experiences, illustrate one of the most fascinating magic/religious systems I've read or seen, and blow my mind with complex characters (including snippets inside the point of view of various gods) made this read an absolute pleasure. Add to that a plot that was so intense I was astonished at how much happened by the 50% mark, and then only got better, throwing twists left and right as if Moses were some kind of magician samurai.

In the first half of the book, you are put into main characters from both sides of a war. I was intrigued by how Moses made me care about both sides, and became immediately pulled into figuring out how he would conclude the potential war. No spoilers here, so I'll just say that I was impressed with Moses going the extra mile to keep me on my toes till the very end.

I commend Moses for such a well-written book. This being his first actually weighed more heavily on my rating being a four (because I am very confident he'll write a better book), but I was thoroughly impressed. I'm still a little shocked at how much Moses opened my eyes to the expanse of one's imagination as seen through his unrelenting style, plot and characterization. I cared about every single person in this book. I was engulfed in the description of every paragraph. And I never knew what was going to happen next.

I know that took a ton of work, Moses. If you can do that again, I'll be there to read it. I read for about 8 hours today to finish this, and it was a treat I won't forget.

[Mark Westmoreland · Rating 3 out of 5]

More honestly "The Black God's War" falls somewhere between 3.5 to 3.8 stars. Can't really make up my mind where.

The story itself is strong. I could read the book for no other reason than that. It's unique, the magic systems are great, and the characters are all so likeable. I don't think I've read a novel where I enjoyed reading every single POV. Good job, Moses.

The reason the novel didn't receive 4 or even 5 stars is because in places the prose is stiff, the description sparse, and the dialogue flat. This is a debut novel, which I recommend everyone read, but it isn't without its problems.

Finally, this is the first self published novel I've read. I was one of those elitists that thought if a book wasn't published traditionally it was probably written terribly, and wasn't worthy my reading time. Moses Siregar proved me wrong, and has opened me up to the world of indy publishing. I've already begun adding indy books to my To Be Read pile.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won't lie. I bought this book because it was $.99. But I am very glad I did. It was a quick but very good read with an interesting mix of mythology and fantasy. It is definitely a book I would recommend to others. My only complaint (which isn't even really a complaint) is that the jumping back and forth between the timelines and people can get a bit confusing. But it isn't so bad and is definitely worth the read.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting first novel that makes me want to read more. I mostly enjoyed the way Moses portrayed the interaction between gods and humans. I hope he finished his next series so that I can start reading it.

[Ryan Lawler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first come across The Black God’s War back in April of this year. It was a free to download novella, a 15 chapter excerpt from the novel of the same name due to be released in August of this year. I was very impressed with the novella (see my review here) and as Moses can probably tell you I had been waiting impatiently for him to hurry up and release the completed novel. Now that I have finished reading the full release, I can say that The Black God’s War easily eclipses my already high expectations, and I am now impatiently pestering Moses to hurry up and write book two.

The Black God’s War is a familiar story set in a familiar world. We are introduced to the tale of two nations, locked in a seemingly unending war have forgotten the reasons for why they are still fighting, and now that their young and powerful heroes have come of age the end of the war is finally within sight. At the same time we are introduced to a world with an amazing breadth and depth of history, religion and culture, a world that has taken much influence from our own world to create something that feels both familiar and alien at the same time. This familiarity upfront is a good move and Siregar uses it to ease you into the story, drawing you right in and allowing you to explore and become comfortable with two immensely rich cultures until reach the end of the first stanza, at which point the carpet is pulled out from under your feet and you are sent rocketing through the story at breakneck speed. The classic sucker punch – I saw it coming at the last minute, I was not ready for it, and I did not expect to be hit so powerfully by it. And the punches keep coming, the twists and turns keeping you on the edge of you seat right up until the conclusion, and when you turn that last page you can finally take a breath and wonder whether or not that really just happened. When I look back on it, I wonder whether or not Siregar was trying to do too much with the story. There was so much going on, so many characters in motion, so many little twists and turns that it can at times become overwhelming. It is a quality that I really like in a book, but one that can be an issue for readers who do not like to be overwhelmed.

While the story and its events may be lacking in subtlety, the characters have been more carefully crafted with the layers upon layers of complex emotions and relationships providing balance to the story. Siregar, taking a lot of influence from classic Greek poems, has decided to give us two sympathetic heroes in Caio and Rao – one from each side of the war (think Achilles and Hector). Both are spiritual leaders of their own religions, both have immense powers, both are quite spiritually enlightened when compared to their military counterparts, and both want the war to end but can see no way for it to happen unless one defeats the other. They only meet once or twice, they speak very few words to each other, but their relationship is by far the most frustrating yet rewarding one in the entire book. I was physically vocal while reading this book, shouting at both men that they could solve the worlds problems if they would just sit down and talk to each other. Both Caio and Rao are ably supported by friends and relatives whose own stories are so complex that any of them could easily take over as protagonists and you would not feel cheated. All these characters are so diverse, all share the same goal, but are all so stubborn in their beliefs that it is only through severe adversity that they come to sympathise with each other, even though we the readers are sympathising with all characters and sharing all of their emotions from the very start of the book.

The Black God’s War is an exploration of the nature of duality in every facet of life. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, the magic provided by the gods of Rezzia complements the abilities achieved through meditation by the Pawelons, karma must be satisfied. Siregar is a scholar in religious studies and The Black God’s War is something of a case study into the nature of spirituality, using elements from many of our own religions as foundations for both the Pawelon and Rezzian religions. Something that was completely unexpected was the way that some of the concepts explored really challenged me and my own spiritual beliefs. I’m not a particularly spiritual person but much of the dialogue in this story really resonated with my way of thinking, and challenged me to expand the scope of how I define the world. What made this challenge work for me was that it came without being "preachy", rather it was a side affect that came from the exploration of what happens when you throw two religions at each other head first. I enjoyed the challenge and I hope that Siregar can continue to weave similar challenges into his future story telling.

When it comes to writing style, Siregar is very fluid. His pacing is a bit slow to start with while he introduces us to the world and culture, but it is very consistent and that makes the book easy to read. When he shifts gears at the end of the first stanza, he does so without you even realising – you go from a couple of a chapters a sitting to three, four, ten chapters a sitting and before you know it the book is finished. The dialogue is solid, the witty banter between characters and thought provoking conversations with gods balance each other nicely. Given the quality of the writing, you would not know that this is Siregar’s first novel and he set the bar quite high for any other indie authors who wish to follow.

I enjoyed this book, immensely. It had style, it had substance, and it had a lot of heart. For an independently self published novel, Siregar easily defies the stigma that you can only get a quality book out of a recognised publishing house. From the cover art he designed himself through to the words put down on paper (or e-paper for e-book readers), Siregar has produced a full package of the highest quality and I will definitely be going back for more.

[Derek Prior · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for the full-length novel; I reviewed the novella last year, but since then, Moses Siregar has completed the novel and polished this refreshing new fantasy to a very satisfying degree.

I should note that I provided some editorial support on this book in the early stages of redrafting, but since then the author has rewritten extensively under the guidance of two more editors. The book I am now reviewing barely resembles the drafts I was asked to comment on, and I am, to say the least, impressed by the end product.

The Black God’s War is set in Siregar’s own world during a prolonged conflict between two very different nations. The Rezzians have a lot of Hellenistic traits, not least of all their pantheon of ten gods, whereas the Pawelons have a much more Indian feel, and their religion is closer to Buddhism, but with traces of Hinduism also discernible.

We follow the fortunes of the Rezzian royal family - principally Caio, the messianic son of King Vieri, and his sister, Lucia. batting for the other side we have the spiritually gifted Rao who grows to frightening stature with his feats of psychism.

The clash of cultures is brought to a head with fierce magical/spiritual battles between powerful but flawed personalities, but always present are the mysterious, often invisible, gods of the Rezzians.

Mystery is heaped upon mystery, and characters are forced to face up to the fact that their world views, their assumptions about the opposing culture, are not necessarily correct. The virtual atheism fails to account for the potency of the Rezzian gods.

For me, the most vital character was Lucia - something of an Amazonian woman whose dynamics concerning her father and brother are compelling. Her spiritual conflicts with the ominous Black God, Lord Danato, are haunting throughout and lead to some of the best scenes in the book in the latter stages.

Siregar is not afraid to build his story and weave in the very human relationships of his characters. He’s also not afraid of action, and this is where he’s made huge improvements on the original novella. The fights are highly visual, succinctly written, and draw the reader in through tight point of view.

Something else he’s very good at is the use of language - just enough lyricism to suggest the Homeric influence, but never too much. There’s an awareness of the modern idiom throughout, too, and the overall effect is extremely evocative.

The Black God’s War is, to date, the finest example of quality independent fantasy I’ve seen. This is undoubtedly due to Siregar’s willingness to write and rewrite until each chapter feels just right to him. He’s clearly cut where he needed to and added much more depth and balance (the Pawelons get much more of a look in in this finished version). As a reader, I was left with absolute confidence that this writer knows his world and characters inside out. Nothing is left to chance: Moses knows what he’s about.

He’s also no slacker when it comes to presentation of his material either. This book has been professionally and extensively edited, proofed, and formatted. There is a remarkable map and a great cover.

This is what indie publishing is all about and I have no qualms about recommending this great novel.

[Flora Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did really enjoy this book and I might even stretch it up to 4.5 stars. I had only a couple of minor issues but over all it was a good one, even tho it was a bit long.

This story seems drawn on Homer's Illiad. There is a great war and a pantheon of gods that took part. However, its not really clear for the reason behind the war. With the Illiad it was because of Helen of Troy with Rezzia and Powelon its not so clear. There were four characters that countered each other: Ciao and Lucia were Rezzian brother and sister and they countered Prince Rao and Narayami. Ciao was the boy born to be the war priest and healer and in the begining he only wanted peace and to end the war. As the war progressed it seemed to twist his mind and he seemed to believe that this war was the will of the gods. Lucia was definitely a strong female character. She was also born to be a spiritual healer but kept this gift from the gods a secret out of respect for her brother. She was very strong and independent and fought alongside the soldiers. She was a definite leader and someone to be respected and a natural leader. Prince Rao was also strong in spirit and also desired peace but his father pushed him to be strong and to believe they were doing right by the war instead of trying to find a way to end it. It seems like in any book there is one character that will get on your nerves, Narayami is just such a character. She is beautiful and spoiled and seems like she feels like no one loves her quite enough. She wants someone to stay right there with her 24/7 and just be with her. And when they don't she goes out of her way to get in the middle of things that she has no business in.

The cultures of these two countries seem to be very different. Rezzia is very religous based and the people are very intertwined with their dieties. Powelon is based more on Karma and doesn't believe in gods but they have developed powers within themselves. Both are formidable adversaries. The Rezzians are the aggressors in this war, wanting to impose their religion on thte Powelons. They feel like they would be improving the lives of the Powelons even tho they are happy with the way things are.

The ending kinda surprised me. Not that it was a bad ending, I just expected it to end differently. I won't risk a spoiler by expanding on that just wanted to say it was not what I expected.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I look forward to the next one in this series. I would recommend this especially to anyone who enjoyed the Illiad or who enjoys fantasy.

[Doskoi_panda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moses Siregar III's "The Black God's War" is an unusual fantasy novel - utilizing mostly non-western names in a story of a long two sided war reminiscent of tales of wars in Greek or Persian classics. The gods take an active part in the novel, albeit mostly silently, supporting the (apparently*)aggressive Rezzians. The other side (Pawelon), who appear to be defenders in the war, rely not on gods but instead on a sort of magic, not dissimilar to some of the purported powers of yogis or mystics (though with magnified effects.) The novel focuses on the children of each kingdom's ruler and their closest friends, and their struggles to end the war favorably for their respective people.

My main problem with the novel is that it relies heavily on the reader gleaning information/inferring about the religion and culture - I found it difficult to understand or care for characters so heavily armored in a religion whose pantheon is presented only in terms of "x, the god/goddess of y" without the mythology or story to understand them. As a result, for me, Lucia was not really a strong character; she was made too remote through the lack of cultural understanding, and rendered weak by her reliance on external aids (gods, people). I felt much more in tune with the Pawelonians as they felt so much more real and human, despite their abilities.

The author mentions that he has a love of the grand anime space opera, Robotech, and in many ways he's acheived writing one himself**; it will be interesting to see where the rest of the story goes.


3.5 stars, 4 if a whole star system.

*It's never made clear what started the war. I guessed that, because the Rezzians are crossing a desert to attack, and because the Pawelonians refer to defending their walls/cities, Rezzians would be most likely to be the aggressors.
**Weirdly, I kept thinking of the Arslan Senki series (Heroic Legend of Arslan) when reading this - not for the story, but for some of the battle elements, and the use of sages/mystics.

This review refers to the ebook edition, and was supplied to me by the author as part of LibraryThing's Member Giveaway program.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two warring countries, two young princes honor-bound to protect their people, two proud leaders who refuse to back down. These are the countries of Rezzia and Pawelon. Rezzia is a country of people who worship the ten gods of the Lux Lucis; Pawelon is a country of sages and thinkers who utilize their own minds to reach a higher level of consciousness. Rezzia believes they must conquer Pawelon in order to raise its people above their superstitions; Pawelon believes they must stand fast against the mythology of the Rezzians. Can there be any end to this conflict without the multitude of deaths feared by the Rezzian Haizzam, Caio, or the Pawelon prince Rao? Can they find a way to work together to achieve peace, or will their fathers ensure that there will be nothing but war?

It was very difficult to come up with a way to describe the overall plot of this story without a) getting into way too many details and/or b) adding in too many spoilers. This is a very complex story, with multiple layers and ideologies. Siregar says he wrote the story as an homage to Homer; there are also references that can be related to Greek and Roman mythologies and ideologies and a strange blend of Hinduism and Buddhism. I found it all quite fascinating, although many I have spoken to have had a difficult time with the story due to its very density. Personally, I really liked it. It is definitely dark fantasy – deep and heavy – but if you are a fan of military fantasy, dark fantasy, and/or stories that delve into the relationships between people and gods, you should find this as fascinating a read as I did. This is the first book in a series, and the author says that he is working on the second book at this time. Be sure to check this most interesting story out – if you enjoy a complex read, you will love this.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this book, and Moses Siregar III, utterly by chance via twitter, and after a quick bit of research I decided to give it a try on my kindle.

And i am glad i did, i found it to be an enjoyable story with some interesting ideas on the common fantasy themes of magic, divinity, politics, and bloody conflict between nations.

Being given the opportunity to see the story from both sides with equal measure, and seeing the mis-understandings, heresay, and political machinations that have driven such long running antagonisim between the factions in the story was interesting and refreshing.

Moses Siregar III is an aspiring indie author who will hopefully have a bright future ahead of him. As his experience in writting and exposure to a wider audience grows he will hopefully go from strength to strengh.

Very happy to use my first goodreads review to give Moses, and The Black God's War a boost :-)

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good quick paced read. You learn enough about the characters to maintain your interest, but it is not overly done. The story is interesting and follows a simple plot. In many books it would not be enough, but here it is done well and the reader is left feeling they know enough to be part of the story without having to know everything that is happening across the world, a fine balance most authors fail to find. After reading the 1100 some odd pages I wanted more and went searching for the second book in the series ....

[Jayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a titles like "The Black God's War," I really should've been expecting it to be a bit heavy.

The story is rather dark yet beautiful. The relationships with the characters are quite nicely done, so much so that I really did feel sad whenever anyone died. (Being a book about a war, I don't think it's much of a spoiler saying that yes, characters died).

And that it was told from both sides of the war! Goodness, that made it even more touching, I think.

The ending was oh so bittersweet. Overall, a good read, just much heavier than I usually care to go.

[Lorri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greek mythology meets the tenets of Buddhism with a sprinkle of Judaic messianism. Various philosophies are subtly explored through a unique and gripping epic of love, war, and sword fighting fantasy. Memorable characters and a riveting plot that makes the book difficult to put down. A thinking person's fantasy novel

[Gerald Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though at times it seemed drawn out, the story and its conclusion were very entertaining.There was one particular chapter that, to me, made no sense and has left me scratching my head in bewilderment. Despite that, the story was well done and I found myself drawn into it. I like the contrast between the two societies and the conflict it entails. I will look forward to more books by this author.

[David Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing new author. First 15 chapters (stand alone) of a much longer novel to follow. It is refreshing that you come away unsure who the good guys really are: both sides are likeable but both have faults. It definitely leaves you asking for more.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was one of the most amazing books i've ever read. It kept your interest the whole time and made you really feel as if you were a part of everything happening.

[Greg Hamerton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A memorable modern fantasy in a classically ancient world, of the burden of great power, the emotional chasms of war and the love that might bridge the divide.

Siregar designed his own cover and it clearly displays his creative talent. You can instantly see what you are getting: a carefully crafted and appealing work about a beautiful girl who is partly shadowed by her classic armour. It promises battles, heroes and love, with the mood of an ancient Greek epic ... and it delivers!

It has a strong plot, clear character development and a confident youthful tone. If you want to wield godlike powers against formidable foes yet feel very human, then The Black God’s War is a fine example of indie fantasy that explores classic territory in a new way and blends epic with emotion.

In keeping with the style of the Iliad, there’s an ongoing swords-and-sandals battle, sometimes offstage, that spans most of the book. The action is focused on one citadel and doesn’t really escalate to the scale of a war, but this prevents bloodshed from overwhelming the story. The battles are used more as a setting for the lead characters to have encounters and develop ideas about each other.

Instead we move swiftly towards, then in and out of the front line, learning things from the perspective of the main characters. Although the magic of the gods and those in their thrall strays into mythical territory without much science to convince the sceptics, this is in keeping with the Homeric mythology, where ten gods would perhaps seem economical and their restrained behaviour rather more modern than divine.

The empathy with which we are shown the three main characters allows us to be drawn along in the flow of the narrative. True to the legend that inspired it, the world feels like ancient Greece at war with ancient India, with plenty of clashing swords, bitter kings, discontent royal children and interfering gods. However with Siregar’s modern version we get better character development, enlightening first-person-perspectives and sensitively scribed sex.

For me, an outstanding aspect of the writing was the depiction of the intimidating, hardened veterans whose hatred has kept the neighbouring lands locked in a seemingly eternal war, and the fact that the reason for the war has been forgotten (as with many prolonged wars throughout history, the war continues on the momentum of racial hatred guided by stubborn egotistical rulers). The psychic warfare becomes more interesting as the story develops but perhaps offers too much power with too little explanation. The metaphysical elements, if a bit illogical, allow for an exploration of the relationship between humankind and its gods. The gods seemed somewhat undeveloped and appeared to interfere only occasionally, but for simplicity, keeping them in the background is probably wise.

[spoiler alert] -----

There are few flaws, of more interest to writers than readers, and impossible to discuss without revealing crucial plot elements. The cover is perfect, but it defines the lead character so clearly that I had a double-take every time Lucia’s hair colour was defined otherwise in the text. Vermilion? Is that necessary? It clashed with the expectations of classic beauty set up by cover, and seemed to be more suited to an anime series, an influence which surfaces again in combat scenes.

The messianic prince Ciao is well developed and admirable, but he loses credibility when the author attempts to shoehorn his choices into the pattern of the Iliad. If you write Achilles to be someone other, then his choices will reflect his own character. Achilles was propelled by vainglorious wrath. When Ciao wants revenge this is laid upon his deep intrinsic compassion and peace-loving nature, so his behaviour doesn’t ring true at times. It’s perhaps a good idea to use an existing legend only as a starting point, and to allow your unique characters to lead the story along new paths, to a completely different and truer end. This is a continued problem for any author when trying to follow a plot as character motivations drive them in a divergent direction.

[end spoiler ] -----

It could do with a polish to smoothen out the occasional copy-editing slips and inappropriate adjectives. These editorial suggestions are minor, on the whole the story is an engaging narrative that weaves together various storylines in well-balanced imagined world, with a steady progression of events that lead to a smashing climax.

[Richard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written in a very simplistic style, this book was easy to put down. The story line is very confused. Adjectives often appear inappropriate and incongruous. One could imagine that the author laid down the story line using very simple sentences with nouns and verbs. Then, realizing that additional words were needed, a computer program was used to select from lists of adjectives and adverbs to "flesh out" the story. The result is that the book appears to have been written by a very inexperienced writer.

On page #376 of the book, the author asserts that "The sun sank too quickly toward the northern horizon." Then, on page #891 the books states that "The sun rise in the north created long shadows behind the little hills and shrubs ..." It seems that, in this strange world created by the author, the sun both rises, and sets, in the north. How does that comport with our understanding of Physics?

Weird similes abound, such as this one on page #574: "His mind had been like a monkey stung by bees since the tragedy two nights ago." Or this one on page #280: "The branches were razor-sharp, curling around in wild circles like an assassin spinning with curved swords." On page #651, the author asserts that "Rao felt a wholesome and cool sensation in his mind, like minty, sweet milk."

Not content with inappropriate adjectives and similes, the author also offers comic book-like sound effects. On page #294 he presents a magical explosion with the word "BOOM!"

This incomprehensible sentence can be found on page #323: "Steaming air pressed against Rao's cheeks, adding palpable sensation to the weight of leading men to face the storm."

On page #340, the sentences: "Their prince is here with us. I feel his presence. It's evil. It's him." are duplicated on the page in two different places. This appears to have been intentional, but it is confusing.

On page #505, one of the characters thinks: "Rao's out of that neurotic hellbox, away from Narayani ..." leaving us to wonder how a character in such an ancient setting could possibly know about neuroses, and what it might mean for a "hellbox" to be "neurotic."

On page #513, the author has one of the characters tell his associate that he must keep a secret "because you know I'd have to kill you." This 20th Century American idiom seemed completely out of place in the setting of the story.

On page #514, the author tells us that "A warm round of contagious laughter bubbled up from Aayu's chest." I'm still struggling with that image.

On page #520 "The goddess halted and watched the three speed along the desert trail." On the very next page, however, "... the horses made it through the sparse forest ..." It appears that the desert magically transformed into a forest.

On page #638, the chapter title appears as "Chapter 58: Silent Misunder-" Misunder- what? Clearly, the editing was deficient for this book. There were more editing errors than one should expect from a full-length novel.

This author needs to master the English language before undertaking another book. He also needs to spend more time on preparation, using solidly-structured sentences to present his story. Parsimony is not, necessarily, a vice when writing good fiction. Unless, of course, this is a simplistic and direct translation of a story originally written in a different language, which seems unlikely. It is difficult to explain, however, the inclusion of so very many inappropriate and unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, and the inappropriateness of the many odd similes.

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Note: Copied from my blog -

Moses Siregar III is one of those few independent published authors making a successful go of the new realm of publishing, and his novel The Black God’s War is a superb initial offering. Not only is it formatted well but it is an excellently written work that walks that fine line between literature and fantasy.

Created as a homage to Homer’s Illiad the novel is unlike any other piece of fantasy literature I have read to date. Not concerned with the standard tropes of the genre the story, much like the Illiad focuses on one war within one small region between two countries. It is not epic in its scale nor is everything threatened by the developments within – the only consequences of the characters’ actions is that the war in which they are engaged will continue.

So often too are the gods and other forms of magic such a distant element but Moses Siregar has decided to do differently. Like the original Greek story the gods, themselves, play a part and are characters of some importance. The interactions between the mortals and immortals plays a decisive in the development of the stories and really sets it apart from others in the same genre.

The fact that religion is inherent to the story is a nice change from so much that can be found today. The magic system for one of the countries is intimately tied in with their religions, the gods and the prayers of the people where as the opposing force is more meditation centric. But all of that has been explained not just by Moses on numerous podcasts and blogs.

What really got me and kept me thinking about the novel long after putting it down for the night was one of the characters. She’s a minor character but still an essential element to the story. Her behavior and the way she interacted with others I found so annoying and obnoxious that I have to concede that she is in fact supremely well written. Part of me almost wants to argue that she is in fact the main character and the one person on which everything is hinged as it’s her behavior that drives the twists and turns of the story. Simply because her own selfish, childishness and desires push her into situations that force the others to act.

It’s rare that I come across a book with such a character and they do tend to be female – the last of which was I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe a book that to date I still think about and want to find someone else who has read it so I can actually discuss it. I have that same feeling about this novel and so I have to commend Moses for creating something that will pester me for years to come.

At under 450 pages the novel is of an excellent length and does stand alone quite well, even though it is set to be part of a series – what the future books hold will be interesting and something I look forward to. So if you want a fantasy story that verges into the realm of the ancient classics and without elves, dwarves or any other such things then I heartily recommend The Black God’s War by Moses Siregar III.

[Coreena McBurnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Greek mythology and especially Homer so I jumped at the chance to read this book when the author contacted me and said it was heavily influenced by The Iliad. The Black God's War is epic the way that The Iliad is, telling a long story over the course of a few days. Many of the chapter headings were even drawn from The Iliad as well; however, there were obviously other influences at work as well as well as lots of originality.

The story is truly epic, with intrigue, hubris, karma, devastating wars, romance and friendships all being explored with some beautiful and thoughtful writing. For example:

"...At my age, the prospect of death is not feared. It is a constant companion. I believe it is not important how long you live, but that you give yourself to living. Live as only you can, with every part of you fully engaged. Tell me something, how does this air taste to you?"
"How does it taste, Strategos?" Accori sniffed, looking around dutifully, licking his lips. "Good, I suppose?"
"Try again, as if this breath might be your last." (p. 110)

One of the things that was interesting was getting the story from both sides of the war. We could see that each side believed that they were absolutely right and the other side were dogs or pigs for being obnoxious enough to oppose them. I liked seeing each side as sympathetic in its own way, as well as wrong in their own way - there was nothing black and white. It is interesting to feel conflicted when reading and I also enjoy the philosophical explorations.

The shifts in point of view, however, were sometimes difficult for me. There are so many characters and we go between many of them. Sometimes, I did find this confusing.

In among all of the battles and war is the very human story of Lucia. This was done really well, watching her struggle to understand how the gods are using her, falling in love, her concern for her brother and having to make very human decisions in the midst of a long war. This is something that Siregar does well throughout the book - he is able to focus on several very human stories and concerns in the midst of a huge war.

I enjoyed reading this and identifying many of the characters with those in The Iliad. This was interesting because it added another layer of meaning. This was not a book to tear through for me, but more to savour.

[Tad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive an early review copy of The Black God’s War, a very interesting fantasy debut from Moses Siregar III.

The Black God’s War is an interesting take on fantasy tropes in that there is not really a clear cut “evil” to overcome or a clearcut “good” to overcome it. Both sides in the battle have their own viewpoint and it’s never clear what would constitute a victory for either side.

The writing is consistently good and the characters feel real and interesting. The system of magic is certainly different, but ultimately not very well explained. One side in the conflict, the Rezzians, calls upon the powers of the gods, who are present if not often seen, or at least seen by many, yet whether or not they choose to manifest their powers as called upon is somewhat arbitrary. The other side in the conflict, the Pawelons, rely on powerful sages. These sages use a form of concentration and mantras to manifest their powers. Several things about this system of magic are never made clear, however. Some sages study for years, but can apparently teach their powers to others with no apparent training in a matter of days or hours. It is also never explained what makes some sages more powerful than others or how those powers compare to the powers wielded by the Rezzian gods.

The plot moves steadily forward and maintains interest, but the results of the battles and the strategies employed are unreliable. The feelings and motivations of some, but not all, of the main characters seem to change almost randomly. It is hard to become invested in the outcome of the battles when there seems to be no permanence or consequence to them.

Maybe the point is that motivations for starting and continuing a war are murky and clouded by personal feelings of those in charge. Or that the outcome of battles and maybe even entire wars is irrelevant and inconsequential. As a story, though, it is ultimately unsatisfying.

The level of the writing and some of the concepts involved make this an interesting read. The holes in the plot and the arbitrariness of some of the outcomes make it less satisfying. 3 stars.

[A.E. Marling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Moses on authonomy.com, where I was known for my pitch workshops, he for his helpful first first-five-pages clinics. Not only is the opening to the Black God's War breathtaking, with Spartan prose and wracking tension, but I also recognized improvements made by the author in later sections as well. Moses is a writer who cares about perfecting his craft, about innovating on the sentence and plot levels. He is not content with rehashing trite story elements, and the result is a book full of surprises. A man you think is an assassin turns out to be simply accosting the young messiah for healing. The boy destined to rule the battlefield would rather set up a hospital. His sister may be the true war hero, and she is constantly tormented by the god of the underworld, who wishes her to strive for her full bloody potential.

Speaking of the underworld, this book is a tribute to the Iliad, or rather, this book is what you would hope and expect the Iliad to be. The actual Iliad can be summed up in two sentences: "Achilles throws a hissy fit, pouts, sulks, then comes to and kills a few thousand people. Also something about a city." Sprinkle in a few dozen "Zeus, who loves the lightning," and you have the definition of an epic disappointment.

The Black God's War delivers on a titanic struggle during a siege, gods pitted against willpower and magic. The battles are fireworks of words, dramatic and engaging, visceral in expression. I relished the descriptions of clouds behaving violently, one slumping downward like a slouching belly. "The sky breathed with wild contractions, moving lower and lower to the ground."

The conflict also has nuance. Both sides are at fault, and to a degree sympathetic. The combatants feel locked in a war, with uncertain gain, fearing to lose honor but wishing to escape the bloodshed and search for greater meaning. The Haizzem has great destructive power, but he risks himself to save an enemy soldier's life after gaining insight into his humanity.

Yes, you will want to read the Black God's War, as well as keep an eye open for all of Moses' future works.