What do you think?
Rate this book
Our Lady of Holy Slaughter
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26Livonia, 1236.
The crusading Sword Brothers marched south from Riga expecting glorious victory. They found catastrophic defeat.
Now, far from their stronghold, a handful of survivors seeks refuge in the swamp, relying as much on their prayers as their wiles to evade the pagans who hunt them—and the devils said to rule the wastes.
What, then, to make of the mysterious veiled woman who appears beneath the moonlight? Has the apparition come to deliver them from evil … or to their doom?
When one has strayed this far, few paths lead to salvation.
The crusading Sword Brothers marched south from Riga expecting glorious victory. They found catastrophic defeat.
Now, far from their stronghold, a handful of survivors seeks refuge in the swamp, relying as much on their prayers as their wiles to evade the pagans who hunt them—and the devils said to rule the wastes.
What, then, to make of the mysterious veiled woman who appears beneath the moonlight? Has the apparition come to deliver them from evil … or to their doom?
When one has strayed this far, few paths lead to salvation.
128 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 22, 2026
About the author
S.J. Shank
5 books22 followersS.J. Shank is a lover of dead languages and collapsed empires. His writing inhabits the grim borderlands between fantasy, horror and historical fiction. He is the author of Our Lady of Holy Slaughter, The Knave of Graves and Mountain Fast.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advance copy received from Author. Thanks!
S.J. Shank's Our Lady of Holy Slaughter takes place during the botched Livonian Crusade of 1236. Gaidis is a native of the region, who is attached to a contingent of the Brothers of the Sword. These Germanic knights, along with the Papal knight Pandolfo, are trapped within a labyrinthine swamp and are low on provisions. Hijinks ensue.
I was consistently reminded of Jack London's naturalist masterpiece "To Build a Fire." Much like that hapless prospector, so too are the trio of Germanic Knights in way over their heads. The horror derived from this work stems from the simple fact that the environment is inimical to these intruders. The Semigalians and Samogitians, the pagan denizens of this land not only live, but thrive within it's confines. A band of invaders who hold the technological advantage, are at the mercy of an environment and it's people. Echoes of the Vietnam conflict came to mind as well, while reading Our Lady. Differing worldviews are in conflict within these pages, to say the least. One person's Madonna is another's bog-witch.
There are aspects of the supernatural present in Our Lady of Holy Slaughter. But Shank is quite subtle in it's presentation-he doesn't spoon-feed you a definitive answer on the matter. There is no shocking transformation to be had from man to beast (although at it's heart, this is a story about transformation). Ambiguity is paramount. These characters inhabit a world prior to the advent of the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. To borrow a phrase from Sagan, their world is "demon-haunted."
S.J. Shank's packs in a lot of story (and much food for thought) in a mere 128 pages. I read Our Lady of Holy Slaughter in an evening, yet it's narrative impact stuck with me, well after I had finished the tale. "Appeasement always came down to shedding blood." Damn.
Our Lady of Holy Slaughter is definitely a 5 star read.
S.J. Shank's Our Lady of Holy Slaughter takes place during the botched Livonian Crusade of 1236. Gaidis is a native of the region, who is attached to a contingent of the Brothers of the Sword. These Germanic knights, along with the Papal knight Pandolfo, are trapped within a labyrinthine swamp and are low on provisions. Hijinks ensue.
I was consistently reminded of Jack London's naturalist masterpiece "To Build a Fire." Much like that hapless prospector, so too are the trio of Germanic Knights in way over their heads. The horror derived from this work stems from the simple fact that the environment is inimical to these intruders. The Semigalians and Samogitians, the pagan denizens of this land not only live, but thrive within it's confines. A band of invaders who hold the technological advantage, are at the mercy of an environment and it's people. Echoes of the Vietnam conflict came to mind as well, while reading Our Lady. Differing worldviews are in conflict within these pages, to say the least. One person's Madonna is another's bog-witch.
There are aspects of the supernatural present in Our Lady of Holy Slaughter. But Shank is quite subtle in it's presentation-he doesn't spoon-feed you a definitive answer on the matter. There is no shocking transformation to be had from man to beast (although at it's heart, this is a story about transformation). Ambiguity is paramount. These characters inhabit a world prior to the advent of the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. To borrow a phrase from Sagan, their world is "demon-haunted."
S.J. Shank's packs in a lot of story (and much food for thought) in a mere 128 pages. I read Our Lady of Holy Slaughter in an evening, yet it's narrative impact stuck with me, well after I had finished the tale. "Appeasement always came down to shedding blood." Damn.
Our Lady of Holy Slaughter is definitely a 5 star read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review