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Columba's Bones

Darkland Tales
Series: Darkland Tales
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( 415 ratings, 61 reviews)
Brief Description
The Isle of Iona, 825. 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... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2299
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The first ever novel by award-winning Scottish playwright David Greig,Columba's Bonesrecasts ninth century Scotland as the setting for a Scandi-noir-style thriller. Utterly unique,Columba's Bonesexplores early Christianity and paganism, philosophy, redemption and shame, violence and love, transcendence and reality.

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The Isle of Iona, 825.

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.

Shortlisted for the Highland Book Prize and the Bookmark Book Festival Book of the Year

'As violent as a Tarantino movie... echoes of the Norse Sagas in all their ferocious and poetic intensity' β€” Allan Massie, The Scotsman

Series: Darkland Tales

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781846976735

Publisher: Birlinn General

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 October 2024

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Polygon An Imprint of Birlinn Limited

Edition: New in Paperback

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 8.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 185g

Pages: 192

About the Author

David Greigis a Scottish playwright who studied Drama and English at Bristol University. Since setting up the Suspect Culture theatre company in the 1990s, his plays have been performed widely in Scotland and around the world, includingMidsummer,The Events, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Local Hero,and The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart. He is currently the Artistic Director at Edinburgh's Lyceum Theatre.Columba's Bones is his first book.

Also by David Greig

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  • Columba's Bones
    The Isle of Iona, 825. 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,...
    Hardback
    $2999
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