Christopher Buckley Satirizes Medieval Europe in ‘The Relic Master’

by Mary Kate Costigan
"Dismas might have purchased the finger bone of the Apostle Thomas, but there was something not quite right about the man offering it for sale."
Thus begins Christopher Buckley’s novel The Relic Master, a tale of religious corruption, extreme sarcasm, and general ridiculousness. In the Holy Roman Empire at the start of the 16th century, Dismas is one of many dealing in the thriving relic industry, purchasing religious artifacts (such as the aforementioned finger bone of the Apostle Thomas) for his wealthy clients. Of all relics, none is more sought after than the Burial ...