This book is strong in
character, story and setting.
Summary:
The gentle Brother Cadfael finds himself drawn into the political
intrigue of the civil war between Empress Maud and her cousin King Stephen when
he learns that his previously unacknowledged son, Olivier, has been taken
hostage and is missing. To leave the Abbey and search for him would reveal his
long-ago liaison with Olivier's mother, break his vow of obedience, and could
result in his expulsion from his beloved Order forever, but nevertheless,
Cadfael feels compelled to set out to find and free his son. In the course of
the quest he tries to save Olivier's impulsive brother-in-law who has been
kidnapped and falsely accused of murder. Brother Cadfael also finds himself
risking his life to help the very man who holds his son captive, all the while
wondering what his own fate will be when his mission is complete.
I would recommend this book!
Why?
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a quick read with a
straight-line plot, a medieval setting, an engaging main character, and no gore.
Other suggested reading:
The first book in the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael is
A Morbid Taste
for Bones.
Brother Cadfael's Penance is the twentieth.
Some others to try are:
A Shrine of Murders by C.L. Grace
A Tournament of Murders by P.C. Doherty
Death Comes as Epiphany by Sharon Newman
The Sister Frevisse Series by Margaret Frazer
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Employee Initials: AJ
Review Date: November 2002
Read other reviews by this staff member.
