The Gargoyle

Andrew Davidson's first novel, The Gargoyle is a story told by an unnamed narrator. He begins his story with his terrible car accident which ends with him being badly burned over most of his body. He makes it clear that his physical features and physical (sexual) prowess were the focus of his life prior to the accident. When everyone in his life has abandoned him, save the medical staff, he is visited by Marianne Engel. She begins to tell him her life story and eventually his. She believes that they met and fell in love in a German monastary when she was a nun and he was a mercenary brought in after being burnt in a battle. Dante's Inferno is a continual plot device, which is expressed as irony by the narrator several times. The story is excellent, well woven and organized, although sometimes it was obviously Mr. Davidson's first book. The writing doesn't feel as natural and flowing as authors with more experience. That said, I recommend it even though one may not normally enjoy the genre of fantasy. This includes me. I was actually a couple chapters into the book before seeing the tiny pegasus on the binding which indicates "fantasy" at my library. Oblivious me didn't realize The Gargoyle was included in said genre. Ah well, a good story is a good story.