So. Brother Cadfael is that particular breed of Benedictine monk with whom people are forever sitting down with over a cup of ale (and a haunch of venison, and a trencher of bread and sundry other medival nommables) and shooting the shit, as it were. Having come to the monk-mobile late in life as a sort of austere retirement home, Cadfael has a rich history as a doer-of-various-things-(and-women).
What with this being the first of some 20 books, it looks like Brother Cadfael's silver years will be punctuated with more than the ordinary number of murders. Like, at least 20. Morbid gets off to a quiet start with some young monk having visions, and a cohort of brothers hieing off to a Welsh village to collect the bones of a forgotten saint on account of said visions. It isn't until about half-way through that the lord of said village is found murdered and his daughter's immigrant-beloved is accused but then escapes and Brother Cadfael has to put all of his pre-monkal wisdom to use sussing out the real killer so that the upstanding but landless young Saxon can return and marry his fiery sweetheart. Awesome, right?
To be honest, this is the sort of ramble fantastic that I could read for ages. There could have been nary a murder and I would have happily tottled behind while Brother Cadfael mediated between his relic-hungry prior and the lusty Welsh villagers. Peters is that good. And from the looks of things (via Colleen, who was my gateway drug into the Cadfaelia), she only gets better.
Also, choice exerpt from the back: 'Soothing, but no shortage of mayhem.' - Observer
I could not say it better myself. Eight caterpillars.
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10 comments:
PHEW. I was so worried you wouldn't like it!
I too could read this stuff forever completely sans the murder mystery part of the murder mystery stories. Yay!
I like the MLIA tag. Never seen that before.
Cadfael is always good for a cozy read. I also read the Dame Frevisse medieval mysteries and one time, much to my surprise, there was no murder. I kept waiting to see who would die and nobody ever did. Very strange.
Peters also writes as Edith Pargeter. The Heaven Tree trilogy (no murder, but lots of stonecarving and romance) will make you sit up until 2am crying as it did me, and I'm currently listening to Richard Mitchley reading a grand story called Sunrise in the West (cos, you know, Wales)(much more murder, all in the cause of Welsh independence, but no mystery). Hunt them down.
I'm reading this series for the first time too -- just finished the second, One Corpse Too Many. I was worried it might not be as awesome as this one. It was. I love that quote from the Observer -- describes both books in a nutshell.
Loved loved loved this series! I read them ages ago when I was a mere teenager (my dad introduced me to them) but I really enjoyed them and always point people who love books set in medieval times to this series. Have fun with the rest of the series!
Completely off-topic and I'm sure you already know this, but behold, your sister is famous! Heather Armstrong of Dooce.com linked to her adorable hippos:
http://dooce.com/daily-style/2009/11/09/cavorting-hippo-cards
(They are extremely adorable.)
Derek Jacobi (for whom I have mad love)also played Brother Cadfael for about 13 episodes on PBS I believe. Also some good stuff.
Sounds great. Now I have something else to all to my wish list!
Cadfaelia: I like it. I've only read this one, but want to read more of her work. I think I could go for a case of Cadfaelia about now after being "down" (well, not really down) with swine flu.
I enjoyed this one too! I read the second one earlier this year, and it was even better. :D
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