Saturday, September 25, 2010

SM5S: Time's Legacy by Barbara Erskine

A fun way to add variety to review formats this meme was created by Alipet at That's A Novel Idea.

Jenners at Life.....With Books has the Mr Linky each week so we can share our posts .


1 book I read.......Time's Legacy by Barbara Erskine

2 words that describe the book....Pyschic connection

3 settings and/or characters I met:

  • Set in England, Glastonbury (again) the story moves between two time periods - the present day and the last few years BC.

  • Abi Rutherford is delighted with her new position as curate to the rector of St. John's, a sprawling Cambridgeshire parish but it doesn't take long before his strange erratic behaviour becomes so disturbing she walks out on her new job. Filled with doubts and uncertain about her future she is sent on retreat to friends of the Bishop who live at Glastonbury. In the garden of the house are ancient ruins and the family have always accepted the presence of a ghostly figure but Abi has psychic abilities and soon finds herself making a connection with long ago people and events.

  • Gaius Atilius Geminus and his family - Romans who came to Britain to escape the persecution of Gaius' spiteful twin brother Flavius and lived in this same place.
4 things I liked/disliked about the book:

  • I liked the time period. When Ynys yr Afalon , the Isle of Apples, was considered one of the most sacred places of the Western Isles ,  was home to the College of Druids and the cleverest teachers and healers in the world. It isn't hard to imagine the presence of a gentle-eyed stranger. a young man called Yeshua with extraordinary healing gifts, come to learn from ancient Druid lore. His life will become entangled with the family of Gaius when an unwelcome Flavius shows up.

  • I like the supernatural and psychic elements - the struggle of the modern day Church to accept and integrate the practice of these abilities and alternate healing methods into its doctrine. It poses the question of what Jesus would think of what time has done to his legacy.

  • I always enjoy Barbara Erskine's books. She manages the flow between time periods effortlessly , her imagery of is vivid and the central plot of both eras is full of suspense and thrills and sure to keep those pages turning.

  • The only small complaint I have is that there were parts of the present day story that seemed to become a bit repetitive and for that reason I don't think this is one of her best novels.
5 Stars or less for my rating:

4 Stars for Time's Legacy............Wonderful reading. I wait patiently for each new book, gooble them up in a few short days and then with a sigh of regret realise I have to wait months for the next one. Nothing like time spent with a favourite author.



5 comments:

  1. This book sounds like an enjoyable read and one that I would like. I do like the idea of different time periods. And the overall church concept sounds intriguing. I am glad to know that you felt the present day had some repetitive stuff; good to know.

    I remember seeing this book elsewhere; thanks for brining it back to my mind.

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  2. Must remember to try this one day :)

    Aww Erskine, she is fun, I should read her again

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  3. I am just reading my first ever Erskine at the moment. So far it is only the modern story which I am not sure of, but it is very early days yet!

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  4. I know what you mean about feeling like you want to savor and hang onto a favorite author's books because if you gobble them up too fast, you won't have them to read!

    Oh ... and you should probably change the link in the beginning of your post to my new URL so people can find the SM5S link easier.

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  5. Jenners - done!

    Marg - must come ans see what you're reading.

    Blodeuedd/Deanna - it's good reading.

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