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205th out of 673 books
—
708 voters
The Hermit of Eyton Forest (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #14)
by
Ellis Peters
In 1142, the arrival of a strange hermit named Cuthred at the Benedictine abbey heralds a series of mishaps, including the disappearance of young Richard, the ten-year-old son and heir of the recently deceased Lord of Eaton.
Mass Market Paperback, 224 pages
Published
May 19th 1994
by Sphere
(first published 1987)
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Peters, nom de plume of Edith Pargeter, and also author of the Inspector Felse series, as well as some other historical novels, situates the Brother Cadfael series during the anarchic times of King Stephen in the early twelfth century.
Cadfael is a monk at the Benedictine Abbey of Shrewsbury. He came to the cowl rather late, after service in the crusades, so he often takes a more worldly and practical approach to solving riddles than his fellow monks. He and his friend, Hugh Beringer, the under-...more
Cadfael is a monk at the Benedictine Abbey of Shrewsbury. He came to the cowl rather late, after service in the crusades, so he often takes a more worldly and practical approach to solving riddles than his fellow monks. He and his friend, Hugh Beringer, the under-...more
An interesting tale, but not Peter's best. Little relation to the Main Sequence of the Cadfeal Canon.
Cadfael series: excellent historical fiction. Ellis Peters draws the reader into the twelfth century with modern story telling but holds us there with a richness of detail which evokes a time and place which might as well be mythic. Though the foreground of each chronicle is a murder mystery, behind it a nation and a culture are woven in a wondrous tapestry.
Cadfael series: excellent historical fiction. Ellis Peters draws the reader into the twelfth century with modern story telling but holds us there with a richness of detail which evokes a time and place which might as well be mythic. Though the foreground of each chronicle is a murder mystery, behind it a nation and a culture are woven in a wondrous tapestry.
The fourteenth in the Brother Cadfael series set in Shewsbury, England during the 12th century. Ten year old Richard Ludel has been entrusted to the care of Prior of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul by his father both for his protection and his education. Upon his father's death, Richard inherits a large estate and his formidable grandmother, the Lady Dionisia, wants to marry Richard to his much older neighbor's daughter--she is 22--in order to eventually get control of their land...more
Runaway Villeins, tyranical masters, disappeared novices, young lordling being foced to marry. A murdered courier an empress under siege. This Cadfael story had all the best elements of the series and brought new twists to boring old life in the 12th century.
This one never made it to TV, not sure why but it's vintage Cadfael. An enjoyable read that's actually a bit more of a mystery than most.
This one never made it to TV, not sure why but it's vintage Cadfael. An enjoyable read that's actually a bit more of a mystery than most.
Jul 03, 2012
Nancy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery-thriller,
historical
A wonderful, intricate mystery involving two separate parties. The two plots manage to run afoul of each other and become intertwined, yet not in a ridiculously complicated way. The mystery is as good as others in the series, namely One Corpse Too Many.
I only remembered about 10% of the plot going in, but eventually the bits and pieces fell into place and I had it figured out before Cadfael did. Which I don't mind at all. As always, the prose is a pleasure to read by itself even if the revelatio...more
I only remembered about 10% of the plot going in, but eventually the bits and pieces fell into place and I had it figured out before Cadfael did. Which I don't mind at all. As always, the prose is a pleasure to read by itself even if the revelatio...more
In this tale, there is a perfect mix of medieval history, mystery , and the simplicity and gentleness of monastic life. It is the second book that I've read of the Brother Cadfael Medieval Mystery series and I loved this one too! In this one there is not just one but two murders as well as a kidnapping to sort out and plenty of suspects. The brothers living within the shelter of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul, find their orderly lives disrupted by a startling chain of events su...more
Nobody, but nobody, can describe people and settings and the natural world like Peters can. You always know exactly what the people look like (the young all have curly hair). Men get pictured as minutely and as enticingly as women.
Her descriptions of settings are peerless. Here, Cadfael and the sheriff have been out in the woods at dawn inspecting the body of a murdered man:
"The sun was above the rim of the world, but veiled and pale, as they mounted and turned back along the narrow ride. The s...more
Her descriptions of settings are peerless. Here, Cadfael and the sheriff have been out in the woods at dawn inspecting the body of a murdered man:
"The sun was above the rim of the world, but veiled and pale, as they mounted and turned back along the narrow ride. The s...more
Rates as 3.5 stars but since whole stars only allowed , I'll click 4...
Easily one of the best of Edith Pargeter's, aka 'Ellis Peters', Cadfael mystery series set in the middle ages. It contains a complex plot which includes forced marriage, treason, murder, and a runaway villein; a free man indebted to his landowner-just above a slave, really. Of course there is also a love story developed among two young people that most Cadfael stories contain. "The Hermit of Eyton Forest" book is mostly invol...more
Easily one of the best of Edith Pargeter's, aka 'Ellis Peters', Cadfael mystery series set in the middle ages. It contains a complex plot which includes forced marriage, treason, murder, and a runaway villein; a free man indebted to his landowner-just above a slave, really. Of course there is also a love story developed among two young people that most Cadfael stories contain. "The Hermit of Eyton Forest" book is mostly invol...more
This entry into the excellent Brother Cadfael Chronicles fell a bit flat for me. After the intricate but believable plotting, smart sleuthing and grown-up emotional impact of the previous volume, "The Rose Rent," this book displays some of Ellis Peters' most shopworn tricks: young lovers, mistaken or changed identities, political intrigue seeping in from the endless war of the Anarchy, and (alas) a preternaturally intelligent child. Cadfael and Hugh Berengar are more bystanders than sleuths in t...more
A Brother Cadfael mystery. I had planned to keep this for my Lethal Location challenge next year, but it turns out this was published in 1988.
This really is a very good example of what I enjoy about the series. There's plenty of real life history in the background, with King Stephen and the Empress Maud battling, in this particular novel they're currently fighting over Oxford. (On a side note, we had a lovely LARP set in this period of time, based on the fight between the King and the Empress, w...more
This really is a very good example of what I enjoy about the series. There's plenty of real life history in the background, with King Stephen and the Empress Maud battling, in this particular novel they're currently fighting over Oxford. (On a side note, we had a lovely LARP set in this period of time, based on the fight between the King and the Empress, w...more
1st Recorded Reading: October 12, 2005
Once again Brother Cadfael goes wandering forth from the Abbey, involving himself in at least two murders and one set of sweet young lovers in and around Shrewsbury. In fact, he is the sole finder of the first body, and once again, it never occurs to anyone to wonder if the finder of the body is not the killer. But of course, Brother Cadfael is pure of heart, and would never do such a thing (one hopes). I found this one to be one of the more interesting book...more
Once again Brother Cadfael goes wandering forth from the Abbey, involving himself in at least two murders and one set of sweet young lovers in and around Shrewsbury. In fact, he is the sole finder of the first body, and once again, it never occurs to anyone to wonder if the finder of the body is not the killer. But of course, Brother Cadfael is pure of heart, and would never do such a thing (one hopes). I found this one to be one of the more interesting book...more
Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series - set around 1000/1100, a Welsh man who had been with the Crusades, soldier/sailor, loved women etc settles down to retirement as a Benedictine monk, working as an apothecary within the abbey and the community, and assisting the sheriff with mysteries. He's a really wholesome character who understands people and life, not at all narrow and irritating. There is also a series of movies made based on these books with Derek Jacobi playing Brother Cadfael
Once again there is the backdrop of the political turmoil that surrounds the civil war interweaved in the story. Without it, the mystery would not stand, and by far that makes the telling the weaker. There are several nice twists to arrive at a conclusion but that we need something that touches the war between Maud and Stephen seems a stretch once again.
Ellis is gone and Cadfael shall have no new mysteries in the canon, but with the knowledge of others in the field, the violent times of the dark...more
Ellis is gone and Cadfael shall have no new mysteries in the canon, but with the knowledge of others in the field, the violent times of the dark...more
These suspenseful stories include pinches of romance, devotion, and humor, as well as truly unique characters. The mysteries use as background superb portrayals of 12th Century England. The author is a noted Medieval scholar. Positive. Caution: the series is aimed at adults, not adolescents. Many themes of these mystery novels are ADULT themes, including rape, abuse of various sorts, etc. They are all positive, ultimately.
I think this was actually my FAVOURITE of the Brother Cadfael books that I've read thus far. I can't quite put my finger on why I enjoyed this one so much: Peters' writing was as fabulous as ever, her language beautiful and descriptions perfect. I think it had something to do with the three-layered plot and the way she pulled in all of the minor threads to make a really REALLY satisfying ending.
Another enjoyable Ellis Peters book. This are both compelling enough that I frequently can't put them down, yet somehow gently quiet in a great way that's a little hard to explain. There's something cozy and slow about them, I suppose, even when the action is happening. And they work as great escapism for me, since I find myself falling asleep to daydreams of life in the 1100's.
I had a hard time getting through the first chapter. Even the second. A lot of characters were introduced at once. But after the third chapter I was hooked. I liked almost everything about this murder mystery. It was a great medieval who-done-it. My only complaint was the resolution of the conflict with the grandmother, Dame Dionisia, seem out of character.
I'm not sure what the first thirteen books were like, but this one was predictable and fairly boring. I was hoping that it would be satirical or at least humorous, but no, it was your basic crime novel...just set in the Mediaeval period. The change of time period wasn't enough to make it entertaining.
An enjoyable yarn based around a young boy, left at the Monastery by his father. He is there to gain an education and to stay away from his acquisitive grandmother. The boy befriends a runaway who later rescues him. Cadfael, of course plays a central part in all the goings-on.
A quick read.
A quick read.
Oct 24, 2008
Barbara
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
mystery lovers; history lovers...
Recommended to Barbara by:
Lesley -- long ago.
Shelves:
mysteries
All done; had a lovely time. It's only 3 stars because I have to leave room for some of the others in the series which I like better...
I love Brother Cadfael! I have them all on the shelf and I tend to go pick one up every now and then, just in between other things. I've been reading a lot of bigger books or new authors lately, so it's nice to go back once in awhile and spend time with an old friend or two (I love Hugh Beringar too!).
They're all GOOD books; this is probably not my favorite in t...more
I love Brother Cadfael! I have them all on the shelf and I tend to go pick one up every now and then, just in between other things. I've been reading a lot of bigger books or new authors lately, so it's nice to go back once in awhile and spend time with an old friend or two (I love Hugh Beringar too!).
They're all GOOD books; this is probably not my favorite in t...more
This one was interesting in that the murder comes along at an unexpected time to an unexpected victim. No motive is discernable. Of course the red herrings abound, and the story is replete with Cadfael's musings and Peters' descriptions of medieval life. It was a good story.
The Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters is a wonderful set of mysteries that take place in 12th century England. Ellis Peters does a wonderful job of describing all the characters and she is a great mystery writer. The cases are complicated enough to make them interesting.
I love Brother Cadfael and have all these books on my Keeper shelf, and have read them all a couple of times...but this is the first time I've listened to an audio production. This one was rather skillfully done by Roe Kendall, and I enjoyed the reading quite a lot.
A well-written and enjoyable mystery that also uses the medieval setting very well. The mystery part definetely caught me up and I enjoyed learning more about the times. One of the better ones in the Cadfael series.
Apr 14, 2013
Meredith
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audio,
british-literature,
fiction,
friendship,
identity,
intrigue,
period-piece,
resourceful-boys,
resourceful-girls,
romance,
series
There were several overlapping plots. Early on, it left me a bit unclear where things were going, but about a 1/3 of the way in it began gelling better.
Not as many elements of faith life or reflection of faith life as I've liked in my favorites of the Cadfael books.
Not as many elements of faith life or reflection of faith life as I've liked in my favorites of the Cadfael books.
Always loved watching the show with Sir Derek Jacobi so of course had to read them. Short reads, I could usually finish them in a couple days but always enjoyed them.
I love Brother Cadfael mysteries because they combine intrigue with the spiritual musings of a medieval monk. And this one did not disappoint in the least.
Just love Brother Cadfael books. This may have been the best I've read. These books a little of everything, romance, mystery, kids, religion, politics, etc.
Another good entry in the series. This one was interesting because the murders are actually somewhat tangential to the main plot, but still a part of it.
Maybe the best of the Cadfael of the series. The characters were varied and real. The end caught me completely by surprise.
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A pseudonym used by Edith Pargeter.
Edith Mary Pargeter, BEM (September 28, 1913 in Horsehay, Shropshire, England –October 14, 1995) was a prolific author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern. Born in the village of Horsehay...more
More about Ellis Peters...
Edith Mary Pargeter, BEM (September 28, 1913 in Horsehay, Shropshire, England –October 14, 1995) was a prolific author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern. Born in the village of Horsehay...more
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