Best 1982 Adventures (8)

By: Joshua Glenn
December 12, 2017

One in a series of 10 posts identifying Josh Glenn’s favorite 1982 adventure novels. Happy 35th anniversary!

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Ellis Peters’s Brother Cadfael historical whodunit The Virgin in the Ice.

The sixth installment in the 20-part Brother Cadfael series, which is set between about 1135 and about 1145, during the destructive contest for the crown of England between King Stephen and Empress Maud, is considered one of the best ones. It finds Cadfael (pronounced Cad-file) looking to solve the rape and murder of a beautiful young nun. Was she done in by the band of marauders roaming the countryside? Meanwhile, a sister and brother of noble birth are lost in the frozen woods, and one of Empress Maud’s followers is seeking them — at his own peril, since Shrewsbury is loyal to King Stephen. Cadfael, a former Crusader turned healer and holy man, assists his close friend, the sheriff Hugh Beringar, in a counter-attack against the marauders, helps rescue one of the children, and nurses an insane monk… who may be the nun’s killer.

Fun facts: “Ellis Peters” was the pen name of linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter. I am indebted to my brother-in-law, Lawry Hutcheson, for encouraging me to read this fun series.

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Let me know if I’ve missed any 1982 adventures that you particularly admire.

Categories

Adventure, Lit Lists