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'Brother Cadfael at his best.' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 'Each addition to the series is a joy. Long may the chronicles continue.' USA TODAY 'The marvellous sense of time and place carries everyone along...Cadfael at odd moments resembles Travis McGee in a cassock.' CHICAGO TRIBUNE
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In the summer of 1143, William of Lythwood returns to Shrewsbury in a coffin...his pilgrimage at last at an end. William's young attendant, Elave, accompanies the body and sets about trying to secure a burial place on the grounds of the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, despite William's once having been reproved for 'heretical views.' Elave too, has evidentally learned scepticism. After he drunkenly expresses heretical opinions, the mighty prelate Gerbert brings capital charges against him. The beautiful Fortunata, whom Elave adores, becoms a reluctant witness for the prosecution. When violent death follows, Brother Cadfael is once again called from his herbiary to aid his old friend Hugh Beringar, the sherriff. Cadfael's new task is twofold- there are charges of heresy to be rebutted as well as a murder to be solved...
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
"It's a strange thing ... all the years I worked for William, and travelled with him, and listened to him, I never truly gave any thought to these things until now. They never bothered me. They do now, ..."
The sixteenth chronicle of Brother Cadfael sees the return to Shrewsbury from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of the body of a dead master and that of his live servant, whose words to Cadfael are quoted above. The things the servant refers to are a matter of life and death. As he later would say to his master's daughter, "... heresy can be cried against anyone who offends his neighbour, so easy is it to accuse when there are those willing to condemn for a doubt, for a question, for a word out of place."
Ellis Peters maintains her strict historical accuracies. It's good to see a distinction made between a Seljuk Turk and a Saracen. And there are timely references to Abelard and to the Cathars.
Call me thick, but the plot kept me guessing as far as chapter thirteen. The plot is not perfect, for there are some problems over timings, but it was a good read all the same.
(As a bit of a diversion, it was whilst reading this novel that I noted how Ellis Peters seems to have a `thing' about the height of her characters. For a period when men and women were supposed to be smaller than average, there are a remarkable number of characters who are tall. Abbot Radulfus and Prior Robert are "two tall men, much of a height"; Gerbert, the Augustinian canon of Canterbury was "a man almost as tall"; Brother Winfrid is "a hefty, blue-eyed young giant"; "Jevan of Lythwood was ... tall, erect and lightly built." And so on. And this only takes us up to page 46.)
The sixteenth chronicle of Brother Cadfael sees the return to Shrewsbury from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of the body of a dead master and that of his live servant, whose words to Cadfael are quoted above. The things the servant refers to are a matter of life and death. As he later would say to his master's daughter, "... heresy can be cried against anyone who offends his neighbour, so easy is it to accuse when there are those willing to condemn for a doubt, for a question, for a word out of place."
Ellis Peters maintains her strict historical accuracies. It's good to see a distinction made between a Seljuk Turk and a Saracen. And there are timely references to Abelard and to the Cathars.
Call me thick, but the plot kept me guessing as far as chapter thirteen. The plot is not perfect, for there are some problems over timings, but it was a good read all the same.
(As a bit of a diversion, it was whilst reading this novel that I noted how Ellis Peters seems to have a `thing' about the height of her characters. For a period when men and women were supposed to be smaller than average, there are a remarkable number of characters who are tall. Abbot Radulfus and Prior Robert are "two tall men, much of a height"; Gerbert, the Augustinian canon of Canterbury was "a man almost as tall"; Brother Winfrid is "a hefty, blue-eyed young giant"; "Jevan of Lythwood was ... tall, erect and lightly built." And so on. And this only takes us up to page 46.)
2 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is, as always, an excellent book by Ellis Peters. The original factor seems to be the motive for murder is love, but a different kind of love, since its object is a book. All people passionate for books will find this one special since it's dedicated to them, in a way... Besides this, orthodoxy and heresy are discussed and several issues viewed by Middle Ages standards seem so pertinent today that you feel you are living in the age of Brother Cadafel. This also leads us to the discovery that truth is not easily uncovered and that doubt is a part of human nature as love is. Ellis Peters does not write only mystery books but also compelling reflexions on themes that have interested Man since Man exists.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
Rich and deep
28 Dec 2008
Format:Paperback
As i read these I want to be able to be transported away to the period and feel the depth and richness that it has to offer. Here Peters has done so. We get from the Heretic's Apprentice a great deal of the church, both it's politics and workings and the philosophy that was prevalent at the time.
The mystery of course is paramount and the outcome, a happy ending is clear as Peters seems to unite some couple in love in each of these stories, but what is not clear as has been so these last few books is the culprit. Not only do we find a story that takes a complex turn as it delves into heresy, a very real proposition of the time, but we find a mystery having a complex twist to it also.
This twist is the redemption of so many of the previous adventures. Though there is no herbology involved, Cadfael the investigator, the man who is always near the center to momentous events once again helps solve the mystery and brings about our happy ending. Here is a mystery worthwhile.
The mystery of course is paramount and the outcome, a happy ending is clear as Peters seems to unite some couple in love in each of these stories, but what is not clear as has been so these last few books is the culprit. Not only do we find a story that takes a complex turn as it delves into heresy, a very real proposition of the time, but we find a mystery having a complex twist to it also.
This twist is the redemption of so many of the previous adventures. Though there is no herbology involved, Cadfael the investigator, the man who is always near the center to momentous events once again helps solve the mystery and brings about our happy ending. Here is a mystery worthwhile.
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