Author: Caitlin R. Kiernan | Illustrator: Joe Bennett | Page Count: 66
‘Sleep, child. Sleep and follow me.’
Gods aren't flesh and blood. Gods don’t die. They simply fade away when no one remembers their name or what they represented. Bast, the Egyptian cat goddess, isn't willing to go quietly into the neglected nothingness, so she attempts a comeback. What she craves (sincere belief and a sustained worship in the waking world) is still possible, but in her diminished state reaching out across the realms for a second chance will take every last reserve of power she has.
Who better to latch onto than another female who is herself on the fringes, who doesn't fit comfortably in her environment? Lucy McCuller’s troubles make her susceptible to Bast’s influences, but Lucy’s problems are bigger than her. What's more is that ambition, in any form, has a tendency to take on a life of its own.
Eternity Game is a three issue miniseries that as far as I know hasn't been collected in a TPB or included in any of the post-Sandman anthologies, mores the pity. It’s a brief but extremely satisfying glimpse into the mind of a deity on the verge of extinction. It hinges on a truth that only those who've lived it can see and appreciate fully: something that would ordinarily be easily forgotten can be elevated in status and etched permanently into memory in the wake of tragedy. If your intent is to manipulate someone, you can use that same elevation to your advantage. It’s a horrible thing to do but desperation is a great motivator.
3½ slipping sands out of 5
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