Devil's Lair

Jan 12, 2013 J.D. Hughes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, fantasy

I loved the writing style of this story. It was perfectly suited to the well-formed ensemble cast of mediaeval hell-bound travellers with their quest to prevent the biblical Apocalypse.

Although I enjoy straight historical novels, I like to see them leavened with a dash of mysticism or even magic - this is the 14th century after all - and Devil’s Lair blends exactly the right amount of reality with fantasy to ‘keep it real’.

The plot has been described in detail already, so suffice it to say that...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Joseph Finley rated it 4 of 5 stars

The premise of Devil’s Lair is that Dante’s account of his travels through Hell in Inferno was basically a true story. Now, the devil has seized the holy grail, and its absence on earth is bringing about the End of Days as the Black Death spreads across Europe in 1349 A.D. A quartet of pilgrims lead by William of Ockham, the famous (and historical) friar and philosopher, undertakes a quest to find the gateway to Hell and retrieve the grail. With him are Nadja, a young German woman accused of wit...more The premise of Devil’s Lair is that Dante’s account of his travels through Hell in Inferno was basically a true story. Now, the devil has seized the holy grail, and its absence on earth is bringing about the End of Days as the Black Death spreads across Europe in 1349 A.D. A quartet of pilgrims lead by William of Ockham, the famous (and historical) friar and philosopher, undertakes a quest to find the gateway to Hell and retrieve the grail. With him are Nadja, a young German woman accused of witchcraft because she was born with the power to see the future, and Giovanni Boccaccio, the famous (and historical) Italian poet who is an expert on Dante and is expected to guide them through the underworld. The fourth member of their party is Marco da Roma, a former Knight Templar who they find left for dead on a battlefield, suffering from a serious bout of amnesia.

The first part of the story, and frankly my favorite part of the novel, takes place in Italy, where the pilgrims are trying to get to Avenrus, a gateway to the underworld according to Virgil in the Aeneid. The problem is that Marco has no intention of joining them, and this provides the conflict for the first half of the story. The pilgrims’ travels through Italy take them to Rome and Padua, the home of Petrarch, the most famous poet of the time, who possesses an artifact the pilgrims will need if they’re to survive a journey through Hell. I found the scenes set in medieval Italy to be well-crafted, and they anchored what otherwise could have been a purely fantasy tale to a real and important period of history.

The second half of the story takes place in the nine circles of Hell, a setting based literally on Dante’s Inferno, complete with all of its monstrous denizens. There are a number of exciting scenes in the underworld, but in between these, the story slows down for scenes where each of the main characters learns something about themselves and their past. At times, this felt like reading a condensed version of Dante’s epic poem, but the author pulls it off and the ending contains enough of a twist to make the whole journey worthwhile.
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Apr 22, 2012 Wendy Cartmell rated it 5 of 5 stars

A medieval knight leads a quest through Hell to recover the Holy Grail from the Devil. The knight, Marco da Roma, is joined by: Giovanni Boccaccio, an expert on Dante; William of Ockham, an English friar; and Nadja, an epileptic with the gift of prophecy. As the Black Death sweeps through Europe, these unlikely heroes confront the Devil--and their own demons--to forestall the Apocalypse.

“William of Ockham walked barefoot through the carnage. Slaughtered knights and fallen horses festered on the...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

In this novel, Mr. Wisehart tells a tale of a monk, a knight, a “fair” maiden and a traveling poet. Some of them are seeking the Holy Grail which is the monk is certain lies in the rings of Dante’s Inferno. It is the time of the plague and many have fallen. Knights are battling for good and the group known as Templars are surely no more.
William of Ockham, a greyfriar and his companion Nadja have been searching for Marco da Roma for a
long time. Nadja, an epileptic, saw him in one of her “falling...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Kirsten Lenius rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow.

This was a terrific story: a pilgrimage through Hell itself to retrieve the Holy Grail and save the world from the plague that had descended upon it.

There were several instances where I found quotes that I loved, including one that reflected how I feel about all my beloved writer friends, many of whom I have never met in person. "Welcome, old friend. I've met you many times by candlelight, in the quiet of the evening. Now here you are. I know you well, and not at all."

The writing is educated...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Curtis Hox rated it 5 of 5 stars

A revolution is taking place in the world of fiction. And David Wisehart’s novel, Devil’s Lair, is in the vanguard of smashing through the old guard’s defenses. For this, alone, he should be praised.

He writes a novel that takes chances, without the slightest hint he wrote it for anyone other than himself (and those who would like what he likes). It’s a story of William of Ockham’s quest for the Holy Grail to heal a wounded land blighted by the plague in the 14th century. The Grail is rumored to...more A revolution is taking place in the world of fiction. And David Wisehart’s novel, Devil’s Lair, is in the vanguard of smashing through the old guard’s defenses. For this, alone, he should be praised.

He writes a novel that takes chances, without the slightest hint he wrote it for anyone other than himself (and those who would like what he likes). It’s a story of William of Ockham’s quest for the Holy Grail to heal a wounded land blighted by the plague in the 14th century. The Grail is rumored to be at Satan’s feet, buried as he is at the very center of Hell. Ockham, along with Boccaccio, a young girl, and a hero, take the Lance of Christ into the depths.

The novel’s first half is constructed for character development and world building (all done above ground). We get to see medieval Italy at a pivotal time in history when the old feudal system would give way to a rising middle class after a third of the population died from disease. The novel’s pacing, slower at first, allows us to experience Wisehart’s representation of our main characters as persons. William is a rationalist with a clear sense of his duty to God’s will. Boccaccio, the poet, is made of less sturdy stuff with his silver coin in his shoe and his love of fine clothing and books. Nadja is simple and naïve, an epileptic “witch” who sees visions, while Marco is a confused and conflicted former Templar who must lead them into Hell.

Without giving any spoilers, I’ll just mention that the second half of the book is the descent into Dante’s Inferno. You can sense Wieshart’s love of the first part of the Divina Commedia. We meet many of the usual suspects, and if there’s any critique it’s in how fast he moves through them. Wisehart, though, playfully and artfully forces his characters to find new ways to continue their descent.

The balance between the two parts comprise a coherent structure that works splendidly. Moreover, you can read this novel just for the language. From page one, you’re immersed in the mid 14th century. This is a book that requires the use of a dictionary, even for those who have studied the time period. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at his use of diction. All of it felt perfectly suited to the task of world building.

And, of course, it also works to build characters we can believe. William strikes me as the most fully drawn. From his insistence that eating less is a virtue, or as Wisehart writes, “Each spoon of porridge was a thesis much debated between his teeth.” Wisehart also pulls back his psychic distance, moving effortlessly from the close third to the omniscient. In one key passage he tell us about the effects of an earthquake, or the fact, “A moment undid the glories of an age,” with complete authorial command.

Others critics have noticed a few important facts: how he channels Umberto Eco, or how the novel challenges the expectations of what we’d probably get if this were traditionally published, etc. In the end, you feel as if the story is told the way the author wants it told. And for that, this novel goes beyond simple entertainment into the traditional category of Literature: a text that resonates with meaning.

Of course, it’s still a genre novel within the broader sphere of popular writing. It’s a realist, historical fantasy. But there’s no sense of allegory here or its opposite: a faux sincerity meant to be clever. This has what Eco calls a postmodern awareness, a wink, that what is being told is important but not so much it would make itself something it’s not. It should be read as entertainment. And that is good enough.
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Nov 12, 2012 Carrie Daws rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: didnt-finish, general-fiction

David Wisehart's writing style easily pulled me into the story, but a few things bothered me and occasionally jolted me out of the story.

First, word choices. Many words caused me to pause as I re-read sections trying to discern word meanings without having to pull out a dictionary. I could sometimes see the reason for the particular word choice, but many times I simply wished for a more common choice.

Secondly, the use of Latin. Some of the Latin was translated or explained, but others of it was...more

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Nov 19, 2010 Debra Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Devil’s Lair is am ambitious book that does not disappoint. It is loosely based on Dante’s Inferno and has a cast of fantastic characters full of flaws and redeeming qualities alike. The cast includes William, the holy friar, Gionvanni, the poet, Nadja, an epileptic girl and Marco, a Knight Templar who has lost his memory. Nadja is their guide and she lets her falling down “dreams” show them the way. Each character adds to the missing piece of the puzzle and the pilgrims venture on.

Their que...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Robert Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

I quite enjoyed this tale of 4 pilgrims descending into Hell to retrieve the Holy Grail from Lucifer. It follows Dante's INFERNO, but ropes in other mythology as well. The story takes place after the fall of the Templars. Like many great tales, this one focuses on a group traveling on a quest.

Only a few criticisms mark this book as a 4 rather than a 5 star. First, I appreciate good vocabulary. I like to stretch myself. Sometimes, it appeared the author went out of his way to choose a $20 word....more I quite enjoyed this tale of 4 pilgrims descending into Hell to retrieve the Holy Grail from Lucifer. It follows Dante's INFERNO, but ropes in other mythology as well. The story takes place after the fall of the Templars. Like many great tales, this one focuses on a group traveling on a quest.

Only a few criticisms mark this book as a 4 rather than a 5 star. First, I appreciate good vocabulary. I like to stretch myself. Sometimes, it appeared the author went out of his way to choose a $20 word. Sometimes they were appropriate, because the one word held a greater meaning in the passage like chatoyant. Other times, the words seemed overbearing: embrangled (entangled), intermontane (between mountains), superannuate (retired), or tatterdemalion (tattered, ragamuffin). Each of these words could have easily been substituted for a simpler word with the same meaning.
The effect of this is often the opposite of what the author would want: it disturbs the flow of the narrative to the point that it detracts from it, not improves upon it.

Word choice is paramount to story-telling. In most cases, Mr. Wisehart makes excellent choices. His descriptions are rich and educated, compelling and vivid. However, this novel would have shined brighter (chatoyant, even), if some of the vocabulary had been toned down some. One thing to learn is that the thesaurus is not always the author's friend. Along this line of criticism, after a while, I began to skip the long latin passages. Methinks someone was showing off.

The second criticism would be that some of the scenes seemed inappropriate (urinating on people in Hell, for one) and gratuitous. The rape scene seemed necessary, and well written, but the temptation of Giovanni in Hell by the mother and daughter? Not so much. Some of it was taken too far. Mr. Wisehart painted a very Dante portrait of Hell as it was. This is sort of a taste issue; some may have enjoyed these scenes and found them important to the plot or theme of the novel. I did not.

The final criticism would be the chance meetings of the people they had known in life. Some were important, others were extraneous. For each, three would have sufficed. Some of the more vague historical figures, were maybe too much. The "messages" from one famous person to another in Hell? Not important, really, other than to make the point that there are more people in Hell from history than we might expect.

Despite these criticisms, I would highly recommend this book. It has many great moments that far outweigh its shortcomings. Some poignancy and understanding are found here that are often missing in our literature today where authors fly to one extreme or the other. In fact, several passages from this book are going to be among my favorites. Thank you so much, Mr. Wisehart for writing such an inspiring and intelligent novel.(less)

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Sep 30, 2010 Rebecca Forster rated it 5 of 5 stars

Devil’s Lair
David Wisehart

Devil’s Lair is by far the best book I have read in years. The premise is intriguing. A holy friar, a poet, a beautiful epileptic girl and an amnesiatic Knight Templar set out to reclaim the Holy Grail from Lucifer. Using Dante’s Inferno as their guide through hell, they come face to face with their own loves and lusts, disappointments and demons even as they move toward their Godly task to save the world from the pestilence.
Yet it is not just the inventiveness of this...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

Disclaimer: I received this ebook via the LibraryThing Member Giveaway direct from the author.

I'm a sucker for biblical mythology so when I saw this would play heavily with Dante's Inferno, I had high hopes. When I discovered that the story takes place in a world where the Inferno was a travelogue rather than a work of fiction, I was even more excited. I sat back, set my mind to the mid-fourteenth century, and let the cart pull me forth.

Devil's Lair reads like a by-the-book screenplay; enter the...more Disclaimer: I received this ebook via the LibraryThing Member Giveaway direct from the author.

I'm a sucker for biblical mythology so when I saw this would play heavily with Dante's Inferno, I had high hopes. When I discovered that the story takes place in a world where the Inferno was a travelogue rather than a work of fiction, I was even more excited. I sat back, set my mind to the mid-fourteenth century, and let the cart pull me forth.

Devil's Lair reads like a by-the-book screenplay; enter the scene late, exit it right before the viewer (reader) fits all the pieces together. I'd wager a practiced screenwriter could adapt this work and leave very little out as this appears to be a tightly woven tale. Aside from the premise, there's really nothing new here - we've got a small but varied party setting out on an adventure, encountering obstacles and enduring hardships from battles to disbelieving patrons, finding strength in themselves and each other - but all of those little pieces are done exceptionally well and they add up to a fulfilling whole. The pacing and subplots kept me interested from cover to cover and I enjoyed seeing the familiar faces--some in new places--when the group traverses the levels of Hell. For the most part, the pacing enabled Devil's Lair to feel much shorter than its true length as I flicked the pages by.

The chemistry and tension between the characters seemed believable if a little simple at times. The medieval setting aids in the belief as the religious fervor of that age could compel people to do things that some rational thinking would oppose. Regardless, their interactions and qualities more than made up for any arched eyebrows I may have made.

One section did jump out at me as feeling misplaced but it appears much later in a fairly stress-laden chapter. The slight vulgarity just didn't sit well with me as being in-character but that's really a very minor nit to pick. It simply made me do the literary equivalent of a double-take in an otherwise beautifully smooth narrative.

The ending itself was perfect. Upon reflection it was completely telegraphed but done so in that clever "ah, so that's why you set it up like that" way. You've no doubt seen it before but again, like many things in this book, that familiar element was portrayed exquisitely. It manages to wrap up the story completely as well as keep in mind that the Inferno's reality just may be our own.(less)

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Dec 22, 2011 Diane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-books

This is about four pilgrims, a monk, a poet, an epileptic woman and a knight who are on a quest to find the Holy Grail which is to be found at the feet of the Devil in Hell. If they can get it, it will mean that the pestilence (plague) and war in the world will be over. The knight is the last Templar knight, whom the monk and woman find on a battlefield, nearly dead. He must be persuaded to join them on their quest and journey through the levels of hell. This is based on Dante's Inferno. I have...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

This novel is about 4 people on a journey into the circles of hell to retrieve the Holy Grail from the devil. The group includes the last Knight Templar, a friar, a poet and an epileptic who has visions when she has her seizures.

The first half of this book just dragged for me but I got through the second half very quickly, which is the part where they actually start descending into hell and there is more action instead of tedium. Overall I did enjoy the story and most of the characters, all of w...more

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Apr 26, 2011 John Pearson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I saw some publicity for this book, comparing it to Dante's Inferno, and my first thought was, It's been done. The great sci-fi author Larry Niven wrote a book (and a sequel!) about a modern-day man journeying to hell, descending through the levels, crossing the circles, and escaping through the ice.

But Wisehart's Devil's Lair is a work of greatness all its own. It is not adrenaline, action-adventure, sci-fi, like Niven's work. It's a whole lot more character-driven. It fleshes out the lives of...more

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Jun 12, 2011 J.H. Sked rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was one of the first books I bought after getting my Kindle, and is worth every penny.

The story focuses on a medieval quest to stop the Apocalypse, and draws you in to the life and times of the period immediately.
Wisehart has created some pretty well-rounded characters here, thrown them into a melting pot, and poured the results out in a fantastic fantasy adventure.

The book has strong themes of redemption and sacrifice, without being preachy in the slightest, and I loved the way Dante's...more

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May 19, 2012 Michael rated it 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to really like this novel, but. . .

As I noted previously, it starts out well, a historically-based Grail quest-- William of Ockham, Boccaccio, Plutarch, to name a few individuals--into the 9th circle of Dante's vision of Hell. However, the best bits are before the questers descend and in the final couple of chapters; most of the middle, the journey from Limbo to Satan, is disappointing. This is primarily due to what I believe is the assumption of the author that his readers are somewhat...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Quentin Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars

A search for the Holy Grail by four unlikely people. The search is led by a almost defrocked priest into Hell to retrieve the Grail. The tour guide is a poet who has Dante's work memorized and helps to guide them through the various levels of Hell and knows who is to be found on each level. There is a Knight Templar who has memory loss and really has no idea what he is along for until he grasps an artifact that will help them to achieve their goal. The last member of the quartet is a young girl...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Rachel Cotterill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, fantasy, indie-and-small-press

Imagine Dante's Inferno as a travel guide, and you have the basic premise of Devil's Lair. Now, I haven't read Dante, so I was at a disadvantage from the beginning, but this is an incredibly intelligent, well-written book packed with literary references. I enjoyed the mix of personalities of William, Nadja, Giovanni and Marco, and was drawn in by the grimy medieval setting, of which there was plenty of very vivid depiction. The pace is slower than my usual reads; although there's plenty of trekk...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Opal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

This historical fiction/fantasy novel is slow moving with lots of religious intonations. Good and evil weigh heavily on the questers. The friar, William of Ockham, is the quests real leader in spirit as it’s his faith that sees them through their doubt that Hell even exists.

I warn you that they don’t even reach Hell until a little more then halfway through the book. A lot of the story is about the journey to Hell and about the difficulties that they encounter on their way there.

A lot of the book...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Jay Fromkin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I just finished David Wisehart's "The Devil's Lair," provided through Library Thing. Since this was the first book I've read on my new Kindle Fire, I want to say a few words about the experience prior to writing my review.

At age 61, the eyes aren't what they used to be, and I really appreciate the ability to raise the type font and select an off-white background. I also appreciate the ability to create bookmarks, highlights and notes electronically. Those highlights and notes are very useful in...more I just finished David Wisehart's "The Devil's Lair," provided through Library Thing. Since this was the first book I've read on my new Kindle Fire, I want to say a few words about the experience prior to writing my review.

At age 61, the eyes aren't what they used to be, and I really appreciate the ability to raise the type font and select an off-white background. I also appreciate the ability to create bookmarks, highlights and notes electronically. Those highlights and notes are very useful in writing this review.

Wisehart's Library Thing author's page notes that his favorite authors include Dante and Umberto Eco, and those authors clearly inform his writing. "The Devil's Lair" is part adventure story, part retelling of Dante's "Inferno," part examination of the Christian precepts of love, sin, and hope - all set in 14th century Italy. The world is on the edge of apocalypse, with massive plague deaths, and the very earth dying with its inhabitants. Four travelers - an English monk, a young epileptic who sees visions when stricken, poet Giovanni Boccaccio ("The Decameron"), and a wounded knight with amnesia - join in an attempt to save the world by descending to Hell and stealing the Holy Grail from Satan. They are armed with only their faith (to various degrees among the four) and a lance, the head of which, they believe to have been the point that wounded Jesus on the cross.

It's been more than 40 years since I read either Boccaccio or Dante, but I'm going to assume that the four protagonists of Wisehart's book more or less follow Dante's path through the nine circles of hell, meeting the same general cast of lost souls - thieves, blasphemers, heretics, etc. Each of the four also confronts his or her history - family members, friends, colleagues - who sinned and fell into purgatory. Two of the travelers will die and two will live.

"The Devil's Lair" is a ripping yarn, with complex, well drawn characters, some 14th century Indiana Jones action," an exploration of certain scientific phenomena, and even a modicum of toilet humor. It is, however, more an exploration of sin and redemption, and hope, the monk's figurative and literal mantra. There are also theological discussions that resonate today. I am not Catholic and not well versed in Catholic history and dogma. So, I was surprised at a discussion of abortion, noting that "The early church fathers taught that in all cases abortion is murder, but Saint Augustine took a different view. His teachings are now canon law. He wrote that the human soul develops in stages: a vegetative soul, an animal soul, and a rational soul. This means that an early abortion is like killing a plant. A later abortion is like killing an animal." "When is it murder?" "At forty days for a boy, or eighty days for a girl. That's when the child becomes fetus animatus. Full human."

A discussion with Roman legionnaire Longinus (who, at least in this tale, stabbed Jesus on the cross), deals with the notion of a just war in terms more applicable to the Bush presidency than St. Augustine. "War is a noble calling," the centurion declared. "War is good for morale and bad for morality," replied the monk, Wiiliam..."Rome never fought a war of aggression. Only defense. If we had not attacked them, they would have attacked us." "William frowned, 'War is sometimes a necessary evil. But when it is not necessary, it is only evil.'" And capital punishment. When the centurion says it was his job to kill murderers (flanking Jesus on the cross), William says, "Keep them in prison until God takes them. A man awaiting execution is alive, as we are, by the grace of God. Who are we to deny him that grace? If God wants a man to die, He'll stop the man's heart. God is all-powerful. He does not need us to do his killing for him." And, "More evil is done in the name of Good than in the name of the Devil." Nice.

I need to make two points that, to me, are negatives. Most of us do not read Latin, and there is a considerable amount of Latin throughout the book. It was, of course, the common European tongue of the time, but as the saying of high school students goes, "Latin's a dead language, as dead as dead can be; first it killed the Romans and now it's killing me." The inclusion of Latin in this book is hardly a fatal flaw, but just not helpful to the average reader. The second point is the author's use of archaic and obscure language. Wisehart is obviously proud of his vocabulary, or has one hell of a dictionary at his elbow. Tatterdemalion. Dwale. Ensorcelled. Chatoyant. Incarnadine. Vatic. Bricolage. On and on. In most cases, a common word would have done just as well.

Overlooking those faults - or what I perceive as faults - Wisehart includes some marvelous passages in "The Devil's Lair." A playful "dialogue" between Boccaccio and a donkey regarding Balaam's ass; Petrarch's discussion of holy relics ("Relics are like loaves and fishes. They tend to multiply. Would you care to see my collection?"); the epileptic girl trying to breast feed her dead baby in Purgatory; the fights with Cerberus, Medusa and the Manticore; the Devil trapped in the ice of his own tears at losing God's love. There's also a nice musing on fame and remembrance - why we want to leave something behind, whether books or children. "Dante nodded, '...I was looking at a man reading a book. He lives in the future. I do not know when or where. But when he reads my book, so can I. When anyone reads it, I am there. It is all I have left of who I was." Boccaccio asks, "But if people stop reading your work?" Dante replies, "Then I am lost."

If Wisehart keeps writing like this, he won't have to worry about becoming lost.(less)

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Mar 13, 2013 Alasandra Alawine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyed the book.

The book begins with Giovanni Boccaccio (a poet), William of Ockham (an English friar) and Nadja (an epileptic with the gift of prophecy) seeking the knight, Marco da Roma. Nadja believes that he can lead them to hell and help them recover the Holy Grail. They find a grievously wounded Marco on the battlefield with no memory of who he is. Captivated by Nadja's beauty he agrees to accompany them.

Using Dante's Inferno as a guide the pilgrims make their way into hell. William's de...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Tim rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a good read and sits somewhere between three and four stars for me. A few reviewers have said that the untranslated Latin parts made the book a little more unsatisfying, but I disagree. Although it would have been nice to have the translation there to add more depth it does not take anything away from the story. The first half of the novel was very good, the characterization was well done and our protagonists felt real and fleshed out.

The descent into the circles of hell was great some...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Jeni rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a cool story. It definitely benefits from an awareness of Dante's Inferno, although it's not absolutely necessary as most of the key points are explained in sufficient detail to know what's going on. The author has taken one of history's most well known literary works and asked the question "what if it weren't just a story? What if it was real?" He creates interesting characters and gives you just enough to understand them. The story could have been longer, with more character development a...more

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Jan 16, 2011 JoAnn Jordan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2011

This is an excellent novel about a quest to Hell in order to save the world. The characters are multi-faceted and interesting. Each character has strengths and faults that suits their place in the story. I found it a satisfying read. The only complaint I have is that there is a lot of Latin used without any explanation as to what it means so a portion of the richness of the story is lost. Had there been footnotes or in text translation it would have improved the story. This is the reason it only...more

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Aug 29, 2010 Christa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Four pilgrims embark on a quest to retrieve the Holy Grail from the Devil and thereby save the world from the plague, war, and destruction. The pilgrims follow the path of Dante’s Inferno but their battle with evil is foremost a personal quest for truth and their own redemption. In this remarkable work, the Holy Grail itself, that allusive and coveted chalice, is given new meaning, which is unveiled in another one of David Wisehart’s surprise endings. Beautifully told, full of vivid details and...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Janet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kindle

This is an enjoyable historical fantasy woven around Dante's Inferno, the Grail legends, and the history of the Knights Templar. The focus, however, is less on knights than it is on poets and theologians. Wisehart obviously loves medieval poetry and has studied theology, but the book never gets bogged down in "clever" asides. The substance of the poetry and beliefs have a direct impact on the plot, and you don't need to have an understanding of those topics to enjoy it.

This is not a great novel,...more

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May 23, 2012 Tim rated it 4 of 5 stars

A really enjoyable quick read, the book follows four companions who spend the first half of the book journeying to the gate of Hell (interesting with a respectable pace), and the second half of the book journeying through Hell itself (extremely fun, well paced and engaging).

An extremely well woven tale that takes you on a tour through biblical Hell through the eyes of a diverse cast of 14th Century characters (an exiled priest, a fallen Knight, a penniless poet and a naive prophet) that work ext...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Kerri rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: freebies, historical-fiction, fantasy

A friar, a poet, an epileptic psychic, camping on a battlefield. Searching for a knight to guide them through the gates of hell... The book starts dark and mysterious and quickly pulls the reader in. Pestilence is ravaging the countryside and three friends on a mission from God, are looking to descend into hell... But here the book loses steam.

The prose is decent, dark and to the point; but David Wiseheart makes a couple story-structure errors. First the Latin; no translation is offered with the...more A friar, a poet, an epileptic psychic, camping on a battlefield. Searching for a knight to guide them through the gates of hell... The book starts dark and mysterious and quickly pulls the reader in. Pestilence is ravaging the countryside and three friends on a mission from God, are looking to descend into hell... But here the book loses steam.

The prose is decent, dark and to the point; but David Wiseheart makes a couple story-structure errors. First the Latin; no translation is offered with the Latin, and the sentences don't necessarily arrive at "Those Moments". You know those moments, the ones where the characters could speak any language they want and the meaning would be perfectly obvious. So if the book had been written without the Latin it would be almost exactly the same as the book with the Latin, except maybe a few sentences shorter. Second complaint about structure is in the poetry. Its cheesy. I skimmed the first few lines of each poem before moving on. Poetry adds nothing more than the Latin.

I did like the characters. I did like the first half of the book. There were things that were more shocking because of the author's quick, to the dark heart of matters, way of writing. Nadja's attacks, the bodies, the sickness and the suicides. But his writing style neglects to outline a decent reason for the going to Hell.

In the start, it's implied by the friar that they plan to stop the Fourth Horseman and spare humanity the end of the world. But then all this stuff with the Templar Knights and then the Holy Grail gets name dropped. Then when they're in Hell, the Monsters as are suspiciously easy to defeat, and their are a lot of famous dead people down there...And we stop. to talk. to each of them. Why? What purpose does it serve? Is it just to distract the reader from the fact the characters are speed walking through Dante's Inferno? I mean, I can see how the four, reuniting with people they knew could prove to be a trial; the temptation to reclaim those we love or something along those lines. But why did we need to converse with everyone's whose name we ever heard in Ancient Pop Culture?

And then, the character proceed to commit some odd acts in Hell, that might actually get them sent to Hell if they weren't already there. Peeing on, stoning, cursing, the already damned. Which doesn't quite fit with: "God is love. Hell is the absence of God. The torments you see are born of fear. But love drives out fear. We must carry love with us, like water to a desert, for we go to a place where there is no love." It doesn't sound like they entered Hell with love, it sounds like they entered with vengeance.

And then end was rushed; the author figuring out with only a few pages to go, that he needed to tie all these odd elements together and answer the dangling questions. This story started strong, with intriguing concepts and characters, but fizzled out when the story lost direction.(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Rachel Thompson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

A group of pilgrims goes in search of the Holy Grail. William is a friar, well-versed in God's love, Nadja is a girl who has visions, Giovanni is a poet interested in following in Dante's footsteps, and Marco is the last Knight Templar. At first Marco has no interest in joining their little group, but he has no memories of his past life. The others find him on a battlefield, but even the battle is erased from his memory.

Overall, i enjoyed this book a great deal. It was well-written, and the pilg...more

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Aug 05, 2012 John Podlaski rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When starting "Devil's Lair" by David Wisehart, the first paragraph caused me to pause and reflect upon the picture the author had painted. It is 1349 A.D., "William of Ockham walked barefoot through the carnage. Slaughtered knights and fallen horses festered on the battlefield. A thousand naked corpses lay broken upon the earth, and in that multitude a few unlucky men survived, weltering in their own blood, crying out for God. The fighting was over but the dying would go on for days". The visio...more When starting "Devil's Lair" by David Wisehart, the first paragraph caused me to pause and reflect upon the picture the author had painted. It is 1349 A.D., "William of Ockham walked barefoot through the carnage. Slaughtered knights and fallen horses festered on the battlefield. A thousand naked corpses lay broken upon the earth, and in that multitude a few unlucky men survived, weltering in their own blood, crying out for God. The fighting was over but the dying would go on for days". The vision is surreal, and I had to think about that for a few moments before moving on.

The three travelers - a friar, William of Ockham, a poet, Giovanni Boccaccio, who is well versed on the works of Dante, and Nadja, a young, epileptic girl with a gift of prophesy, are looking for one surviving knight. William carried a charcoal sketch to identify the face; Nadja had created this drawing from an earlier vision. The survivor they seek from the prophesy, Marco da Roma, a former Knights Templar, supposedly knows where in hell the Holy Grail is located. If they are able to steal it from the Devil, it will end the pestilence and plague on the planet which has already claimed half of the population. Unfortunately, after Marco is found and eventually brought back to health, he has amnesia and doesn't even know who he is.

David wrote this book using the language of the 14th century and made me feel like I was reading text from that era. He uses Latin proverbs and sayings throughout the book which have no explanation, but don't take away from the story. I learned to just scan over them without losing anything. However, some of the verbiage made me glad that I was reading on my Kindle.

The foursome travel throughout Italy looking for a relic that will help in their quest to take back the Holy Grail - a certain spear tip, said to have punctured the side of Christ while he was dying on the cross. Once they have it, the special weapon is instrumental during their journey through hell.

Giovanni was well-studied in Dante's works and used what he learned to guide the group through the nine rings of hell along the same route Dante had followed. Never having read Dante's Inferno, I was in awe of the author's descriptions of the various levels of hell and of the characters the pilgrims encounter during their quest for the Grail. Frightening to say the least.

This is another book you won't be able to put down - especially when the quest takes the pilgrims underground - this is the second half of the book. Plan on staying up late! Great read and enjoyed it immensely! Highly recommended!

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