Hello again, fellow book nerds! Sorry to have been away for awhile. Life has been hectic so I have fallen behind on my blogging, as per usual. Excuses, excuses. I know. So let's jump right in, shall we? Tonight's blog will feature a book from a new author by the name of Jim Dameron. The Master's Reliquary, Book One - The Man of Signs is set in the 5th century around about Scotland/Ireland. We meet the hero of the novel, Brude, a monk in the Brotherhood of the Twelve Monastery. Brude was a young orphan when the monastery took him in. Even as a child, Brude found himself drawn to the heavy, beautifully carved reliquary (per Merriam-Webster, a container or shrine in which sacred relics are kept - don't worry, I had to look it up too) in the brotherhood's possession and in which they kept their sacred scriptures. Unbeknowst to Brude, and I believe the entire Brotherhood, the reliquary was a product of Jesus' craftmanship back in his carpentry days.
Brude and a small group of other monks set out across the sea to a foreign land to spread the word of God. Like every other Christian missionary expedition in history, not all the people they encounter are receptive. But Brude and the other monks make some friends, thwart some attempts at war and eventually settle down and build a church in the foreign land.
The plot and premise behind the book is quite original, in my humble opinion. In a sea of chick lit, crappy fantasy and spy novels, The Master's Reliquary defintely stands out. I'm not sure I've ever seen, let alone read, a "historical fiction Christian" novel set in antient Ireland starring a huge monk covered in bad ass tattoos. It's a first for me and I'm guessing you too.
One thing that struck me about this book and in particular about the character of Brude, was the heavy Jesus imagery. Dameron is clearly trying to draw a corrolary between the life of Jesus and this character. Brude is a roaming preacher. So was Jesus. Brude rises from the dead (kinda). So did Jesus. Brude suffers some stigmata-type wounds. Jesus invented them. It's very heavy handed and a bit off-putting but not a deal killer.
All in all I would say this book was an enjoyable read. A solid showing from a new author. I'm going to give The Master's Reliquary three and a half bows.
It was an engaging and entertaining read and I look forward to the second book in the series - which I have already received from the publisher for review so stay tuned for that! Until then, happy reading book nerds!
