Customer Reviews

The Man in the Moss

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4 star:		(2)
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As a longtime Rickman reader, I enjoyed the return of Moira Cairns, a character from the novel, December, who Rickman weaves seamlessly into this text, which is a skillfully written, nested narrative in the true Gothic tradition. The landscape and history of the town of "Bridelow" provide the framework for a realistically mythic tale, told alternately by the main narrator and by town historian and retired teacher Ernie Dawber, the keeper of "Dawber's Book of Bridelow." The story unfolds as workmen discover a body in Bridelow's peat bog. The "bogman" turns out to be an ancient victim of "the triple death," a highborn sacrifce made to maintain the balance of nature and insure prosperity. Trouble begins when an ambitious university professor and a former musician friend of Moira's both become obsessed with "the Man." As revealed by Ernie's commentary in "The Secret Book of Bridelow," the town elders know the bogman must be returned to the same earth that had embraced him for hundreds of years, but this proves to be no simple task. Rickman weaves a text rich in Celtic myth and tradition, patterned by layers of related intrigues and unspeakable acts perpetrated by characters motivated by human greed and religious fanaticism. The result is a novel that I was as reluctant to put down as a warm, painstakingly-woven woolen wrap on a cold, December night.

"The Man in the Moss (1994)" is one of Phil Rickman's non-Merrily-Watkins-series novels, and my new favorite Celtic-themed horror story. This is a big, complex, scary read with Rickman's usual cast of likeable characters, including an Anglican vicar who turns a blind eye on some not-so-Christian rites that are performed in his church, and a doughty pub owner whose husband seems to have returned from the dead.

Folksinger Moira Cairns, who shows up in multiple Rickman novels, plays a prominent role in "The Man in the Moss," along with a band of white magicians called the Bridelow Mother's League.

The title character himself has been dead for roughly two thousand years--the man in the moss, who I believe Rickman modeled after the Lindlow bogman. At any rate, both fictional and non-fictional bogmen were victims of a Celtic triple sacrifice.

According to the Roman historian, Lucan (AD 39 - AD 65), the Celts sometimes sacrificed one person to please all three aspects of their triple god: first, death by three blows to the skull; second, death by strangulation and/or throat cutting; and third, death by drowning (in this case, drowning in a peat bog.)

Again, following the research that was done on the Lindlow man, Rickman's characters believe that the Man in the Moss sacrificed himself willingly to thwart a Roman invasion. His willingness to die and his 'displeasure' at being dug up out of the bog are a dark, steady undertow that drags more than one character in this book to his or her doom. The people of the isolated Pennine village of Bridelow want their bogman returned to the grave in order to keep some unspecified supernatural evil at bay---and they figure that they need to get him reburied before Samhain (November 1), the Celtic Feast of the Dead.

Two major obstacles prevent the villagers from reinterring the Man in the Moss:

* the scientific johnnies are horrified by the thought of giving up their find to a pack of superstitious villagers, and they have him locked away in a climate-controlled room at the University;

* an evil sorcerer wants to steal the bogman and use him in a satanic rite that will destroy the village of Bridelow and its Mothers' Union of white magicians.

Death is a repeated visitor to the village on the Moss in the weeks leading up to Samhain. Rickman builds to a slow, sinister climax and this reader at least was never really sure who was dead and who was alive, and which of the two conditions was the most desirable--at least in Bridelow.

Fans of supernatural thrillers have to be excited to see Phil Rickman return to form in "The Man in the Moss." Though I enjoy his Merrily Watkins books, one can see that in them Rickman has chosen to rely more on traditional murder-mystery elements, concentrating on the evil men (and women) do. When the paranormal entered those novels, it was as set dressing--just background atmospherics--as if Rickman didn't believe any longer that it could carry a novel. Of course, Rickman has the right to create any kind of novel he wishes--it's just that he is SO good at crafting supernatural thrillers (and is one of the ONLY writers who is), it's disappointing when he abandons them for a genre that is already well-represented.
Anyway, in "Moss," the supernatural returns with a vengeance, and this fan couldn't be happier. As usual, his work here is stylistically impeccable, and filled with richly varied, dimensional human beings. And best of all, it is truly SCARY. It is his best novel since "Curfew!"

Phil Rickman writes intelligent horror stories that that bring Celtic myth to life in modern communities in Britain. This is one his best as visitors and townspeople in an isolated community face a clash between those who seek to abuse power and those who contain it. Fast moving, creepy and fun.

Just when you think the horror field has been mined of its last gemstone, along comes someone like Phil Rickman with original and interesting ideas. Rickmans' standalone books, such as this one, tend to focus on the supernatural aspects of Celtic tradition, particularly that of the Welsh border country, while his Merrily Watkins series are mystery novels with a supernatural twist.

In this solid novel, the village of Bridelow has been protected by isolation - and perhaps something more - for centuries. The discovery of a bog man - three times killed - together with the removal of his protective presence from the bog - are the twin sparks that start a series of changes in Bridelow. Murder, desecration, and possibly the very destruction of Bridelow are threatened. The climax is explosive, literally, building up to a satisfying ending.

Rickman fans will be pleased to see Moira Cairns, a character familiar to readers of _December_.

The suspense carries through very well. This is an intelligent and well-written book from an author that deserves to be better known.

Something very exciting is happening in the small Welsh village of Bridelow.A 2000 year old body has been discovered perfectly preserved in the peat moss that surrounds the village. This book introduces the reader to the mystical Folk Singer Moira Cairns who I was delighted to learn also appears in several other of Phil Rickman's works.Moira is the obsession of a fellow deceased musician Matt Castle along with the Man In The Moss. This novel is dark, brooding and VERY atmospheric and the author weaves his tale with a deft hand. I have nothing but praise and admiration for this writer's works.

I won't get into the book's premise; you can read all about that in the description above.

Keep in mind that this is a British author and the story takes place in Scotland and Northern England--if locale is a deciding factor for you. It may also require a bit of patience from readers who are used to shorter novels; this is a 600-pager, not meant for those who like a "quick read." But let me tell you, the rewards are definitely worth it. It's one of those books where the characters are very special and therefore you do not want the book to end, even though you're dying to find out what happens next.

For those who enjoy supernatural fiction they can sink their teeth into, look no further. Rickman provides the detailed characterization and spooky atmosphere that many chill-seekers are craving. It takes a lot of skill to pull off a book this involved, but no worries; Rickman has the necessary talent.

A book to treasure. Highly recommended.

There's nothing wrong with fast food, or a fairly speedy trip to Outback, but nothing beats putting a roast in a slow cooker and letting the aromas and flavors seep into your consciousness all day long. Your patience wears thin and when the meal is finally ready to eat, you wolf it down like a starving person.

Okay, strange analogy, but this book had the same effect on me. It started cold, then warmed up gradually, until all my senses were captivated. My patience was starting to wear thin, then BOOM! the flavors all combined and it was every person for himself.

Did I like the book? Absolutely yes. Can I describe it to you? Um, nope. Luckily, there are other reviews here that have taken on that responsibility, and have done so very admirably. I did, in fact, pick up this book based on their recommendations. As a vague overview, you could say this is a mystery, a paranormal, a horror story, a religious confrontation, a small town mentality gone amuck, modern civilization overflowing its boundaries. A love story. A story of good and evil, pride and prejudice, charity and greed, science vs faith. Or... none/all of the above. Take your pick, all the spices are here, savor what you like, and push what you don't enjoy to the side of your plate (Yes, I'll stop, the analogy is starting to wear thin for me, too).

In short, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for those who have time to appreciate the nuances of the plot. Those who can give little time to a book might want to wait until they can.

Things are about to change in the ancient village of Bridelow, in western England. Folks here are Christian, but have always adhered to their Celtic roots, and the Mother holds as much power here as the Christ. First, the brewery, producer of Bridelow Black, the famous local bitter, is sold, throwing most of the locals out of work. Then the Anglican priest, who well understands the need to coexist in this place, falls ill, and is replaced by a born again preacher who views Bridelow as an evil, pagan, abomination of a place. The final blow connects when an ancient bog body is discovered in the Moss, the huge peat bog through which the village is accessed. Revered wise woman, Ma Wagstaff, knows something's afoot, and the signals are not beneficent. Little does she realize.....

There are many interesting and colorful characters in Man, just as there are in all of Rickman's work. The three central ones are Moira Cairns, a folk singer, Matt Castle, the Celtic musician who gave Moira her start, and Mungo Macbeth (really!), an American film maker in search of his roots. They will all play crucial roles in a diabolical plot planned by Bridelow's "bad boy", exiled years ago but dying to return.

Rickman's considerable strengths as a writer lie in his ability to conjure a sense of time, place, and psyche. His shadings and subtleties are dense and evocative, his characters real and true, whether good or evil. The Man in the Moss is categorized as horror, but it is much, much more.

I just made it around to this Rickman novel after reading all of the Watkins series so far and 'Chalice' and 'Curfew.' This novel is classic Rickman. It has humor and spookiness and all the great details I love in these novels along with complex characterization and keen psychological insight. Though some of the more recent Watkins' novels have been a bit off, this one is a great read.