The Relic Master

Penance. Contemporary social and political satire takes a holiday for Christopher Buckley as he turns his sights to the sixteenth century. Money and power are still great targets for Buckley’s wit in his novel titled, The Relic Master. The Catholic Church is selling indulgences, and relics are big draws for the peasant penny and the collections of wealthy patrons. The protagonist of the novel, Dismas, buys and sells relics, and one of his clients wants to procure a very special relic. Caught in deceit, Dismas incurs a penance that sets him on a mission to steal a shroud. Buckley blends historical characters including Albrecht Dürer and Martin Luther with fictional ones, and offers a witty and slowly paced plot that spreads the action and humor thinly over four hundred pages. Readers who are educated enough to know the circumstances of sixteenth century Europe and who enjoy satire are those most likely to enjoy reading this novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Relic Master from amazon.com.