I really do love John Farris. He's just such an incredibly FUN read. Originality in concept and no small amount of technical skill combine to set him apart, whatever genre he's working in. But it is clear that his preferred medium is the horror/supernatural thriller novel. And boy, does he shine.

Like many of his novels, Sacrifice is a bit of a slow burn. Plenty of seemingly extraneous information and languid developments do slow down the first third of this book, but I never felt bored or burdened by the style. Quite the opposite, actually. I appreciate his tone and pacing and he's so much fun to read that I never really seem to care how long it takes for the action to start.

Sacrifice was slightly less dark than All Heads Turn, trading in the voodoo themes for those of Mayan blood sacrifice, but still keeping longevity and immortality as a core concept. Family betrayal and sacrifice play heavily into the theme of this book, as well, with the protagonist operating entirely exterior of the family unit, whereas he was quite integrated in All Heads Turn.

Still quite a few parallels between the two, though. In any event, I chewed through this book pretty quickly. Farris is almost impossible for me to put down once I get into the meat of the tale and Sacrifice was no different in this respect. Well-written and compelling characters, a unique theme with roots in archaic religion and mythology, and some effective (if occasionally slightly uneven) pacing earned a five star review from me. This one was squarely in my wheelhouse and I'll probably read it again further on down the road. ( )