COVEN

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining story and not much else
Review: First of all, this is a very obviously atheistic and rationalistic book. The moral of the story is "Ignorance kills, and religious belief is the supreme ignorance." The main character is thwarted at every turn by belief in superstition, magic and deity - both her own and others' - and these irrational beliefs are held responsible for the gruesome deaths and violence that make up the main plot of the story. This is not a book that will appeal to intelligent theists of any stripe.

Second of all, the story is really not believable. The portrayal of a coven of witches as basically Christian nudists who worship an extra deity and are constantly horny is even more ridiculous when paired with the author's assertion that "witches not unlike the ones in this book live throughout Britain and much of Europe." The entire doctrine of the "old religion" as portrayed in this book is "Sex = Good." The only adjective used to describe the witches' God, Herne, is "randy."

That said, the plot flows rather well and the writing is good, but it's unfortunate that the very thing the book promotes, rational thought, makes it nearly impossible to appreciate.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining story and not much else
Review: First of all, this is a very obviously atheistic and rationalistic book. The moral of the story is "Ignorance kills, and religious belief is the supreme ignorance." The main character is thwarted at every turn by belief in superstition, magic and deity - both her own and others' - and these irrational beliefs are held responsible for the gruesome deaths and violence that make up the main plot of the story. This is not a book that will appeal to intelligent theists of any stripe.

Second of all, the story is really not believable. The portrayal of a coven of witches as basically Christian nudists who worship an extra deity and are constantly horny is even more ridiculous when paired with the author's assertion that "witches not unlike the ones in this book live throughout Britain and much of Europe." The entire doctrine of the "old religion" as portrayed in this book is "Sex = Good." The only adjective used to describe the witches' God, Herne, is "randy."

That said, the plot flows rather well and the writing is good, but it's unfortunate that the very thing the book promotes, rational thought, makes it nearly impossible to appreciate.