11/09/2005 8:33 PM
Posted by VeggieSteph

Rex Mundi, Volumes 1 & 2 by Arvid Nelson and Eric J.

My brother recommended the Rex Mundi series to Pandabob, and I promptly swiped it from him and read it really quickly. The story is right up my alley, with mystery, horrific deaths, witchcraft, evil cults, and commentary of religious zealotry, all taking place in an alternate history timeline.

In Rex Mundi, Julien Sauniere is searching for answers to the theft of a secret scroll. Why was it stolen? Who stole it? Why is it so important? Why is his doctor ex-girlfriend so helpful all of a sudden? In the Rex Mundi world, the alternate-history of Paris is a place where magic is real, doctors belong to guilds, and the Catholic Church has a strong arm of control over France. The Inquisition still lives, and allows no questioning of its decisions. People are dying in horrific ritualized murders that are somehow tied to the ancient scroll, and Julien Sauniere keeps finding the bodies. It’s not looking good for him, and there is a secret society that is determined to find the scroll, keep it, and continue the ritual murders, no matter who they have to kill.

I like Rex Mundi, even though it reminds me of other stories I have read. In fact, I am anxiously waiting to borrow Volume 3 from my brother. The mystery is intriguing enough. (To be honest, I’m not entirely sure why the story is so engrossing, except that I love mysteries, and I can’t stand to not have the answer.) The art is good, although I don’t like how the artist elongates people’s bodies. The illustrations of the murder scenes are graphic, but not so much that it should turn your stomach. If you like Catholic intrigue, secret societies, and X-Files-like stories, you’ll probably like Rex Mundi. I’m glad that I have borrowed them, but I won’t buy them. It’s a story I’ll enjoy reading once, but probably won’t read it again.