What do You think about Camber Of Culdi (1987)?
I have read this series several times. I like historical/fantasy, and this one has the appealing mix of non-human/church trouble, along with insider nonhumans who really believe in the church (some lovely Latin included). Written in the late '70s, I think, when most of this type of writing was in its less appealing/accessible stage. These characters, are completely identifiable, the plots and problems are plausible, the magic is believable (a particularly memorable magic healing included a refreshingly clinical perspective), the problems remain, in the real world, unsolved. I strongly recommend this series for those who like 'dark ages' historical fiction, with appealing (perhaps somewhat too good)characters and good, meaty difficulties.
—Shannon
This book, published in 1976, is not among the best fantasy I've read but does address one element of the genre that frequently annoys me. In constructing their faux-medieval worlds, most authors approximate the Europe of the Middle Ages but change the religious landscape without explaining how so many uniquely Catholic social institutions came to be. I often find myself asking of, for example, groups like George R. R. Martin's Night's Watch, "Wait, why are all these people celibate?" Katherine Kurtz addresses this nicely by leaving Christianity in place. Jesus Christ died on the cross, St. Benedict founded monasteries, learned people go around quoting Latin Psalms, etc. The continents of this world are shaped differently, and the equivalent of the Norman invaders have the ability to use magic, but otherwise the setting of this novel is very believably medieval England. I would recommend this novel to anyone who sympathizes with this observation.The weaknesses of this book lie mainly in the fact that reader is given no sense of what limits there might be to this magic (which seem to be dictated only by what is of use to the plot) and that the characters, while sympathetic, are not very deep. To be fair, this is not the first book set in this fictional world, and there are two more books in the series where the characters undoubtedly receive further development, but these stand out to me. Overall, however, it was an enjoyable and easy read.
—Peter Mottola
This is really the first book, chronologically. I love this series and it may well be my all-time favorite. It introduced me to magic and sword and sorcery and alternate worlds, and Katherine Kurtz's works for this series (The Deryni and Gwynedd) are really really good. The characters she draws I want to know (well, the ones that aren't villans), the land she creates is a place I want to live, the magic she describes is magic I would love to know. For me, the best way to read this series is in this order:The Legends of Saint Camber Camber of Culdi Saint Camber Camber the HereticThe Heirs of Saint Camber The Harrowing of Gwynedd King Javan's Year The Bastard PrinceThe Chronicles of the Deryni Deryni Rising Deryni Checkmate High DeryniThe Histories of King Kelson The Bishops Heir The King's Justice The Quest for Saint Camberand then the one called King Kelson's Bride. The childe Morgan series is good, too, but in a slight different style from the way she wrote the others.
—Edie
