FICTION

The Relic Master

by Christopher Buckley
S. & S. Dec. 2015. 400p. ISBN 9781501125751. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9781501125782. F
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Buckley (Thank You for Smoking; Boomsday) departs from his usual fare of contemporary political satire to travel back in time to the 16th-century Holy Roman Empire. Dismas, a prosperous relics dealer who loses his fortune, concocts a scheme with his friend Albrecht Dürer to fabricate the burial cloth of Christ, known as the Shroud of Turin. When caught, the duo must then fetch the actual shroud with a gang of mercenaries. In this witty heist romp, Buckley's seasoned pen punctures the quirks and absurdities of the time (such as the practice of selling religious relics). Stir in the church abuses that Martin Luther pops up to protest, various brutalities and tortures, and other oddities all inherent in the period, and the result is an unconventional and humorous look at church and world history.
VERDICT The novel's mock-epic style, colorful cast, and tone are reminiscent of Don Quixote, and fans of comedy and adventure will find much to enjoy here. [See Prepub Alert, 6/8/15.]
Reviewed by Laurel Tacoma, Strayer Univ. Lib., Washington, DC , Dec 04, 2015
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