David Greigis a Scottish playwright who studied Drama and English at Bristol University. Since setting up the Suspect Culture theatre company in the 1990s, his plays have been performed widely in Scotland and around the world, includingMidsummer,The Events, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Local Hero,and The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart. He is currently the Artistic Director at Edinburgh's Lyceum Theatre.Columba's Bones is his first book.
'As violent as a Tarantino movie… echoes of the Norse Sagas in all
their ferocious and poetic intensity while at the same time, he
captures the spirit of Celtic Christianity and the beauties of the
Celtic Church. The narrative is both light and rapid... evokes
memories of that great Orcadian writer George Mackay Brown'
*The Scotsman*
'[Greig] has succeeded brilliantly. What an amazing first
novel'
*Ullapool News*
'an unexpected, exuberant delight ... the most blistering first
chapter I've read in a very long time'
*Graeme Macrae Burnett*
'a surprisingly humorous take on a Viking massacre on the island
[of Iona], the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland... spans
themes of love, death and faith while unpacking the brutality of
the mythologised Norsemen with comedy and romance'
*Scotland on Sunday*
'This is a jewel of a book, sparkling like the seas around the
island. Each word vivifies the island, its natural life, and the
inner lives of its inhabitants. Greig’s writing is fashionably free
of speech marks, speech and thought merging, as the physical and
spiritual merge on this Holy Island'
*Historical Novel Society*
'Columba’s Bones is written with a vividness that reduces the
distance between AD825 and our time to what feels like a thin
curtain - a curtain not unlike the one David Greig’s characters are
tugging at, hoping to get a glimpse of the mysteries'
*Times Literary Supplement*
'One of the most interesting and adventurous British dramatists of
his generation'
*Daily Telegraph*
'transforms the events surrounding early Christianity's
encounter with paganism into a witty thriller'
*The Bookseller*
'Was it enjoyable? Was it funny? Did it make me feel stuff?
Absolutely, riotously, and with ease. I laughed, I cried, I
pondered... I also wanted to learn'
*Scottish Literature Society of the University of Glasgow*
'With books by Denise Mina, Alan Warner and Jenni Fagan already
published, Polygon’s Darkland Tales series is already enjoying a
reputation for excellence that Columba’s Bones will only
enhance'
*Books from Scotland*
'The best novel I've read in some considerable time. They say that
good things come in small packages and if you want a perfect
demonstration of that, then look no further... a highly
accomplished and polished novel that displays a real sureness of
touch on the part of its author... This really is a remarkable
book'
*Undiscovered Scotland*
'an engrossing drama of Christian versus pagan, encompassing the
nature of love, shame and honour'
*The Herald*
'Thrilling events in an authentic setting with visually stunning
scenes make Greig’s debut novel – based on his own 2022 walking
adventure – unlikely to be his last'
*Inverness Courier, Star Book*
'Read Columba's Bones by David Greig in 1 sitting and hope he
writes more novels and turns this into a play, great characters and
story re an old Viking, middle age woman and young monk that crafts
bawdy humour with clash of beliefs in 9th century Scotland. Have
always wanted to visit Iona, now I must'
*Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home
affairs*
'a well-researched, engaging fiction which contemplates a
fascinating culture clash between Nordic paganism and Christianity,
both of which boast devout adherents'
*The National*
'Beautifully written and drawn, its characters are credible and its
plot is clever'
*West Highland Free Press*
'A brilliantly funny and visceral first novel... David Greig is, of
course, widely acknowledged as a long term major player in the
world of Scottish drama. In this, his first book, his dramatic ear
for dialogue and characterisation is quite clear, but he also
writes beautiful descriptive prose'
*Cameron Wylie, author of Is There a Pigeon in the Room?*
'A rollicking read that afficianados of Nigel Tranter will gobble
up... Highly recommended'
*Scottish Field*
'there are echoes of the Norse sagas in the juxtaposition of humour
and extreme violence, and, in the best saga tradition. the baddies
meet a satisfying end'
*Church Times*
'Vivid, imaginative, and whimsical'
*Booksthatsusereviews Blog*
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