An acclaimed legend in the field of fantasy and science fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold returns to the vivid and perilous world of her previous masterworks, the Hugo Award-winning Paladin of Souls and Hugo and World Fantasy Award-nominated The Curse of Chalion, with an epic tale of devotion and strange destiny.Prince Boleso is dead -- slain by a noblewoman he had intended to defile.Lord Ingrey kin Wolfcliff has been dispatched to the remote castle of the late, exiled, half-mad royal to transport the body to its burial place and the accused killer, the Lady Ijada, to judgment. Ingrey's mission is an ugly and delicate one, for the imminent death of the old Hallow King has placed the crown in play, and the murder of his youngest son threatens to further roil already treacherous political waters. But there is more here than a prince's degenerate lusts and the fatal retribution it engendered. …
An acclaimed legend in the field of fantasy and science fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold returns to the vivid and perilous world of her previous masterworks, the Hugo Award-winning Paladin of Souls and Hugo and World Fantasy Award-nominated The Curse of Chalion, with an epic tale of devotion and strange destiny.Prince Boleso is dead -- slain by a noblewoman he had intended to defile.Lord Ingrey kin Wolfcliff has been dispatched to the remote castle of the late, exiled, half-mad royal to transport the body to its burial place and the accused killer, the Lady Ijada, to judgment. Ingrey's mission is an ugly and delicate one, for the imminent death of the old Hallow King has placed the crown in play, and the murder of his youngest son threatens to further roil already treacherous political waters. But there is more here than a prince's degenerate lusts and the fatal retribution it engendered. Boleso's dark act, though unfinished, inadvertently bestowed an unwanted mystical "gift" upon proud, brave Ijada that must ultimately mean her doom -- a curse similar to one with which Ingrey himself has been burdened since boyhood.A forbidden spirit now inhabits the soul of Ijada, giving her senses she never wished for and an obligation no one sane would desire. At once psychically linked to the remarkable lady and repelled by what she carries within, Ingrey fears the havoc his own inner beast could wreak while on their journey, as he fights a powerful growing attraction ... and an equally powerful compulsion to kill.The road they travel together is beset with dangers -- and though duty-bound to deliver Ijada to an almost certain execution, Ingrey soon realizes that she is the only one he dares trust. For a malevolent enemy with designs on a troubled kingdom holds Ingrey in his sway -- and without Ijada's aid and love, the haunted lord will never be able to break free and realize the great and terrible destiny bestowed upon him by the gods, the damned, and the dead.
4.25 A good, very unconventional fantasy story. As in the first two books, there's ancient history and magic at the centre of the tale. The characters are rounded and serve to surprise the reader a couple of times. Unfortunately, the protagonist is a little more boring than most of the others (no Caz or Ista) and I would have liked to see a bit more from the female lead. Still, it's head and shoulders above the usual and a very enjoyable if somewhat darkish read.
These three books all have a common thread for me: Somehow, I can't pick them up. Repeatedly. I get half way through and just never want to read 'em again. And there's a push for that third quarter, and then they pay off insanely well.
Unlike most of Bujold's work, I probably won't be rereading these a lot, but they're extremely well done. This one's probably the least approachable of the lot, and ended up being my favorite in the same way An Exchange of Hostages (Matthew's work) was. Very uncomfortable in a lot of ways, but presenting a mad, agonizing thing as a whole that functions within itself.
shrugs
Definitely gonna be reading some fluff next, though.
This is an okay story. It is very slow to get going, which is tough when I've already recently read two books in this world. I cannot place the time of the story. It seems to me it must be centuries before the other novels. I also cannot place the place of this story. It seems to be a country not or only briefly mentioned in the Chalion books. Chalion is briefly mentioned in this one. Darthaca, familiar, is mentioned many times with King Audar the star from there. I don't recall if Audar was ever mentioned in the other books. I don't like floundering in the setting of a book when the time and place should be familiar. The problem seems to be that Ms. Bujold had this great idea that expanded upon her religion of 5 gods that she liked, but could not incorporate it into her Chalion …
This is an okay story. It is very slow to get going, which is tough when I've already recently read two books in this world. I cannot place the time of the story. It seems to me it must be centuries before the other novels. I also cannot place the place of this story. It seems to be a country not or only briefly mentioned in the Chalion books. Chalion is briefly mentioned in this one. Darthaca, familiar, is mentioned many times with King Audar the star from there. I don't recall if Audar was ever mentioned in the other books. I don't like floundering in the setting of a book when the time and place should be familiar. The problem seems to be that Ms. Bujold had this great idea that expanded upon her religion of 5 gods that she liked, but could not incorporate it into her Chalion novels well, so went on a tangent that is not well enough connected.
One has to have read the Chalion books before this one to have the basis knowledge of the 5 god religion, Temple sorcerers, and world's magic before reading this book, or you would be lost. Unfortunately, I was lost for other reasons.
The main character grows on you, but I'm beginning to think her male main characters tend to be the same. Ijada was a little difficult to swallow at first as she seemed more icon than actual character. The puzzle was easy to see when given all the pieces, but Ms. Bujold often withheld pieces until she wanted to reveal the puzzle which made the story a bit too pat.
For some reason the story seems already told to me, that there were few new elements other than it was being re-told in this world of Bujold's. Bujold is suffering from many author's failing that their main characters must get more and more powerful. Some have a single character following a series where their powers get more deft and strong as the series progress. Bujold has new characters only with stronger powers than her previous characters. I don't think I will be recommending this book to others the way I usually recommend books.
This is the third book in this particular universe, though not directly linked to the first two. It takes place in a different country, this world's equivalent of Britain, than Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls. It builds on hints from the first two about what role the gods play and who exactly the gods are. In many ways, The Hallowed Hunt was weaker than Chalion or Paladin - the main character was never fleshed out enough for my taste and the supporting characters were more interesting than Ingry or Ijada, the female lead. Unlike her other books, Bujold seemed to attempt a more plot-driven story rather than character-driven. While the plot was immensely engrossing, the main characters fell slightly flat with me. Still, it was an intriguing read and Bujold at her less-than-best is still better than the bests of most other authors. Recommended.
