Righteous Maleficia

by Emir Skalonja

The year is 1392, England. The village of Blythe's Hollow suffers amidst the Black Death and the blood thirsty priests. The villagers turn to Black Magick for help, but only one man will stand against the church's oppression. Driven by loss and revenge, one man will become something else entirely to right the wrong. His quest becomes a Righteous Maleficia.

138 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 15, 2015

Reviews

[Johnny Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

History and religious horror in similar gothic horror that old Hammer horror would have cranked out-only with more brutal gore.
The plague is hitting a small village amongst others. Here the greedy Lord and the priests use the plague as a damnation to all sinners. Saying God has smote them for their sins and they have all deserved this disease.
Torturing innocent lives to get them to confess only for a quick death as the church was want to do in those times.
Outside of the plague ridden place a witch resides, one of healing, one who who just wants to be left alone since being outcast many moons ago, however she will help those she deems just and righteous.
After losing many a loved one and close to losing his beloved, Edgar is one such man the witch helps to allow him to seek vengeance against the church.

[Robert W. Easton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the corruption of the standard tropes of good and evil. The imagery is intense, visceral, and entirely believable. The story builds slowly, then explodes into a bubolic and violent climax. The metaphors and symbolism of the story are complex and well realized without clubbing you with obviousness.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutal yet Beautiful

This novel was brutal yet beautiful, it shows that people will rise in the face of tyranny and not everything is black and white. Those who I kill for salvation are the very ones who will suffer in the end.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fascinated me, between the church and what they called the dark magick you are totally engrossed in the pages . The church wielded so much power back then and honestly it was horrible . The author paints a picture of horrible conditions and plights of the people under the thumb. It makes you think of what those people went through. The author describes the medieval ways of torture in a way that it feels like you are right there watching it . The very first chapter had me squirming on the details of how a young witch is tortured by the Father John and Lawrence.
This is a character driven book and the characters are so well written and complex. There are a few characters that you will most definitely want to draw and quartered . Father John and Lawrence come to mind. They are just evil hiding behind the cloth of the church . They just keep going on and on and become even more evil as the story goes along . Magdalene is the witch that everyone is after but never can find . She is a sweet character that is only there to help out the people with healing herbs to help alleviate the pain and suffering . She becomes such an enigma in the story she is the one light that shines through the evilness that is going on . The other characters that come out in the book are either on the good side or the evil side . They play off each other so well . Edgar and Farah are doing what is right to help out his father and they pay the price for that at the evil torturing hands of the fathers . You will love and hate all of these characters you will shed a tear and yell at your kindle .
I read this book in one sitting I was so engrossed in the pages I don't think I moved from the spot I was in the whole time . If you don't feel uncomfortable while reading this book you aren't getting the gist of what went on back in the medieval days . When the church had absolute power over every thing and you had to bow down to them even if you didn't believe in what they were doing . I couldn't believe the ways of torture that took place back then. The author did a lot of research on the torture chambers and techniques of that time period . You almost feel the pain that these people go through and you just want to hug them all . The author takes us on a journey through hell and brings us out on the other side relatively unscathed. I will say that I had a book hangover and wanted to tell everyone I could about this book . I loved the history and the gore factor was there but it was there because of the time period . I also loved that the author had the guts to have church versus the so called witches of dark magick. It made for some awesome reading . If this book doesn't make you think and feel uncomfortable while reading it . You honestly don't have a heart . So if you want a book that will give you a book hangover and will make you think . This is the book for you , you will not be disappointed . And look Emir I didn't spell your name wrong . :)

[Shannon Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is set in 1392 during the plague. The Black Death is ravaging Europe and the UK. Set in a small village near London where the Church has taken it upon itself to hand out true and false punishments. It appears that these church men both priests and monks take their jobs a little to joyfully. They very much like giving, participating, and watching the disgusting, vile, atrocious, and disturbing punishments they are handing out to the peasants of this village. The villagers knows once you are taken by these men and brought into the church, you will not be coming home.

The Lord of the village is also involved with the atrocities that are occurring in the village. He is a property owner just outside of the small village, he owns a very large manor house. He makes the villagers work until they are almost dead and only gives them the barest amount of stipends to live on. This is why some of the villagers are caught and punished because they have been caught stealing food and other items. But some of these reports are false. They have been made up by spies. Villagers that are so desperate they will turn on each other to get anything extra for their families. The "thieves" are brought to the church, never to be seen again.

During these times the Church is slamming right into old Pagan beliefs. They are taking everything the villagers do, such as herbal remedies mixed by the oldest female in the village as black magick. Anything that is not following Church doctrine is pagan and forbidden. The only persons that can spread the gospels are the priests, and monks. They are the only ones educated enough to read the holy book. The Church and the Lord Of The Manor are in the middle of a crisis. Good vs Evil, Evil vs Worse. They need answers, but are running out of villagers to be put to the "questions". Fascinating look of what happens when power is corrupted and innocents is taken away for no other reason then it can be.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 1392 and the Black Plague is running rampant through the tiny village of Blythe's Hollow, England. Some of the villagers turn to an old witch named Magdalene for help and all hell breaks loose. Lord Kenway controls the village and everything in it, he decides who eats, how much and how to punish those who question him. The church punishes those using witchcraft or even thinking of it deeming no punishment too severe. Using such methods as the iron maiden, the rack or just whipping them to death. Edgar has lost everyone he cares for and with the help of Magdalene seeks revenge on all that have caused all the mayhem, turmoil and bloodshed on all the innocent villagers. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the horror genre with a historical backdrop.

[Chris Garson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting spin on medieval witchery. When faced by an oppressive church set on its own ruthless agenda, how will the people cope? By turning to dark magik. This story captures the dark feel of the middle ages exceptionally well, describing the torturous practices of the church in excruciating detail. In the very first chapter, Emir's description of the young witch captured by Fathers Johns and Lawrence will make you squirm uncomfortably.