This is another of this year's Hugo nominated novels, and one that I thought was the best of the lot (though it pains me a bit to say that, as I love the Novik book so much)!
It interweaves two storylines - one set in the near future, and the other in Germany in 1348.
The present/near future storyline involves some advanced graduate students. Tom studies history, and finds an anomaly in Germany. A village was never resettled after the Black Death despite its idyllic location. By every standard of history, this town should have been rebuilt - which it has never been through all of the centuries since. What in the blazes is so special about Eifelheim? Tom and others begin an intensive study of any and all records that they can find to solve the mystery.
The other storyline tells of a kind priest named Father Dietrich, and how he takes in a frightened band of pilgrims after their starship crashes on Earth back in 1348. Needless to say, there are all sorts of problems, as the two species are different physically, mentally, emotionally, culturally, technologically, etc.
Two cool stories woven together - and a wonderful underlying message underneath all of the grimness.
No matter how deep the gulfs of distance, space, time, and misunderstanding - the light of trust, faith, friendship, love, and faith will shine forth forever.
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