The Potter's Field

I am sadly disappointed that the final few Cadfael books offered by Audible are heavily boiled down by editing to the point that little remains of the magic of Ellis Peters’ descriptive prose, which brings an ancient era to full, rich life in the first 15.

This destructive editing surely would be no Cadfael reader’s choice, and I see no reason for it.

I am pushing on, purchasing the truncated versions, but not happily; far too much is lost. And why? If I as a listener wish to hear the full 8 or more hours of a richly penned Cadfael adventure, why must I settle for a bare 3-hour version skeletonized by some editor who prefers brevity to imagination?

Left out of the hands of whatever editor was willing to strip them bare of the character development, relationships, 12th Century English culture, history, lifestyle and environment, the Cadfael novels are more than highly enjoyable. Boiled down by more than than half by such merciless editing, they are unremarkable reports.

This Audible listener would never have been captivated enough to avidly buy and listen as far as book 16, had the first 15 narrations she purchased been so abbreviated.

This is no criticism of Sir Derek Jacobi, the actor who narrates the digest versions; he reads what he was given to read, and he does what he can with it.

I would like to see Audible commission a narrator at least as talented as Jacobi, Tull, or some of the amazingly excellent English actors who have succeeded so well in bringing the works of various well-known authors of English mystery series to life, to properly re-narrate the unabridged Cadfael series, starting with those so sadly slashed (16 through 20). Those who enjoy Audible books should never be disappointed in this way.

If you could sum up Potter's Field in three words, what would they be?

Benedictine, detailed, historical

Who was your favorite character and why?

Cadfael, of course, because he's the reason we read the story.

What about Derek Jacobi’s performance did you like?

Everything. Every single thing.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, nothing extreme.