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    The Compendium of Srem
    The Compendium of Srem
    The Compendium of Srem
    Ebook73 pages1 hour

    The Compendium of Srem

    By F. Paul Wilson

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    The most evil book ever conceived falls into the hands of the leader of the Spanish Inquisition in this ingenious bibliomystery from the bestselling creator of Repairman Jack.

    In the fifteenth century, the Spanish Inquisition spreads terror throughout the land, with Prior Tomás de Torquemada serving as the ultimate judge of who will live and who will be consigned to the purifying flames. Never has Torquemada questioned his own faith or his sacred duty to rid the world of heretics, blasphemers, and nonbelievers. Now, however, an extraordinary volume has come into his possession—an ancient book that radiates pure evil. The prior realizes this abomination must be destroyed along with anyone who has come into contact with it, for it is surely the devil’s work, corrupting and possessing all those who touch it. But whom can Torquemada trust to help him achieve his mission now that The Compendium of Srem has passed through numerous hands . . . including his own?
     F. Paul Wilson is a writer who is at home working in many different genres, from medical thriller to science fiction to mystery to urban fantasy to horror. Now he travels back centuries in time to explore the secret history of a book of great and terrible power, an ancient volume of eldritch lore that plays a substantial role in the author’s popular Repairman Jack series of novels: The Compendium of Srem.

    The Bibliomysteries are a series of short tales about deadly books, by top mystery authors.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMysteriousPress.com Open Road
    Release dateSep 23, 2014
    ISBN9781453205952
    The Compendium of Srem
    Author

    F. Paul Wilson

    F. Paul Wilson is a New York Times bestselling author specializing in thriller, science fiction and horror. He won the Prometheus award in 1979 and 2004, as well as a special Prometheus Lifetime Achievement award in 2015.

    Read more from F. Paul Wilson

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    3.5/5

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    • 5/5
      As ever, Wilson delivers a tightly worded, entertaining work of fiction. While, repairman Jack does not appear in this book, it is still part of the series providing background and texture to it.

    Book preview

    The Compendium of Srem - F. Paul Wilson

    1

    Tomás de Torquemada opened his eyes in the dark.

    Was that … ?

    Yes. Someone knocking on his door.

    Who is it?

    Brother Adelard, good Prior. I must speak to you.Even if he had not said his name, Tomás would have recognized the French accent. He glanced up at his open window. Stars filled the sky with no hint of dawn.

    It is late. Can it not wait until morning?

    I fear not.

    Come then.

    With great effort, Tomás struggled to bring his eighty-year-old body to a sitting position as Brother Adelard entered the tiny room. He carried a candle and a cloth-wrapped bundle. He set both next to the Vulgate Bible on the rickety desk in the corner.

    May I be seated, Prior?

    Tomás gestured to the room’s single straight-back chair. Adelard dropped into it, then bounded up again.

    No. I cannot sit.

    What prompts you to disturb my slumber?

    Adelard was half his age and full of righteous energy—one of the inquisitors the pope had assigned to Tomás four years ago. He seemed unable to contain that energy now. The candlelight reflected in his bright blue eyes as he paced Tomás’s room.

    I know you are not feeling well, Prior, but I thought it best to bring this to you in the dark hours.

    Bring what?

    He fairly leaped to the table where he pulled the cloth from the rectangular bundle, revealing a book. Even from across the room, even with his failing eyesight, Tomás knew this was like no book he had ever seen.

    This, he said, lifting the candle and bringing both closer. He held the book before Tomás, displaying the cover. Have you ever seen anything like it?

    Tomás shook his head. No, he hadn’t.

    The covers and spine seemed to be made of stamped metal. He squinted at the strange marks embossed on the cover. They made no sense at first, then seemed to swim into focus. Words … in Spanish … at least one was in Spanish.

    Compendio ran across the upper half in large, ornate letters; and below that, half size: Srem.

    What do you see? Adelard said. The candle flame wavered as his hand began to shake.

    The title, I should think.

    The words, Prior. Please tell me the words you see.

    "My eyes are bad but I am not blind: Compendio and Srem."

    The candle flame wavered more violently.

    "When I look at it, Prior, I too see Srem, but to my eyes the first word is not Compendio but Compendium."

    Tomás bent closer. No, his eyes had not fooled him.

    "It is as plain as day: Compendio. It ends in i-o."

    You were raised speaking Spanish, were you not, Prior?

    As a boy of Valladolid, I should say so.

    As you know, I was raised in Lyon and spent most of my life speaking French before the pope assigned me to assist you.

    To rein me in, you mean, Tomás thought, but said nothing.

    The current Pope, Alexander VI, thought him too … what word had he had used? Fervent. Yes, that was it. How could one be too fervent in safeguarding the Faith? And hadn’t he previously narrowed procedures, limiting torture only to those accused by at least two citizens of good standing? Before that, any wild accusation could send someone to the rack.

    Yes-yes. What of it?

    When … He swallowed. "When you look at the cover, you see Compendio, a Spanish word. When I look at the cover I see a French word: Compendium."

    Tomás pushed the book away and struggled to his feet.

    Have you gone mad?

    Adelard staggered back, trembling. I feared I was, I was sure I was, but you see it too.

    I see what is stamped in the metal, nothing more!

    But this afternoon, when Amaury was sweeping my room, he spied the cover and asked where I had learned to read Berber. I asked him what he meant. He grinned and pointed to the cover, saying ‘Berber! Berber!’

    Tomás felt himself going cold.

    Berber?

    "Yes. He was born in Almeria where they speak Berber, and to his eyes the two words on the cover were written in Berber script. He can read only a little of the writing, but he saw

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