Eifelheim by Michael Flynn, 481 pages
In
the twenty-first century, historian Thomas searches for answers to two
questions. Why was the Black Forest town of Oberhochwald abandoned in
the fourteenth century and never resettled? And why was its name
changed to Eifelheim?
In the fourteenth century, Dietrich, the local priest, has
questions of his own. Who are the strange visitors who claim to come
from beyond the spheres? And why, despite their incredible command over
the forces of nature, do they know nothing of the soul?
Flynn writes with an easy competence, whether the subject is
quantum physics or scholastic philosophy, but the novel's greatest
strength is his considerable wit. He is also confident enough to leave
certain things ambiguous, so this is definitely not a novel for those
who demand closure. On the other hand, those who like books set in the
Middle Ages and those who like books about alien encounters will both
love this book.
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