Product Description

To Father Paul, the Algonkian Indians are pagans in need of salvation. To the Indians, Catholic priests are greedy and selfish. Accompanying Father Paul on his mission to relieve a priest in danger of his life, Daniel is torn between the need to serve God and the power of the Indian way of life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #196304 in Books
• Published on: 1987-05-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

About the Author
Brian Moore, whom Graham Greene called his 'favourite living novelist', was born in Belfast in 1921. He emigrated to Canada in 1948, where he became a journalist and adopted Canadian citizenship. He spent some time in New York before settling in California.

Customer Reviews

Spellbinding
I don't like all Brian Moore's books, but one thing is certain, his range is astonishing, and after reading Black Robe I became his totally starry-eyed fan.
It is a most unusual story, set in Canada, when the country was being settled by europeans, in the case of the east coast, mainly french.
However Moore got his facts about these dark times, I didn't care if they were true or fiction. The very human Jesuit priest that sets out into the wilderness to convert the "natives" encounters not only discomfort, danger and unspeakable horrors, but his own dark self.
I entered entirely into this world, as if I'd been there myself, which is a feat for any writer. For a most absorbing and unique experience, read this novel.

Mixed emotions
I read this book for a course on Canadian literature and was very, very unsettled by it. I read 'Black Robe' in one sitting - it was that compelling - but on the other hand certain passages made me feel physically sick. Fascinating, if in parts repulsive. Highly recommended.

Intelligent storytelling by a master
I must confess that in Moore's books I rediscovered the joy of reading after years of forcing myself through dire arty tomes. In "Black Robe" his storytelling genius is as spellbinding as ever. Not a word is wasted and it is a thrilling journey, yet he avoids the cliches of more popular (and much less intelligent) writers. Sometimes his magic touch falters - perhaps once or twice - but this is almost a good thing as the few flaws enable us to appreciate the skill of this gifted writer. The themes of religion, the clash of cultures, "civilisation" versus native cultures have all been dealt with before, but, amazingly you can never tell what will happen next. Without making anything feel contrived, and despite so many traditional writers preceding him, Moore proves a good, intelligent and surprising story - with power and depth despite its surface simplicity - can still be written.