Kenneth j zahorski robert in Science Fiction & Fantasy Books

The delightfully unorthodox Abbess of Shaston is the intrepid star of this highly entertaining novel in stories. Rooted in the rich historical details of England and Jerusalem during the Crusades, the exploits of this compassionate yet unabashedly devious Abbess tap into the imaginative realm of fantastical creatures, magical conjurings and encounters with the Devil. Providing a refreshing change from today's typical fantasy heroines, Abbess Hodierna is neither an invincible sorceress nor a princess in disguise. She is clever and compassionate with an independent spirit, sensible though easily led astray by an insatiable curiosity. While leading an order of nuns devoted to maintaining neighborly felicity, she is also unapologetic about her feminist leanings -- a woman ahead of her time, but not trapped by it. In every vignette, the Abbess is drawn into personal disputes, political entanglements and even spiritual battles. A midst a swirl of kings and queens, Templars and Saracens, monks and nuns, spirits good and evil, the Abbess remains a calm, unshakeable presence. Whether shrewdly plotting a coup de main or matching wits with the Devil himself, she never fails to enchant the reader with her droll unconventiality and indomitable spirit. Highly praised for her Arthurian trilogy, The Three Damosels, Vera Chapman affirms her gift for literary fantasy with this captivating collection. Crafted with care and subtlety, the irrepressible but eminently lovable Abbess will endear herself to readers with her fresh feminist perspective of one woman's adventures during the time of the Crusades.