This amazing little book consists of six short stories that are all connected by a common theme. The scene is set in the prologue and then each of the following sections is written by a different one of the six authors that collectively call themselves The Medieval Murderers. It is a very clever idea and works extremely well. Each of the authors writes in an interesting, engaging manner and all of the six 'acts' are totally different yet completely absorbing.

The prologue concerns the production of a book of prophecies, written by a mysterious Irish monk, called Bran, in 574 AD. The prophecies predict wars, plagues, the Gunpowder Plot and even Judgement Day itself. Bran's fellow monks think that he is mad and that the book is cursed, since writing about such terrible things must surely come from the Devil, not from God. When the book is complete Bran vanishes. The remainder of the novel then follows the journey of this book of prophecies, or 'The Black Book of Bran', as it becomes known, down through the ages: starting with 1196 and finishing with a glimpse at the future in 2135. Everybody that comes into close contact with the prophecies seems to meet a violent death and the way the different authors pen their stories is fascinating.

If you like medieval mysteries then this book is definitely for you. If you aren't into medieval mysteries then I recommend it anyway, as the six different acts are written in different styles, cover different periods of history, and slowly move away from the middle ages into the future. The final act made the greatest impression on me, as it is concerned with the long-term effects of global warming and the way life will be on a planet that is very different from now. Maybe we, the readers, should take note of the effect our own actions are having on the Earth before it is too late and the final prophecies in the Black Book of Bran come to fruition for real…