The Sulphur Priest

by Adrian Boas

In this sweeping novel about one of the most fascinating periods in history, The Sulphur Priest weaves together two dramatic stories occurring six-and-a-half centuries apart at a medieval castle in the dense Mediterranean forest of western Galilee. In 1271, a young German squire was witness to strange and treacherous events that took place in the Crusader castle when it was under siege. In 1926, archeologists on an American-led expedition to the same castle in British mandate Palestine stumble on a concealed subterranean passage, and within it, a remarkable find. These two episodes come together to expose a double drama of secrecy, deception, alchemy, and murder. The Sulphur Priest is a must-read for anyone who enjoys action-packed historical fiction. About the Author Adrian Boas is an archaeologist and historian of the Crusades. He has excavated several crusader-period sites, including, for the past fifteen years, the fortress that serves as the principal location in The Sulphur Priest , his first novel. A professor emeritus at the University of Haifa, he has published several academic books.

341 pages, Paperback

Published March 8, 2021

About the author

Adrian Boas is an archaeologist and historian of the Crusader period. He has excavated numerous medieval sites and has published several academic books and one novel – The Sulphur Priest. He lives in Jerusalem.

Reviews

[Electra Nanou · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sulphur Priest is about a castle in British mandate Palestine. The story unfolds through two accounts: Hermann’s, a German squire in 1271, and Robert, the British assistant to an excavator in 1926. What’s especially fascinating is that much of the book is based on real events and sources, some of which are included in the plot.

Hermann is helping an old man, Albert, track down his son and ends up at the castle shortly before a siege takes place. While he narrates parts of the past, Robert and his archaeological expedition unearth what’s left of that same castle. Both sides of the story tie into each other and form layers of substance and mystery.

The characters, existing centuries apart, face adversity in pursuit of different truths. Hermann is very likeable as he does his best to solve the mystery of Albert’s son. Robert is just as relatable while threats and intrigues revolve around the castle, its dark secrets slowly coming to light.

The plot is very well structured. It’s not always clear whether something is fiction or not, but that’s the beauty of the book. Real and made-up parts are laid out in such a way as to build suspense and lead nicely into various twists.

The back and forth in time does fragment the narrative and slightly disrupts immersion. Also, there are a few historical info dumps and seemingly random details. However, these issues are so minor that the strong overall writing style easily counteracts them.

A lot of thought and care has clearly gone into this text and the result brims with a love for history, archaeology, and the mysteries of ancient cultures. Fans of The Alchemist, The Name of the Rose, and maybe a bit of Indiana Jones would find it quite interesting.

As far as historical fiction goes, The Sulphur Priest is a wonderful mix of lore, mystery, action, revelation, and heart. Many thanks to the author and Reedsy Discovery for providing a copy of this book: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/the...

[Karen J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting dual time line story. Half of the story takes place in 1271 when the Saracens were retaking the holy land from the crusaders. Albert, an elderly knight has come to the holy land searching for his son. He enlists the help of Hermann, a warrior monk squire. They go about Acre seeking any information they can find. They learn that the master at the castle of Montfort was in Acre at the time Alberts son was there. The journey to Montfort to see what they can learn. While they are there, the Saracens arrive and lay siege to the castle. Hermann learns that Brother Jordan, the castellan, has a secret laboratory and is conducting experiments and claims to be making a weapon. The other half of the story take place in the 1920's. John Riley and his assistant, Robert Palmer are doing an archeological dig at Monfort. They are beset with trouble with another assistant, Lawrence Walker, goes crazy and tries to sabotage the dig. The story was interesting but I found it to be a little disconnected. The ending left me feeling like there should have been more to the story.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but just okay

I won this Kindle ebook in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you!

The story told in this book, as a whole, is an interesting one. Two archeologists work on a mideval castle in the Galilee during the 1950s. They find a hidden room which leads them to believe the inhabitants had an alchemist in their midst. In alternate chapters, we read of the siege and fall of the castle in the 13th Century, as told by a German religious knight.

But, the tangents and red herrings really interfere with both stories. There is a disgruntled, crazy former employee who has dynamite. One of the archeologists meets a very fetching woman whose father does not understand. And where does the title come from? 🤔 It seems to refer to the alchemist, but I'm not sure.

[John Szalasny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a Kindle copy of the Sulphur Priest from Goodreads.

This is a dual timeline story based on a Crusader castle that fell during the 13th century. The story is written by a historian of the Crusades, and it shows in the "story" that comes out.

The facts are fascinating but woven for a story in an uneven manor. The historical timeline is better written than the 1926 archaeological timeline. There are many sections that needed the red lining of an editor, either for repetitive word choice or for the "we could have seen that coming 10 pages ago" action, particularly with the current timeline nemesis, Walker. Also, in my opinion, the current timeline would have been better without the "love interest" wedged in, then pulled away. It didn't add anything to the story.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written historical fiction set in the area of Western Galilee during two periods 600 years apart. One setting is a medieval castle during a critical period of the 13th century. The second setting is an expedition to excavate the castle ruins in the early 20th century. There is an intriguing story in each era, and in both settings the castle and surrounding landscape are vividly described.