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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“The difference, Royse, is that a skilled soldier kills your enemies, but a skilled duelist kills your allies. I leave you to guess which a wise commander prefers to have in his camp.”
Inspired by the union of the Crowns of Aragon and Castile at the end of the 15th Century, The Curse of Chalion itself does read as a bit dated. The language feels like at a remove from the reader and it feels bound to be a little bit "noblebright". It's still a good book though.
Unpicking the lock
“Events may be horrible or inescapable. Men have always a choice—if not whether, then how, they may endure.”
The Curse of Chalion reads a little like a Rube Goldberg machine. Every few chapters a piece slips into place, or a happy coincidence is unveiled. This does put the characters on rails, particularly evident when a act by the protagonist before the timeframe of the novel ensures a critical character's cooperation. How wonderfully convenient.
Despite this, I do appreciate how it does fit together in a mostly plausible (if unlikely) manner. There's plenty of foreshadowing without outright reveals - a fun game of guessing the appropriate twist. Further, characters react to those events in convincing ways. The execution is enjoyable.
Separately, I do enjoy a plot that relies on dialogue, diplomatic manoeuvring and scheming as it's main tools - characters get a chance to express themselves rather than the author solely using acts of violence to advance things. There are still acts of violence that do exactly that but there is plenty of very readable padding to provide context.
Deeds of the Ancients
The adhesions in his back pulled cruelly. Gods. I do move like an old man. He caught his breath and heaved to his feet, feeling a century old, feeling like road dung stuck to the boot heel of the Father of Winter as he made his way out of the world.
The Curse of Chalion does have novelty in that the lead is a (comparatively) ancient 35. He's earned his stripes. It can be a double edged sword in that his most interesting actions happened off-screen, and we get mostly tensionless recountings of them. Again, I am relaxed about this as the character does inhabit the trappings of his past in a way that drives his actions.
Of course he in the end accomplishs what any worthy man in his mid thirties seeks to do: marry a teenager. I don't believe The Curse of Chalion is seeking to make a contribution to the "problematic age difference" discourse, more that it's funny as what used to pass for an innocent romance. One elderly character was enough, the chance that he would end up with a similarly aged partner appeared to be a bridge too far.
“If I were you, I’d have it to a gem-cutter, and check. It’s a continuing source of amazement to me, the lies that men will tell these days for their profit.” The captain covered one hand with the other. “It is a good ring.” “Compared to what you traded for it, I’d say it is trash.”
Another one of those books where clever writing covers its weaknesses. Did I enjoy it? Yes. And that is enough.
Inspired by the union of the Crowns of Aragon and Castile at the end of the 15th Century, The Curse of Chalion itself does read as a bit dated. The language feels like at a remove from the reader and it feels bound to be a little bit "noblebright". It's still a good book though.
Unpicking the lock
“Events may be horrible or inescapable. Men have always a choice—if not whether, then how, they may endure.”
The Curse of Chalion reads a little like a Rube Goldberg machine. Every few chapters a piece slips into place, or a happy coincidence is unveiled. This does put the characters on rails, particularly evident when a act by the protagonist before the timeframe of the novel ensures a critical character's cooperation. How wonderfully convenient.
Despite this, I do appreciate how it does fit together in a mostly plausible (if unlikely) manner. There's plenty of foreshadowing without outright reveals - a fun game of guessing the appropriate twist. Further, characters react to those events in convincing ways. The execution is enjoyable.
Separately, I do enjoy a plot that relies on dialogue, diplomatic manoeuvring and scheming as it's main tools - characters get a chance to express themselves rather than the author solely using acts of violence to advance things. There are still acts of violence that do exactly that but there is plenty of very readable padding to provide context.
Deeds of the Ancients
The adhesions in his back pulled cruelly. Gods. I do move like an old man. He caught his breath and heaved to his feet, feeling a century old, feeling like road dung stuck to the boot heel of the Father of Winter as he made his way out of the world.
The Curse of Chalion does have novelty in that the lead is a (comparatively) ancient 35. He's earned his stripes. It can be a double edged sword in that his most interesting actions happened off-screen, and we get mostly tensionless recountings of them. Again, I am relaxed about this as the character does inhabit the trappings of his past in a way that drives his actions.
Of course he in the end accomplishs what any worthy man in his mid thirties seeks to do: marry a teenager. I don't believe The Curse of Chalion is seeking to make a contribution to the "problematic age difference" discourse, more that it's funny as what used to pass for an innocent romance. One elderly character was enough, the chance that he would end up with a similarly aged partner appeared to be a bridge too far.
“If I were you, I’d have it to a gem-cutter, and check. It’s a continuing source of amazement to me, the lies that men will tell these days for their profit.” The captain covered one hand with the other. “It is a good ring.” “Compared to what you traded for it, I’d say it is trash.”
Another one of those books where clever writing covers its weaknesses. Did I enjoy it? Yes. And that is enough.
Picked this as the author was recommended. Took me a bit to get into the story but loved how the pieces all came together.
I just can't place what I didn't love about this book. I didn't dislike it really, I just didn't love it. It was very verbose and the religion stuff was hard to keep track of for me. It is however, very well written. So the author gets points for that.
I picked this book up for book club, and I can't say I would have finished it if it weren't for that. It took a good 100 pages to get into, and I nearly gave up a half dozen times.
I picked this book up for book club, and I can't say I would have finished it if it weren't for that. It took a good 100 pages to get into, and I nearly gave up a half dozen times.
An ex-courtier/soldier returns to the former household he served before becoming a slave on an enemy galley. Instead of getting work in the kitchen as he hoped he is made secretary/tutor of the sister to the boy, who will be the next ruler of the land. Curses, intrigues, magic and treachery abound. How does a man of honor survive?
I read this as part of Calico Reaction’s book club for January. I don’t have a very good track record with fantasy, and I won’t lie – I struggled with this book for the first 150 pages or so. Normally, that would have been enough for me to toss it in the “did not finish” pile, but I kept at it. I’m glad I did because once the action picked up, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the multiple plot twists, and I liked the fact that everything was wrapped up within the book itself (even though there’s a sequel). Even though I couldn’t put the book down after halfway through, I don’t think I’ll be reading the next book in the series (Paladin of Souls). I just didn’t ultimately enjoy it enough for the amount of time I put into it. I won’t give up on fantasy yet, though. I just have to figure out what type of fantasy I like reading.
Bujold never disappoints! My only regret is waiting so long to read this book! I read the sequel years ago for a book club, and adored it, and always meant to come back to this one. Now I have, and I look forward to re-reading Paladin of Souls with an even better understanding of the world of the Five Gods.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This has got to be my favourite book, often reread. I find nourishment and comfort in it. Even though the five gods are Bujold's creation, I experience my own gods in the ways described in this book.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes