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The Devil’s Novice

The Eighth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael

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The Devil’s Novice

By: Ellis Peters
Narrated by: Vanessa Benjamin
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Summary

Outside the pale of the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, in September of the year of our Lord 1140, a priestly emissary for King Stephen has been reported missing. But inside the pale, what troubles Brother Cadfael is a proud, secretive nineteen-year-old novice.

Brother Cadfael has never seen two men more estranged than the Lord of Aspley and Meriet, the son he coldly delivers to the abbey to begin a religious vocation. Meriet, meek by day, is so racked by dreams at night that his howls earn him the nickname the Devil’s Novice. Shunned and feared, Meriet is soon linked to the missing priest’s dreadful fate. Only Brother Cadfael believes in Meriet’s innocence, and only the good sleuth can uncover the truth before the boy’s pure passion leads him to the noose.

©1983 Ellis Peters (P)1997 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Amateur Sleuths Cosy Detective Historical Mystery Traditional Detectives Fiction

Critic Reviews

“Enchanting…Medieval England comes marvelously alive.”

(Washington Post)

“Each addition to the series is a joy. Long may the Chronicles continue.”

(USA Today)

“Peters’ customary mix of warmth, scholarship, and first-class storytelling.”

(Kirkus Reviews)
All stars
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A delightfully twisted tale of misunderstandings and misplaced loyalty. The narrator's male voices are uneven, all similar and unconvincing.

Good story, poorly narrated.

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Just love Cadfael. Narration ok and not as bad as other reviewers say: perhaps a male is better suited. A brilliant plot and believable telling.

Good all round

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It does no do to have a female try to read male roles. Not only does it spoil ones own idea of the character, bit, it is so badly done. It would be better to produce a good read without voice characterisations.

Why females try to read male parts or males the opposite.

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Another great story by Ellis Peters. She has been one of my favourite authors for decades. The reader was good, but not convincing. Should a Welsh former soldier sound like a toff Oxford scholar? Not to me. Even so, I will probably listen to the entire collection simply because I just love her stories and Brother Cadfael's sense of true justice.

Another great story by Ellis Peters, but ...

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I am a lover of the cadfael mysteries but the narration by Vanessa Benjamin is appalling which made it impossible to listen to. She does have a beautiful voice but her interpretation of the male voice is ludicrous! To have a female narrate a story of mostly male characters with the lead character requiring a mature male welsh accent is bizarre. Such a disappointment. The variation in volume of her voices was painful and caused me to quit listening after chapter four. Sorry audible u really got this one wrong.

Spoilt by awful narration

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