PREVIEW: DANIEL P. ESPINOSA’S NEW BOOK AD INFERNUM

By Erika Tiburcio (*)

Daniel P. Espinosa is a Spanish author who has written NEKROMANTEIA and APLAUDAN AL SALIR, among others. His latest book, AD INFERNUM, offers a story with demons, sorcerers, saints and inquisitors. This dark fantasy story is set in Castille where different characters have to face with a lot of temptations such as money or sex.

Through its almost 500 pages, we delve into a very difficult world where no character is what they seems to be, so even Deus, a demon, can prove that he can feel pity or empathy. The best point of this “roman-fleuve” novel is its structure, because the characters are the ones who lead the story to the end. All these characters have to live through a very difficult life, where sadness and sorrow are the common traits. Quickly we can feel as their problems become ours.

Furthermore, it stands out the setting, because the book is mostly located in Toledo, a small Spanish city. Toledo is a extraordinary spot because, even nowadays, you can walk throughout it and being amazed by its spectacular architecture. It is important, before reading the book, to know that Toledo is a very special place because three main cultures (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) lived together there during the Middle Ages. The book offers a walk in Toledo which lets your imagination fly.

Despite being the characters the key point, themes such as good or evil, difficult decisions we have to take, etc., are the most interesting ones because we can reflect on our own lives and our own decisions.

To sum up, AD INFERNUM is a highly-recommendable book, but requires a deep knowledge of Spanish due to several abstracts concepts.

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Erika Tiburcio (nancykrueger) lives in Madrid and works as a teacher. Currently she is doing her PhD thesis about the serial killer in American horror movies from Psycho to Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. She loves horror movies, comic books, video games, etc. She has contributed to some Spanish websites and magazines like Phenomena Experience magazine and La Mansión del Terror and has written some articles for different international magazines like Serial Killer Calendar.