The Amores, by Publius Ovidius Naso, will leave your loins on fire and your heart as cold as ice. Coming from a time of Roman warriors and Greek gods, Publius Ovidius Naso, better known as Ovid, set the world and its many women on fire. With his mentions of charm and perfect bodies, he captures his audiences' hormones, as well as their imaginations. In The Amores, Ovid expresses sexual reminiscences of a woman named Corrina who may just as well be fictional. He tells us of her beautiful long hair and the body she possesses that is nothing short of perfect. Ovid shares with us his analysis of love as well as life.

Review: Ovid's Amores
The three books of Ovid's Amores depict a mockery of the values held during the first century of the Christian era. Ovid attempts to show the world the lack of importance in the great virtues presented in many of the major epics of the time. Amores uses satire to describe the author's wooing of women to waging war. It suggests that Ovid's efforts to romance his lovers are much more essential to life than the battles that are taking place during the time period. In that, he proposes that one should live for the day. Duty and valor are all pointless in the end. These ideas were of course very unpopular with the emperor Augustus. After the writing of one of his works the emperor banished Ovid from Rome.
Ovid was a Roman elegist who expressed a carpe diem attitude during a time where duty and honor were more valuable than life itself. He was born Publius Ovidus Naso in the town of Sulmo (now called Sulmona), near Rome in the year 43 BC. He was a highly educated man, originally skilled in the art of law. However, his passion was for literature and he spent a great deal of his time writing his own works rather than studying the past. His poetry of love probably stems from his own relationships, for by the age of 30 he had married three times and was divorced twice, with rumors of affairs. He lived an extravagant life and was well-it respected by the people of Rome. This high profile Roman life lasted until approached the age of 50 when he was banished from Rome by Augustus. The reasons behind the banishment are unclear. Some say it is a result of a disapproval by Augustus of Ovid's work while others say that Ovid knew too much of a scandal that involved the emperor's daughter Julia. He was exiled to Tomi, in the Roman province of Dacia, and although he never lost his citizenship, he never returned to Rome and died in Tomi in the 17 AD.
Ovid's works can be categorized into three periods: his early works, his middle works, and the works written after his exile from Rome. His works, in contrast to popular works of the time such as Vergil's Aenied, are sharp in contrast. Although his ideas ran contrary to the beliefs of the time, Ovid was extremely popular in Rome. Amores was written in his early period, when the focus of his writings was on love. His middle works concentrate more on mythology and creationism, while his latter works, those written after his exile, have a depressing and bitter tone. He is said to have influence many English writers, including William Shakespeare and John Milton, and was one of the Roman poets with a tremendous impact on the writers of both the Middle Age and Renaissance periods.
During this time period in Rome the emperor Augustus favored and promoted the ideas of honor and duty. Those loyal to Rome were expected to embrace these values without question. Because of this writers such as Vergil gained much approval with the emperor. Their writings embraced these ideas and even portrayed them as being greater than love. Ovid's style and theme in Amores as with most of his writings favors a less dutiful attitude toward life.
Ovid's Amores also known as The Erotic Poems describes the poet's love affair with a woman named Corinna. In a series of three books Ovid depicts the phases of his relationship. He starts buy telling us how he came to write about love, and his encounter with cupid. (...)Corinna becomes the target of Ovid's love. During an afternoon he tells us of a rendezvous experienced with his new found love and spares little detail. As Ovid goes through his tale of love with Corinna he describes many experiences with her that begin to change from beginning to end. Ovid begins comparing his love affair and love in general to the efforts of war. (...) Here we see his analogy of war with love. When Carinna locks Ovid out during the writing of an epic he explains the unimportance of his work. (...)Ovid explains how his words are more effective then the strongest weapons. Poetry can open the doors of any young girl. Ovid's message is clear throughout Amores. Things such as duty and honor should not be worried about. One must live for the moment.

(...)

Ovid, the young dandy none of the most beautiful women of Rome could resist, in the Amores describes his crazy love to the etera Corinna. There is one obstacle to this love. Ovid, as a young artist, lacks money and she is encharged by a rich man for long. The young and charming Ovid, though, meets her secretly. From poem to poem, the Relationship develops. Very funny scenes are to be found, when the young lovers try to avoid the control of Corinna's sponsor, e.g. as the three of them are invited at the same party, or when Ovid discovers that Corinnas erotic skills have increased and learned things that Ovid for his part has not told her. You simply enjoy the light an witty style of the poems. As to the Art of Love, Ovid uses the genre of Didactic Poetry to write a brilliant parody of Love's euphory and melancholy. The "master of love" as he calls himself, particularly teaches us not to take love that seriously- an occasion to flirting is everywhere, and "at first you shall be convinced that every woman can be conquered." The third book is written for women- I cannot say if the advises given are good- but a girl-friend of mine confesses to hate Ovid because he has discovered so many strategies which should not be made public. Also the Art is worth reading as marvellous literature anyway- one of the most funny books about love! The shorter Cures of Love and Facial Treatment for Ladies are only short Appendices, but also nice to read. With all these works Ovid proves to be a master of the art of love as well as of poetry.

Any fan of G.K. Chesterton would enjoy Peters' synopsis of the Topsy Turvy Giant's thoughts on the arts. Peters provides an excellent synopsis of the subject. His most admirable quality in writing this book is allowing Chesterton to speak for himself.

Peters hit the nail on the head in summarizing Chesterton's opinion of art and how it uniquely qualifies man as children of God. Chesterton argued that the arts show the difference between men and animals to be qualitative and not quantative. A man does not paint more than a monkey! He paints!

Peters accurately states that "in Chesterton's view, the arts are the very essence of humanity, the very thing that differentiates the human from the nonhuman, in that sense the very breath of life from God."

If you have never read Chesterton before, I recommend that you start with Orthodoxy, Everlasting Man or Heretics. Once you get one or more of these under your belt you will not only understand what Peters is getting at, but you will also have a greater desire to find out just what Chersterton had to say on the subject, why it is important to man, and what significance it has for the Christian.

To that end, I recommend this as your second or third Chesterton book. Happy reading!

Thomas Peters does an excellent job of presenting G.K. Chesterton's thoughts and observations on imagination and the arts. This book is a wonderful and much needed antidote to today's cultural climate, in which the arts establishment seems to value ugliness and outrageousness above all. Here are a few of GKC's countercultural opinions: Fashionable nihilism and pessimism are among the greatest threats to the free and fruitful imagination; humility and wonder enhance creativity, while pride inhibits it; good poetry has rhyme and rhythm; there's nothing wrong with beauty in art; a play should be a treat for the audience, not a realistic slice-of-life; it is not a legitimate use of the arts to make people either bad or unhappy; the "higher frivolity" is better than the "higher criticism" and other pretensions. You'll find all this and more in this well-written book, which includes many quotations (and a few drawings) from GKC himself. And it's all at least as relevant today as it was in Chesterton's time.

Mr. Peters has done a great job at presenting the essence of the creative Chesterton in this short but fulfilling book. While much certainly has been written on Chesterton's brilliant reasoning or his political philosophies, at the root of his thinking was the simple idea that God saw creation as a pleasing thing, and so should we. Chesterton brought not only his firmly-rooted faith, but also a child-like wonder and a fantastic imagination to everything he wrote about, from sociology to satire. Peters' book is a satisfying primer on this idea, and it draws from a diversity of material. Each chapter gives a brief, but not abstract, summary of an aspect of Chesterton or his work. One, for instance, gives an overview of GKC's forays into songwriting, drama and illustration, while another outlines his views on art critics and "bohemians" -- people who Chesterton saw as possessing a distinct lack of imagination. The last chapter serves as an overview of Chesterton's writing career. The book is not exhaustive by any means, but it is complete. Artists and writers will appreciate this book, and I would especially recommend it to those relatively new to Chesterton, as you will find it to be a valuable and informative introduction, as well as an enjoyable read.

The third book in the Brother Cadfael series, "Monk's Hood," is a powerful parable of forgiveness.

The more I read of this series, the better it gets. I recommend it to anyone.

Historically, I have not been much of a reader of mystery writers. The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael have made me a fan of Ellis Peters's writing. She does not write the one-sided characters that too often fill such books. She consistently surprises me with the depth and realistic humanity of her characters. This is seen most clearly in the "villain" of "Monk's Hood."

Peters's vision of medieval Shrewsbury becomes, like Cadfael and fellow monks, more interesting with each book. It is a perfectly conceived (or reconstructed) world in which to act out her tales.

I am pleased to see Brother Robert's return to a place of prominence within the storyline. He is the perfect personification of pomposity-a delightful foil for the straightforward Cadfael.

I give a heartfelt recommendation to "Monk's Hood" and the whole Cadfael series. Check it out.

"Monk's-Hood" is Ellis Peters' third Brother Cadfael mystery, following nicely on from "One Corpse Too Many". It is set at the close of the year 1138. Almost six months have elapsed since King Stephen's army laid siege to and finally took the English town of Shrewsbury. But, whilst the King may have withdrawn his forces, and departed the town to impress his claim to the English throne on other areas of the Kingdom, murderous deeds are still afoot on the Welsh Marches. And, once again, Brother Cadfael finds himself firmly in the midst of it all.

The tale this time involves the mysterious poisoning of a guest of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul, by means, what's more, of one of Brother Cadfael's own healing concoctions. With his own - as well as the Abbey's - honour at stake, Cadfael refuses to let matters lie, especially when the sheriff's somewhat over-zealous sergeant appears to be rather hastily leaping to the wrong conclusion as to who is responsible for the dire deed. To add further complications to the task before our mediaeval sleuth, Cadfael suddenly finds himself confined to the Abbey precincts by a more than usually overweening Prior Robert. As always, though, Cadfael's greater humility and wit (aided somewhat by divine providence) win out in the end, with our hero triumphing over arrogant authority of both secular and cloistered varieties.

Ellis Peters uses her own flawless wit and easy flowing prose to spin an enchanting and compulsive story around the central mystery, although the book is not really of the classic whodunnit mould. Her ingenious tale of family intrigue unfolds at a wonderfully leisurely pace, with the reader following a tantalising breadcrumb trail of snippets of information, released at just the right rate to ensure that the reader does not solve the mystery before Cadfael himself. Along the way, we learn something of the complex political and social webs common to Mediaeval life on the English/Welsh borders, as well as much more about the past life of the book's central character. As ever, attention to historical detail is meticulous.

Whether you read this book in sequence or not depends on how much of a purist you are. Reading later volumes before this one will give away something of the book's very ending, though not so much that it will in any way be spoiled. Reading this (or any later ones) before the first two would be a mistake, though, as that undermines some aspects of the first volumes' mysteries. There is no need to have read any earlier volumes, though, if you just want to pick this one up and enjoy it!

One nice thing about historical mysteries is that they withstand the test of time so well. The Brother Cadefel series is now well into its third decade but the writing (and the reading) remains fresh and entertaining. This book won the British Silver Dagger (top runner up for best novel) in 1980 and it could still be a contender.

This episode has Cadefel defending the child of his childhood sweetheart after the poisoning of her new husband. We learn a bit more about Cadefel's background - both in Wales and as a Crusader. Hugh Beringer returns as the honest and smart deputy. I also rather liked Cadefel's new assistant, Mark - a monk with spunk. The action takes Cadefel to the Welsh borderlands and it's fun to see him in a new context.

Bottom-line: Not exactly a page-turner but a wonderful read to savor and enjoy over a couple of days.

This is the 12th book that I've read in this series. I'm reading them in order, but I read a couple of the later ones before going back to start from the beginning. Like all the others, this one is nicely written. Peters' command of the English language is impressive. Her ability to portray life in 12th century England is also impressive. These stories are good period pieces. I have enjoyed all of the episodes I've read so far.

On the other hand, this particular installment is not the most mysterious of Brother cadfael's mysteries that I have read. It is clear from early on who the ordinary ruffians are. It is also clear who is troubled and has questionable motives. It only remains to clarify the relationship between two troubled young men to sort out the mystery. Further, the mystery doesn't have much immediacy for the reader, having taken place a considerable distance away and before the story opens. This story is also a bit "gushier" than most. The romantic angle is played up with a bit too much intensity and there is a "miraculous" healing during the story that fills a whole chapter and does little to further the plot.

I enjoyed this book. It was a pleasant and easy read. But, as a mystery, it was only mediocre. If you are a Cadfael fan, enjoy. But, if you're looking for a real whodunit, look elsewhere.

If you're interested in an audio edition, check that you're getting the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne.
Ideally, read all the preceding books in the series, in order, before reading this one. At a minimum, first read #1 (A Morbid Taste for Bones, the story of how the monastery came to have St. Winifred as its patroness) and The Virgin in the Ice, to avoid the biggest spoilers.

This June of 1141, the feast of the translation of St. Winifred dawns upon a time when the civil war between the Empress Maud and King Stephen for the throne of England may finally draw to a close: Stephen was captured at the battle of Lincoln, and even now Maud is negotiating with the city of London for her entry into Westminster for her coronation. The papal legate, Bishop Henry of Blois, brother to Stephen, has called a legatine council (including Abbot Radulfus from Shrewsbury) and is working on turning his allegiance to the empress, for the sake of peace. Hugh, sheriff of Shropshire for Stephen, broods on ways and means of getting a man into Bristol to free Stephen, and prays for a miracle, while using his friend Brother Cadfael as a sounding board.

Cadfael, too, is praying for a miracle - any miracle - at this feast of St. Winifred. Not from a desire for the abbey's glory, or from any faltering of his own faith, but as a sign that the saint took no offense from the events of _A Morbid Taste for Bones_, when he accompanied a delegation from the abbey to the saint's grave in Wales to bring back her mortal remains as holy relics. (Since that was before Hugh's arrival in Shrewsbury, Cadfael summarizes the story for him, so it's possible to follow the plot of _Pilgrim_ without reading _Bones_. But be warned that Cadfael reveals the ending of _Bones_ to Hugh.)

Abbot Radulfus returns in time for the festival, bearing word of a cowardly murder at the legatine council. The attempted murder of the envoy of Stephen's queen failed, but Ranulf Bossard, the brave man of the empress' party who foiled the attempt, was himself cut down in the street.

All the brothers are busily preparing for the huge influx of pilgrims at this time of year, many of whom are ill and seeking miraculous healing. Brother Cadfael, as herbalist, sees some of the more noteworthy cases: Rhun, a devout half-Welsh boy with a twisted leg that might respond to treatment; his sister, Melangell; a young Welsh clark, Ciaran, traveling barefoot and wearing a large iron cross, on his way to Wales to die; Matthew, Ciaran's faithful shadow. There are less savory characters, as well, petty (and not so petty) career criminals who prey on the credulous and the frail. (Credulous, as in, people who trust a stranger's dice.) Some may even have fled from a city too hot to hold them.

Into this festival atmosphere rides a young envoy of the empress' party, on a twofold mission: to sound out Hugh on the question of his fealty, and to seek Bossard's young heir, who disappeared in this direction after his lord's death. But even if he is among the pilgrims, how can he be identified by those who have never seen him? And was he involved in Bossard's death?

It is A.D. 1141, A year that brings a tide of pilgrims to the Addey.

This is the tenth mystery in the series. You may want to start from the first to let the interacting mysteries reveal themselves in chronological order. This is the second one for me after "The Morbid Taste for Bones." I do have to warn you that the synopsis to "A Morbid Taste for Bones" and "Virgin in the Ice" is played out again somewhat in the first two chapters of this book.

What can not be portrayed in the short Cadfael movies and would make marvelous reading on its own is the inter action between the forces and reasons behind the vacillating positions of Empress Maud and King Stephen. This is also a crucial part of the story; as the loyalties and logistics play a major part in the mystery and people's lives.

I will not compare and contrast the people in the story or the differences in the film adaptation as the fun is finding out for your self, all the actions and interaction of people. I will say that none of this would have been possible with out the grace of St. Winifred.

It has been years since I have read one of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael mysteries. I had forgotten what a really good writer she was.

I found "The Devil's Novice" an entertaining companion for snowy winter days when I'm at home. The plot is excellent--I was indeed as interested in why the priest was murdered as by whom.

Peters' blending of historical events into her story and her descriptions of the 12th century English countryside are excellent as well.

The love story is rather saccharine however, and more people recover from their injuries than might have been the case in medieval England.

Still, this is a novel and a most enjoyable one. Ellis Peters had a great hero in Brother Cadfael and a marvelous command of the English language. Long may her books live.

The big mystery throughout this eighth of Ellis Peters' Chronicles of Brother Cadfael is not really who, in the depths of the Salop countryside one day in the late summer of the year of Our Lord 1140, committed murder most foul upon the person of Peter Clemence, cleric to Bishop Henry of Bois - but why! And also just what the connection might be between the unfortunate demise of a harmless cleric - seemingly not even relieved of his valuables - and the latest candidate to be accepted into the noviciate of Shrewsbury's abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, the nineteen-year-old, Meriet Aspley. For it is obvious, from the very opening of this book, to both reader and Brother Cadfael alike, that there is some dark secret haunting the latest entrant to the abbey. There is also little doubt that the sad fate of Peter Clemence has some bearing upon it. Equally obvious is that the mediaeval sleuth will need to have not only his wits but also all of his tact about him too, if he is to winkle out the truth behind matters here, both of the circumstances of the cleric's death and of young Meriet Aspley's sudden-found yearning for life within the cloister.

In her usual manner, Ellis Peters drip-feeds her hero and her readers alike with tantalising but measured trickles of information, permitting both to proceed but piecemeal (and at about the same pace as each other) towards the final revelation and the story's sudden resolution. Along the way, we are treated to the author's characteristically over-glamorised view of Mediaeval English life, with her entirely comforting (and rather touching) view of the honest goodness of the (Saxon) poor, as well as the essentially corrupt nature of those who would aspire to power (usually those overbearing Normans, of course).

In common with others of this series, this book presents a mix of romance and murder mystery, all set against a back-drop of political intrigue. In essence, then, we have here another classic from the Cadfael mould - an engaging read that taxes neither imagination nor credulity over much and which provides some fascinating glimpses of how things might have been in twelfth century Salop. It can be recommended to both established Cadfael fans and newcomers alike.

Brother Cadfael befriends a troubled novitiate and gets involved in a very confusing murder. Along the way he is more amused than he should be with Brother Jerome's ill treatment at the hands of the Devil's Novice. This book was as enjoyable as they come. Great characters and a very good mystery.

Ellis Peters creates a realistic atmosphere of medieval England, circa 1144 AD. What makes this otherwise run of the mill murder mystery with paper thin characterizations worthwhile is Ms. Peters' juxtaposition of religion and civil law to solve the crimes. The story involves the theft of the remains of the Welsh Saint Winifred during a flood and the seemingly related subsequent murder of young Brother Anselm. Law officer Hugh Beringar is very careful not to tread on the religious customs and priorities involved in "the holy theft" of this beloved saint. Hugh leaves it to the brotherhood to mete out the punishment for this type of felony. Otherwise, Brother Cadfael and the other denizens of the abbey at Shrewsbury work hand in hand with the civil authorities to bring the culprits to justice.

Adding to the story element of mystery and mysticism are some of the rituals utilized by the churchmen to help them in solving the crimes. A particularly engaging episode concerns their random selection of passages from the New Testament to guide them in their quest. Ms. Peters also makes colorful reference to blackthorn leaves in Brother Cadfael's efforts to resolve the mystery.

Ideally, read all the preceding books in the series, in order, before reading this one. At a minimum, first read #1 (_A Morbid Taste for Bones_, the story of how St. Winifred's reliquary came to the abbey) to avoid spoiling the end of that book, and _The Potter's Field_, which introduced the Blounts of Longner. If you're interested in an audio edition, check that you're getting the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne.

In the summer of 1144, Geoffrey de Mandeville - after more than a year of running the Fens as his own private robber kingdom - was shot almost by accident during a siege, and died from the infected wound. His lengthy death gave him no chance to receive absolution - only the Pope could have absolved one guilty of the seizure of the abbey of Ramsey - but Geoffrey's followers did what they could for him, restoring the despoiled abbey to its scattered monks. Thus the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul receives two guests of their own order from Ramsey - grim subprior Herluin and his appealing assistant Tutilo - asking leave to preach. Ramsey needs money, materials, and labour to undo the damage left by Geoffrey's marauders.

Herluin guided their footsteps to Shrewsbury not only to request assistance, but to recall Sulien Blount of Longner, sometime novice of Ramsey, who was sent home to reconsider his vocation. (See _The Potter's Field_ for details.) Cadfael, therefore, accompanies Herluin and his young companion Tutilo to Longner to speak with Sulien - and appeal for the Blounts' generosity toward Ramsey. While Herluin pursues his errand, Cadfael introduces Tutilo to Sulien's dying mother, the formidable Donata, who is more than happy to welcome a bard, even if he's now a novice monk. (Their friendship, brief as it is, is touching.) Young Tutilo is what would now be called a renaissance man, and would be wasted as a monk - if he ever gets that far after meeting the Irish girl Daalny, slave to the Provencal troubadour staying at the abbey guesthouse. Daalny's voice is such as to attract any musician - part of the troubadour's stock in trade. Nevertheless, Tutilo seems passionate enough on Ramsey's behalf.

Unfortunately, someone appears to have been a little *too* enthusiastic for Ramsey's sake - while preparing for a flood, someone stole St. Winifred's relics, and the chief suspects are the brothers of Ramsey. How, after all, could anyone steal the reliquary if the saint didn't *want* to go elsewhere? To further complicate the ensuing dispute over the saint's wishes, the reliquary comes into the hands of Earl Robert "Bossu" Beaumont, a brilliant man with a sly sense of humor who decides to further complicate matters by pointing out that the saint came to rest in *his* care and seems content to stay there. (Robert - who was a real person, incidentally - here makes his debut in the series as a very impressive figure; the crooked back that gave him his nickname doesn't hinder him at all.) Only Brother Cadfael and his confidant Hugh Beringar know just how complicated this situation really is - before a man on the fringes of the quarrel is murdered on a dark night. But was he killed for himself - or because he was mistaken for one of the disputants?

Very nicely ties up some loose ends from _The Potter's Field_, while raking up the old problem of the reliquary very creatively. Robert Bossu alone would be worth the price of admission. :)

It goes without saying that stealing is one of the sins in life--and with her usual characteristic zeal, author Ellis Peters adds murder to that list!

In "The Holy Thief," the 19th chronicle of Brother Cadfael, Peters continues her top-flight form of the medieval whodunnit and, as usual, her protagonist, the good Benedictine monk, rides to the rescue and solution.

The year is 1144--and still King Stephen and Empress Maud are struggling in an interminable civil war, with no solution in sight. However, that historical fact is mere backdrop--as it usually is--to a more local concern. A renowned earl (Essex) is killed by an arrow, but not before he tries to make amends with Heaven by restoring some of the properties he had earlier "gained." This includes the abbey of Ramsey, a run-down site badly in need of more worldly help. The abbey sends envoys out, and one such envoy arrives in Shrewsbury, at the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Cadfael's domain. The envoy includes Brother Herluin and his young novice Tutilo, who possesses a great singing voice along with other musical skills. In Shrewsbury is also, as the plot would have it, a beautiful slave girl (also a singer) named Daalny.

Suffice it to say, Peters lays a solid romantic setting. But the rains come, so much so that much of the abbey's possessions, including the holy relics, must be moved to safety. But not so safely after all, as a theft is discovered. And this soon leads to--you have it--a murder.

And Cadfael takes over. Using not only his brilliance, but his skills as the abbey's herbalist, Cadfael wastes no time in carefully solving the crime. Of course, as in all the Cadfael adventures, the murder is solved. The solution rarely comes easily for this ex-crusader, nor should it. Peters does not rush into her novels, which are characterized by logic and sound research.

Peters' very successful series has been adapted to TV, and while the episodes are generally very good, the televised portrayal of both Cadfael and the story line leaves quite a bit to be desired, as good as they are. The books are the better choice. I have never been disappointed and "The Holy Thief" is no exception.

I just finished reading this book and it has helped me tremendously. I now know which direction to go in regards to Lewis' works. I'm not quite ready for "Mere Christianity", "The Four Loves", or even "Suprised by Joy." I know that based on the excerpts I read from this great book. I will now read "The Pilgrim's Regress" It should be good. I reccomend this book for anyone wanting to know more about Lewis and his works. Peter Kreeft does a fine job.

You can find a primer much better than this. Lewis may well be the most influential Christian of this century, and deservedly so. His writings should be read by all Christians. No one has better given Christians a real sense of how the present (the shadows) and eternity (the real thing) interrelate.

This is the first Brother Cadfael mystery i've read. It was, perhaps, not the most fortuitous choice i could have made; certainly it was rather different from my expectation. Part of the difference can, of course, be explained by the fact that i have seen some four or five of the adaptations starring Derek Jacobi, so despite my best efforts i interpreted everything i read through that filter, seeing the characters in my mind according to their development in the television shows. The murder/mystery is well plotted out, though simple not quite simplistic, and nicely both hidden and revealed. I can point to the exact paragraph, sentence even, i was reading when i suddenly knew ~ not through anything revealed in that paragraph ~ the solution; the rest was mere reading to prove myself correct and see how Peters would handle the results of the revelation. Though this was not what i expected, i shall read another Cadfael book, just to learn a little more about him, and to see if i can't erase Jacobi's excellent interpretation from my mind.

This Brother Cadfael mystery was absolutely riviting; I couldn't put it down. I know it sounds cliche, but true. I have been reading the books in order and this is the best one so far. I was totally engrossed in the plot and characters. The silent monk and the former nobleman turned monk were beautifully formed characters. The interplay between the repeating characters of the series was at its best in this novel. It just made me want to finish the series, so I could start all over again. I highly recommend any of the Brother Cadfael mysteries, but feel they should be read in some sequence to understand the relationships between some of the characters - especially our dear Brother and Sheriff Hugh Beringer. They are one of the best detective pairings since Perry Mason and Paul Drake.

Ellis Peters will be missed. BUT! Now Brother Cadfael belongs to history, and the readers who love him so.

Start at the beginning and READ THIS SERIES! Miss Peters had an unparalleled gift for conjuring the most beautiful images with her words. I mean, how many people can write about the grim and gritty middle ages and almost make you want to live there? When Cadfael digs in his garden and breathes in the scent of his herbs, you are there, my friend.

Truly my favourite volume of this 20 book series. EP gives us two of the most amazing characters and a plot line that roves all over England and still keep you guessing. Treasure this book, you will read it over and over again.

Ellis Peters' fourth Brother Cadfael mystery is set in the summer of 1139, in a Shrewsbury still recovering from the siege of town and castle by the army of King Stephen the previous summer. To speed the rebuilding of its defences, the townsfolk are eager for financial help from the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which, being located just outside the town, came through the episode of the siege without harm. With the lucrative annual three-day St. Peter's fair fast approaching, the burghers of the town are anxious to secure a share of its profits - normally given over entirely to the abbey. The new abbot, however, is far from anxious to set a dangerous precedent by ceding away the abbey's dues.

Thus it is that merchants arriving from distant towns for the fair find themselves suddenly embroiled in a dispute between town and cloister - and embroiled rather too deeply for comfort as the town's youth escalate the situation out of hand. And so it is that Shrewsbury (and therefore Brother Cadfael, of course) suddenly finds itself with the mystery of another murder (and various other nefarious goings-on) to solve.

With her characteristic meticulous attention to period detail, Ellis Peters weaves an intricate web of deceit and intrigue into this far from obvious murder mystery. As usual, she balances the political manoeuvrings of the principal parties with the playing out of a separate romantic sub-plot. This serves to keep the reader (and, in this case, Cadfael too) guessing almost up to the very end as to the real drama running through the story and, of course, to the identity of the villain of the piece. Indeed, the reader is well into the nail-biting conclusion to the story before realising fully what has been going on.

Peters' writing style ensures that this book is as enjoyable as Brother Cadfael books ever are. Fans of the mediaeval sleuth may be somewhat disappointed to find that he actually has very little to do here beyond collating the pieces of others' findings but this does not really detract from the tale over all. If the Cadfael books are new to you, I would really recommend reading the first two volumes before any others to truly get the most from them. On the other hand, if you are not interested in reading the whole series but simply want an evocative tale of mediaeval England, then you need look no further than this.

Of the chronicles of Brother Cadfael that I have thus far read, "St. Peter's Fair" is the most "mystery-like." No cut and dried solution springs to mind as the plot unfolds. This one had me guessing for some time.

All the regular ingredients of the previous stories are here: Political wrangling, personal intrigue, a love story, and of course--a murder.

Cadfael once more is a treasure trove of wisdom. Some of his lines here are classic. Cadfael is a very noble, very humane, world-weary protagonist. Ellis Peter has truly created a detective for the ages in him.

In "St. Peter's Fair" Cadfael is up against one heck of a baffling case. He and Hugh Berengar (my favorite secondary character) team up to try and solve the murder of a visiting merchant. I have no desire to give the ending away. I will only say that "St. Peter's Fair" has the added bonus of a chase scene.

"St. Peter's Fair" is a worthy entry in this series. The more I read of Ellis Peters, the greater my respect for her becomes. I recommend this book highly.

St. Peter's Fair is another excellent Brother Cadfael chronicle by Ellis Peter's. She continues the story of a monk inside the monastery, who has already seen much of the world. St. Peter's Fair opens with a controversy between the locals and monastery. The local people of Shrewsbury feel that the monastery is reaping unjust benefit from the fair without giving the town its just due. Soon a merchant at the fair is found murdered and a local is implicated.

Cadfael uses the skills he developed outside of the monastery to help track the murderer. Aiding him is Hugh Beringar, who was introduced in a previous chronicle. Cadfael continues to develop as a warm, loving human, who has a sense of justice.

Ellis Peters is a must for any fan of medieval tales.

I am a Brother Cadfael junkie. Ms. Peters depth of detail brings the period to life. The social structure and mores of both England in 1041 and the Benetictine order are a facinating contrast to today. If you have never enjoyed a Brother Cadfael, I do suggest that you start with the first "A Morbid Taste for Bones".

The fourteenth Cadfael book I have read and it was as enjoyable as the first thirteen. I admit that some of the plots have been predictable, but this is easily overlooked because Peters does such an expert job at bringing the 12th century to life, and Cadfael is such an entertaining character.

This particular installment happens to be one of the better mysteries in the series. Like the previous thirteen, it is a well-written and finely crafted story, but there are also some clever surprises. It is a cut above the average Cadfael book, but doesn't quite reach the five star qualities of the first two (Morbid Taste for Bones and One Corpse Too Many) that are true mystery classics.

The Hermit of Eyton Forest if focused around a young boy named Richard Eaton, who's father recently died from a disease of war. His father place him in the Benedictine Abbey School. The abbot at the abbey says that his father wanted him to be schooled there until he was an adult. His grandmother wants him to come home so she can force him to marry and join his manor with a neighboring one. This starts a mindboggling medievil mystery that everyone should love.