Author: Jesse Bullington
Publisher: Orbit
RRP: $22.99
ISBN: 9781841499123
Release Date: March 2011
Pages: 480
Description:
An exciting, original and surreal take on medieval Europe through the travels of a female necromancer and her unwilling kidnapper.
As the witch-pyres of the Spanish Inquisition blanket Renaissance Europe in a moral haze, a young African slave is unwillingly apprenticed to an ancient necromancer. Her tormentor has bound her with a curse forged from blood and spirit. But salvation could lie in arcane writings her tutor has hidden on the war-torn continent . . .
Jesse Bullington casts his own macabre spell over the late middle ages in a work that becomes compulsive, amusing and horrifying in quick succession.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jesse Bullington spent the bulk of his formative years in rural Pennsylvania, the Netherlands and Tallahassee, Florida. He is a folklore enthusiast who holds a bachelor's degree in History and English Literature from Florida State University. He currently resides in Colorado.
Previous Books:
The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart
Review:
The Enterprise of Death is a very interesting and well written novel about necromancy and all of the grotesque actions associated with this practice. Billington writes with such vivid descriptions and detail that it completely draws the reader into the story. The dialogue and interaction between the characters is simply brilliant, making the reader gain a feeling of familaraity with them.
At one point, a necromancer is copulating with a corpse on top of an undead, reanimated bear that is chasing and horrifying the necromancers' novice. There's an exploration of the disease and filth of medieval Europe, and a blatant rebuke of the church and all of its manipulations.
The story revolves around Awa the Moorish slave, who is tossed out of her home in Grenada. A necromancer captures her and orders her to learn his skills though she prefers not to but she has no choice. Finally Awa escapes only to find out the mage knew she would flee and cursed her.
Awa has a decade to find the necromancer's tome or lose her soul. The arcane book can be anywhere. Not one to give up, Awa begins her quest. Awa makes friends and allies to include painter Niklaus Manuel Deutsch who pays for his supplies by hiring out as a morbid mercenary and Monique the lesbian gunsmith madam as well as Dr. Paracelsus the alchemist and a few normal beings.
Great book, definitely will be looking out for more of this author’s works.
No comments:
Post a Comment