World of the Five Gods – Cannonball Read 17

Saints! Soldiers! Sorcery! Swords! Swooning!

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold

January 31, 2022 by andtheIToldYouSos 7 Comments

It’s time for me to FINNALY go all-in on some good old fashioned FAN TA SY. Normally, these are the sort of books that I pick up in the bookstore, give a “hmm” at the cover, and keep walking. I’ve never been great at immersing myself in fantasy worlds outside of the big-names; I just don’t have a memory for the complex lore and histories of most fantasy epics. When I open up a book and it starts with breakdowns of family names and maps […]

A Plague — and a Madman in a Masquerade

Physicians of Vilnoc by Lois McMaster Bujold

Masquerade in Lodi by Lois McMaster Bujold

January 31, 2021 by LittlePlat 2 Comments

Blink and you miss ‘em… Lois McMaster Bujold has released two Penric and Desdemona novellas in the past year when I wasn’t paying attention. I don’t know how these releases keep on passing me by, I really don’t. Usually, these novellas are mostly light-hearted fun, but the first one, The Physicians of Vilnoc, might be a little uncomfortably timely, as it revolves around a plague. Looking at the publication dates, I don’t think Bujold did this on purpose, as she would have started writing this […]

Don’t Promote Your Troubles Beyond Your Rank

July 26, 2017 by melanir Leave a Comment

Continuing the adventures of Penric, the demon hosting priest of Lois McMaster Bujold’s World of the Five Gods, we have two more novellas: Penric’s Mission and Mira’s Last Dance. These are two very closely related stories, so much so that if felt more like reading on novel then reading two novellas. I enjoy these little stories quite a bit, so realizing that I had two unread stories to read was a treat. In Penric’s Mission, Penric is sent to spy on some duke from some […]

On the Nature of Gods and Forgiveness

August 10, 2016 by melanir Leave a Comment

Penric and the Shaman is a novella set in Bujold’s World of the Five Gods, a world more thoroughly explored in the Chalion books. It is also the second novella featuring Penric and his demon Desdemona. Fortunately, it doesn’t need the other books to be sensible and can be read on its own, though of course there are elements that will make sense if you are already familiar with the world. I know Bujold gets the most fame for her Vorkosigan Saga, deservedly so, but […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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