Wellspring

Come Hell or High Water #1

by Stephen Morris

"Come Hell or High Water," a terrifying historical-urban fantasy trilogy from first-time author Stephen Morris, erupts in 1356 as a witch's curse rings out over Prague's Old Town Square. As the old crone is bound to a stake and consumed by flames, her vengeful words set in motion a series of dark events that unfold across the centuries, culminating in the historic flood of August 2002 that threatens to destroy the city.

The novels alternate chapters set in medieval Prague and contemporary Prague (summer 2002). The chapters set in 1356-1357 incorporate a number of local Prague folktales and legends. These 1356 events alert Nadezhda that something very wrong indeed is afoot in Prague. Together with an elderly rabbi from Prague’s famous Jewish quarter, she sets out to avert the impending disaster.

In the summer of 2002, two academics attending a conference at the university – a Jesuit priest and a beautiful Irish professor (who is also a voracious Irish vampire-like creature known as the Dearg-due) – develop their own nefarious agendas. To access the enormous potential power to which the dead witch holds the key, they dupe a secretary into helping destroy the city by unravelling the protective magic built into the Charles Bridge itself that has defended the city since its construction. A small group of academics at that same university conference discover the threat and are forced by circumstances to practice the folk magic they have previously merely researched. They battle the Jesuit, the Dearg-due, the unwitting secretary and the forces of evil that threaten to destroy the city. The academics realize that once free, these forces will unleash a dark power that could undermine all of western civilization. The final confrontation occurs as the historic flood of Prague in 2002 is conjured to destroy the magical Charles Bridge which has protected the city for centuries.

Readers of David Devereux and Jim Butcher will respond to the authentic magical practices and the detective work in both aspects of the story as Nedezhda and the academics each sleuth for the source of the evil they see working itself out in the life of the city and their search for the magical practice(s) that will be able to avert the coming disaster. Readers of Mike Carrey’s Felix Castor books will appreciate the interaction of the living and the dead throughout the story while readers of Kate Griffen’s Matthew Swift series will enjoy the intimate association of the magic with specific moments and monuments of Prague’s history and culture. Fans of Robert Langdon’s adventures will appreciate the authentic history that is woven into the story.

Genres: Historical Fiction

422 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 2012

About the author

Stephen has degrees in medieval history and theology from Yale and St. Vladmir's Orthodox Theological Academy. A former priest, he served as the Eastern Orthodox chaplain at Columbia University. His previous academic writing has dealt primarily with Late Antiquity and Byzantine church life.

He is also the Chair of the CORE Executive of Inter-disciplinary.net and organizes annual conferences on aspects of the supernatural, evil and wickedness, and related subjects. It was an I-D.net project that took him to Prague for the first time in 2001 and he immediately fell in love with the city! He has been back many, MANY times!

Stephen, a Seattle native, is now a long-time New York resident and currently lives in Manhattan with his partner, Elliot.

Reviews

[Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful thriller about Prague, both modern-day and medieval. It starts with a vivid prologue that takes place in the 1300's in Prague. An old woman who is suspected of witchcraft, is dragged from her home and first plunged into the river to see if she actually is a witch, and then dragged to the main square where the mob causes her to be burnt at the stake. As the flames climb she invokes a curse over the city and it's citizens. As the book unfolds, alternating between the 1300;s and present day Prague, the author gives us rich authentic details of the both the historical period and of Prague.

The witch's incantation threatens to destroy the city and for each chapter that describes the unfolding of a piece of the damning curse, Morris uses actual folktales and ghost stories that are still retold in what was once called the occult center of Europe, as the basis for each of these chapters.

Meanwhile, in the modern-day chapters, Morris has brought together a group of academics who have come to the city to present papers at two concurrent conferences, one focusing on "Human Wickedness and Evil" and the other on "Monsters" They are all familiar with the occult through their studies, but as they discover that the city is about to destroyed, they are called upon to actually put into practice their various skills.

The magical practices, tarot cards, ancient pagan gods, and ghostly apparitions along with the descriptions of the renowned landmarks of Prague make for an absorbing backdrop to an occult thriller about the unleashing of an evil force that could send modern civilization back to the dark ages,

[Talitha Ghirawoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the folklore and history of the different European countries that this story had incorporated in it. However I would of preferred that the plot made progress threw out the book instead of mainly the last few chapters. The fork-lore deserve a 10. But the story line deserves a 3.

[Hannah Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first installment of a trilogy, and tells two parallel stories. The first takes place in 1356 and describes the burning of a woman, Fen'ka, who is accused of witchcraft. As she dies, Fen'ka places a deadly curse on her enemies, and also on the town itself. The consequences of this curse are revealed as the book progresses. The second story, set in 2002, is that of Magdalena, a young Czech woman who is fascinated by the occult. After a startling confrontation under the Charles Bridge, Magdalena is drawn into a quest to clear Fen'ka's name, with the assistance of mystical and mysterious helpers. But can this assistance be trusted?

The book is a rich and compelling read. The unique history of Prague, and a strong knowledge of medieval history, folklore and legend, is woven together with an engaging plot and a good dose of suspense. In places, I felt that the characterization of Magdalena could have been stronger - and we do spend a lot of time in the protagonist's head, rather than seeing her interact with others. However, it is a strong beginning to a trilogy and ends on a powerful cliffhanger.

A recommended read.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, this is by a friend - but it's a juicy page-turner!