Customer Reviews

Other Gods: The Averillan Chronicles

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When I picked up this delightful book, I fully expected it to be a "no-brainer" quickie read -- what a surprise! Barbara Geisler weaves a fascinating, well-balanced blend of mystery, history, anthropology, and arcane and religious studies. If you are a history/anthropology buff -- you will be delighted. The author gives enough detail to feed your imagination and teach -- but not so much that it becomes a pedantic bore. If you like mysteries -- this is as well-crafted as most of the better ones on the market. If faith and religion are your bailiwick -- there are wonderful little bread crumbs left on the trail of this tale that enhance the experience and give the reader a little extra to ponder. It is an easy book to read -- but not "lightweight". I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the future offerings in the "Averillan Chronicles" Highly recommended!

Other Gods: The Averillan Chronicles is a female protagonist-centered response to the Brother Cadfael mysteries. Set in the twelfth century Norman England of the wars of King Stephen and Empress Matilda, This challenging-paced medieval mystery incorporates historical details of daily living and speech patterns as well as beautiful landscape and environment descriptions into the tale. Dame Averilla, infirmaress of the Benedictine abbey at Shaftesbury, seeks to find the lost Laece Book, King Alfred's collection of precious herbal lore, and to find the lost Dame Agnes, thought to be possessed. Her search abilities, sleuthing skills, and faith are put to the extreme test by a complex struggle for power among Norman and Anglo-Saxon women of rank who are cohabitants of the Order. Amidst rumors of witchcraft, the return of "Old gods" of the forest, and continued civil strife and disorder, Dame Averilla must find her way with the help of several unlikely allies. She strives to uncover the truth despite horrible and fearful obstacles and in the end is rewarded. Other Gods: The Averillan Chronicles does a highly credible job of recreating a sense of fear and despair and loss of order that must have characterized this age, reverse side of the faith which sustained it.

Other Gods-The Averillan Chronicles
by Barbara Reichmuth Geisler

Here is yet another story featuring a medieval nun! This time it's Dame Averilla, infirmaress of the Benedictine abbey at Shaftesbury, and in a sense the whole convent as more than one member is drawn into the plot. What is new is the story's revelations about power struggles between the Church and surviving "pagan" beliefs, brought dramatically to the surface by the town's witch Galiena. Also interesting are the clashes between nuns of the conquered Anglo-Saxons and those of the new Norman elite. While Geisler does a superb job describing convent habits and 12th century England dwellings and habits, at times this information overwhelms the story. Also off putting are some of the characters repeated flights of fancy and fearful sightings, presented usually in short declarative phrases. "She was alone. And had lost the path. Where did they go? Which way? Fie on all men! `No, Averilla may not go! Just a woman!" And so forth.

This is a well researched historical novel. The characters are believable and have individual personalities (no one is all good or all bad, just like in real life). The author blends the story and its historical setting in a very readable and engaging way. Her attention to detail adds to the depth of the story without bogging it down in minutae. A definite good read.

I enjoyed this book very much. It was well written and told an interesting story. Lots of good imagery.