The Best Books of 2005: #3

Here's my review of The Priest of Blood by Douglas Clegg, as it originally appeared in Hellnotes:

Fans of Douglas Clegg’s novels of contemporary horror should take note: THE PRIEST OF BLOOD is neither contemporary nor is it strictly horror. I would classify it as fantasy/alternative history with a large dollop of terror thrown in.

THE PRIEST OF BLOOD follows Aleric, a peasant boy in medieval France, who lives at the edge of a great forest filled with practitioners of an ancient religion, among other mysteries.

Aleric’s existence is a harsh one—he lives in the most abject poverty with his siblings, his father has disappeared and his mother is the village whore. The only positive influence in Aleric’s life is the presence of his grandfather, an old soldier who teaches the boy how to train birds and who shares with him tales of the Old Ways.

Aleric’s talent with birds—particularly falcons—leads him to a position within the castle of the local Baron. There, Aleric becomes known as Falconer and falls in love with the Baron’s daughter. That relationship—forbidden on many levels—leads to Falconer’s conscription into military service as a soldier in a Crusade to the Holy Land, where his life will end and his afterlife will begin.

THE PRIEST OF BLOOD is the first volume in a series called THE VAMPYRICON, so it’s no surprise what sort of creature Aleric becomes. What is noteworthy is how Clegg melds historical detail with the very human story of Aleric. In fact, the first half of THE PRIEST OF BLOOD is nearly devoid of supernatural elements, yet may be the most gripping writing Clegg has ever produced.

Cleggs opens the door to a number of interesting concepts here, including the nature of Vampyrism, which is different enough from the variations that have come before to keep it interesting. The inexorable march of Christianity across Europe is another theme Clegg explores, as we watch the old religions and their followers trampled under the onslaught of the one God.

THE PRIEST OF BLOOD ends on something of a cliffhanger, one which will make most readers anxious for the sequel. Grab it if you can, and join Clegg on the ground floor of what looks to be his most remarkable work yet.