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Summary: Looking for more books by Phil Rickman?
Review: My wife and I recently "discovered" Phil Rickman's novels, when we picked up his latest ("Midwinter of the Spirit") in a bookstore in Tokyo. We have since ordered all of his other books. We both find his writing style to be engaging and suspenseful. His characterizations have the ring of truth; he has a keen ear for dialog. His 2 most recent novels, "Wine of the Angels" and "Midwinter of the Spirit", have a woman Anglican priest as the protagonist. (He is also working on additional titles with this character.)While the new titles have not been picked up by an American publisher, we can thank Amazon.com for making them available to us. I ordered them from Amazon.co.uk, and received them with the usual Amazon.com promptness. The titles not available in the US are: The Man in the Moss; The Chalice; The Wine of Angels; Midwinter of the Spirit And there is a new title coming out in February, 2001!
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Summary: I love Phil Rickman!
Review: Phil Rickman is utterly original in everything he writes. His books are scary and can chill you to the bone and this is a GREAT one!
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Summary: Intriguing, but leaves you wanting more
Review: Phil Rickman's 'Candlenight' has some great moments of suspense, and he does a great job of weaving several storylines and timelines together to create a good thriller. The basic plot deals with the Welsh town of Y Groes, a seemingly idyllic place where it rarely snows or rains, the people are happy, and life is good -- but only if you're Welsh. Outsiders seem to always come to an untimely, and sometimes gruesome, end. Rickman sets up the characters well, and there are several 'leads' in the story, who despite their varied backgrounds, all come together at the end of the novel, literally, in Y Groes. However, I read mixed messages about the attitude to Wales, its people, and Welsh nationalism. On the one hand, the unique culture of Wales is elaborated upon as distinctly different from the English. One the other hand, the majority of the Welsh characters are simplistic, whereas the others in the book -- especially American Berry Morelli and Englishman Giles Freeman -- are well-rounded characters. The middle of the book was great, and I was caught up in the action. The end also leaves something to be desired, and what I hoped would be a climax fizzled out with some unseen and wimpy developments, some of which could lead to an obvious sequel. Although I did enjoy this novel and will try another by this author, I hope that future stories are consistent, and not choppy.
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Summary: Intriguing, but leaves you wanting more
Review: Phil Rickman's 'Candlenight' has some great moments of suspense, and he does a great job of weaving several storylines and timelines together to create a good thriller. The basic plot deals with the Welsh town of Y Groes, a seemingly idyllic place where it rarely snows or rains, the people are happy, and life is good -- but only if you're Welsh. Outsiders seem to always come to an untimely, and sometimes gruesome, end. Rickman sets up the characters well, and there are several 'leads' in the story, who despite their varied backgrounds, all come together at the end of the novel, literally, in Y Groes. However, I read mixed messages about the attitude to Wales, its people, and Welsh nationalism. On the one hand, the unique culture of Wales is elaborated upon as distinctly different from the English. One the other hand, the majority of the Welsh characters are simplistic, whereas the others in the book -- especially American Berry Morelli and Englishman Giles Freeman -- are well-rounded characters. The middle of the book was great, and I was caught up in the action. The end also leaves something to be desired, and what I hoped would be a climax fizzled out with some unseen and wimpy developments, some of which could lead to an obvious sequel. Although I did enjoy this novel and will try another by this author, I hope that future stories are consistent, and not choppy.
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Summary: The book was better the second reading
Review: The atmosphere in the book doesn't match that of "Curfew." However, it is NOT badly written. It just isn't as exciting as the first book. Whether it is better than "December" will remain a matter of personal choice. The book does teach a bit of Welch, and it does get better on subsequent readings. Those who enjoy Phil Rickman will enjoy this, but it might be better to buy it used at a yard sale.
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Summary: First Book, Great tale of Ancestral Dealings in Wales
Review: This book is top notch in that it can introduce people to some of the feelings that still to this day divide the Kingdom of Great Britain and also give you a feel for the true ancestry of this wonderful island and some of the ghosts that will walk it forever till the end of time... Takes many unexpected twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish...
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Summary: Confusing at first, but...
Review: This novel is a very complex one. As is the author. With this type of novel you really have to pay close attention and you must be patient. That's what got me through this book. When I first started reading it, it kinda angered me, with all the confusing Welsh pronunciations and all. But less than half way through the novel, I grasped the story and I really began to enjoy it. There are some parts in it that seemed, to me, to be irrelevant. But, like I said it's a very complex peice. So if your into complexity, it's a book you should read. If you're not...you should still consider reading it.
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Summary: CREEPY IN SPOTS, SHORTFALL OVERALL
Review: This was an average book and if I had it to do over again, I probably would skip it. The basic storyline really had potential which it never seemed to meet. I was very excited about reading this book, set in Wales, but was disappointed throughout. The "chill" factor was low; although the kids and the Welsh schoolteacher were pretty creepy. Curfew was better. Candlenight almost seemed like it was written for Hollywood (B movie)
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