The Deer and the Dragon

The Deer and the Dragon (2024) is the first novel in Piper C.J.’s No Other Gods series. The novel follows Marlow Thorson, a 26-year-old novelist working on her Pantheon mythology series who must confront her childhood religious trauma to deal with the truth about her new reality. She chafes against the limits of human life and logic as she struggles with the love of a man whom she learns is the Prince of Hell. All her ideas about good and evil, as well as the physical and metaphysical, are shaken up when she meets an angel and a Norse immortal. Worse yet, after she banishes the Prince, she must fight to get him back, traversing Hell and entering a god trap in her pursuit. C.J. has a Master of Arts degree in folklore and writes fantasy and romance books for middle grade readers, young adults, and adult audiences.

This guide refers to the 2024 Bloom Books paperback edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of death, graphic violence, child abuse, suicidal ideation, substance use, sexual content, and cursing.

Plot Summary

Marlow dates men to forget about her imaginary lover, an invisible man named Caliban. Although she can always feel him, he became invisible five years ago when she said that she didn’t want to “see” him anymore; she doesn’t want to be like her mother, who sees beings that aren’t there. She reminds Caliban that she wants to stop seeing him. Caliban asks her to change the parameters of the limit so that he cannot do anything Marlow doesn’t explicitly ask of him.

Marlow is the writer of a popular mythology series, but she only feels happy when she escapes reality and frequently uses drugs and alcohol. She was once a sex worker in South America, but she used a pseudonym then and now has a pen name. Now, at a fan convention, a disgruntled former client named Richard addresses Marlow as “Maribelle,” her sex worker pseudonym. Her editor has him escorted out. When Marlow gets home, he is waiting. Richard tries to strangle her when, suddenly, he freezes and reaches for his own neck. Marlow sees a glittering, golden man named Silas. Silas doesn’t understand how she can see him, but he says that Richard was marked and asks about the sigil—a special sign—over her front door. Caliban appears and thanks Silas for answering his mark. Caliban says that he has “marked” anyone who wronged Marlow but can’t control who responds. Marlow asks why he didn’t kill Richard himself, and Caliban reminds her of their deal. Marlow tells him to leave and never come back.

Marlow begins to suspect that Caliban must be real and not imaginary. She investigates the occult, trying to learn more about sigils. One night, she breaks into Richard’s home and goes into the basement. She sees an “inhumane child” with a Cheshire-cat smile who calls her his “food.” When he moves toward her, Silas appears and kills him. He says that the child was Richard’s “parasite” and tells her to ask Caliban to lift her “veil” the next time she sees him, but she admits that she sent him away. Silas could do it, but he refuses because he doesn’t want the bond with her.

When Marlow gets home, Silas is waiting. He changed his mind about lifting her veil, but a new female creature, Fauna, warns her against doing so. Fauna tells Silas that her people have a prior claim to Marlow. Fauna persuades Silas to leave and credits the “true-sight” sigil in Marlow’s apartment to the “Prince”: Caliban. Fauna explains that this sight is in Marlow’s “blood,” as both Marlow’s mother, Lisbeth, and her great-grandmother Aloisa were “one of them.” Marlow is upset to learn that her mother was right about Heaven and Hell, though Fauna says that there are many other realms.

Marlow gets a tattoo of the sigil, hoping that it will lift her veil, and Fauna explains that it won’t allow Marlow to realm-jump, but it might give her immortal sight. Fauna and Marlow drive to a metaphysical shop owned by a mortal witch, Betty. Betty summons Azrames, a demon, who punishes abusive men. Marlow can see him, which proves that her tattoo works. Azrames says that the Prince is missing. Marlow recalls Aloisa’s silver sølje, a traditional broach: It will allow her to realm-jump with Fauna, but they must get it from Lisbeth’s house.

Marlow hasn’t spoken to her parents in four years. She recalls the first time she saw a mysterious white fox outside her family’s trailer. Marlow asked it to be her friend. Soon, she stopped telling her mother about the fox because Lisbeth insisted that it was evil, and she forced Marlow to become a student of the church. When Marlow saw Caliban for the first time, she realized that he was the white fox. She approached Lisbeth with questions, insisting on Caliban’s goodness, but Lisbeth insisted that he was a demon.

Marlow and Fauna drive to the Thorsons’ home. Fauna tells Marlow that she is Norse and suggests that she likely met Caliban lifetimes ago. Most realms are not on Heaven’s side, she says; they support Hell. However the war ends, human life as they know it will end. Marlow finds Aloisa’s broach. Lisbeth and Silas arrive, and Marlow is intimidated by Lisbeth, who interacts with Silas and Fauna. When Fauna tries to leave, she sees a ward that traps entities inside. Marlow grasps Aloisa’s sølje and tells Fauna to step into another realm. Fauna reaches for her, and they vanish. They arrive in Hell and visit a bar before Fauna calls Azrames to pick them up.

Azrames arrives, and Marlow notes the sexual tension between him and Fauna; the two fae spend the night together. The next day, Azrames calls in a favor from a “lillith” who works for the King’s court. She arrives and takes them to an upscale boutique. When they’re ready, they go to the palace, and Azrames warns Marlow not to tell anyone her real name or agree to any deals. The King is eager to help Marlow find Caliban, and he’s concerned that Caliban owes Silas a favor, which could turn the tide against Hell in the war. The King explains how dangerous fae favors can be. Fauna tells Marlow that Caliban made his mark on Richard a “tier-five” favor, which means that Silas can ask him for anything in return. Azrames and Fauna want Marlow to speak with Silas immediately. They return to Marlow’s apartment, where they find a golden poppet. Marlow uses it to summon Silas.

Silas tells her that he already called in Caliban’s favor. He talks loudly about sending Caliban to a town called Bellfield to handle a minor problem there. Silas says that he didn’t want to handle the situation because it might anger the Phoenicians, Heaven’s enemy. Before leaving, he whispers that Marlow needs to find the Wild Prairie Rose and get to Caliban first. Looking at images of Bellfield online, Fauna and Azrames realize that the town is a trap with a lake in the center. This is likely where Dagon, a half-fish Phoenician god, must live. If Caliban entered the town, then it trapped him, too; it will also trap Azrames, but he won’t let Marlow go alone.

When Azrames and Marlow appear in Bellfield, they go to the lake, and Marlow prepares an altar. Soon, Dagon appears and describes the goddess who bound him: It was Astarte, a Phoenician goddess of sex, love, and war. When they return to their motel, Caliban is waiting. Marlow tells him about Fauna, Azrames, and meeting his father, the King; Caliban has already found Astarte. He believes that Silas sent him there to protect him and asks Marlow to remove the limitations she’s put on him. She does so happily.

Marlow drives to the Wild Prairie Rose, a fertility clinic, and calls for an appointment. She meets the receptionist, Jessabelle, and Dr. Ayona, who is actually Astarte. Marlow, using her pen name, “Merit,” explains that she wants children without the hassle of a man, and Astarte presents her with a menu of partners. Jessabelle and Anath, Astarte’s sister, search Marlow for the true-sight sigil but miss her tattoo. Marlow mentions her fae relatives and shows Astarte her sølje; this puts the doctor at ease. Astarte asks “Merit” to write a book about her; in exchange, she’ll make sure that she gets pregnant. The doctor writes the contract and tells Marlow to sign her real name. They do blood tests, and Marlow plans to return tomorrow evening.

When Marlow tells Azrames and Caliban about the appointment, they realize that she is now bonded to Astarte and that only the goddess’s death will free her. Azrames believes that Astarte expects Marlow to choose a partner tomorrow and that she will want to be present. Marlow remembers when she and Caliban first met, during a life when she was stoned to death for her Christianity. Her God did nothing to help her, but Caliban stayed by her side.

That night, Jessabelle gives Marlow a white robe to wear. She puts the sølje and poppet in her pockets. Jessabelle leads her to a room full of gorgeous men; Astarte tells Marlow to mingle and gives her a glass of sparkling water. After several refills, Marlow realizes that she’s been drugged, and she is drawn to a man named Yasin. Jessabelle dismisses the others and takes a call. When she hangs up, she sends Yasin away, and Marlow hears Caliban. Fully drugged, Marlow cares only about Caliban, and she nearly protests when he kisses Astarte. Suddenly, Caliban stabs Astarte and decapitates her, and he and Marlow ascend to the lobby. Azrames fights Anath and her parasite army, and Caliban instructs Marlow to call Silas. When Silas appears, Caliban tells him to save Marlow. Silas makes sure that Marlow has her sølje and then realm-jumps.

Marlow and Silas reappear in her apartment, and Fauna is frantic. Silas says that he needs to go back. Fauna forces Marlow to vomit until she’s sober again. Marlow says that Caliban made her call Silas after he killed Astarte. When Fauna learns that only Anath and the parasites were left, she relaxes. Fauna reassures Marlow, saying that when there’s no sun, people think that sunflowers turn toward each other. Right now, Marlow and Fauna must be like sunflowers and turn to each other for hope.