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bhalpin 's review for:
The Spirit Ring
by Lois McMaster Bujold
Snagged the original '93 paperback at the library book sale. 50 cents well spent!
Bujold is the author I most want to write like. Her novels always unfold at this amazing breakneck pace without sacrificing character. So: a very entertaining read filled with believable, well-drawn characters that I both liked and cared about. I loved the magic system, and the idea of having magic coexisting with the medieval (or maybe Renaissance? I dunno) church is something I haven't seen before and really enjoyed. (Especially intriguing--the idea that certain church rituals have actual magical implications.)
And I especially liked the fact that we got a great story that was complete before page 400. This is all too rare in fantasy, where book bloat and series bloat are serious concerns. Not here. Great fantasy to pick up without feeling like you're risking a commitment to tens of thousands of pages.
Bujold is the author I most want to write like. Her novels always unfold at this amazing breakneck pace without sacrificing character. So: a very entertaining read filled with believable, well-drawn characters that I both liked and cared about. I loved the magic system, and the idea of having magic coexisting with the medieval (or maybe Renaissance? I dunno) church is something I haven't seen before and really enjoyed. (Especially intriguing--the idea that certain church rituals have actual magical implications.)
And I especially liked the fact that we got a great story that was complete before page 400. This is all too rare in fantasy, where book bloat and series bloat are serious concerns. Not here. Great fantasy to pick up without feeling like you're risking a commitment to tens of thousands of pages.