{{Short description|Novel by Clayton Emery}} {{for|the Canadian film|The Final Sacrifice}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{italic title}} {{Infobox book | name = Final Sacrifice | author = Clayton Emery | image = Final Sacrifice (Book Cover).jpeg | caption = | illustrator = | cover_artist = | country = United States | language = English | series = Greensleeves Trilogy | genre = Fantasy/''Magic: The Gathering'' | publisher = HarperPrism | pub_date = 1995 | isbn = 0-06-105420-8 | preceded_by = Shattered Chains | followed_by = The Cursed Land }} '''''Final Sacrifice''''' is a ''Magic: The Gathering'' novel by Clayton Emery published by Boxtree in 1995. It was the third and final book of the ''Greensleeves Trilogy'', following ''Shattered Chains''.
==Plot summary== ''Final Sacrifice'' is a ''Magic: The Gathering'' novel in which the mage Greensleeves, now risen to the rank of archdruid, and her brother Gull, oppose Towser and his army and stolen artifacts.<ref name="Arcane4"/> They battle Towser and his minions (orcs, goblin, phantasms and like) while searching for means to defeat their enemy, eventually triumphing.<ref name=":0" />
==Reception== Anderson-Forsyth reviewed ''Final Sacrifice'' for ''Arcane'' magazine, rating it a 7 out of 10 overall.<ref name="Arcane4">{{cite journal|last=Forsyth |first=Anderson |date=March 1996|title=The Great Library|journal=Arcane|publisher=Future Publishing|issue=4|pages=90}}</ref> Forsyth comments that "This book adds a rich and detailed background to the Magic universe, and is an enjoyable and unpredictable read. An additional incentive is the bonus of a limited edition ''Magic'' card not generally available – a very tempting offer for any collector."<ref name="Arcane4"/>
In Issue 188 of ''Vector'', Lynne Bispham reviewed this book and its previous installment, ''Shattered Chains'', and was not impressed, writing, "Presumably they are aimed at younger readers, for their vocabulary and plots can only be described as unsophisticated; but why this age group (say, 10–13 years) should have such uninspiring fantasy inflicted on them is anyone's guess." Bispham concluded, "Unfortunately, even the triumph of Good over Evil is not enough to make these books a worthwhile read.".<ref name=":0">{{cite magazine |last=Bispham |first=Lynne |date=August 1996 |title=Pulp Fiction |url=https://fanac.org/fanzines/Vector/Vector1885.pdf |access-date=March 31, 2025 |magazine=Vector (Special Reviews Supplement) |pages=27–28 |issue=188}}</ref>
== Analysis == ''Final Sacrifice'', along with the rest of the early HarperCollins-published ''Magic'' novels, was later declared non-canonical by Wizards of the Coast following a reboot of the franchise's fictional continuity.<ref name=":02">{{cite web |last=Emery |first=Clayton |title=Clayton Emery's Magic: The Gathering novels |url=http://www.claytonemery.com/FantasyMTG.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120904091056/http://www.claytonemery.com/FantasyMTG.html |archivedate=2012-09-04 |accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref>
== Collectible card == The book contained a coupon redeemable for a promotional card from the game: Mana Crypt; it was considered the strongest of the promotional cards included with the novels and used in tournament play.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Magic Librarities |url=https://www.magiclibrarities.net/109-rarities-harperprism-book-inserts-english-cards-index.html |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=www.magiclibrarities.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=On Wedge |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/wedge-2011-06-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003180451/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/wedge-2011-06-06 |archive-date=2022-10-03 |access-date=2026-01-21 |work=MAGIC: THE GATHERING |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
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Category:1995 American novels Category:Novels based on Magic: The Gathering