"An inspired piece of literary gymnastics [that] tumbles into an exuberant adventure caper. . . so tightly written that it holds the reader till the very last page. . . . a smart, tart, well-researched romp into one of history’s most irresistibly grubby and outrageous periods of excess.”
– New York Times Book Review
"We may be in 1517, but this is still a political send-up, and it’s as rascally and convivial as any that Mr. Buckley has written."
– The Wall Street Journal
“Buckley hasn’t abandoned political satire at all — he’s just found a different playing field for his favorite sport. The calamitous 16th century proves a supple mistress for this Washington writer…. lively, entertaining and occasionally educational.”
– Washington Post
"Might be pitched Hollywood-style as The Princess Bride meets Ocean's XIII."
– Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“A humorous and enchanting adventure.”
– Bustle.com
"A madcap heist adventure...that’s as comical as any in Buckley’s modern era tales. Buckley’s many fans will be pleased."
– Booklist
"This historical novel is part Monty Python and part Ocean's 11. The clever narrative is filled with laugh-out-loud one-liners but, amazingly, doesn't stint on the suspense.... Through the cheeky humor, the author gives readers a very real sense of the early 16th century, when science and superstition held equal sway, and a man was always a swordsbreadth away from a horrible death."
– Publishers Weekly
“Christopher Buckley has transported his signature wit and irreverence from the Beltway to sixteenth-century Europe in The Relic Master. Think of it as Monty Python and the Holy Grail meets Pawn Stars, which is to say it's hilarious, absurd, and mildly infuriating (in a good way). You really can’t go wrong when one of America’s savviest humor writers takes on relic-mongers, artifact forgeries (about that Shroud of Turin . . .), and corrupt religious leaders. In short, The Relic Master is a rollicking good time set in an era just begging for Buckley’s biting satire.”
– GQ
“A witty, deft and often surprisingly big-hearted pleasure….Buckley is one of America’s wiliest satirists.”
– Seattle Times
"Beguiling, funny, and slyly erudite."
– National Review