Midwinter of the Spirit

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I was introduced to Phil Rickman quite by chance several years back when he first produced Crybbe and was instantly hooked. The Welsh/English border is the perfect setting for his heady mix of celtic supernatural and modern new age characters. Existing in the twilight that is often so well depicted by James Herbert, he has produced, over the years, several linked tales that take you on the ancient paths of England's West Country invariably pulling fourteenth through seventeenth century tales of malice and horror to reemerge a sinister forces through the late twentieth century.So it is with Midwinter of the Spirit. A tale woven around exorcism and possession, our main protagonist is the return of Reverend Merrily Watkins from the Wine of Angels, a single mother who is prepared to both acknowledge and involve herself with the practical nature of exorcism. A lack of assistance by the outgoing resident and a continuing troubled relationship with her daughter leads Merrily to join forces with Lol Robinson (who'll crop up in A Crown of Lights and The Cure of Souls - a rough quartet we wonder? Or, perhaps the emergence of Rickman's favoured sleuth?) to investigate and eventually confront an ancient evil at the heart of the Cathedral where the shrine of St Thomas was destroyed.Rickman's works must rank him alongside James Herbert, and there are inevitable comparisons to King - though I think his work is of a different nature - and The Midwinter of the Spirit only confirms him as as established master of the supernatural thriller.

This book began for me, a fascinating journey through Phil Rickman's writing. The real strength of this book, and Phil Rickman's previous books, is that they stay totally believable, even as they take you on a journey into the depths of spooky rituals, mysterious deaths and dangerously creepy people.Merrily Watkins is a normal, thirty-something single parent, who also happens to be an Anglican priest and diocesan exorcist. She is at once a believable and vulnerable hero, relying more on her wits than on any supernatural powers. Exciting, intriguing, fascinating and scary - I loved it!

I think that this may be Rickman's best since December. A tightly woven story with a delightful cast of charactors. And what an ending! I was riveted. Merrily's first official "deliverance" is so horrible that it's wonderful. And in the end, you're literally hoping that the lights won't go out. Rickman's writing is tight and eloquent. He manages to walk the line between charactor and action with ease, something few authors can do. I can't wait to read the next one.

Midwinter of the Spirit is about exorcism, sexism, and catholicism, and reveals the darker side of all three! Wow, this really is an exciting read! Phil Rickman is the master when it comes to spine chilling tension - and this book must surely be his pinacle! I heartily reccommend this to anyone who enjoys an addictive supernatural read with exciting twists to the tale! Imaginative story, wonderfully written and based upon truth!?