Priest of Bones by Peter McLean (Book Review)
In a genre overcrowded with generals, kings, and mighty wizards, Priest of Bones stands apart as a picaresque breath of fresh air.
Returning home from a bloody war, Tom Piety reestablishes his crime family’s presence in the underbelly of Ellinburg.
Part-time priest and full-time hoodlum, Tom brings to mind Wintrow Vestrit from Robin Hobbe’s Liveship Trilogy, or the Thirteenth God from Lies of Locke Lamora. The intersection between priesthood and crime is a fascinating one, and I only wish I saw a bit more of Piety’s priestly side throughout the work. Granted, he took up the mantle under duress rather than as a vocation.
If you enjoy Joe Abercrombie’s Logan Ninefingers chapters, you’ll probably dig Piety’s internal voice. Sure, there are a few pet phrases that occur one time too many (to my mind), but isn’t that what makes a quotable line? (“I have a bad feeling about this,” etc).
Onto the rest of the Piety Family. Tom’s brother Jochan is introduced as a loose cannon ready to go kablooie at any moment, but by Act 2 this demeanor struck me as all spark and no fire. Sure Jochan goes off the rails once or twice, but earlier on Peter McLean excelled at portraying Jochan as a man teetering on the abyss of insanity. Then again, this is only Book 1 of 3, so plenty of time for Jochan to go apeshit later on.
I think my favorite character (the one I wished had more showtime) was Aunt Enaid. Right from the point she’s introduced at the abbey, I fell in love. I’m talking Olenna Tyrell love:
““I’ll have you switched to within an inch of your life for that!” / “Switch this,” Aunt Enaid said, and punched the Mother Superior in the face.”
Another scene w/ Aunt Enaid:
“She turned and spat on the floor, and never mind that we were in her own kitchen.”
Then there’s a bunch of ex-soldiers who joined up with the Pious Men (name of the gang). Surprisingly, I wasn’t confused at all by the number of side characters. The simple nicknames and tactful stage direction helped with that, I think.
Besides Sir Eland, who “was about as noble as my morning shit,” the Pious Man who interested me most was not a man, but a boy. Billy the Boy, whose magical abilities enshroud him with a layer of creepy tension. Here McLean excelled at giving me the creeps and continually adding one layer of tension upon another: “Billy stood with the fire at his back, outlining him in flame like the devil Old Kurt feared him to be.”
The characters and worldbuilding overshadow what is – in my opinion – a rough plotline. I found myself worrying more about each character’s lives/daily actions than the overarching political crisis. In fact, the characters are so distanced from the plot that none of them are present at the site of the climactic scene.
And you know what? That’s totally fine. Again, this is the first book of three, so I expect things will align more clearly later on.
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