Sacrifice Moon

[GateWorld]

DISCUSS ... SACRIFICE MOON AUTHOR - Julie Fortune Colonel Jack O'Neill leads the newly commissioned SG-1 on their first mission through the Stargate, to a seemingly peaceful world that harbors a dark secret. Visit the Books Section >>

[jantreeuk1]

Strange but clever. At first I was a little put off by the scenario but then it changed completely and I was drawn in to a different world, a very spooky, creepy world. The characterisation was very good and the interaction between the team was very in keeping with the series. Set season 1 you still have the feeling it has season 7 quality. Would happily read another by same author.
jan t

[Albion]

I think this was the best TV novel I've ever read; thoroughly enjoyed it. Taking it back to the start of the show gave the author opportunities to really explore the characterisations and for me she had the characters nailed down tight. Lots of humour, an intriguing plot and lots of team interaction made this a keeper for me. The 'cookies' conversation with Jack and Daniel at the end had me tearing up too. <snuffle>

My one and only disappointment came at the end when she took an incident referred to in an early episode and worked it into the plot. For me, the workings of this didn't match what was said in the episode at all and I did wonder why, when she'd been so meticulous in getting things right throughout the novel, she chose to do it that way.

But that was a minor irritation and this is definitely one I'd recommend to any Stargate fan.

Albion

[pettygrew]

I enjoyed the story very much. Good action, good capture of the characters. Really had a hard time putting the book down. There was a very little inconsistency near the end, but it's easily over looked. I would recommend this novel and the first one to other Stargate fans.

[Dana_Jeanne]

I've read this one several times now; it's definitely a "keeper." I liked how it was set in the first season since I've always wondered what those first few missions were like. It was nice getting into the characters heads on what they thought of each other. I'm not terribly fond of Carter anymore, but in this book I really liked Sam. Hopefully, we'll get another one by this author.

Dana Jeanne

[jantreeuk1]

Dana I know you are a DJ fan so if you have bought the first two you will not be in the least disappointed in the third buy Matter of Honor you will love it, the Danny angst goes on for at least half the book.
jan t

[Dana_Jeanne]

Dana I know you are a DJ fan so if you have bought the first two you will not be in the least disappointed in the third buy Matter of Honor you will love it, the Danny angst goes on for at least half the book.
jan t

I bit the bullet and ordered it <G>

Sacrafice Moon is still my favorite so far though. Very much a Team book.

DJ

[jantreeuk1]

Looking forward to your comments in the other thread
jan t

[Elite Anubis Guard]

i ordered this one from play, they only had this one so i got it.

im half way through it and im really liking it. its interesting reading about their first mission, some nice details between the development of the characters!

[Elite Anubis Guard]

i finished it and found it rather interesting, nice idea bout the dhd and a nice look at how sadistic the goa'ulds are!

[Elite Anubis Guard]

Heres a review I've written for my new merch site:

July of last year saw the publish date of the first novel in the latest series of SG1 books since February of 2002. The new series being published by Fandemonium who released its second novel in September of 2004 which was entitled Sacrifice Moon and was written by Julie Fortune.
This book is about the first mission which SG1 embark on, set after ‘The Enemy Within’ and before ‘Emancipation’. It was referenced in both episodes and the planet they visit is called P3X 595.
The book opens before the team embarks on their mission and shows how the team are adjusting to the new situation. We read about the briefing and how the team are developing, specifically in the comical opening chapter set in the mess hall.

The team eventually departs through the Gate and arrives on 595, Chalcis, a seemingly peaceful planet of ancient Greek influence. To SG1’s delight it would seem the Goa’uld have no presence on the planet. Eventually the team is ushered away by officials from the Chalcis government.
The team learn that Chalcis is one of three planets in a confederation of peaceful trade worlds where the Gate is used as a trading route. Eventually Daniel finds evidence which indicates there was once a fourth world in the confederation, that would seem to have been destroyed.
One way or another SG1 find themselves witnessing something they shouldn’t have: A tribute being sent through the Stargate. Unfortunately SG1 ends up being tossed through the Gate as part of the tribute. To who would believe it? A Goa’uld named Artemis.

The team make their way through a ruined city and find themselves being torn apart by special collar that are dividing the team into hunters and the hunted. Jack injured along with Teal’c becomes the hunted while Daniel and Carter become the hunters. However only by night does this take place, in the moonlight.

As they make their way through the city towards a Artemis’s temple at the center of the destroyed city, they meet a pair of teenagers: Pylades and Iphigenia, an elderly man called Laonides who is the leader of a group of survivors who survive by doing terrible things and Eseios, a leader of a different group of survivors who are both Hunters and Hunted who survive by keeping the Hunted in a safe building while the Hunters roam the ruined city.

Eventually with help from Eseios’s group, the Dark Company, does SG1 make it to Artemis’s temple where they destroy the controls for the collars and confront Artemis who has jumped host into the young girl Iphigenia and to save her death, she is locked in a sarcophagus.

This book is intelligently written, with an interesting story. The book is set within season one, in fact it is set straight after ‘The Enemy Within’ and before ‘Emancipation’. To that extent the author, Fortune, does include a little nod towards the only event from that mission mentioned in the episodes: Carters removal of clothing.

The fact that the book is set when it is set would prove difficult to come up with an interesting story but one that doesn’t contradict the already established cannon. However Fortune does this excellently providing an entertaining story but one that doesn’t interfere with canon.

There are lots of team interaction and each member of the team gets attention as well as some interesting moments between the characters. The main focus being on O’Neill and Carter, Daniel and Teal’c share an emotional scene together and so do O’Neill and Daniel at points. The author really does nail the characters bang on.

There are some interesting twists within the story such as Daniel’s daring plan to remove his collar by killing himself and relaying on Jack to get him to a sarcophagus in Artemis’s temple.

Unfortunately there are downsides to the novel but not that many. The Greek pronunciations. They do put a hamper on the reading pace at times as I found myself having to read the names out aloud. To that extent the book has been well researched and it does show however it doesn’t bog the story down other than the occasional name that can’t be pronounced.

In overall this is one of the best SG1 novels written including the short yet disappointing series written by Ashley McConnell and is a good step forward by Fandamonium into the uneven land of SG1 novels. I award this novel 5 chevrons, a re-reading worthy book.

[Randy_Watson]

I'm pretty new to these Novels and just finished SM last night. I gotta say I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a step up from the first in the series and will gladly check out more work by Julie. Next up: A Matter of Honor!