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156th out of 301 books
—
1,974 voters
The Sorcerer of Sainte Felice
by
Ann Finnin
"I was only an apprentice. I swear it. By all the angels in Heaven."
Condemned to death by the Holy Office for sorcery, fifteen-year-old Michael de Lorraine is rescued from the flames by Abbot Francis and granted refuge at Sainte Felice, a Benedictine monastery in fifteenth-century France. Michael learns that this strange and wonderful place, famous for its healing wine, ha...more
Condemned to death by the Holy Office for sorcery, fifteen-year-old Michael de Lorraine is rescued from the flames by Abbot Francis and granted refuge at Sainte Felice, a Benedictine monastery in fifteenth-century France. Michael learns that this strange and wonderful place, famous for its healing wine, ha...more
Paperback, 358 pages
Published
June 8th 2010
by Flux
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I gave this book until its halfway point before I decided to put it down. I figured if nothing nominally interesting had happened by that point, chances are not much else was going to happen after it and if it did, I probably wouldn't care.
The beginning started off strong enough. It intros right into Michael being lit on fire on a stake and then gets rescued by the Abbot. I zoomed through the chapter, holding my breath, wondering if he'd make it out okay (obviously it's the first chapter and he'...more
The beginning started off strong enough. It intros right into Michael being lit on fire on a stake and then gets rescued by the Abbot. I zoomed through the chapter, holding my breath, wondering if he'd make it out okay (obviously it's the first chapter and he'...more
Jul 28, 2011
Steve Cran
added it
Michael is about to be burned at the stake in Orleans, France for the crime of sorcery. As the flames are about to engulf him along comes Abbot Francis Duchain to the rescue. Whispering a prayer to the archangel Gabriel, he proceed to call a halt to the execution. A rain storm conveniently arrives to make matters easier.
After being rescued Michael is taken to the Monastery where for or five other monks of the Benedictine order are housed. The monastery is famous for it's wine. Wine steeped in he...more
After being rescued Michael is taken to the Monastery where for or five other monks of the Benedictine order are housed. The monastery is famous for it's wine. Wine steeped in he...more
Mar 05, 2011
Deborah
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Valerie
Shelves:
young-adult,
historical-fantasy
Michael is sentenced to burn at the stake for being a sorcerer's apprentice, despite the fact that he himself never practiced sorcery. In comes Abbott Francis who Michael is convinced made the storm come that dowsed the flames allowing the Abbott to save Michael and take him to his monastery in the village of Sainte Felice. Only five other monks live at the monastery and each one seems to be involved in something magic.
This historical fantasy is set in Medieval France where religion rules and e...more
This historical fantasy is set in Medieval France where religion rules and e...more
Why I read this: The novel is a bit different from what I had been reading lately - 1500s, monks, and magic. Also, it is a debut novel and I just love reading new authors.
Plot: When Michael is saved from being burned at the stake, he must decide whether or not he wishes to join in the service of God. Abbot Francis and the brothers are part of an abnormal abbey - where sorcery is taught and used with good intention to help the people. Michael must make a choice on whether he wishes to use sorcery...more
Plot: When Michael is saved from being burned at the stake, he must decide whether or not he wishes to join in the service of God. Abbot Francis and the brothers are part of an abnormal abbey - where sorcery is taught and used with good intention to help the people. Michael must make a choice on whether he wishes to use sorcery...more
Nov 29, 2010
Shauna
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
teens who like historical fiction and fantasy
The book starts with the hero about to be burned at the stake, and throughout the book I continued to want to see what happened next. The plot is simple (I rarely read YA, so perhaps that is usual), but the pacing is excellent. Although the hero, 15-year-old Michael, has a satisfying growth arc, the character that intrigued me the most was Abbot Francis. An enjoyable read.
2.5ish. Fascinating concept, but executed oddly with pacing issues and a narrator that I just couldn't bring myself to care about. Will try to formulate a more coherent review later.
I thought this book was pretty good. Though this book doesn't have action or suspense I still couldn't put it down! It's set during the time of the Holy Roman Empire, which I find that odd, because I was learning about the Holy Roman Empire in history at that time. Anyways, Michael I think is relatable and his doubts and leaps of faith can happen to anyone. When I was reading this book, I thought "Oh, now it's happily ever after" but then, all of a sudden, something else occurs. After that thing...more
This is a fine book, with a story and characters which held my interest. Main character is 15, aimed, I think at teens
Michael de Lorraine is to be burned at the stake as a sorcerer when he is saved by a strange monk and a conveniently timed rainstorm. Abbot Francis takes Michael back to his abbey in Sainte Felice where Michael discovers that all the monks there are sorcerers, hiding in plain sight under the nose of the Inquisition. But Abbot Francis has made some powerful enemies -- will their luck hold out, or will the Holy Office discover their secret? I really liked this one - it reminded me of Judith Tarr's...more
I love stories mixing history with bit of magic!
DNF. It was so boring.
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Historical fiction set in France, mostly about the Inquisition and the battle between Church and State, with some mysticism mixed in- it is called sorcery in this book, but it is also about Christianity. An interesting read if you like historical fiction from this time period- 15th century France.
Didn't finish this one, got kinda bored near the end and after renewing twice I returned it. Might borrow again to finish at some point - the beginning and middle were very interesting and then I couldn't figure where the author was going and lost interest...so many books, so little time
For fantasy fans who also like historical fiction.
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Ever since escaping from a convent school at fifteen, Ann Finnin's life has been a continuous journey into magic. A Celtic harpist, Renaissance festival enthusiast, and lay historian, Finnin works as a freelance technical writer in the Healthcare industry. She and her husband live outside Los Angeles with their black Lab, Hunter.
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