Pilgrim: A Medieval Horror

by Mitchell Lüthi

Set in 12th-century Jerusalem, Pilgrim follows the treacherous journey of a German knight and his companions as they return home after seven arduous years battling for God in the Holy Land. Within this sprawling tale lies a tapestry of medieval horror, intertwining history and folklore, encompassing both a metaphysical and literal odyssey.

Inspired by a rich blend of Arabic, Christian, and pre-Islamic traditions, Pilgrim delivers a pulse-pounding story of action, adventure, and bone-chilling horror.

Genres: Horror, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Medieval, Historical, Gothic

691 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2023

About the author

The Pilgrim Illustrated Limited Edition Kickstarter is launching in September 2024! Check it out here: https://t.ly/xsNeh

The limited edition includes 12 full-page illustrations by artist Tyrone Le Roux, 9 character illustrations by Filipe Pagliuso, full-colour book ends by Alicja Tereszczenko, an illustrated slipcase by Anthony Ventura, custom interior design, medieval chapter drop caps, metallic rose gold on the front, spine, and rear, gold-edged pages, and a ribbon bookmark.

Mitchell Lüthi is a writer and producer based in Cape Town, South Africa. He has written a number of scripts, short stories, and radio plays. "Pilgrim" is his first full-length novel.

In addition to his writing, Lüthi produces and scores the Sentinel Creatives Podcast. With a passion for storytelling, Lüthi has established himself as a versatile writer who can create compelling narratives across various genres.

His short story, "The Bone Fields", received an honorable mention in the 2020 L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Competition. The story is available in the Write Like Hell: Kaiju anthology.

Reviews

[John Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard work, but worth it (I think)?

This was an excellent medieval horror story, with fully fleshed out characters and an exciting, if intricate, plot - one that had been meticulously researched.

This was history and mythology, combined with pre - and post Islamic, Christian, and Jewish theology.

Please note that the author is a fully fledged wordsmith (why use one word when 27 will do). However, this story was a full-on historical horror, with demons, jinns, fanatical religious cults, werewolves/hyenas, and enough blood to sail a battleship.

All in all, it was an enjoyable, if difficult, read.

[Marcus Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be a review of contradictions. First of all, it is an excellent story with interesting characters and a well-designed plot. Odysseus would be proud of the characters' journey. The book is very well written and edited. The author did an excellent job incorporating religion, history, and mythology. There is plenty of action, suspense, and mystery. That being said, I found the book extremely dense and wordy. The author clearly has a love of words and must have an impressive vocabulary. Either that, or he owns the world's most well-worn thesaurus. On its own, that isn't a bad thing. But in a 900+ page e-book (with my e-reader settings), it gets old. Here is a (less egregious) example: The author wrote "A mellifluous susurration accompanied the stink, a singsong murmur...." In context, the sentence could have easily read: "A melodic gurgle accompanied the stink..." or any number of variations. I found myself skimming whole pages and never felt like I missed anything. In truth, if I had not committed to reviewing the book, I would probably not have finished it. So why still give it four stars? Because technically and artistically, it is very good. There's nothing wrong with it. In fact, it is one of the most well-written books I've read in a long time. It just felt like a chore to read rather than a nice break from the world, like a college humanities class assignment. Even so, it was still worth finishing. As I said—contradictions.

[Cait Ness · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay that was epic. i have no thoughts, and want to read it again



okay, third time reading this: this is seriously the coolest book i’ve read. the first read i knew it was a favorite, but every reread just cements it further. the way luthi weaves everything together in such a rich tapestry of horror and plot.. it’s just stunning. already looking forward to my fourth read.

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between Two Fires meets a Harryhausen epic Sinbad film. This historical-horror is full of moon cults, hyena demons, relics, Holy Wars and enough blood to turn the world red. If you're after some horror to hold hands with your medieval reads, get to this asap.

[Gary Galehouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

mixed feelings

Long book… too long… the amount of research that must have been done is staggering, and the author was determined to use it… alllll of it. Far far far too many references to arcane places, people and entities without context or explanation. I had to gloss over some of it because it was just too confusing… and largely not necessary. I absolutely loved the characters, which is primarily why I finished it. It’s a shame because there was a great story buried within about 50% too much masturbatory over indulgent academic rambling.

[Dead Inside · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I am He of the Quraysh and of the waxing moon. Of El-Lat and of Hit. Of Petra and the waning crescent. Worshipped in all places from Pozzuli to Ka’ba. I am the one before Him, from whom your God came, and to whom your prophet was dedicated.”

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Medieval horror at its best. Mitchell Lüthi's 'Pilgrim' may turn out to be exemplary of the genre, as it is both impressively knowledgeable and compellingly written. The historical aspects are treated accurately and in detail: 12th-century Jerusalem is vividly described, the main character of the German knight, Dietmar, going back home after a seven-year absence, feels extremely realistic (his self-doubts provide great context for his actions and decisions), while the situations during the trip itself are portrayed with care and conviction. The novel reads like a classic epic tale, very wordy though never tiresome if you enjoy rich narratives, authentic-sounding dialogue, and insightful perspectives on motivation and beliefs. The simultaneous presence of Arabic, Christian, and pre-Islamic traditions would provide an amazing setting for any story; Lüthi's choice to blend supernatural horror with adventure, mystery, folklore, and historical fiction makes for a unique reading experience worth exploring by everyone drawn to European history and horror.

Many thanks to the author and the publisher for an early copy to review!

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

With political unrest no quick way home three friends after seven years away make the long journey unfortunately war is the least of their problems from a man eating hyena to the strange home of the hermit all while fighting possession. Will the three friends make it home in one piece. I love this authors books historical horror is one of my favorite genres and was so excited to find this authors books. I cannot recommend this book enough if you love books about historical stories with great historical accuracy an even better hora you will definitely love this book, I certainly did! I want a thank The author and story origin for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Paul Pope · Rating 2 out of 5]

Billed as a medieval horror story is a misdirection. It’s def medieval, and there is a bit of horror, but this book is more a theist contrast/compare lesson than a horror novel.
The shape changing hyena-men were fantastic, as were all the demons. But the story is overwhelmingly theologic. If you are versed in the teachings of Islam and Judaism then this story will resonate with you.

After serving seven years in a holy war in the Mideast, Dietmar is headed back to his European home. However that journey is now a quest to smuggle a holy relic back to the center of Catholicism. During the journey the relic seems to be more cursed than blessed.

The author has an extensive vocabulary and flexes it frequently. This plus the religio-spiritual sub text makes this novel a bit of a struggle. Cannot recommend.

[Balthazarinblue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of hearing the author speak and he kindly signed my book!

Is it too early to pick my favourite book of the year? This is a relentlessly grueling trek through a hostile desert landscape, filled with improbable and incomprehensible creatures. What more could I ask for? I loved how this blended history with mythology and mysticism. The writing fully immersed me in the setting, and the constant peril had me on the edge of my seat. I was unreasonably invested in the fates of these characters, haha.

[Mitchell Lüthi]

The Deluxe Illustrated Edition is now on Kickstarter! Enjoy!



https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

[Janel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit that I am enthralled by Luthi’s writing. This is the second book of his that I’ve read and again I’m thoroughly impressed with it. Outstanding!

[Sigrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and publisher for gifting me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 3,5 stars

This is an incredibly well-researched piece of litterature, where historical realism meets religion, myth, folklore, and the supernatural, written in wonderfully crafted prose, with engaging action and adventure and compelling characters.

My main issue with the book is its length. The plot follows a rather repetitive structure - characters stumble upon a horrible mythological beast, gruesome death and horror ensues, the surviving party members escape, only to be met with new terrors. Not every encounter or conversation feels equally necessary, which adds to the lengthy feeling of the book. In fact, the majority of what happens in Jerusalem (so the first 10% of the book) had little to no overarching influence on the rest of the plot, and was probably the most tedious section to read - the real action doesn’t begin until about the 15% mark, and that’s quite significant for a book of this length.

I would also like to comment on the ‘horror’ aspects of the book. Sure, there are horrific, macabre elements, with no small amount of body horror, but when I read books in the horror genre, I expect eeriness, creepiness, to be unsettled. None of those feelings were experienced during this read. This is a book about monsters, and if leviathan snake-creatures don’t scare you, then I doubt this book will.

[Drew Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I did. The book piqued my interest coming off reading Between Two Fires, and felt like thematically, it could scratch that itch. The setup was solid, establishing Deitmar as a soldier in Jerusalem during the Crusades, and his being tasked with smuggling a relic out of the holy land to Italy. Strange things happen even before then, and it mounts from there as a sandstorm takes them to a mysterious world of strange creatures, heathen gods, and lost cities. I also enjoyed the way the author delved into mythology, and the connection between the Abrahamic and pre-Abrahamic religions, and weaving it with the sins of our main characters.

There are a few places where the book lost me, however. The author is certainly verbose, and while it can be great at times, particularly in the way certain scenes are set throughout the narrative, there were other places where it felt like a lot was said to not go very far. At the same time, there are other areas where it would have been good to linger a bit, which also leads into the overall pacing.

I enjoy horror, but one of the things that I really felt in this one was the lack of hope and respite. Any time where the characters seemed to arrive at a safe spot, something would happen, with any positive aspects erased almost immediately, sometimes on a single page. There's something to be said about building on dread, but I felt like in this book, it's just a series of bad things without anything really positive. Even the ending felt much too abrupt, like a chapter stop and instead of a next chapter, an epilogue of sorts. That's not to say that a book can't be good while instilling hopelessness or an ending that's unhappy or ambiguous, but in this case, it felt like I was beat over the head with how bad things are going for these people, both the main characters and those they pick up, some of whom are pretty unceremoniously dispatched of (in one case toward the end, it feels almost like a pair of characters were written out like actors quitting a show midseason).

[Alejandro · Rating 1 out of 5]

good ideas, poor execution

The writing is often convoluted and unclear. The author focuses too much on the fantastical elements but the writing undergirding those elements is too convoluted to really be effective.

[Myriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had everything I was looking for! Medieval era, horror, history, mythology, religion and a LOT of action. It was spooky, gave nightmares, made me uncomfortable, kept me at the edge of my seat on the verge of screaming at the characters... It was a perfect read!

[Shadon · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is no moral accounting that can absolve them from the sin of what they have done. The truth that lies at the heart of their own contradiction: that they have come to Jerusalem to kill in the name of God, to violate His most sacred laws in His name.

Reading this book was the literary equivalent of someone telling you a long-winded story where they quickly get lost, continually get sidetracked, forget what they were trying to say, lose the point, and you both end up confused and annoyed. The main issue is that Pilgrim is too long, and the further on it went, the more it lost me. I am not a horror reader, but the synopsis dug in its claws and compelled me to step out of my comfort zone, but my daring was not aptly rewarded. It's clear that the author put a lot of research and love into this story and wanted to use all of it, but that is both to the book's detriment and its advantage, with a clear divide in the first and second halves of this journey.

The period is captured with a colourful authenticity that dazzles and delights. You are immediately transported to 12th-century Jerusalem and the aftermath of the First Crusade, a world that is vibrant, loud, crackling with tense excitement, and a heaving mass of bodies. All of the important historical players dwell in the holy city, and we are granted such an enchanting peek into their lives that I was made giddy. I couldn't quite believe that I had randomly found a book that so easily swept me away to one of my favorite historical periods.

It was a glorious encounter, a bit like stumbling on a gold mine, I imagine. All depicted with writing that is both eloquent and evocative, yet flowed so sweetly that the pages just kept turning. I was smiling like a fool in those opening chapters; it was almost too much to take in. It was pure perfection, our time in that most grand of cities, so well described and imagined that I was there. I was there, and I did not want to leave.

But leave we did, and then...all of that dove off a cliff right before my very eyes. We are pulled away from the city and from the spirited symphony of politics, players, and pride that I had so eagerly torn my teeth into. The pace slows down, the story stutters, and all of the heart-pounding tension that seemed to have been building into something spectacular just shattered into a hundred pieces that never quite came together again. The more pages I turned, the more my interest seemed to wane. I could feel it depleting, like watching your phone's fleeting battery get lower and lower with a charger nowhere in sight. As you still have to use your phone, you just accept your fate and plunge forward, like me, with this book that pulled me in and then spat in my face (dramatic, yes, but I'm still distraught).

Creation is the prerogative of God and God alone. So, either we must conclude the impossible: that there are no evil things, or accept that even a thing of God’s might be cursed.

This is a book of too much, so many things could have been cut down, deleted, or reworked, but together, it was just too much. Everything was always described with the utmost detail, pages and pages of long, winding, colourful descriptions and minute details that never seemed to end. With gripping scenery and grotesque imagery, the elaborate writing style made the unreal and the wild seem perfectly plausible. It's immersive, both beautiful and chilling, and allows the full scope of the unknown to be understood, yet it also meant that every little thing was so fleshed out that it started to grate on my nerves. Rather than serving the story, these descriptions slowed down the pace and pulled it down to the dirt. We went from a sprint to a crawl, over and over. It all lingers too long when I'd prefer to be moving on, 50+ pages dedicated to things that don't really seem to matter. A maddening blend of concise confusion.

The latter half of this book felt like a prison sentence I had to serve. Around the 300th page, I just wanted it to be over, but I was cursed with being too invested to put it down. Boredom set in somewhere past the halfway point, and I wanted off this cursed ride. I only kept reading to see this journey through, to get to the end of the adventure that I'd already signed up for. My own curiosity killed me because damn, if I didn't want to know how it was wrapped up.

I suppose most of the blame can be placed on my shoulders, with the expectations I'd created in my mind. I had hoped that the story of pilgrims returning home from the holy land would actually take place in the holy land. The first few chapters only reinforced my hopes. Those opening chapters set in Jerusalem seriously took my breath away, but then we soon leave Jerusalem, we go on the road, and we are swept up in some other, mysterious place of myth, legend, and unreality where I had not thought we would roam. I wanted a romp through the crusading states, not a jaunt into a hell of horrors unknown. Partially my fault, admittedly, but it doesn't make the cross any easier to bear.

An evil act that spares us from another evil does not become good for that reason.

The horrors were also few and far between. I was more creeped out than scared, and while the imagery was evocative and thrilling, it never made me want to look away; it never made me flinch. I read most of it without even a wince, and I am a wimp who is easily spooked. The best chapters came at the beginning and the end, with a lot of mediocrity in the middle that should have been refined. The characters were okay, they were well explored and distinct enough, and I did connect to them, but I never wholly latched onto any of them either. They served the story, served their purpose, but I will likely forget them as soon as this review is written. I didn't feel anything for them; I wasn't worried for their safety or scared that they would not survive. There were just the eyes through which I viewed this new, strange world.

Pilgrim is an analysis of the arcane, an exploration of religion and reckoning of righteousness and faith that challenges all belief. It's meant to make you question yourself, to doubt what you know, and break down the truth to its barest bones. The author loves this subject and this aspect of ancient history; you can feel the enthusiasm pouring from the page, but it doesn't always translate to an enjoyable story. I appreciated the mythology and the delve into the darker parts of religion, but there was too much of it to be anything but a drag. It's a look into the heart of humanity and our most base selves. The blackest core of our hearts, and the things we hide there, but it is also a tale of friendship and sacrifice with creatures, cretins, and creators lurking around every corner, and plenty of other details that I have no idea how to explain.

Seriously, I don't know what happened for most of this. I've forgotten most of it already. It was a wonder of words, potent prose, and an exhaustive execution of detail that unfortunately wore me down.

Overall, a disappointment, held up by a mostly interesting cast of characters, with hardly any horror and an adventure that should have been wrapped up much sooner than it was. Reading those last ten chapters was the biggest slog I've ever experienced. It's never good when you have to hype yourself up to finish the book you started. When there were three chapters left and no end seemed to be in sight, I swear I had to take a deep breath and encourage myself because I wanted to quit. A muddled mess with a good message that gets lost in all the meandering. Goodness, were those first few chapters incredible.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...more than 500 pages"

“What Razin had described was not unfamiliar to him. Old Tirus, Leviathan, Falak, the Norse Jormungandr—these were the serpents that would end the world. He’d sometimes wondered how so many tales could share so many characteristics if there were not some truth to them.”

Honestly, this is like a 3.5
I kind of went back and forth on this one: between being slightly bored/disinterested to really loving it. It takes too long to get going and WAY too long to get really good, the book is just too long (708 pages). I also kind of stand with my previous view of Historical Fiction: I'd rather just read the history, lol. That said, the setting is a more interesting time period than most I come across (12th century Jerusalem), but where I really found myself enjoying it was when the horror part of "A Medieval Horror" kicked in (go figure). It was also around Chapter 24 that something really weird came in and I loved that a lot.
There are all sorts of elements at play from different religious sources (much like Jerusalem at that time and still today). Christian, Jewish, Islamic and Pre-Islamic Arabic stories and mythology populate the story (there was a lot I was unfamiliar with which made me really wish I knew more). The characters are ok, and move the plot along. It took me a while to get to know who each one was because there's quite a few in the party. But, like any great horror format, *SPOILER ALERT* people slowly get picked off until the end.
So yeah, it was cool, not great, too long, but overall I enjoyed a lot of the story.

[Jari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just amazing. The first 15% are a bit slow, sure, but after that this book turns into an unrelenting tale of religious horror that could easily have hold me on for another 700 pages.

[Isaac Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right out of the gate, Pilgrim is incredibly ambitious. The world that it creates has so much potential to be interesting and nuanced. The characters are loveable and interesting. They have different backgrounds and they connect well together. Deitmar, one of the main characters, has an especially interesting story that I found masterfully crafted. What is also interesting about the characters motivations is they are very much a part of real history. They deal with issues that are easily solvable today, but still very complex in their time periods. Issues of faith and afterlife that may seem trivial today but still are somehow made important and compelling by the author. What lengths would a father go to ensure the salvation of his dead loved ones? How does a Muslim stuck between lives solidify his faith? Who is “God?”

The first third of the book is entirely captivating. It set up the lore and mystery really well and included a great amount of fairly accurate historical knowledge, being that it’s based on true historical settings. It also includes one of the most terrifying and intense horror sequences that I have ever read and left me speechless with how utterly entertaining it was. I was left impressed and ready for more

The second third of the book held up but I could tell it was getting stagnant in some places. It was getting hard to visualize what the setting was like, and even what the goal of the characters was. Also, I began to understand that in order to really hang with some of the lore, I would need to study a bit outside if reading the book. So I’d say if you don’t like researching a book outside of reading it, then maybe move on to a different story. This section of the book introduced some things that never really got touched on again. Some moments that I felt would have been really entertaining were just dropped from the book. I also noticed a lack of focus on characters too. Some people just seemed to be forgotten.

By the last third of the book I could tell that the writing was getting exhausted. Scenes were getting less lively and less interesting. Characters began to seem more dull. Fewer and fewer things were engaging me and more pieces of info were becoming confusing and unnecessary while some were never addressed or they took too long to be addressed. It began to feel like the author had a vision of this huge story that had to be crammed into a smaller format. I began to see all the lost potential this book had. The ending third had some good parts. The reveal of the true villain was interesting but it went by too quickly to be anything more. The climax of the book was fine, but still pretty confusing and a bit predictable. Many questions were left unanswered and characters just seemed to be throw away by the end. Overall, just a sad way to end the book.

Despite the disappointing end, I still find this book amazing. It drew me in, and still managed to hold on to me. I just wish things made a little more sense and were a little more consistent. So much of this book had potential to be really interesting, but by the end it had gotten off the rails a bit. I’m still willing to give this author a chance with his other books though, so I’m excited to read more.

[jay! · Rating 4 out of 5]

in moments of doubt, he asked himself how faith could endure what he had seen. yet, in the depths of his doubt, he found solace in a counterquestion:
how could it not?

4.25 🌟

pilgrim is quite an undertaking. it demands to be read at its own pace, and read carefully.

it can’t be rushed. to rush it would eliminate the point, i think. you’re along on a hellish, mind-bending journey with these characters. you follow them through, quite literally, the the worst and most nightmarish and most testing weeks of their fictional lives. and there are things to love and things to hate about each of them. razin is the character who really stood out to me— his steadiness, often in the face of horror, his contradictions and nuances, his standing as something of an outsider, his constant asking of questions and the endless turning of his thoughts. he became like a guide to the others, putting names to the things they feared and seeking to explain the terrors that plagued their company, in some small way taking a bit of their power from them.

and i loved dietmar, the knight at the head of their party, whose love for his long-gone family drove him through every challenge. his devotion to ennelyn and rudi and his desire to give them peace in their rest carried him, and the others, through horrors that would have broken a person motivated by anything less than the love and grief of a father and husband left alone in the world.

this book is long, and the floral prose sometimes slows it down. lüthi’s style is grandiose and meandering, and i think that could definitely turn some readers off from finishing it. it could be called slow, for sure. but i think the pace of it fits the story. it’s an odyssey, in this and in other ways. as for the horror, there are some genuinely repulsive and terrifying monsters and moments present in pilgrim. if they can push through its slower pace and layers upon layers of of rich historical and folkloric anecdotes and diversions, those who are in it for the gnarly shit will be well rewarded.

[Dee · Rating 2 out of 5]

It falls apart so, so suddenly, as if the editor(s) and author just... gave up. What began as (and, for about 70-75% of its length was) a harrowing, arduous, compelling, rich journey... just grinds to a halt. It turns into a rote recitation of unexplained details, and a competition to see how many times the thesaurus could be used. It reads like trying to hit a page count (even though it's close to 700), but little of that time is well-used. There's doubtless a lot of research and effort that went into this, but just because you have all that knowledge doesn't mean you know how to effectively share it with others.

It also tries to be clever with two of its characters near the end of the book, and maybe, in a different project, that trick would've worked, but here it just comes off as cheap and lazy.

It's remarkable how I was feeling like this was a 5-star book, one I'd want to own a hardcover copy of, and now I just finished it because I didn't want the time spent reading 500+ pages to be wasted.

[Brad Holt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gratuitous flashback and descriptions

Author clearly knows about the history and culture of the Levant, but he destroys the narrative flow and plot in order to cram in expository flashbacks full of ethnic names for clothing rituals and religious sects. No characters were sympathetic and I lost all interest in the storyline by 90% through.

[Cody Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you happen to enjoy: The Witcher series, The Odyssey, Lovecraft, cultural mythologies, the visceral horror of Nick Cutter, the Crusades, Islamic folklore, and/or finding yourself genuinely unnerved—do I ever have a book for you.

Gripping and stirring, with unique and engrossing characters grappling with more than just the plot in front of them. Could not put this down at points.

[Nicole Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning was clunky and confusing, the middle was GREAT, and then the last 10% fell flat. Very unsatisfying conclusion in my opinion

[Rory McG · Rating 3 out of 5]

this should have been more horrific tbh

[Liz Shorter · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave this one a really good try. more than halfway through it. I just couldn't ever get into it. I'm sure others would love it, but it's not for me.

[Maggie Paxson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was unlike anything I've ever read, and it absolutely whipped ass. I'm not going to bother with a TW; this book has all of them. It's scary and gory and unpredictably terrifying. Heavily laced with medieval Christian and Islamic myth, the source material is a mix of the Quran and the aprocryphal. This was so intriguing after it got started (the beginning was a bit slow), and once they passed through the sandstorm, I couldn't put it down. This was the first book I've read in a really long time that I wish I could discuss with my dad. It was reminiscent of THE INFERNO and THE CANTERBURY TALES, with a modern metaphysical overlay that I obsessively thought about over an entire day. For over 700 pages, I went through this quick, even for me, and I think it would be worth a re-read at some point in the future. Genuine 10/10, and the best book I've read this year so far.

[Nate Comstock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a compelling and well-written odyssey across lands and mythologies we don't get a lot of stories about these days. The horror was grisly, the setting was dynamic, and the characters were interesting. It did go on for a while longer than I needed it to and it became formulaic after a while. Overall very solid and enjoyable read, though something shorter with more weight given to the tension, horror, and emotion of it all would have elevated it for me.

[Kiely Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 - not because I was obsessed but because I am thoroughly impressed. I actually really enjoyed this- very smart and historically rich, though I think it would’ve been a 5 star if I was smarter. I really loved the mix of religions and cultures to create a melting pot of horror and complexity. This would be really, really good in a visual medium. Hit a wall about three quarters through where things fell off a bit and the ending was a bit abrupt and confusing but that’s the nature of the beast when you don’t understand the references and are audiobooking something with intricate names. Would follow Dietmar on a Hail Mary mission through monstrous locations with a haunted relic. a really unique read!!!