‘Anyone seeking to escape the normalcy of daily life might enjoy this book.
Previously unknown I. Deseversky’s ” so-called “autobiographical account”
begins before the thirteenth century in medieval Venice and finishes in
today’s Detroit Michigan. It follows the travels of several French knights
who depart from the Fourth crusade to visit a Romanian nobleman whose land
is rumored to be plagued by blood-drinking invaders. The crusading knights
and the nobleman capture a “demon from Persia” and then worship it with
bizarre bloody rituals. The story jumps from place to place over the course
of the next few centuries, with characters popping in and out of the
narrative seemingly at random. Most strangely, the names of the primary
characters don’t change. It is never clear whether the story is following
the descendants of the originals, or if these people have simply cheated
death somehow. After a series of seemingly unrelated events, the characters
end up in modern day Detroit, where the primary characters have become
leaders in an extensive underground cult and observe the actions of another
young group of crusader-cultists. A note accompanying the advance review
copy claims that this book was translated from medieval Latin in a monastery
in France. Although the story is clearly a work of fiction, it is listed
by the publisher as an autobiography. What’s more, the author takes time
to detail what the participants thought and felt. Whether the charade is
real or imagined, it is somehow compelling. This reviewer, for one, is
a believer. Despite the fractured pacing and the confusing characterization,
Achadremenos is a fun read for those long winter nights ahead.’
4 out of 5 stars.
Publisher: PRESSES UNIVERSITAIRES DE STRASBOURG
Release date: October 31st
Projected retail price (hardcover): $27.99
Reviewed by: Detroit Free Press
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