Cullen continues his fantasy quest trilogy (begun with 2008's Seekers of the Chalice
) with this predictable central installment. Bricriu Poisontongue has stolen the magical Chalice of Fire, and six Seekers—humans, elves, wizard and Sidhe—must undergo trials by combat as they chase him down. The colorful settings and well-choreographed martial encounters stoke a bit of interest in an otherwise derivative tale mostly based on Celtic lore and eclectically punctuated with motifs from classical mythology, the Iliad, Dante's Inferno
and the Bible. Cullen even tosses in a bit of poetry to keep things interesting, but grisly action wins out over character development, producing a tempting banquet of vicarious derring-do that never quite achieves lasting satisfaction. (Feb.)
