Lost Gods by Brom

Harper Voyager, 2016

ISBN-13: 978-0062095688

Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, Audible

Brom is a highly skilled author. The tale he weaves in Lost Gods, with its vivid and detailed illustrations, forges story, art, and nightmare into an amalgam of epic proportions.  Lost Gods is not a simple voyage; it is a soulful experience.

Chet Moran is freshly released from jail and on a mission to win back the heart of his girl, Trish.  Two things are standing in the way of his true happiness: Trish’s father, who is a very influential judge in the town of Jasper, and Chet’s own foolish past.  When he and Trish decide to flee, in hopes of staying with Chet’s grandmother, all hell breaks loose, and Chet is killed by an ancient horror.

The story takes the recently deceased Chet on a mission into, of all places, Purgatory.  He isn’t waiting idly for a spiritual decision; he has a serious purpose, with more than his soul at stake.  A war is about to erupt in a land where grisly creatures seek to end a soul’s existence and gods are itching to be remembered.

A big book, near 500 pages, Lost Gods puts the reader through trial after dreadful trial.  Chet begins as a loser, hoping for change, but becomes the embodiment of a hero.  The tale doesn’t rest only on Chet’s story, though; there are gods stewing in Purgatory, all looking for supplicants, days of old, and maybe a sacrifice or two.   In addition, there are factions looking to free Purgatory, as it can be a good place for souls to wander.

Lost Gods is a strong story, laced with love, family, painful deaths, gore and betrayal.  It’s multi-faceted, rich in lore, and in all the negative aspects of faith and religion.  It’s dark, and so fast-paced you never receive an inkling of boredom.  Purgatory is so well-developed, you see it– you experience it!  Any reader and lover of horror will find a great appreciation in Brom’s words, as well as the illustrations that bring it all to life.  Many times I found myself looking back at the pictures, seeing what the characters saw, making the read a legendary undertaking. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Alyssa Renee Hunt