Blood Moon
by A. W. Gryphon
Published by James A. Rock & Company Publishers (April release)(to come)
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Reviewed by Cerri Ellis
Former Indie film scriptwriter, A.W. Gryphon attempts to blend mystery and dark magick in her debut book, Blood Moon.
Maeve and Domhall are the Priest and High Priestess of an ancient Celtic coven beset by the Church and others who would see their downfall. Maeve is pregnant and gives birth to fraternal twins under a Blood Moon. Instead of the coven uniting against their enemies, they fight each other, determined to follow their own path of light and dark.
Maeve takes the girl and raises her to uphold love and peace. Domhall takes the boy and raises him to fight and to embrace the “dark arts,” even if that spells trouble for the world. And so a prophecy is born, passed down through the lines of descent, that one day there will come an awakening–a witch of vast power and ability, who will vanquish their opposite on her twenty-eighth birthday. Classic light versus dark.
Fast forward to San Francisco in the early ‘80s and we met Amelia Pivens, a young girl of immense power who is touted to be “The One.” When her mother is murdered in front of her during a Blood Moon sabbat, she unleashed a torrent of energy in her rage, bringing forth both elementals and dark fae.
Another quick fast forward and the girl has grown to adulthood. We learn she lost not only her mother, but also her husband in the intervening years. She gave up her study of witchcraft, turned her back on her heritage, and focused on her love of art–especially the work of the Spanish master, Goya. But now the past has returned times three when her father dies and his body is stolen from the funeral parlor.
Amanda must face a shadowy cult determined to rule the world through dark magic while stamping out witches, a mentor with a secret agenda, and possibly the descendant of Maeve and Domhall, her opposite in the war of witchdom. Providing, of course, she is “The One.”
Writers often give readers some background about the subject, especially a bit of history, so that we know where their story falls within world history. I’ve always found it to be a nice touch…when it is accurate. Ancient Wicca simply isn’t. Another problem is the author’s penchant for telling readers what is happening instead of showing us.
Blood Moon, although predictable and plodding, isn’t a bad book. There are actual moments when it strived for more. But I wouldn’t say it is good, either.
Armchair Interviews says: Heed this reviewer’s comments.