Columba's Bones

Darkland Tales

The first ever novel by award-winning Scottish playwright David Greig, Columba’s Bones recasts ninth century Scotland as the setting for a Scandi-noir-style thriller. Utterly unique, Columba’s Bones explores early Christianity and paganism, philosophy, redemption and shame, violence and love, transcendence and reality.

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 the Bookmark Book Festival Book of the Year.

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