Concise verdict Between Two Fires is a model of how historical horror can illuminate enduring human dilemmas: it’s atmospheric, morally textured, and instructive for anyone who wants to combine research‑driven realism with mythic stakes.
Into this walks Thomas, a disgraced knight. He has lost his faith, his honor, and his purpose. He is the archetype of the weary warrior, but Buehlman breathes new life into him by surrounding him with a world that feels tangibly real in its squalor. Thomas’s path crosses with a young girl, Delphine, who is accused of witchcraft. She is innocent, yet she carries a burden that draws the attention of things far worse than the plague.
A young orphan who may be a vessel for angels or a source of divine delusion. She represents "complete love and acceptance," serving as the catalyst for the men’s spiritual rebirth. Redemption as "Guerrilla Theology"
The story begins in 1348, a time when the plague is dismantling society. , a disgraced knight and former soldier, finds himself in a deserted Norman village. There, he encounters Delphine , a mysterious young girl who claims to have visions. Delphine tells Thomas that the plague is not merely a disease but a symptom of a second war between Heaven and Hell, with fallen angels actively corrupting the world. between two fires christopher buehlman vk
[The Battleground of 1348 France] / \ [The Mundane Horrors] [The Cosmic Horrors] - The Black Death - Fallen Angels - Brutal Banditry - Demonic Inversions - Widespread Famine - War on Heaven A Subverted Trio: The Core Characters
There are historical novels, and there are horror novels. Rarely do the two meet with the ferocity and elegance found in Christopher Buehlman’s Between Two Fires . While Buehlman made his name with the urban fantasy/romance hybrid The Suicide Motor Club and the Southern Gothic Those Across the River , this 2012 outing stands as perhaps his most ambitious and structurally sound work. It is a book that bleeds history, quite literally.
The narrative follows an unlikely trio on a pilgrimage to Avignon: Concise verdict Between Two Fires is a model
Hester, a complex and deeply human protagonist, finds herself caught between two opposing forces. On one side, there's the all-consuming fire that represents the chaotic and destructive forces of nature. On the other, there's the icy grip of death, which seems to be claiming more and more victims as the story progresses. Buehlman's masterful storytelling weaves these opposing elements into a narrative that's as much about survival as it is about the human condition.
: A disgraced, excommunicated knight broken by the Battle of Crécy.
While supernatural, the medieval setting feels lived-in and researched. He is the archetype of the weary warrior,
: A wine-loving priest burdened by severe personal secrets and a fragile sense of faith.
"The Lord God has turned His face from the business of men."
5/5 stars