Priest is a fantasy book with an established world with a sorted history. It does not explain the past events very well but what is explained helps further the plot and give some insight into the character of Heden. Overall it leaves more questions than it gives answers however.

The story is centered around Heden, an ex-priest who is sent on a mission by the Bishop to absolve the knights of the Green Order. No one knows what is going on with the knights and he has to find out before a local keep is destroyed by an army of creatures. Coming to discover the scenario they are in and their internal conflicts is seemingly stretched out for no reason, but the motivation behind their secrecy makes sense when revealed.

Heden is a man tasked with taking on others’ burdens so their soul can stay pure (more or less). Because of this he is stoic, hardened by circumstance. Despite his nature, he is a relatable main character for me. He does feel things, but is generally oblivious to how he comes across, leading to some interesting interactions that left me shaking my head at his ignorance.

The knights are a group dedicated to protecting the wode, a mystical forest essentially. Their station is one of honor until their leader ends up dead. They refuse to reveal what happened to Heden, but without forgiveness of their supposed sins, they are unable to act. This puts the nearby keep in danger and this is the driving factor behind the story. Most of the plot centers around Heden trying to get one of the knights to reveal the truth so he can absolve them, and them dodging his questions. More things start to go wrong however, and the race against time becomes more perilous.

The novel plays with the idea of faith and intertwines it with mythology in a way that constantly raises questions, pulling you along. I was constantly enthralled with the world and itching to see what happens next. There are fights with creatures, medieval knights and spirits alike and the depictions of these are very entertaining.

The book does not fully flesh out its world but does establish an interesting base and describes enough events to keep it feeling cohesive and engaging. The resolutions are revolutionary and resolve a central conflict that can resonate with many people. It is a series that I will continue reading (eventually) as I’m looking forward to what Heden will become.