What put me off of Bujold's Chalion fantasy series was gods pushing the humans around like pawns. This fantasy series is free of such things. It does suffer a bit from people doing stupid things, but that's fair enough. When Bujold was in Portland recently, she said that while the Sharing Knife series was four volumes, volumes 1 & 2 really were structured as one book, and 3 & 4 are as another. I read these back to back, and while I could have stopped where #1 ended, I certainly didn't want to. I think #2 would be difficult to read on its own.[return][return]She's created an interesting agrarian world, which apparently is the result of a fall -- long ago -- from a technological peak. The population is divided between farmers and the Lakewalkers. The Lakewalkers have some psychic powers, and lead a nomadic life protecting the world (and farmers) from nasty blights that pop up unpredictably. It's a bit Strider and the Rangers protecting the Shire, but with more tension and sex. Entertaining, but doesn't make me swoon the way the Vorkosigan saga does.