A Lower Deep

Tom Piccirilli

Tom Piccirilli may be one of the most overlooked writers of the last decade. His books, which have appeared in almost every genre there is in which to write, have the rare distinction of being character-driven novels that have the pacing and readability of plot-driven novels, as well as being intricately detailed without the introductions of those details getting in the way of Piccirilli telling a good story. While writing short stories seems to have made up the bulk of the first decade of Piccirilli's published career-- from 1990 through 1999, he published only four novels, according to fantasticfiction's bibliography-- he has more than made up for it since, having already published twice that many since the dawn of the new century. I haven't yet read any of his previous-to-2000 output, but the new stuff is good-- really, really good.

A Lower Deep, published in 2001, was the book that set Piccirilli on the path to where he is today; it was the transition between "guy only hardcore horror lovers have ever heard of" (Greg Gifune is a current example) and "guy with enough of a following and enough talent to get signed by a mid-tier press" (Charlee Jacob is a current example). (It was not too long a time before Piccirilli hit stage three, "released by a major publisher;" his inarguably brilliant A Choir of Ill Children began his still-standing relationship with Bantam. He is long overdue to reach the terminal stage, "household name.") I've read the novel that came just before this, and while that one's good, there's a long, long way between "good" and A Lower Deep.

The focuses of A Lower Deep is a character we know only as Necromancer (he does have another name, but we are never told it) and his demon familiar Self. Necromancer was part of a coven of witches headed by Jebediah DeLancre, dabbler in the occult and descendant of a family known for having sired some of the most vicious witch-burners in Medieval Europe. Ten years before our story opens, Jebediah and Necromancer were the only two survivors of something horrible (while Piccirilli does give us some details later on, we never see the full picture) which destroyed their coven. Necromancer, who lost the woman he loved in the disaster, has been wandering aimlessly for the ensuing decade. Now, however, a chance encounter with a beautiful woman in a dive bar sets him back on the path to Jebediah, who with growing age and insanity has come up with a plan which requires Necromancer's help, but one so much more dangerous than the last disaster that even the immortal Self is wary.

The plot, however, is secondary. It could have been left out altogether, and this would still be excellent writing. There is so much to ponder in Piccirilli's character development and interaction, not to mention the hints we get of the history of those characters, that Jebediah's latest scheme is more icing on the cake then anything else. It does give Piccirilli chances to throw a couple of fun twists into the tale towards the end, however.

I was going to give this book four stars right up until the last few pages. I, however, have a decided weakness for books that end... well, the way this one does. I'm not going to give it away. You'll have to read it to find out.