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xjennoe's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
unofficialcate's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
jonathanpalfrey's review against another edition
4.0
After a series of novellas, this is the first novel-length Penric story, and no-one who’s read this far in the series should need any persuading to buy it.
However, I wouldn’t say that this is significantly different in nature from the other Penric stories: it’s just longer, as this story didn’t happen to fit into a novella.
As usual, the author finds something new to tell us about sorcery, and indeed about theology; and we meet characters old and new. It’s good to meet again the Xarre family from [b:The Prisoner of Limnos|36440420|The Prisoner of Limnos (Penric and Desdemona, #6)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508638041l/36440420._SY75_.jpg|58141963], which remains my favourite Penric story so far. The new characters include a fisherman saint, a novice sorceress, and a sorcerer-villain.
Rather amusingly, Penric here invents and practises his own equivalent of the Vulcan Nerve Pinch, to render people temporarily unconscious.
This novel is a good story with plenty of interesting details, and the extra length makes it even more rereadable than usual. It also seems to imply that the series isn’t close to finishing, which is reassuring: it can run on indefinitely, as far as I’m concerned.
It’s hard to imagine how it would feel to read this one as a standalone novel, without having read the preceding novellas in the series. I suppose it could be done, but you’d be missing a lot of background information. In particular, [b:Penric's Demon|25791216|Penric’s Demon (Penric and Desdemona, #1)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436108514l/25791216._SX50_.jpg|45642232] introduces us to Penric aged 19, his demon, and the World of the Five Gods in general; [b:Penric’s Mission|32858701|Penric’s Mission (Penric and Desdemona, #3)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478098172l/32858701._SX50_.jpg|53462520] introduces us to Adelis, Nikys, and the country of Cedonia; [b:Mira's Last Dance|34348998|Mira’s Last Dance (Penric and Desdemona, #4)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487582553l/34348998._SY75_.jpg|55425075] and [b:The Prisoner of Limnos|36440420|The Prisoner of Limnos (Penric and Desdemona, #6)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508638041l/36440420._SY75_.jpg|58141963] explain how Penric comes to be based in Vilnoc (in the country of Orbas); and [b:The Prisoner of Limnos|36440420|The Prisoner of Limnos (Penric and Desdemona, #6)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508638041l/36440420._SY75_.jpg|58141963] introduces us to the Xarre family. The other novellas are worth reading but less relevant to this novel.
However, I wouldn’t say that this is significantly different in nature from the other Penric stories: it’s just longer, as this story didn’t happen to fit into a novella.
As usual, the author finds something new to tell us about sorcery, and indeed about theology; and we meet characters old and new. It’s good to meet again the Xarre family from [b:The Prisoner of Limnos|36440420|The Prisoner of Limnos (Penric and Desdemona, #6)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508638041l/36440420._SY75_.jpg|58141963], which remains my favourite Penric story so far. The new characters include a fisherman saint, a novice sorceress, and a sorcerer-villain.
Rather amusingly, Penric here invents and practises his own equivalent of the Vulcan Nerve Pinch, to render people temporarily unconscious.
This novel is a good story with plenty of interesting details, and the extra length makes it even more rereadable than usual. It also seems to imply that the series isn’t close to finishing, which is reassuring: it can run on indefinitely, as far as I’m concerned.
It’s hard to imagine how it would feel to read this one as a standalone novel, without having read the preceding novellas in the series. I suppose it could be done, but you’d be missing a lot of background information. In particular, [b:Penric's Demon|25791216|Penric’s Demon (Penric and Desdemona, #1)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436108514l/25791216._SX50_.jpg|45642232] introduces us to Penric aged 19, his demon, and the World of the Five Gods in general; [b:Penric’s Mission|32858701|Penric’s Mission (Penric and Desdemona, #3)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478098172l/32858701._SX50_.jpg|53462520] introduces us to Adelis, Nikys, and the country of Cedonia; [b:Mira's Last Dance|34348998|Mira’s Last Dance (Penric and Desdemona, #4)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487582553l/34348998._SY75_.jpg|55425075] and [b:The Prisoner of Limnos|36440420|The Prisoner of Limnos (Penric and Desdemona, #6)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508638041l/36440420._SY75_.jpg|58141963] explain how Penric comes to be based in Vilnoc (in the country of Orbas); and [b:The Prisoner of Limnos|36440420|The Prisoner of Limnos (Penric and Desdemona, #6)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508638041l/36440420._SY75_.jpg|58141963] introduces us to the Xarre family. The other novellas are worth reading but less relevant to this novel.
dagsywagsy43's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
kvedja's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
aishoka's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
ammbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Another masterpiece by Bujold. Her characters are so lovable. And as usual there is always food for though on human's antics. "His further study of humanity had revealed just how much people could convince themselves that their own needs were those of the gods". It was satisfying to have mention of characters from Mira's Last Dance, Orphan's of Raspay, & Physicians of VIlnoc; as well as the reuniting of Lady Tanar & Adelis.
crimsonsparrow's review against another edition
3.0
This, one of the driest of all the short stories in the series, also contained one of the most satisfying final confrontations I've ever read. I'll be quite sad when I reach the end of the series...