The twentieth title in the CHRONICLES OF BROTHER CADFAEL series, set in the year 1145, Empress Maud and King Stephen are still at war but convene a council at Coventry, a conference which Cadfael wishes to attend for personal rather than political reasons. He seeks news of a young knight, his son. The heated debates spill into violence and murder.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
A more attractive and presupposing detective it would be hard to find. (SUNDAY TIMES )
As usual, Ellis Peters writes with quietly compelling expertise and an eye for character. (WOMAN'S JOURNAL ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
As usual, Ellis Peters writes with quietly compelling expertise and an eye for character. (WOMAN'S JOURNAL ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Book Description
In his twentieth chronicle Brother Cadfael is involved in an investigation of a uniquely personal nature, for as he observes, 'Before I was a Brother I was a father.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
THE EARL of Leicester's courier came riding over the bridge that spanned the Severn, and into the town of Shrewsbury, somewhat past noon on a day at the beginning of November, with three months' news in his saddle-roll. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
THE EARL of Leicester's courier came riding over the bridge that spanned the Severn, and into the town of Shrewsbury, somewhat past noon on a day at the beginning of November, with three months' news in his saddle-roll. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
We all have to pay for our sins, and as all mortal beings seem to have a few of our own, it should come as no surprise that Brother Cadfael feels he must pay penance for his, as well. And in this 20th (and final) chronicle of Brother Cadfael, Ellis Peters takes us a giant step forward in her characterization of the good Benedictine monk, a man once a member of the Crusades and now wrestling against sin behind the cloth.
In "Brother Cadfael's Penance," Peters permits Cadfael to come face to face with another aspect of his life--a time before his monastic vows. It is 1145 and the great civil war rages on between King Stephen and Empress Maud. However, there is hope. A meeting between the two factions is scheduled for Coventry and Brother Cadfael secures permission from the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Shrewsbury to attend. Known widely for his skills in diplomacy, as well as crime solving abilities, Cadfael, however, wishes to attend for a very personal reason. He is seeking news of a young knight, Olivier de Bretagne. Olivier is Cadfael's son, from his days fighting in the Holy Land as a crusader. His holy vows aside, he feels he must do all within his power to save his son.
Peters, as always, presents Cadfael as more than human--she gives us a man for all seasons, as it were. In addition, she presents the good brother in a realistic but incredibly humane manner. He is a man whom we can love, respect, yes, even
cherish. Peters' ability to draw out these characteristics is perhaps what makes the series so fascinating. Hers is a series not to be missed.
... Read more ›6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I am a great Cadfael fan and this book is one of my absolute favorites. What I like most about this book is that it is (as well as "Dead Man's Ransom") about true frienship. It's about loyalty to a friend although each friend is on completely different sides and has been deeply hurt by the other because of chosing a different path. The difficult choice Brother Cadfael has to make and which may change his life, when he decides to look for his son without his abbot's conscent because he will not put his love to God above his love for his son, is also a very touching and interesting aspect. Altogether this book combines all the things I like about the Cadfael chronicles and I really regret that it is the very last one of them.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I have read every one of these wonderful books, and have delighted in the storylines, the history of the times and the fully developed characters. This book is another great volumn in the series.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I am a great Cadfael fan and this book is one of my absolute favorites. What I like most about this book is that it is (as well as "Dead Man's Ransom") about true frienship. It's about loyalty to a friend although each friend is on completely different sides and has been deeply hurt by the other because of chosing a different path. The difficult choice Brother Cadfael has to make and which may change his life, when he dedides to look for his son without his abbot's conscent because he will not put his love to God above his love for his son, is also a very touching and interesting aspect. Altogether this book combines all the things I like about the Cadfael chronicles, and I really regret that it is the very last one of them.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've read lots of the Cadfael series and somehow always ended up disappointed until this final volume. Too many stereotyped characters - the wayward but essentially good young man, the feisty but in the end submissive young woman, the fanatical but misguided monk etc; they pop up in novel after novel, and the overall tone of the series is, to my mind, marred by sentimentality.
But this novel achieves a powerful resonance in its treatment of father-son rivalry, duty and painful separation, and also the conflict between private versus public, religious versus family loyalties. These are important themes very interestingly handled.
I can't help wondering how the author managed to reach these heights only in her final novel. But still: this is easily the best of the series, and is a fine piece of historical fiction.
But this novel achieves a powerful resonance in its treatment of father-son rivalry, duty and painful separation, and also the conflict between private versus public, religious versus family loyalties. These are important themes very interestingly handled.
I can't help wondering how the author managed to reach these heights only in her final novel. But still: this is easily the best of the series, and is a fine piece of historical fiction.
By Carole Brown
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Always difficult to come towards the end of a saga. This book doesn't disappoint, and ties up loose ends very satisfactorily.
Format:Unknown Binding|Amazon Verified Purchase
My mother loves reading books by this author. The stories never fail to please her.She will read them again and again.
By paul
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A Middle Ages detective story with a monk as lthe detectlive.
an excellent book, good plot,good story and well written.
a twist which leaves you wondering until nearly to the end.
where I made a mistake was reading it after I have read others. This is the last book as Ellius Peters died just after it.
if you enjoy Cadfael books read the others and leave this to the last
an excellent book, good plot,good story and well written.
a twist which leaves you wondering until nearly to the end.
where I made a mistake was reading it after I have read others. This is the last book as Ellius Peters died just after it.
if you enjoy Cadfael books read the others and leave this to the last
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 41 reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fitting End To This Fantastic Series
After years of following the ubiquitous Brother Cadfael through his life in and around the Abbey of St Peter and St Paul, Shrewsbury, in the turbulent times of the English Anarchy... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Crux Roesia
2.0 out of 5 stars
If I had not seen the tv series....
this would not have been a book I enjoyed reading. It was my first try at reading a Cadfael book, and it will probably be my last. Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2009 by J. van der Vaart
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cadfael hangs up his sandals.
The twentieth and final Cadfael mystery only disappoints when you put the book down and realise that's it, no more, amen. Read more
Published on 14 May 2001
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
