The Cole Trilogy: The Physician, Shaman, and Matters of Choice

Although I enjoyed all three books, I liked the first two the best. The first book in the trilogy was full of fascinating historical information, both religious and secular, and I guess it was actually my favorite of the three volumes. I'm glad I bought all three, though. In each book the main character was just the person I would have wanted to be in that time and situation, moral and intelligent, with wisdom thrown in as well. In all three volumes the author developed each character so well that I actually cared about that character. His descriptions were never repetitious, and often gave me a real feeling of place and time.I would recommend the first book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I'd recommend the second volume to anyone who likes a continuing family saga which is well written. And I would recommend the third to anyone who enjoys a good read of modern fiction. The issues in the third book are modern ones, and the author's views are presented in a calm and intelligent manner, while at the same time developing a story which I always looked forward to reading in order to see how the plot developed- to see what would happen next!To summarize, all three books have stories with twists and turns, and none of them has a predictable plot. Each one was a good book standing alone, but as a trilogy following a family through the centuries it was superb.

Let me do this while the narrative is still sizzling in my brain pan.Speaking of sizzling my latest book."Trump the Economy" 11 Real Business Startups,1 Life of Freedom, A survivor's journey is off to a fantastic start!Now to this review.Firstly Amazon delivered this trilogy at a bargain. These books are well written and generate a fair amount of excitement throughout. The first in the series is probably the best while the third is the weakest. Mr. Gordon's historical novels are created around a central character being a physician. The backdrop of the three main theist religions, (especially in the physician) gives this series more depth and food for thought. Questions like, why autopsies were not allowed back then, (religious reasons) and how much did it delay the progress of science and medicine? Good questions to consider or speculate about.Love the ideas, however unlike Umberto Eco, his approach to presenting the story is simplified by a straight forward linear narrative. If you delve into one of Eco's books like Foucault's Pendulum, you will immediately note the difference in style and the richness of the language and history. Dan Brown readers of the Divinci Code, pick up a copy as you will definitely note the difference.Gordon's books have considerable pace and exotic settings, with the Physician reminding of another series of books called the "Flashman" by George MacDonald Fraser, with its anti hero as central character. This series of books swirls through many more precarious events at a far more rapid pace.With that said, these books are really good at grabbing the reader with enough detail to feel you are there. Furthermore any time a book is still stirring the neurons in your head after finishing it, it's a good thing.Good job by the author with both the historical and story telling details.Highly recommended.

These three books take you on a walk through history, bringing cultures and religions together. The Physician is a wonderful story about Rob J as he goes from an orphaned 9 year old apprenticed to a barber surgeon in the Middle Ages in England to a physician in Scotland. It shows his path to maturity and his quest for more knowledge as he traverses Europe and then into Persia, then a leader in medical education, in pursuit of his dream to train with the leading scholar in medicine. He has to reinvent himself as Christians are not allowed to train in the Muslim center of knowledge but Jews are allowed. He embraces Judiasm on a superficial level and receives much more than a medical education. His experiences show a clash of cultures and religions but also reveals how human lives of different backgrounds connect despite adversity and societal norms and taboos. He achieves his dreams of being a physician and finds his center in Scotland.The Shaman follows another generation of Cole physicians as Rob J leaves Edinburgh and migrates to America in the 1800s. It follow his adjustments to America and settlement in Illinois as a country doctor. This also beings in the clash of cultures with the Indians and Irish immigrants as well as Catholic, Jewish and Protestant religious conflict. It spans the civil war and demonstrates the conflict of families and communities int the North verses South saga, showing the division in families and communities that the war produced. It is very hard to not become engrossed in the charactersThe Matter of Choice continues Cole physicians saga in he 1990's. This time Rob j is RJ, and is female and it traverses the modern day medical saga. I did not find this one as believable or compelling and it lacked the depth of the other two books. But it too deals with conflict of religious beliefs and city verses country culture. Entertaining nonetheless

What an amazing trilogy! The Cole Trilogy: Physician, Shaman, and Matters of Choice trace members of the Cole family from 11th century London to 20th century Massachusetts. What an epic story it is, too! Many of the Cole family possess a 6th sense that allows them to tell when death is near for someone when they hold the other's hands - an invaluable skill to have as a physician if one can avoid the superstitious folks who would likely call it witchcraft or something similar. The first book is the story of Rob J. who goes from being an orphan in London to a physician in the court of the Shah of Persia before ultimately settling in Scotland. The second book, Shaman is about another Rob J. in 19th century Illinois. His son, yet another Rob J. (family naming tradition) takes the nickname Shaman from members of the Sauk indian tribe who are family friends. This book takes us through the Civil War and the racism that was so common in that time (not much different now, unfortunately).The third book is about RJ, the first female doctor of the lineage, in 20th century Boston. She too has the Cole family "touch." This third book has a very different feel than the other two with modern political and medical realities being a large part of the story. It was good but lacked some of the "magic," the creation of a totally unfamiliar way of life, that was so vividly portrayed in the first two books. Dealing with HMOs and abortion rights is not nearly as entertaining a subject. Nonetheless, it was a well written story and ends on, what I believe is, an upbeat note.

Rob J Cole is the only name you need to know. The first is a 1000 AD healer and adventurer, larger than life, with a gift for sensing the vitality of any person who joins hands with him. His search for knowledge of healing and his destiny take him from London through Europe to Constantinople and then on through the mid-eastern countries till he studies medicine, as good as it could get back then, at a most famous hospital. The obstacles he faces are daunting and innumerable, making for great suspense throughout. Finally he makes his way back to his wife's holding in Scotland and practices medicine happily for the rest of his days. In Shaman, we visit Cole's descendant in 1800's in the midwest of the United States just prior to, during, and after the Civil War. Shaman does not have the adventures of the first Rob J, but he still has 'the gift' and the tale is much more 'realistic' but really less interesting than The Physician. Last, Matters of Choice is the story of RJ, a doctor in the 2000's beginning in Boston and ending in the rural hill country of New England, where the latest descendant of the original Rob J pursues her own destiny and value in becoming a family physician in a small community instead of the celebrated specialist she had set out to become in her life. Noah Gordon handles the history and geography that underly his stories with ease, and the terrific diversity of cultures his story moves within never obscure the clarity of his characters lives and motives. These are united at a much deeper level than just the family name and are themselves a 'gift' of the highest order for his readers.

The first book of the trilogy was interesting, took place in the 11th century with wonderful descriptions of the special gift the main character had as well as descriptions of life, cultural differences and education in the area we now call the middle east. The 2nd book took place during the expansion of America toward the west; the characters were fairly well defined and the premise of the "special gift" was explored along with interaction among the Native American and different ethnic values. The story ended with the civil war. It was a good book but not special. The 3rd book took place in more contemporary times. I felt it was a little too much like a "coming of age soap opera" It was entertaining like a summer beach novel. I can't give it more than 3 stars due to the lack of character development and conceptual premise behind the 2nd and 3rd books.

This was a book I ate. I started reading and couldn't stop. Thankfully, there are two more books to complete the trilogy. I happened upon this book seemingly by accident, though from what I have learned of the universe, it was actually planned.Follow the saga of a poor orphaned boy who is separated from his family and becomes apprenticed to a Barber. Together, they hawk the tonic made, mostly with alcohol and sometimes with urine, to be the special tonic from the back of a wagon. During the years that Rob Cole is with the Barber, he learns a bit of healing. From medieval times, the practice of medicine in England was rough and, in so many instances, little more than the efforts of a three-year-old playing in the mud, making mud pies. Rob comes to know real physicians who tell of the possibility of learning more advanced medicine from Persia. This is the story of how Rob Cole became a physician. There is also a movie adapted from the book available on Amazon Prime. Some is the same. Most is different than the book, but we see that often. I am now a diehard fan of Noah Gordon and will be reading more of what he has written.

For me, this trilogy was a page turner. It transported me into other worlds. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it.

A wonderful trilogy linking generations of doctors with special talents and relationships written with interesting medical facts with historical references

If you have seen the movie, you definitely should read this book !!! Everything is great about it : the story has gotten me and I couldn't stop reading it ! I've learned a great deal about these times (that I kind of thought beforehand to be just.. medieval with knights and so on)..Also, the Shaman and Matters of choice books are great - even if I was a little bit disappointed of not finding them as good as the first one.A must-read.

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I read the Physician after seeing the film. I couldn’t resist buying the whole trilogy. I feel as I’ve lived the stories. They are captivating and engrossing. Once I started I couldn’t stop. Now I’ve come to the end I feel as if I’ve lost something. I hope others find these books as compelling and enjoyable to read. I will be looking to read other material by the author.