Between Two Fires

You start to imagine that Beuhlman had a print of Bruegel's "The Triumph of Death" hanging over him while he was writing this, the prose so successfully evokes the feeling of a barren world peopled only by laughing tormentors and hopeless, terrified peasants. In this story, the black death and the second crusade are cast as salvos in the unfolding biblical apocalypse, and only an excommunicated knight and a divinely inspired tween girl can hold off the forces of The Adversary. I really enjoyed this book, really really really. I probably made a mistake by taking it with me on a camping trip, because the many disturbing horror scenes (which would delight in the daytime) became a little spooky in the middle of the woods at night.

Gosh, that was a lot of suffering and death. This is an extraordinary historical work of fiction set in a vicious fantasy. It's a world in which Biblical fantasy materializes. It's the Crusades and the Plague. BTF is not the modern version in which peace and harmony between nations and regional beliefs are real.

Heaven and Hell are full of kaiju monsters who use humans to torment each other. I didn't fully understand the war in heaven, but I don't think I was meant to as a human. We are made to suffer, and the angels and demons don't have to explain themselves to us unless it increases human suffering.

Just like the mania in the real world, the people in BTF are only too happy to allow the suffering of others if it gives them a better show more shot at more wealth, fame, or prestige. Both the angels and demons capitalize on these human flaws to increase the chaos for the same reasons, albeit in a more celestial manner. As above, so below. And the middle is the same, I guess.

Then we have the three main characters: The knight, the priest, and the girl. They are flawed and they are outcasts. I loved them. At times, I was horrified by their actions, but I understood. Unlike some reviewers, I found none of them to be annoying or frivolous. The banter between the knight and the girl stole my heart immediately. The priest was a reluctant traveler. I understood his reluctance immediately. He was living in precarious safety before the plague and was reluctant to leave.

All three are sinfully human and capable of great and horrible things. Their backstories peel off during horrific battles, pleasant chats and daily struggles as they try to survive in a world that is sadistic and cruel. The avatars of torture and death stalk them. Like, they literally stalk them.

The end of the novel was a bit confusing, it introduced many new character POVs, which I'm not sure was necessary. OTOH, it was a spectacular ending to a travelogue/buddy adventure horror/historical fiction. It's not an easy thing to pull off for a writer, IMO.

There were minor Deus ex machina moments.

Buehlman's entire catalog is in my future. ❤ show less

Between Two Fires is a stark and horrifying novel of faith against the apocalypse. Thomas is a knight turned bandit. And why wouldn't you be a bandit, because the world is clearly ending? The Battle of Crecy shattered the French aristocracy. Plague stalks the land, emptying entire towns. Comets trail one another in the sky, a sign of something gone wrong in the order of the world. The supernatural is close at hand, as fallen angels wage war against heaven, demons and undead stalk the land, and God is absent.

Thomas' slide to a meaningless death is interrupted when his band encounters a girl on the cusp of womanhood, and he chooses not to do the obvious and horrifying thing. The girl, Delphine, is ordained to go to Paris and then Avignon, show more though whether at the behest of divinity or witchcraft it is impossible to say. Along with Matthieu, a priest who struggles with alcoholism and homosexuality, they travel through a cursed country, encountering many desperate men, a number of horrifying supernatural entities ("a fucking hand" for those who know), and a few decent people.

This is just a great book, as violent, coarse, profane, and holy as its main characters. Buehlman makes the mythos of the Christian apocalypse come vividly alive. This truly is the end of days, and somehow people keep going though it. The tension and pacing is perfect, a true "just one more chapter" book. show less

First off, thanks to Ginger for moving the fire from "between" to under my butt to read this. (I'll see myself out).

This book checked a ton of boxes I didn't realize I had; it's historical fiction, fantasy, and horror, and somehow it works wonderfully!

The author took the time to get a lot of the historical setting correct, and this went a long way for someone like me who, predominantly until last year, was solely a military history reader. In addition, the story itself is excellently told, with multiple perspectives without getting confusing and relatively original, in my opinion.

I also really enjoyed how the author blends actual historical things (Like Clement's call to the Crusades and the Plague) into the real story with how show more basically hell has free reign upon the earth. Almost like the horrible things humankind does to each other...is missing the greater purpose of life. Imagine that. I appreciated the subtle philosophical filter the story is told through.

The only charge I could level against it would be the ending is pretty predictable in terms of the main story, but besides costing it one star, this is not a detriment. show less

Ever since the beginning, I have always been drawn to scriptures and legends about the end times, and really any sort of religious lore that just sounds metal. I had a childhood where I learned about angels, demons, and wars of epic proportions that could only exist in imagination. Then there would be all the stories about Judgment Day, where there would be one final confrontation between Good and Evil. While terrifying to really think about, it also was such a surreal possibility, that I wanted to see more. 'Between Two Fires' by Christopher Buehlman brings that kind of reality to life once again, with terrifying creatures and a compelling cast of characters that I was eager to travel along in this journey.

The first thing I'd like to show more highlight is the absolutely inspired setting Buehlman chose for this story. It takes in France, during the Black Death. Things are already quite bleak, as illness has been spreading alongside roving bands of thieves and brigands ready to pounce at any person unlucky enough to cross them. The world here is absolutely ripe for Armageddon, and that is exactly what follows. The story is kicked into high gear when Lucifer and his demonic legions realize that God is not quite present in Heaven, leaving the Earth ready for an all out attack. The resulting attacks are downright terrifying, really capturing just how horrific these Biblical monstrosities can be at the height of their power. One part of the story that really stuck with me was the presence of a castle filled demons, running tournaments at night during the Armageddon, just so they can torture people before feasting on them at the end. There is that, and much more to experience in this Hell on Earth. Among all this, we have our three main characters, humans with their own interesting stories that are forced to survive.

This brings me to the next aspect of the story that also makes it shine even with its dark and brooding demeanor. The characters are an absolute delight to follow along in this chaotic hellscape, each with their own rich personalities that kept me reading. I absolutely enjoyed following along as Thomas, a French Knight turned Brigand who is on a quest for revenge. He is crass and violent, but also possesses a righteous heart under his jaded personality. There is also the Priest, Pere Mathieu, who is dogged by his own fatal flaws and sins, but still tries to do what good he can in an unraveling world. Finally, there is a young girl saved by Thomas who is guided by mysterious visions, and becomes the impetus for the main cast to go on their journey to Avignon. All of these characters shine on their own, and as a group, which speaks to the masterful writing Buehlman has done in this story. Once I was committed to these characters, I could not put this book down until the end. The story has it all: Characters, scares, and even humor. All of it is strung together in a chilling, yet also beautiful tapestry that has stayed in my mind for long after finishing the book. I encourage anyone who is interested in Horror and epic stories, to give this book a try. If heavy violence is not a deal-breaker for you, go out and grab this book, because you will not forget it.

My final rating for this book is a divine 5/5 stars show less

A subversive and utterly unique historical fantasy novel. I don't particularly gravitate toward classical fantasy novels, and it usually needs a heavy historical dose to lure me in, and Between Two Fires did not disappoint. It's a well-written, meticulously researched, and action-packed romp through a Black Death-era reimagining of the literal Apocalypse.

It reminded me of a more fantasy-based story in the vein of Company of Liars, a book I famously loved (until it threw in magic at the end and took me completely out of the world the author had put me in). The novel wears its influences on its sleeves while still delivering something singular.

While I did really enjoy it, I'm giving the book 4 stars as I did not particularly have fun with show more the amount of action scenes in this. Almost every chapter has a fight scene. I was sick of it by the end :( ! show less

As rich and fascinating as it is horrifying, this certainly won't be for every reader--or even most--but for the right reader... well, for some readers, it's a surprising and terrifying wonder. Taking place against the backdrop of 1348 and the Black Death, the book's setting is already somewhat terrifying--and more than any other work I've come across, this book really does capture some of the horror of the plague. But even beyond this level of nightmarish reality, the sometimes subtle supernatural element to the book is so striking as to lend another layer of reality and horror.

Angels, monsters, a disgraced night, a sad priest, and a strange orphan who knows something of the angels of God... and this is their terrifying journey, full show more of strange beauty and horror and heartbreak.

Again, this isn't for every reader--I love horror, and I sometimes found myself cringing--but Buehlman's skill as a story-teller is expert, and this book is as beautiful and beautifully written as it is horrifying. A lot of adjectives? Well, yes, but this book has everything.

If you dare, I'd certainly recommend it. show less