Druids

I ended up going through another Delcourt set of stories recently (like as soon as I finished the last ones I started reading this set). And with it I find myself in a completely different world. Druids: The Ogham Sacrifice (Delcourt 2017) kicked off the books I have been able to read.

At the heart it is a story of transition. We are looking at the British Isles during the time when Christendom was taking over and the old religions were being pushed aside. We have an opportunity to get a glimpse of what life might have been like during this time. It isn’t pretty. And that conflict is what gives us our story.

Essentially, we have a murder mystery. And more to the point it is a cereal killer that is doing all the killing. You would think that something like this would have a bigger impact on the lives of the average person there. But for the most part all it does is fuel the hatred and suspicions of the people scattered about the countryside.

So yeah, murder and druids… they seem to be an odd mix really. But anything can be a murder mystery if you plan it right. Or something.

Anyway, I really like how this one plays out. Sure there is the aspect of the investigation and the countryside in turmoil for several different reasons. But throughout there is an opportunity to also explore different aspects of both cultures.

Maybe that’s really the magic in this one. Sure we have the hatred and persecution for reasons but at the same time, we are seeing more of the different people involved. This is the benefit of using the Druid as the investigator (for crimes that are believed committed by his people) though the story is within the realm of the monks. It doesn’t feel like the viewpoint is one sided. So we as readers are kept in a neutral position even as evidence keeps showing us something different than we may believe.

Like a number of the Delcourt stories on ComiXology Unlimited, they only give us a taster of two books. This is one I could consider picking up more of the series. Mind you, that would be further down the road since my reading list is still miles long.

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