There are a few moments which feel a bit narratively convenient and easily wrapped up for the sake of momentum, but for the most part it’s pacy and good fun.īringing back the various regional pantheons – minus the ‘Big Three’ – and seeing what would happen to the world is a genuinely great concept, and the sceptical Bourreau is the ideal viewpoint through which to explore what the return of the gods might mean. Along the way he pits his wits, weapons and debating skills against opponents and enemies both human and otherwise, to largely very entertaining effect. Working initially on his own and subsequently alongside an overly-keen assistant and several associates of dubious morality and authority, and trailed by a mysterious figure – part stalker, part guardian angel – Bourreau travels far afield seeking answers, fitting in private cases around his official Interpol work, and taking great pleasure in riling various gods and their followers. While each ‘book’ (apart from the scene-setting prologue) provides a cohesive story in its own right, the overarching narrative covers Bourreau’s ongoing, often highly dangerous investigation into the theft of several artefacts with supposed religious relevance, stolen from a dealer in black market relics. Given the circumstances, and the potential for god versus god rivalry, this leads to some interesting conflicts of opinion. Into this mix steps Malleus Bourreau, Interpol agent and avowed atheist, who refuses to believe in the gods and is determined to find out who or what they really are. A strangely compelling mix of Europe-centric urban fantasy, mystery and mythological adventure, it’s set in an alternative world in which the old gods returned to Earth in 2012, and subsequently set about reclaiming their worshippers and setting themselves up in positions of power (more than a few turning to business to take full advantage of the modern world).
Markus Heitz’s epic AERA: The Return of the Ancient Gods was originally serialised across ten novellas, first published in German and then translated into English by Emily Gunning and Charlie Homewood, and it’s now available in a single 800+ page omnibus courtesy of Jo Fletcher Books.
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