The Enterprise of Death

The Enterprise of Death is a historical fantasy work authored by Jesse Bullington and released in 2011. The narrative centers on Awa, a lesbian Moor necromancer, as she traverses a darkly altered version of 16th-century Europe, accompanied by notable historical personalities such as the polymath Paracelsus and the mercenary artist Niklaus Manuel.

Synopsis

Set in the early 1500s near Granada, Awa, a lesbian Moorish slave girl, is seized by a formidable necromancer. After years spent under his tutelage, she kills him, only to discover this act was orchestrated to allow his spirit to reincarnate within her after a decade. Escaping from Andalusia in pursuit of his spellbook, she is captured by the inquisitor Kahlert—who is influenced by her undead former lover Omorose—but later liberated by the mercenary artist Niklaus Manuel Deutsch. Awa allies herself with Paracelsus and Monique, a lesbian weaponsmith, and briefly resides at Monique's Parisian brothel where she employs her healing abilities and develops romantic feelings for the prostitute Chloé. Facing mounting threats, Awa recommences her search for the necromancer’s grimoire. Along the way, confrontations with Kahlert, Omorose, and vampires in the Schwarzwald, compounded by Chloé’s demise, push her toward desperation. Ultimately, aided by Manuel, Monique, and Paracelsus, she summons spirits from those fallen at the Battle of Bicocca to expel the necromancer's essence and lift his curse.

Reception

Critical response to the novel was favorable. The A.V. Club commended it for "expertly balancing decay, vulgarity, and emotional depth," while Publishers Weekly noted its "unwavering dark humor interspersed with moments of tragedy." The Wall Street Journal characterized it as "gruesome, macabre, profane, and far more intricate than typical vampire-and-zombie tales." In January 2012, it earned a finalist position for the 2011 Kitschies Red Tentacle award.