Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Headline Book Publishing (1990), Paperback, 160 pages
Description
"Three classic stories featuring Brother Cadfael . . . whose powers of deduction are practically miraculous" in the Silver Dagger-winning medieval mystery series (Booklist). "Brother Cadfael sprang to life suddenly and unexpectedly when he was already approaching sixty, mature, experienced, fully armed and seventeen years tonsured." So writes Ellis Peters in her introduction to A Rare Benedictine--three vintage tales of intrigue and treachery featuring the monastic sleuth who has become the best-loved ecclesiastical detective since Father Brown. Although Cadfael has appeared in twenty novel-length chronicles, the story of his entry into the monastery at Shrewsbury has been known hitherto only to a few readers. Now his myriad fans can discover the chain of events that led him into the Benedictine Order.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Meredy
Six-word review: Cadfael's backstory, meant for series fans.
Extended review:
I sought out and read this small volume when I'd completed fourteen of the twenty novels in the Brother Cadfael series. Having come to know the crime-solving medieval monk fairly well by this time, I was interested in the
Any time after the second or third chronicle, when I was already well entrenched as a series reader, I'd have welcomed this amplification of Cadfael's personal history.
However, I think the three short stories under this cover would have made for a poor introduction to the series; they were meant primarily to fill in background rather than to attract new readers. As such, they perform their function well. I don't think it's altogether fair to rate them independently. Rather, a newcomer to the series and the character would do best to start with the first or second of the novels, and come looking for Cadfael in his pre-Shrewsbury days only when moved by curiosity.
Extended review:
I sought out and read this small volume when I'd completed fourteen of the twenty novels in the Brother Cadfael series. Having come to know the crime-solving medieval monk fairly well by this time, I was interested in the
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story that explains how and why he made his unexpected transition in middle age from the life of a fighting man to a pledge of poverty, chastity, and obedience behind monastery walls.Any time after the second or third chronicle, when I was already well entrenched as a series reader, I'd have welcomed this amplification of Cadfael's personal history.
However, I think the three short stories under this cover would have made for a poor introduction to the series; they were meant primarily to fill in background rather than to attract new readers. As such, they perform their function well. I don't think it's altogether fair to rate them independently. Rather, a newcomer to the series and the character would do best to start with the first or second of the novels, and come looking for Cadfael in his pre-Shrewsbury days only when moved by curiosity.
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LibraryThing member Othemts
Another Cadfael volume, this one a collection of short stories, none of them very interesting. The first is closest in that it tells the story of Cadfaels return to Britain from the Crusades and how he became a monk. He solves a mystery involving his master as a man for hire and the Benedictines
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first of course. Show Less
LibraryThing member seoulful
For those of us who through reading many books about Brother Cadfael have wondered about his decision to enter the Benedictine Order as an adult, Ellis Peters has nicely given us background in this book. Following an active life as a soldier of the Crusades, Brother Cadfael, in a short story
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entitled, "On the Road to Woodstock," turns his back on a life of violence and adventure for the ordered, regulated life of a monk. Two other short stories grace this book all written with the wit and care for historical detail that we have come to expect in Ellis Peters. Show Less
LibraryThing member juniperSun
This collection of 3 short stories in the Brother Cadfael series is wonderful. Peters shows her skill at bringing out the depth of Cadfael's understanding of human nature and compassion for human foibles. I especially liked the first story, "A Light on the
Road to Woodstock" which shows a little of
Road to Woodstock" which shows a little of
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the background of Brother Cadfael & why he decided to join the monastery. Show Less
LibraryThing member DWWilkin
A collection of three short stories, interspersed with drawings, as if they were wood cuts by Clifford Harper in my edition, the 150 pages shrinks to even less. Certainly the stories round Cadfael out as they are before Hugh Beringar, and the first even before he is a Benedictine Monk.
But we have
So no great historical depth, no murder, some crimes that Cadfael is on hand to solve. These stories might have served in a mystery magazine, and a couple more would have made a book. The use of the illustrations, and the writing itself, not as all encompassing as the novels gives a less than satisfying send off to our hero. Cadfael will be missed, but one has hopes that the genre has been greatly enriched by Peters/Pargeter and now there are many other mysteries set during this very period.
But we have no murder amongst them, though the attempt in one. We have seen that Pargeter/Peters can excell at telling the story in the context of an Historical Novel and indeed, there is some Introduction where she dwells on the development of Cadfael. The three short stories though give little historically for us, the first giving us some events of importance to the times, but when the chance is there for us to see deeper on what those events will mean, and did mean as they happened, we are denied. (When Henry I lost his son, the ensuing Civil War between Stephen and Maud was set up which serves as the background throughout the entire series.)
But we have
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no murder amongst them, though the attempt in one. We have seen that Pargeter/Peters can excell at telling the story in the context of an Historical Novel and indeed, there is some Introduction where she dwells on the development of Cadfael. The three short stories though give little historically for us, the first giving us some events of importance to the times, but when the chance is there for us to see deeper on what those events will mean, and did mean as they happened, we are denied. (When Henry I lost his son, the ensuing Civil War between Stephen and Maud was set up which serves as the background throughout the entire series.)So no great historical depth, no murder, some crimes that Cadfael is on hand to solve. These stories might have served in a mystery magazine, and a couple more would have made a book. The use of the illustrations, and the writing itself, not as all encompassing as the novels gives a less than satisfying send off to our hero. Cadfael will be missed, but one has hopes that the genre has been greatly enriched by Peters/Pargeter and now there are many other mysteries set during this very period.
But we have no murder amongst them, though the attempt in one. We have seen that Pargeter/Peters can excell at telling the story in the context of an Historical Novel and indeed, there is some Introduction where she dwells on the development of Cadfael. The three short stories though give little historically for us, the first giving us some events of importance to the times, but when the chance is there for us to see deeper on what those events will mean, and did mean as they happened, we are denied. (When Henry I lost his son, the ensuing Civil War between Stephen and Maud was set up which serves as the background throughout the entire series.)
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LibraryThing member MusicMom41
Angela on LT told me about this book and it intrigued me because I’ve been considering starting the Cadfael series. It contains three short stories that Peters wrote in 1988 to fill in some background on Cadfael before he became famous for solving crimes. The first story, “A Light on the Road
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to Woodstock,” gives a bit of history of his pre-monastery life and tells how he became a Brother at Shrewsbury Abbey. The second story, “The Price of Light” was my favorite. It takes place after he joins the Abbey and tells us a little about how the society of that age worked. It was also the best mystery in this book, even though it was not hard to guess most of the answers. The third story, “Eye Witness” was easy to solve early on but had a surprise (at least for me) twist at the end. Recommended, especially for fans Show Less
LibraryThing member amelish
Liked the first story best. Oh, and the cover.
LibraryThing member SLamkin
Wonderful! Ellis Peters gives us a wonderful bruef background sketch of Cadfael's life and how he came to become a Benedictine munk.
LibraryThing member Bill.Bradford
Brother Cadfael was my introduction to historical mysteries. This collection of three short stories is noted most for an introductory tale that explains how Cadfael became a monk at the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul just outside Shrewsbury. The short stories display the same Cadfael as we find in
Cadfael is an excellent introduction to the genre.
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the later tales, and not only the first, but the second as well, are set before the first story in the series and offer glimpses into the earlier days before the stories.Cadfael is an excellent introduction to the genre.
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LibraryThing member LadyoftheLodge
I was glad to read this backstory of Brother Cadfael's beginnings as a monk of Shrewsbury. Having read all the other Cadfael mysteries, this provided background that I wondered about. I also enjoyed the format of three novellas, and my illustrated edition with medieval woodcut appearance.
LibraryThing member VictoriaJZ
Enjoyable short stories...nothing too challenging but enjoyable and does feel as if there.
LibraryThing member SueinCyprus
Three medium-length stories featuring Brother Cadfael, including one about his initial call to monastic life, returning to England after the Crusades.
Well written and interesting with clever plots.
Well written and interesting with clever plots.
LibraryThing member MrsLee
Ellis Peters had written several of the Cadfael series, and he was well established in his habits and ways when she decided to write this prelude short story. It tells of the journey of his soul from Crusader to Benedictine monk. The other two short stories are more of the Cadfael we know and love,
I love the way Peters allows us to read people through Cadfael's eyes and thoughts. Even in that, we are shown their motivations, not told. There is much introspection, yet it isn't heavy or dreary.
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in shorter form.I love the way Peters allows us to read people through Cadfael's eyes and thoughts. Even in that, we are shown their motivations, not told. There is much introspection, yet it isn't heavy or dreary.
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LibraryThing member antiquary
I like this collection of three short stories chiefly for the first story, which tells how Cadfael became a monk. The illustrations are so-so, not as successfully medieval as say Pauline Baynes.
LibraryThing member fdholt
Ellis Peters has written ywenty novels about Brother Cadfael, a Benedictine monk serving in Shrewsbury in the 12th century. But how did he get there after a life as Crusader in the Holy Lands? A rare Benedictine gives us the answer to our questions in the first short story. Here he meets and helps
There are two other stories: a story of missing candlesticks and a robbery of Abbey funds. And only one almost dead body. Brother Cadfael solves each mystery by his knowledge of human nature. This is a welcome addition to the Cadfael Chronicles.
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Father (then Prior) Heribert and, at the same time, finds his life's work in middle age.There are two other stories: a story of missing candlesticks and a robbery of Abbey funds. And only one almost dead body. Brother Cadfael solves each mystery by his knowledge of human nature. This is a welcome addition to the Cadfael Chronicles.
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LibraryThing member jamespurcell
Three nic short stories about Cadfael's early days
LibraryThing member quondame
A pre-brother Cadfael story and two tails of misdeeds at and about the Abbey that could have happened any when, but are set before A Morbid Taste for Bones.
LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
One last visit to Brother Cadfael. A slim book containing 3 short stories written by Ellis Peters about Brother Cadfael's origins. I truly miss this author's works.
LibraryThing member kevn57
A short story collection that reveals Cadfael's first interaction with the monks of Shrewbury.
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
My mother gave me this book when I was last home (I come by my tendency to buy duplicate books honestly), and it wasn't until I was shuffling through my TBR a few days ago that I actually stopped and looked at this one. I wanted to know which books I needed to find to complete my collection of
I love this book! It's illustrated with beautiful color reproductions of medieval (or medieval-style) prints, and there's an introduction by Ellis Peters, explaining a few basic details behind the Cadfael series, like how it got started, how he got his name, and why she'd never written any stories about his crusading days. She's also very clear, in a manner that feels purposeful, that Cadfael never converted; his entrance to the abby was just the next step in his life; a life that was always one of faith and belief. It was a wonderful introduction, and I got a very real sense that Peters knew her character to his bones, understood him, and wanted to make sure his readers did too.
As for the stories themselves, the first one, A Light on the Road To Woodstock, does indeed take place before Cadfael's entrance into the abbey. In takes place as he returns to England for the first time after the wars, facing imminent unemployment, and looking to move on to a new phase in his life, though he doesn't know yet what it might be. His last assignment for the lord who employs him takes him to Richmond during a court dispute with the Shrewsbury Monastery. Here he meets the Prior of the Abbey and is confronted with a mystery concerning the Prior's disappearance.
This is not a fair play story; the mystery is solved by Cadfael's observance of the people he knows and the human nature he's familiar with, but he does not share those observances with the reader. Still, it's a lovely introduction to the man, and the story is a good one.
The second, my favorite of the three, is The Price of Light, the Christmas story. Here Cadfael has been a monk for 15 years. A man of means, whose life has been a waste, is beset by ill health and realises he must do something to 'earn' his redemption (read: buy it, as cheaply as possible). He gifts Shrewsbury Abbey with the rent from one of his holdings, and a pair of beautiful silver candlesticks, both for the betterment and maintenance of their Lady Chapel. The gifts are made on Christmas Eve, but on Christmas Day, the candlesticks have been stolen.
What follows is far more of a fair play mystery, with Cadfael poking about, observing, finding clues and sharing most of it with the reader. The plot is pretty good for a short form mystery, and the story itself is just really lovely. Ellis Peters understood the true grace that lies behind Christianity and faith, and she writes it beautifully - never, ever preaches it - but Cadfael and most of his brothers are written in a way that is consistent to both true Christianity and humanity, and the struggle between the two is a never-ceasing one.
The last story, Eye Witness, is a much more bog-standard short story mystery. It falls back on a few of the standard tropes. Man goes out to collect the rents, is bashed on the head and robbed, thrown into the river to drown, rescued, and cannot shed any light on who tried to kill him. His son is a suspect, of course, and Cadfael gleans the truth not only through observation, but by the time-worn tradition (in mysteries) of laying a trap!
The most pedestrian of the three, it's still a good story, and adds to the fuller picture of life at Shrewsbury.
My edition was done by Mysterious Press, and if you're a Cadfael fan who does not yet own this, I recommend it highly, both for the stories and the charm of the edition itself.
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Brother Cadfaels. Flipping through this one, I discovered it's a compilation of three prequel stories that Ellis Peters wrote over the years. Bonus: one of them took place over Christmas.I love this book! It's illustrated with beautiful color reproductions of medieval (or medieval-style) prints, and there's an introduction by Ellis Peters, explaining a few basic details behind the Cadfael series, like how it got started, how he got his name, and why she'd never written any stories about his crusading days. She's also very clear, in a manner that feels purposeful, that Cadfael never converted; his entrance to the abby was just the next step in his life; a life that was always one of faith and belief. It was a wonderful introduction, and I got a very real sense that Peters knew her character to his bones, understood him, and wanted to make sure his readers did too.
As for the stories themselves, the first one, A Light on the Road To Woodstock, does indeed take place before Cadfael's entrance into the abbey. In takes place as he returns to England for the first time after the wars, facing imminent unemployment, and looking to move on to a new phase in his life, though he doesn't know yet what it might be. His last assignment for the lord who employs him takes him to Richmond during a court dispute with the Shrewsbury Monastery. Here he meets the Prior of the Abbey and is confronted with a mystery concerning the Prior's disappearance.
This is not a fair play story; the mystery is solved by Cadfael's observance of the people he knows and the human nature he's familiar with, but he does not share those observances with the reader. Still, it's a lovely introduction to the man, and the story is a good one.
The second, my favorite of the three, is The Price of Light, the Christmas story. Here Cadfael has been a monk for 15 years. A man of means, whose life has been a waste, is beset by ill health and realises he must do something to 'earn' his redemption (read: buy it, as cheaply as possible). He gifts Shrewsbury Abbey with the rent from one of his holdings, and a pair of beautiful silver candlesticks, both for the betterment and maintenance of their Lady Chapel. The gifts are made on Christmas Eve, but on Christmas Day, the candlesticks have been stolen.
What follows is far more of a fair play mystery, with Cadfael poking about, observing, finding clues and sharing most of it with the reader. The plot is pretty good for a short form mystery, and the story itself is just really lovely. Ellis Peters understood the true grace that lies behind Christianity and faith, and she writes it beautifully - never, ever preaches it - but Cadfael and most of his brothers are written in a way that is consistent to both true Christianity and humanity, and the struggle between the two is a never-ceasing one.
The last story, Eye Witness, is a much more bog-standard short story mystery. It falls back on a few of the standard tropes. Man goes out to collect the rents, is bashed on the head and robbed, thrown into the river to drown, rescued, and cannot shed any light on who tried to kill him. His son is a suspect, of course, and Cadfael gleans the truth not only through observation, but by the time-worn tradition (in mysteries) of laying a trap!
The most pedestrian of the three, it's still a good story, and adds to the fuller picture of life at Shrewsbury.
My edition was done by Mysterious Press, and if you're a Cadfael fan who does not yet own this, I recommend it highly, both for the stories and the charm of the edition itself.
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LibraryThing member fuzzi
In this volume we are treated to three short stories of Brother Cadfael, including one which explains how he came to leave his military service, and join the Benedictines. Nice collection, entertaining.
LibraryThing member cmbohn
This book contains three stories about Brother Cadfael, one that occurred before he took the cowl and two that were later.
LibraryThing member walterhistory
The book is the final installment of the Brother Cadfael mysteries & least successful. The author was apparently at this point was no longer interested in the stories so it seems there was little attempt to match the turns & twists of her previous stories. Overall, the Brother Cadfael, with a mix
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of historical fiction & mystery set around the early 1100s, was well written. With the exception of this book, the series was well done. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
1988
Physical description
160 p.; 6.77 inches
ISBN
0747234205 / 9780747234203
Local notes
Brother Cadfael, 0
DDC/MDS
| Fic Mystery Peters |