Journeyman
A Journal for the Inquiring Christian

Vol. 1, No. 3, March 2002 Crowhill, Revisited Overview: Since the good doctor's literary masterpieces have been given a facelift for easier web reading, herewith a review of Dr. Robin Rollinger's The System of Dr. Rooster and Mr. Crowhill andThe Fall of the House of Crowhill, by Scott Wicker. by Scott Wicker A Rollicking Good Read Robin Rollinger's opus of satire / fantasy is — how shall we put it? — a Very Strange Bird. Where else could you find — in the space of a few short pages — a spooky mansion full of eccentric people, Marian apparitions (imbedded in giant cinnamon buns and umbrellas), clowns, werewolves, vampires and plain old vamps? Throw in elements of phenomenology, excerpts from the dialogues of Horseface and Chowderhead, and the lyrics of an obscure rock band called “Jethro Tull” — and you have a truly bizarre tale — yet, nonetheless, a tale tightly and artfully constructed. Rollinger based his work upon personal experiences with various evangelical Christians. The focus of the adventures is a Pythonesque “Comfy Chair” used to “bring home” wayward Protestants to Roman Catholicism, and the Rooster-Crowhill series could actually be interpreted as a Catholic apologetical. The main character, “Herr Doktor,” never submits to the “Comfy Chair.” Nevertheless, he admits that “some of his best friends are Catholic,” and he marches with the Church Triumphant in a final battle against the forces of darkness. (Editor's Note: Of course I take issue with the characterization of Jethro Tull!)