Customer Reviews

The Heretic's Apprentice: The Sixteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfae

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

One of Peters's best plots. Despite Cadfael's absence in the middle of the narrative, this chronicle kept my attention. This is a deeply religious experience as Peters examines some of the origins of Christian dogma through her characters. As always it is Peters's style that sets it above the common mystery. Trurly one of the best of the Cadfael series.

As I was reading this book, I remarked to a friend "how often do you get to read a mystery novel that talks about St. Augustine, infant baptism, co-equality of the Trinity, predestination, and Peripassian heresy?" For those who are not interested in such things, this installment in the Brother Cadefael series might seem somewhat tedious. I for one, however, enjoyed the added intellectual stimulation of the doctrinal controversies.

Aside from the heresy issues, which play a fairly peripheral role in the actual crime in question, this is a fairly standard (by Brother Cadfael standards) murder mystery. As always, romance plays a big role in both the heresy subplot and the murder investigation.

I normally give 4 stars to Brother Cadfael mysteries. I'm giving 5 here for the added value supplied by the heresy issues. Those who have no interest in theology and church history might want to give it a 3.

This is the sixteenth chronicle of Brother Cadfael, ex soldier/crusader, herbalist and healer, lately come monk and incorrigibly inquisitive sleuth. Elave is a young man who has accompanied his master, William of Lythwood,to Jerusalem and the East and who followed his instructions to the letter by bringing home his body after death to be buried at the Abbey Of St.Peter and St.Paul. He also brought with him an elaborately carved chest, with unknown contents, as the dowry for William's foster daughter. Before Elave left with his master on his travels, he had filled the position of what would be known today as an accoutant, keeping stocks of the family's money and possessions. This position was filled in his absence by Aldwin, a dour, pessimistic man who is convinced that he'll be discarded now that Elave has returned, and so sets about making trouble for him. Aldwin's murdered body is found and suspicions point to Elave as the killer. At this same time, a very self important Canon of the Church is a visitor at the Abbey and when Elave, somewhat in his cups, is heard making what could be taken as heretical statements on points of Church law, the Canon insists that he be taken before a court of the Church and tried for heresy. Brother Cadfael investigates both claims in his methodical way and, once again, saves the day. Perhaps this story is a little too tied up with points of theology for some readers, but it's still a most enjoyable read for Cadfael fans.

Book arrived in several weeks, as seller said it would. This is a great service. These books aren't available in the U.S. and there are very few used copies around for some reason. Getting a clean, new copy for about $20 in a couple of weeks from the UK is a great service, and I feel lucky to have discovered this seller. Good job..

The taint of heresy invades the abbey as a young man brings his master home from foreign travels for burial in the abbey grounds in Ellis Peter's THE HERETIC'S APPRENTICE.
A visiting prelate questions the man's right to burial because the elderly man is remembered as a free thinker. His apprentice Elave defends his master and is bound over to be examined by Bishop Robert de Clinton. The murder of Elave's accuser adds to the young man's problems while members of the dead man's family defend the young man.
A treasure box intended as a dowry for an adopted daughter adds to the mystery as Father Cadfael and Hugh Berrienger search for the truth.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS.

I enjoyed this Brother Cadfael story. It has a lot of the standard parts that one finds in this series, but with some interesting twists. It is one of the better ones of the series.

This is not a book I can recommend. There was no depth of character, or plot. I expected some twists and turns, but it was all predictable. The characters are indelibly flat. Of greatest disappointment were the heresies, for the author just seems to pass by them as unimportant. There are some major Pelagian defects in the thoughts of one of the protagonists, and the magnitude of the defects is swept aside by the characters we are meant to bond with, who decide in favor of the heresy through simple platitudes! The primary character, Cadfael, seems to contribute but little to the book or the mystery, and I found great difficulty in caring for any of these characters at all.

I had never read a Brother Cadfael book before this and I don't plan on reading any after. This book was bland, boring and butchered the English language. It was set in a sanitized version of the middle ages where everything sparkled besides, of course, the prose. If you want to read a good book with similar elements, try The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco. It's also about heresy, a mysterious book and a monk who investigates crimes during the middle ages. However, unlike The Heretic's Apprentice, it's good.