A review by ineffablebob
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman takes place in 14th century France, shortly after the French were defeated by the English at Crecy, and in the midst of the Black Plague. Society has broken down in the face of those disasters, with little law and order remaining, and even less food. An unlikely trio of a disgraced knight, a drunkard village priest, and a young girl travel through this wasteland, following the girl's visions. And it's not just visions - in this world, angels and demons are real, just as 14th century denizens largely believed, and so are the horrors of hell depicted by artists of the era. I'd call it a historical horror fantasy - historical in the sense of familiar places and events, fantasy from the spirits and visions, and horror because there are no punches pulled in describing just how terrible things were - both real suffering of that place and time, and the fantastical suffering brought on by demons. The story is very well written and I enjoyed the craft of it, but it's not easy reading by any means. A lot of it is really dark, and the terrible things can seem endless, but there is some hope in the end.