The Isle of Iona,825.
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In a bloody,brutal raid,Abbot Blathmac is slain on the steps of his monastery for refusing to give away the location of the sacred relics of St Columba,the missionary who first brought Christianity to Scotland. Following a night of rampage and mayhem,one Viking wakes up the next morning to find himself alone,hungover,and abandoned by his crew mates. He can't swim,there are no boats,and the only surviving monk on the island has taken his sword. With only his wits,he must survive long enough not only to rejoin his Viking comrades,but also to find the location of the elusive relics that brought him here in the first place.
Rooted in the real history of Iona and its early monks,Columba's Bones is an utterly unique and thrilling read,exploring the clash of early Christianity and paganism,and expanding into a sharp,witty meditation on philosophy,redemption,shame,violence,love,transcendence and reality.
'Stupendously earthy,laugh out loud funny in places,visceral writing'- Sally Magnusson
Publisher: Birlinn GeneralISBN: 9781846976261Weight: 271 gDimensions: 198 x 129 x 18 mm
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'As violent as a Tarantino movie... echoes of the Norse Sagas in all their ferocious and poetic intensity while at the same time,he captures the spirit of Celtic Christianity and the beauties of the Celtic Church. The narrative is both light and rapid... evokes memories of that great Orcadian writer George Mackay Brown'
'(Greig) has succeeded brilliantly. What an amazing first novel'
'One of the most interesting and adventurous British dramatists of his generation'
'transforms the events surrounding early Christianity's encounter with paganism into a witty thriller'
'Stupendously earthy,laugh out loud funny in places,visceral writing'
'Was it enjoyable Was it funny Did it make me feel stuff Absolutely,riotously,and with ease. I laughed,I cried,I pondered... I also wanted to learn'
'The best novel I've read in some considerable time. They say that good things come in small packages and if you want a perfect demonstration of that,then look no further... a highly accomplished and polished novel that displays a real sureness of touch on the part of its author... This really is a remarkable book'
'Thrilling events in an authentic setting with visually stunning scenes make Greig's debut novel - based on his own 2022 walking adventure - unlikely to be his last'
'Read Columba's Bones by David Greig in 1 sitting and hope he writes more novels and turns this into a play,great characters and story re an old Viking,middle age woman and young monk that crafts bawdy humour with clash of beliefs in 9th century Scotland. Have always wanted to visit Iona,now I must'
'a well-researched,engaging fiction which contemplates a fascinating culture clash between Nordic paganism and Christianity,both of which boast devout adherents.
'Beautifully written and drawn,its characters are credible and its plot is clever'
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