Gifted at age ten to Lord Sihn, Princess Nikkha has faithfully served as high priestess to the patron god of Ur-Haman.  The city is now under siege and only the protection of the god will save Ur-Haman now.  Nikkha's father, King Zargun, must seek the aid of Sihn.  Will Zargun honor his pact with Sihn?  And what of Nikkha's blossoming desire for Sihn?

The short story then segueways to the DAUGHTER OF THE MOON.  Lord Sihn and Nikkha now have a daughter, Nyssa, who is ready to assume her own throne.  Her search for a champion leads her to the shepherd, Dammuz.  Will she be able to ease his troubled heart and help him accept his worthiness to be her champion?

LORD OF THE MOON is a gripping fantasy tale set in the times when gods protected cities from ruin.  Lord Sihn is a mysterious figure, feared by his subjects due to the routine blood sacrifices.  Nikkha doesn't fear him, however, but wishes only to please him.  Sihn is aware of Nikkha's worshipfulness of him, but knows that she is mortal while he is a god and immortal.  This reviewer would have preferred a bit more development of what actually changed Sihn's mind about his relationship with Nikkha.  However, the attention to detail of the rites and rituals of the time was impressive considering the length of the story.

The transition from the story of Lord Sihn and Nikkha to their daughter, Nyssa, flowed flawlessly and made the two stories appear almost as one.  The vivid portrait of the world painted by Dina Vigil is exceptional and one can almost envision actually being there.  The poignant portrayal of Dammuz's anguish is heartfelt and leaves the reader grieving for his pain.

LORD OF THE MOON is an interesting twist on both the fantasy and vampire tales.  Dina Vigil does an excellent job at intertwining two generations in such a lyrical style.  The sensuous quality of this story will mesmerize readers looking for something a bit different from the usual vampire tale as the mythological aspect is both mystical and enchanting.

Reviewed by Anne

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Posted August 2006