Review: _Gods Old and Dark_ by Holly Lisle

The last human world is on the brink of destruction, brought there by dark gods that feed on the deaths of worlds. Two young women fight to prevent it. Love. Sacrifice. Redemption. These are the themes of Gods Old and Dark by Holly Lisle. It is the exciting conclusion of her “World Gates” trilogy. The book and trilogy comes to a satisfying conclusion because of its main characters, action plot and sympathetic themes.

After a brief respite from danger, the main characters are in danger again, which hooks readers into the story rapidly. Lauren is a Gateweaver. She is a widow with a young boy, torn by love for her dead husband and Pete. The dark gods threaten her life, making her become a stronger warrior with determination. Molly is Lauren’s sister who suffers from a serious problem of her own. She loses a part of herself each time she dies and comes back to life. Fearing to become a Dark God, she faces some difficult choices. Other characters help these two main characters and rounds out a strong cast for the story. Ms. Lisle creates lively characters to go along with her plot.

The book starts with a lot of action very quickly. It moves at a fast pace with few slow areas. Lauren sets a new magic siphon to help restore magic to the world, which draws the attention of Thor to Cat Creek. An attempt is made on Lauren’s life, but she kills the assassin sent by the Dark Gods to protect her little son. Meanwhile, Molly hunts various members of the Night Watch (Dark Gods), killing them, but dies again, losing more of herself in the process. This is how the story begins and keeps moving at a brisk pace until the end. Ms. Lisle keeps the action going with vivid descriptions of the events.

Finally, the author uses familiar sympathetic themes that keeps a reader interested in the conclusion. Love, sacrifice and redemption are the core themes of the book. Many aspects of love play a strong role in the book. There is romantic love and the love for a person’s world. Sacrifice is exemplified by characters willing to die to saved loved ones or the world. Redemption is demonstrated by Molly as she strives to regain a soul. Ms. Lisle incorporates the themes seamlessly, creating a vibrant story that keeps a reader focused.

Gods Old and Dark by Holly Lisle is the final volume of the World Gates Fantasy trilogy. The book brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion through its main characters, action plot and sympathetic themes. Ms. Lisle is a talented author of entertaining books with action. The climax of the book seemed a little rushed, leaving the minor perception of missing parts. Still, it is an entertaining book that is hard to put down. Readers should enjoy it.