Very beloved by many. Adult twist on a fairytale.

Very beloved by many. Adult twist on a fairytale. I found it quite a tame read, nice enough, and not at all grim. I didn't agree with the hype this book has got, I didn't find it brilliant, just very good. Well worth the read/listen.

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My Favourite Bujold Fantasy

Cazaril, once courtier, courier/spy, captain and castle warder, now homeless, hungry and ragged, is a broken man, physically and mentally, seeking only a quiet refuge in a place in which he was once happy. To his surprise and extreme gratitude he is installed in the household of the Dowager Provincara, charged with the task of being tutor-secretary to her granddaughter Iselle, lively sister of the heir to Chalion's throne.



Thus begins a sequence of events that takes Caz back to the capital, a seething hotbed of poisonous intrigue with a weak and sickly ruler and an ambitious chancellor. Murder, greed and betrayal are commonplace, but there are unexpected allies as well. A shadow hangs over the ruling house, also threatening Iselle and her brother. Gradually Caz unravels the origins of a curse, but not without deadly danger and drawing the attention of the Five Gods down on himself.



Why do I like this book so much? Though it has plot in spades, the characterisation is what lifts it above the ordinary. Caz gradually rebuilds himself throughout the book despite, or perhaps partly because of being an unwitting tool of the gods. He never sees himself as extraordinary, even though he does extraordinary things. He retains integrity and honour and has a deep internal moral compass, yet he's not stuffy and owns a wry sense of humour.



There's a love story in this too: true it's very subtle and on first reading you hardy notice it, but it plays out well.



The story is a study of how one quiet but determined man can effect great change. It's a dialogue between free-will and divine intervention. Where does one stop and the other start?



Bujold never disappoints, and of all her books this is my favourite. I wasn't sure I liked Lloyd James' narration to start off with (the American accent jarred a little) but it quickly grew on me. Highly recommended in both written and audio format.

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5 people found this helpful

Gripping from beginning to end

This is the first book by Lois McMaster Bujold I've listened to and I am now a fan. She has created a cast of believable characters for an intriguing story set in a world that has depth and colour. Lloyd James does a great job of the narration.

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2 people found this helpful

Beautifully read

One of my very favourite books and so beautifully read. Best not to listen to when you are driving I was so engrossed I drove 30 miles out of my way to finish it.

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Brilliant world building

Superb fantasy with a believable world, beautifully built, excellent characters and great story. Bujold is a great author.

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Excellent story, well read

Slow at first but never dull, the story builds irresistibly to an awesome conclusion. Characters are strong and well rounded and the whole thing is a joyous rollercoaster.

I enjoyed the reading, injecting plenty of personality, if a tiny bit over the top in places.

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Interesting premise, unenthusiastic narrator

I was sold from the start on the protagonist, a disabled older man whom we meet as a vagabond on the road, frightened by the prospect of younger, stronger soldiers or bandits who could easily overpower him. It's a refreshing departure from the typical 90s fantasy hero. The opening chapter full of magic, ritual, and mysterious untimely death was also an attention grabber. It seemed immediately up my street and I hope I'll finish it as happily as I started.

The narrator does the material no justice. Other people have complained about his mouth noises. Mercifully I can't hear them, but he seems bored by the novel he's reading. He reads too fast and enunciates poorly, making it hard to follow what he's saying. I had to slow the playback speed to 0.95x in order to keep up.

I assume he's reading faithfully from the text, but every time he comes across an "um" or "er" in the main character's dialogue, instead of interpreting it naturally he reads it out exactly as it's wrote. Combined with the tired monotone he puts on for the main character, he sounds like an actor constantly forgetting his lines and makes the main character utterly devoid of charisma or charm. He reads exciting scenes about gore and action in the same bored tone he reads about the main character watching laundry.

He also pronounces the main character's name "Kazeril" as "casserole". It's difficult to take that seriously.

I'd pay good money to hear this novel read by the likes of Ralph Lister or Michael Page. I'm a few chapters in and I might slog through the narration for the story, but might well just get a physical copy of the book.

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Consider this an investment in pleasure

For brevity:

Very cleverly constructed, balanced and interesting plot, enlivened by complex, humorous, often humane characters and pleasant dialogue.

The reader is a pleasant surprise and the pace of the book is well done.

In greater depth:

It is always a pleasure to see such tightly plotted stories working so finely as a composition of ideas, characters and narrative. There were several moments where I was able to delight in the pleasure of an event subtly foreshadowed, the soft click of apparently random puzzle pieces clicking together. While the story is not as convoluted as an epic, or as meticulously involved as a character study, it certainly is witty and intelligent writing amongst the best in fantasy.

A charming and sympathetic male protagonist written with great panache is also a rare present to cherish and here, as with other works by talented novelists, is another to join the stable of memorable characters in fantasy literature.

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7 people found this helpful

One of the best audiobooks yet

The story line has plenty of surprises. The characters develop well. The reading worked for the story and the characters. Definitely one of the best stories I have heard - possibly the best. Hard to define why - but it was

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Great book, reading a bit patchy

I love this book and the sequel, Paladin of Souls. Mostly the reading is very good, and does capture the emotions well. However, sometimes he does voices/accents which are a bit overdone, eg the "yokel" accent near the beginning of part 2. And, annoyingly, the reader occasionally stresses or breaks up the sentences in a way that makes a nonsense of what is being said - I'm not clear why as mostly it's good. As I say, a very good book, but not the ideal reading of it.

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3 people found this helpful