Customer Reviews

The Physician's Tale

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With the pandemic destruction over the last eight years of the DR SAM bacteria, few safe havens remain on the North American continent. One such place is a small sanctuary in Massachusetts founded by married couple Janie Crowe and Tom Macalester. They are still safe for now but both realize that the deadly disease is still spreading and could reach them at any time.

Janie studies the seemingly valuable journal of fourteenth century physician, Alejandro Canches, who explains how as the medical practitioner at Windsor Castle, he battled the bubonic plague ravaging Europe and threatening to do likewise to England. She believes the elixir to stopping this modern day plague lies in the journal that claims communication between then and now. At the same time, Tom and others collect specimens and survivor information from those living outside their Massachusetts colony while these aliens demand medical help especially from Janie.

Meanwhile back in medieval times Alejandro and the son of his foster daughter Kate live in hiding. However, King Edward III has decided to acknowledge that Kate is his offspring and will marry mean-spirited de Coucy. Only the king's secretary Geoffrey Chaucer can save Kate from a terrible fate but he fears intervention.

This is an excellent science fiction tale in which two medical practitioners six hundred plus years apart and their friends and loved ones are at war against a deadly enemy the plague. The two prime subplots are fast-paced as in each era the clock is ticking away while the heroes struggle to save the day. Fans will want to read the previous related novels (see THE BURNING ROAD and THE PLAGUE TALES) and Ann Benson's other works (see THIEF OF SOULS) as few if any authors offers better comparative eras (historical vs. present) than this author consistently provides in her multifaceted thrillers.

Harriet Klausner

Ann Benson carries us further along the way in her series about biomedical disasters and terrorism. Part sci-fi and part historical fiction, these books center upon the adventures and work of 2 sets of interrelated people, one medieval and one modern. There was plenty of time travel in the previous novels, but Physician's Tale has introduced a new and different method of connecting the two stories - cloning. Now, both sets of protagonists are living in comparatively primitive conditions. Modern MD Janie Crowe, her young son Alex, and the members of her survivors' "cell" are struggling to exist precariously in Massachusetts, in a time not too distant from today, where society and technology as we know it have been decimated by malevolent, highly organized bio-terrorists. Back in the middle ages, Alejandro, also a physician, and his adoptive daughter Kate must find a way to reunite despite dangers from disease, anti-Semitism, and the King's men.

While The Physician's Tale is an engaging adventure, it lacks the sharp edge of its forerunners. An interesting twist is the inclusion of a pre-Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer, and I'll leave you to guess who is his muse. Nevertheless, the tales of Ann Benson are engrossing, and this latest one is a stark warning about the dangers threatening our world today.

The third in a series of books with 2 storylines, the Plague in 14th century Europe and a devastating fictional epidemic set in the current time,The Physician's tale is another fascinating read from Ann Benson. The books in the series are The Plague Tales, The Burning Road and now, The Physician's Tale. Characters from another Benson book, Thief of Souls, which is not part of the series are also present in The Physician's Tale. These books are all fascinating, albeit lengthy, so read on!

I picked this book up because I have read Benson's previous Novels. Benson utilizes the same characters as before, but in a slightly different way. I really enjoyed reading this one. THEIF of SOULS was not my favorite, but thought I would give Benson another opportunity. If you enjoyed THE PLAGUE TALES, you will enjoy this one too. Worthy of 5 STARS!!!

The books by this author are all wonderful. She's a terrific writer and you just keep turning the pages to find out what's next! The plots are complicated and the characters deep. It's good 'fictional history', a terrific thriller and a mystery, all in one.

I absolutely loved the first two books that went with this series. However, there is something missing in this third installment. The author does not seem as committed to the characters or the story as she had been in the previous two books. This book jumps great periods of time leaving the reader wondering what happened. It felt rushed. The story is still good and worth reading.

Part of the series that includes the Plague Tales, this is a strong component of a highly compelling story that weaves between different centuries and continents. Well worth your time to sit down and read the whole series from the beginning.

Ann Benson is a gifted story teller. I am reading this on my Kindle and when i put it aside and have to go do something else (besides read!), I find myself wondering what the characters are up to! (Not unlike Pillars of the Earth and World Without End from Ken Foillet). The contrast the author makes between the human condition in the post-modern world and the 12th century is just remarkable. I am still reading it so I hope it continues to the end with the strength that it has been building all along.

I picked up this book without having read any of Ann Benson's other work and was very pleasantly surprised. I love historical fiction and some sci-fi/fantasy but was very entertained by this book that blended the two - the near-future in the northeast U.S. and Europe in the time of the plague. I did feel that I had missed some information that occurred earlier in the larger story so will definitely enjoy reading Ms Benson's other works to fill in what I have missed. So, I suspect the reviewer that suggested reading them in order gives good advice. I also suspect that returning to read the earlier books will be a treat! Ann Benson is a find!

This is really 2 tales in one, beautifully intertwined in such a smart way to merge characters over a span of 700 years or so, and stressing the importance of paying attention to history so that we aren't doomed to repeat it. The only downside, if it can even be called that: I felt that this story was perfectly set up for sequels, and was a little disappointed when it ended. I would have loved to have followed these splendid characters through a couple more books. This is the first book I've read by this author, but most definitely not the last. Great job!