Reading AERA is the equivalent to binge watching a TV box set. Originally conceived as ten novellas they’re all now contained within one omnibus edition. And what a treat it is. A dystopian Raiders of the Lost Ark almost. Malleus Bourreau is Interpol’s answer to Indiana Jones, although it does take him until the final volume before he wields his whip!
This is adventure for the grown-ups. It’s action packed with murder and with mystery and a premise that only the most imaginative of fantasy writers could conceive. So what is it?
‘November 2019. The gods are back, the world is in uproar – and only one man has the strength to seek the truth.
Malleus Bourreau, atheist and investigator, has never believed in any kind of god – but that’s a problem when they start manifesting.
But wait – Zeus,The Morrigan, Thor… these aren’t the gods that people have worshipped.
It’s the middle of an invasion, and Malleus is the only one who believes in that reality.’
The prologue sets the scene with a series of transcriptions from radio and TV programmes which introduces the reader to the idea that the ancient gods are back in the world and making their presence felt. We’re also introduced to Malleus with a physical description, let’s not forget his Fu Manchu moustache, some speculations about his life and an interview for the online forum Immortals Today. The prologue also gives us a flavour of our hero in action and it serves as a much-needed introduction to what follows.
Without wishing to give too much away we follow Malleus to various locations across the globe, from the Vatican to Cornwall, as he searches for a variety of villains, murderers and ancient, missing artefacts. Interpol assigns him an assistant, Marianne Lagrande who proves to be a feisty and formidable lady who may possibly have romantic designs upon her new boss. More than that I’m not prepared to say lest I bring the wrath of the spoiler gods down upon me.
Malleus is a compelling character. If Houdini wasn’t referenced in the book at some point I would be calling him Houdini because he seems to be able to extricate himself from the most dastardly of situations. To be fair he is given some help from an intriguing source. His acerbic wit is an entertaining accompaniment to the mayhem that is sometimes unleashed by angry gods. Aiding his sleuthing is his trusty PDA and a selection of the finest cigars.
Marianne is a great character as well. The part she plays runs parallel to Bouurreau’s; whilst he’s hurtling his way around the world she is systematically solving clues and putting the pieces of the jigsaw together. She’s certainly put through her paces in a way that I’m sure she didn’t anticipate when she took the job on! But she shows herself completely equal to everything that’s thrown at her. I enjoyed her character immensely
I imagine that if people have read these volume by volume they would be desperate for the next one to be written and published. No such problem here with this omnibus edition. You’ve got the whole lot under one delightful roof and reading them all at once enables you to see what a skilful plotter Heitz is.
It’s escapist entertainment. And there’s possibly a subliminal subtext upon the nature of religion. When accused of being an atheist Malleus avers that he is a denialist. ‘ There’s no such thing as gods, and the powers of these so-called entities are by no means divine.‘
But the book is divine! It’s meaty, substantial and at over 800 pages it’s a committed read but one, I feel, that is well worth the effort. Big shout out to the translators, Emily Gunning and Charlie Homewood, who have done a fantastic job. I wonder if they did it all in one go or as each novella was published?
My thanks to Joe Christie and Jo Fletcher books for a copy and a place upon the blog blast.
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