Between Two Fires

WOW! This was definitely the best book I've read in AGES! Very close to perfection! The conceit of the story is that during the 1300s in France, when the Black Death is devastating Europe, the demons of hell think God has abandoned the world and use their chance to conquer earth. The only person who can stop them is a saintly young French girl named Delphine (no, not Joan of Arc), but Hell and its servants are after her, and the only person who can protect her as she travels through France to try and stop the demonic plots is a disgraced former knight reduced to brigandage, Thomas. But is she really an agent of God, or someone--or something--else? That's the mystery at the heart of this book, along the terrifying depictions of overtly supernatural monsters that gird much of its horror. I don't wanna give too much away, but though this was advertised to me as a horror novel, it also works very well as a sword and sorcery fantasy novel--it's not actually that different from a D&D plotline, in that a wandering swordsman with a good heart buried underneath his checked past/desire for revenge has to protect a young girl against giant demons, undead monsters, and other beasties as she travels the land searching for relics to stop the demonic plot and save the kingdom, assisted by a trusty cleric sidekick. However, Buehlman has really done his research, and despite the monsters you'll encounter, he treats medieval religion realistically (lots of corrupt clergymen) but also sympathetically ("true" faith is portrayed as a force for good and hope). The descriptions of the arms and armor, medieval life, and the big battles of the Hundred Years War like Crecy (given the novel's timeframe) are also very historically accurate and compellingly written. The combat scenes are nice and the characters are great, you'll come to love Thomas and Delphine and you wo't be able to keep yourself from grinning as Thomas grows attached to his young ward despite himself over the course of the story. And again, no spoilers, but the ending was one of the best I've read in a while, nearly brought me to tears. Absolute 5/5, I'm gonna get the rest of Buehlman's books to show my support for this author :D

Excellent novel. Well-paced, interesting, engaging. Worth reading.

A truly medieval tale, dark and immersive, historical and fantastical, a beautifully macabre tale that’s a pleasure to have on my bookshelf.

This novel has heartbreakingly poetic prose, a hauntingly sober story, and complex characters. It’s a dark reliving of history that feels stranger than fiction but believable in a strange sense. My biggest problem areas would be the theology the author flips on its head with very modern secularist philosophies (that don’t fit within the era of this setting) and side-storylines that don’t wrap up in a way that feels completely true to the overall tone of the book. But these are easy to see past for the main story that shines like a diamond against the black velvet of the dark plague-ridden setting.

Hands down the best book I've read this year. It weaves horror, fantasy and spirituality seamlessly throughout, gripping you with the horrific nature of man, and letting you go with the boundless love of a good Father. It alternately broke my heart and gave me hope, nothing better than that in a book.

This book is so good I bought it twice. I initially bought the paperback version a few months ago when it was recommended to me on TikTok. This book is amazingly good! Lots of gut wrenching scenes, that will make you scared and sad. I'm not much of a reader, but this book single handedly got me back into reading. When I found out the hardcover version was coming out, I knew I needed to get it to display on my shelf. My only complaint is that the hardcover is just a paper cover over the cardboard and because of that, the paper got slightly damaged in my shipment. Wish it was a true hardcover print, but overall I'm still glad to have this book as the first of a future collection of books.

I had been searching amazon, google, reddit for the best horror books to jump into. Author Chris Buehlman and this book (and his others) came up frequently, so I gave it a chance. I was initially hesitant due to the religious aspect of the book's description. What I discovered was my new favorite book and the standard I hold all my other fantasy or horror books against. The religion is not presented in a preachy way, just part of the story. To me, the perspective and writing style were dream-like. I felt like I was watching the story with focus on the characters and everything around them slightly dulled, in a good way, like murky danger is around every corner. The reader is shown what is going on without pages of fluff or unneccessary descriptions. The closest similar experience I can imagine is a mix between The Road and The Witcher. Lovable characters, action, horror, adventure await. It even had one part that scared me and that is difficult to do. It also moved me to tears at two points. I cannot recommend this book enough! I have also read The Necromancer's House (same author 4.5/5 also made me cry), and cannot wait to read the rest of Mr. Buehlman's work!

The story has some really cool and interesting parts, but they end just as quickly. Pacing is decent but most things in this book are predictable and hardly memorable. The ending was the strongest and best part of the book. This seems like typical B grade material that Netflix would go crazy for and adapt to film. I personally wouldn't recommend.

Este libro se siente como los audios de Tiktok de Dark Fantasy pero mejor. Lo leí porque lo recomendaban si habías jugado Dark Souls y la verdas es que sí se parecen pero no son iguales. Cada uno es precioso a su manera.

One of the best books I have ever read. A true Christian book, although fictitious. The story itself is well written and well paced, there's never a dull moment whilst reading it, and the characters are extremely believable and likeable. They portray perfectly how christians are, flawed, sinful, but always after redemption, and just like in real life, in the end, forgiveness prevails. Extremely based. Jesus is king, God bless.

Between Two Fires is an absolute triumph in historical fantasy. Christopher Buehlman weaves a rich, immersive tale set in medieval Europe, full of dark magic, complex characters, and morally gray choices that kept me hooked from start to finish. The world-building is incredible — you can feel the grit, danger, and atmosphere of the time period while also being drawn into supernatural elements that feel perfectly integrated. Fans of dark fantasy will appreciate the novel’s vibe, which has strong Diablo- and Dark Souls-like elements: terrifying creatures, haunting landscapes, and a pervasive sense of dread that makes every encounter feel tense and high-stakes. The supernatural threats are both mysterious and deadly, giving the story a thrilling, game-like intensity. The protagonist is compelling and nuanced, and the supporting cast is just as memorable, each with their own motives and flaws. The pacing is excellent, balancing tense action sequences with quieter, character-driven moments that deepen the story. Buehlman’s writing is sharp, evocative, and often darkly humorous, which adds a unique voice to the novel. What I loved most was how unpredictable the story is — nothing feels clichéd, and the twists genuinely surprised me. It’s a book that makes you think, feel, and sometimes shiver, all at once. If you love dark fantasy with heart, danger, and unforgettable characters, especially with video game-style dark fantasy elements, Between Two Fires is a must-read. It’s easily one of the best novels I’ve read this year.

Loved this book. The story is well written, the tempo and context are very well presented. The author was capable of capturing the feeling of the time period. recommend this read

I had not heard of this novel before. It starts a bit slowly and then builds up beautifully. It is an apocalyptic novel set in medieval Europe haunted by the plague. It is battle between god and evil with two protagonists leading the way - and old knight and a young angelic girl. This has a lot of gore and violence. Even Banks would be proud of it, I guess. overall, much recommended to those who can tolerate a bit of gore.