Eric Fogle, Forge of the Gods – The Last Night

Forge of the Gods - The Last Night

Eric Fogle

Breakneck Books, Feb 2007, $14.99

ISBN: 0978655141

During the 20th Eternity, the end has begun as time has stopped moving yet the godly residents of the Eternal Heavens suddenly paradoxically are aging. Though deities, none knows what caused both effects though the assumption by most is that the unexpected aging was an effect of the stoppage of time. Whatever reality was is no more; unless they can somehow restore what once was before, Armageddon is now. Four heavenly souls are chosen to destroy this still-unrecognized and unknown menace, apparently to be found on the mortal plane; the theory of the gods is killing the cause will bring back normalcy to the celestial realm.

As the stunned Gods begin their Hail Mary desperation move, squire Areck of the Bre'Dmorian Knighthood begins to display odd powerful skills beyond anything seen in the realm before. In fact, his seemingly innate abilities prove to be beyond that of the deities as Eternal Heaven takes notice and ponders if he is the key. They consider killing him by destroying his mortal plane of existence even though that means eradicating a species. The four heavenly champions focus on Areck as they bring the apocalypse to his earthly realm.

Apocalypse fantasy readers will fully appreciate this deep and exhilarating thriller though the audience will struggle with the overly-packed chapter one that occurs in 1999 AD (After Devoid) as the upcoming confrontation between God, Man and Areck is established. The storyline never looks back as the Apocalypse begins in 2020 AD with seemingly no turning back on the mortal plane if the Eternal Heavenly plane is to move forward once again. Eric Fogle provides a deeply complex look at the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as the only one who might prevent the end of the world is the one person they feel they must kill if they are to prevent the end of Heaven.

Harriet Klausner