The Gods Are Athirst' (1912) is Nobel laureate Anatole France's captivating fictional reimagining of the bloody events of the French Revolution. Gamelin, a young idealistic painter who works with his local government in Pont-Neuf finds himself at the epicentre of the Terror when he is appointed as a juror on the Revolutionary Tribunal. Swept through a procession of unjust trials, Gamelin must reckon with his actions as he determines the fates of those closest to him. As he turns drunk with power and vengeance, Gamelin's actions set forth a violent and horrific chain of events that end only with blood. 'The Gods Are Athirst' is a brilliant but horrifying depiction of how fear and a warped sense of justice only serve to bring chaos. A masterpiece in its own right, 'The Gods Are Athirst' is an essential read for anyone interested in French history or looking for a gripping tale of the fall of the man and the cost of vengeance.
