Sir Derek and the Chronicles of a Truly Rare Benedictine.
When the decision was made to produce for TV several episodes from her mystery series about Brother Cadfael, that 12th century crusader turned monk turned detective who has been, ever since his creation, one of the most compassionate and unusual sleuths of literary history, novelist Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) was not entirely happy. In fact, as the series' star, Sir Derek Jacobi, explains in the extra footage provided on the now-released DVDs, Ms. Peters had very mixed feelings about giving up her brain child and entrusting it to other people who went about cutting and adjusting everything, from the storylines themselves to the way the protagonists speak and even the Chronicles' sequence, to the necessities and limitations set by the new medium. But she eventually acquiesced and at one point promised that "the next one I write, I'll make sure it's easier for you all to film."

While the thirteen episodes that were eventually produced are, thus, not entirely true to the individual Chronicles they are based on, they are closer than many other movie or TV versions of famous works of literature. Most importantly, they maintain not only the core story lines but also the historical authenticity, atmosphere and spirit set by Ms. Peters's books in a marvelous fashion. And Sir Derek Jacobi brings both the wealth of his experience and skill and all of his own shrewdness, intelligence, sense of humor and empathy to the role of the medieval Benedictine sleuth and thus truly becomes Cadfael -- for the thousands of new fans who are discovering the series through its enactment for TV just as much as for us who loved the books before they were ever transposed to a visual medium. A tremendous cast of supporting actors rounds out an overall excellent production; to mention just a few, Julian Firth as the ambitious and narrow-minded Brother Jerome, Terrence Hardiman as Abbot Radolfus and Sean Pertwee (and later Eoin McCarthy) as Under-Sheriff Hugh Beringar, who joins Cadfael in his investigations whenever, as is so often the case, these transcend the world of monastic life and require the administration of secular justice as well as clerical insight. Several episodes also feature noted guest stars.

The episodes are not entirely in the same order as the books; however, as most of the cross-references between the books have been eliminated in the screen versions, this is no great harm (although the lacking cross-references are probably one of the things avid readers of the books will find missing). The DVDs also provide background information on Ellis Peters, Sir Derek Jacobi and a number of the individual episodes' other actors.

Summary of the episodes contained in this set:

"The Pilgrim of Hate" (the tenth Chronicle): A cripple, his sister and two brothers on a painful pilgrimage meet at the Abbey during the annual feast of St. Winifred. Soon, the question arises whether religion is primarily penance or faith in God's love of mankind.

"The Potter's Field" (the seventeenth Chronicle): The discovery of the bones of a woman in a field once belonging to a potter turned monk leads Cadfael to unveil a harrowing tale of love, loss and a deadly wager.

"The Holy Thief" (the nineteenth Chronicle): Competitors for the possession of St. Winifred's relics show up in Shrewsbury! Then the holy bones disappear, a monk is found murdered -- and a tonsured troubadour finds his lady love.

Episodes contained in other sets:

First set:
"One Corpse Too Many" (the second Chronicle).
"Monk's Hood" (the third Chronicle).
"The Leper of St. Giles" (the fifth Chronicle).
"The Sanctuary Sparrow" (the seventh Chronicle).

Second Set:
"St. Peter's Fair" (the fourth Chronicle);
"The Virgin in the Ice" (the sixth Chronicle);
"The Devil's Novice" (the eighth Chronicle).

Third Set:
"A Morbid Taste for Bones" (the first Chronicle);
"The Raven in the Foregate" (the twelfth Chronicle);
"The Rose Rent" (the thirteenth Chronicle).

I love these stories!
I had never read the books or of this series when I bought the videos. Maybe because of this I really enjoyed the videos. I am a fan of Sir Derek Jacobi too as I have seen him in one other program and loved his acting. He seems to be perfect in this role. If you want a unique take on detective work, these can't be beat.

Not for Brother Cadfael fans
This set raises the question: why adapt a popular author's work and make so little effort to capture the spirit of her writing. If the writers/directors/producers don't like Ellis Peters' stories, why don't they create independent works and let them stand on their own? All this does is trick Peters's fans into buying something that will probably disappoint them and make it difficult for someone who actually likes the Cadfael stories to do a good video version of them. These don't have anything like the depth, breadth and historicity of Peters' books and they don't even try very hard.

My liking for the stories is strongly character driven, and unfortunately, however distinguished an actor Derek Jacoby may be, he's not really playing Cadfael in these tales. A few of the characters are well done: Brother Jerome, Prior Roberts. I think that is probably because the latter two characters fit very nicely into a jaundiced and rather shallow view of the Middle Ages.

I can't really separate my judgement of this from my knowledge of the books, so possibly someone who is not familiar with the books will enjoy these videos. None of the video versions are terribly good, but fans may want to watch the first series, which is far and away the best, just for some the visual images: its neat to watch the men walking around in their monastic robes, although I warn you that the quality of the costuming is extremely variable.

Brother Cadfael, Set 4
The Pilgrim of Hate

Your prayers are enough

Once again many things are not what they seem and it is up to Brother Cadfael to bring then to light. If you do not compare to the book it is a good film and well balanced. (Do not forget that the first two chapters of the book are revealed in detail in "A Morbid Taste for Bones" and "One Corpse Too Many")This story takes place years later.
From the back cover:
Cripples Day at Shrewsbury brings a hoard of disabled pilgrims to the abbey. Within a short while, a body is found in a leather sack amongst the visitors. Cadfael boils down the man's body to inspect the bones and uncovers two possible explanations for his death.
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The Potter's Field
Guilt is something we have to live with,

So much mystery, so many solutions, and you guest wrong. Yet Brother Cadfael stays with it until all is revealed. In the process we all must think and learn something of our selves.
From the back cover:
A woman's skeleton is discovered in a local potter's field, since the potter Ruald, left his family to answer a calling form God, everyone concludes that the body belongs to his wife, and that Ruald murdered her when she tried to prevent him from taking the tonsure.
This may not be the book but the film has depth in its own right.

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The Holy Thief
Everyone belongs in the house of God

This Cadfael story are said to be darker in character and not as much as lighter earlier mysteries. This is not my favorite Hugh Beringar (Anthony Green.) I prefer Eoin McCarthy. However he works well in this Cadfael. In The Holy Thief while most people were using trial by water to catch the guilty, Cadfael (Derek Jacobi) uses forensics to track down the murder.

The abbey in Ramsey is bunt down by rebel soldiers. You may recall the time of the civil war between King Stephen and Queen Maude. As is the custom they clam the loan of St. Winifred's holy relics, to help build their monastery. You may also recall in "A Morbid Taste for Bones" the trouble Shrewsbury had obtaining St. Winifred. So in stead Brother Cadfael and Abbot Radulfus offer precious gems.

A stormy night comes up and in the disarray Winifred is pinched. In the process there is a murder. Only the balance and counter balance of Cadfael and Beringar can solve this, if any one can.

Brutalized!
If I'm remembering correctly, this is the set that includes "The Pilgrim of Hate." This was my all-time favorite of the books, so I was looking forward to seeing the show, since in general I've liked the series. But they destroyed it. The storyline bore only the slightest resemblance to the original, making the pious child into a charlatan, and generally destroying the whole thing. I was so disappointed that I never watched any of the rest of series IV. It was a shame; I really had enjoyed Derek Jacobi's Cadfael, and in general the series. But I don't know why they felt they had to destroy the storyline to put it on TV.