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Penric and Desdemona (Publication order) #16
Darksight Dare
Penric takes a chance…
Two intractable problems are brought to the door of sorcerer Learned Penric of Vilnoc and his Temple demon Desdemona. Cinar Camurat, a mutilated Cedonian cavalry captain, has traveled two thousand sea miles to Penric for aid. Iva of Bita, a secret hedge sorceress, lies dying in her Orban hill village, and wants no aid at all.
Penric and Desdemona know well the hazards of medicine and magic, but their greatest puzzle may lodge in the tangle of hopes and fears in human and demonic hearts.
The internal chronological order of the Penric & Desdemona tales is
“Penric’s Demon”
“Penric and the Shaman”
“Penric’s Fox”
“Testimony of Mute Things”
“Masquerade in Lodi”
“Penric’s Mission”
“Mira’s Last Dance”
“The Prisoner of Limnos”
“The Orphans of Raspay”
“The Physicians of Vilnoc”
“The Assassins of Thasalon”
“Knot of Shadows”
“Demon Daughter”
“Penric and the Bandit”
“The Adventure of the Demonic Ox”
"Darksight Dare"
“A superb craftsman and stylist, Ms. Bujold is well on her way to becoming one of the great voices of speculative fiction.”
- Rave Reviews
“Bujold has a gift.”
- Chicago Sun Times
“Best-selling author Bujold follows her Hugo-nominated “Penric and the Shaman” (2017) with another adventure featuring the sorcerer Penric and his resident 200-year-old chaos demon, Desdemona. ... Series fans will be delighted with this tale, which begs for continuation.”
- Booklist on “Penric's Mission”
"Bujold follows 'Penric's Demon' with another brief tale set in her World of the Five Gods, this time combining supernatural sleuthing with finely drawn characters and a panoply of emotions... This is a wonderful expansion of her World of the Five Gods."
- Publisher's Weekly *Starred Review* on "Penric and the Shaman"
"Series fans and fantasy readers who seek well-drawn characters will love this tale."
- Publisher's Weekly on "Mira's Last Dance"
"Bujold's delightful latest tale of Penric ... is another winner in Bujold's already strong series."
- Publisher's Weekly *Starred Review* on "The Prisoner of Limnos"
"A deft and accomplished novella, fans of Penric and Desdemona will find much to enjoy."
-Locus Magazine on "The Adventure of the Demonic Ox"
Two intractable problems are brought to the door of sorcerer Learned Penric of Vilnoc and his Temple demon Desdemona. Cinar Camurat, a mutilated Cedonian cavalry captain, has traveled two thousand sea miles to Penric for aid. Iva of Bita, a secret hedge sorceress, lies dying in her Orban hill village, and wants no aid at all.
Penric and Desdemona know well the hazards of medicine and magic, but their greatest puzzle may lodge in the tangle of hopes and fears in human and demonic hearts.
The internal chronological order of the Penric & Desdemona tales is
“Penric’s Demon”
“Penric and the Shaman”
“Penric’s Fox”
“Testimony of Mute Things”
“Masquerade in Lodi”
“Penric’s Mission”
“Mira’s Last Dance”
“The Prisoner of Limnos”
“The Orphans of Raspay”
“The Physicians of Vilnoc”
“The Assassins of Thasalon”
“Knot of Shadows”
“Demon Daughter”
“Penric and the Bandit”
“The Adventure of the Demonic Ox”
"Darksight Dare"
“A superb craftsman and stylist, Ms. Bujold is well on her way to becoming one of the great voices of speculative fiction.”
- Rave Reviews
“Bujold has a gift.”
- Chicago Sun Times
“Best-selling author Bujold follows her Hugo-nominated “Penric and the Shaman” (2017) with another adventure featuring the sorcerer Penric and his resident 200-year-old chaos demon, Desdemona. ... Series fans will be delighted with this tale, which begs for continuation.”
- Booklist on “Penric's Mission”
"Bujold follows 'Penric's Demon' with another brief tale set in her World of the Five Gods, this time combining supernatural sleuthing with finely drawn characters and a panoply of emotions... This is a wonderful expansion of her World of the Five Gods."
- Publisher's Weekly *Starred Review* on "Penric and the Shaman"
"Series fans and fantasy readers who seek well-drawn characters will love this tale."
- Publisher's Weekly on "Mira's Last Dance"
"Bujold's delightful latest tale of Penric ... is another winner in Bujold's already strong series."
- Publisher's Weekly *Starred Review* on "The Prisoner of Limnos"
"A deft and accomplished novella, fans of Penric and Desdemona will find much to enjoy."
-Locus Magazine on "The Adventure of the Demonic Ox"
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 23, 2026
About the author
Lois McMaster Bujold
179 books39.6k followersLois McMaster Bujold was born in 1949, the daughter of an engineering professor at Ohio State University, from whom she picked up her early interest in science fiction. She now lives in Minneapolis, and has two grown children.
Her fantasy from HarperCollins includes the award-winning Chalion series and the Sharing Knife tetralogy; her science fiction from Baen Books features the perennially bestselling Vorkosigan Saga. Her work has been translated into over twenty languages.
Questions regarding foreign rights, film/tv subrights, and other business matters should be directed to Spectrum Literary Agency, spectrumliteraryagency.com
A listing of her awards and nominations may be seen here:
http://www.sfadb.com/Lois_McMaster_Bu...
A listing of her interviews is here:
http://vorkosigan.wikia.com/wiki/Auth...
An older fan-run site devoted to her work, The Bujold Nexus, is here:
http://www.dendarii.com/
Her fantasy from HarperCollins includes the award-winning Chalion series and the Sharing Knife tetralogy; her science fiction from Baen Books features the perennially bestselling Vorkosigan Saga. Her work has been translated into over twenty languages.
Questions regarding foreign rights, film/tv subrights, and other business matters should be directed to Spectrum Literary Agency, spectrumliteraryagency.com
A listing of her awards and nominations may be seen here:
http://www.sfadb.com/Lois_McMaster_Bu...
A listing of her interviews is here:
http://vorkosigan.wikia.com/wiki/Auth...
An older fan-run site devoted to her work, The Bujold Nexus, is here:
http://www.dendarii.com/
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April 28, 2026Penric and Desdemona novella 16. I'm assuming you aren't planning to start the series at 16 because that would be weird, so you should either go immediately to book 1, Penric's Demon, and prepare to glom, or you have a pretty good idea of the vibes awaiting you. Kind, cruel, flawed, human. I read this on an insomnia night and it held my brain together beautifully.
April 25, 2026
Each of these stories fills in a bit more of the world, and the issues arising when someone (Pen) has said to his god, "Let me help". This time it's the mistrust of temple heirarchies, felt by a hedge sorceress close to death, and the problems of a blinded cavalry officer wished on Pen by the brother-in-law whose sight he was able to restore. Nobody can get what they want. But perhaps there's a way to get what they need
May 12, 2026
Not all Pen and Des
Darksight Dare is the sixteenth novel/novella in Lois McMaster Bujold's Penric and Desdemona series. It's a long novella or a very short novel. Also, it's a little different from most stories in the series.
Usually what I enjoy about a Pen & Des story is being inside the mind shared by Pen & Des. Their banter is always fun.
There's some of that in Darksight Dare, but most of our time is spent inside other minds. A hedge sorcerer is dying. In the five-gods world a sorcerer is a person who bears a demon. Most of the sorcerers we have met previously were under the care of the temple hierarchy, particularly that part of it devoted to the Bastard. For one thing, the clerics of the Bastard know how to handle and live safely with a demon. Pen & Des are obviously the experts. A hedge sorcerer is a sorcerer who has managed to remain unknown to the temple. It's a dangerous thing to be, and this one, Iva, is dying. She hasn't much time left, so there is an urgent need to find a new host for her demon to jump to when Iva dies.
The other main point of view is cavalry captain Cinar Camurat, who was recently blinded. Pen's brother-in-law General Arisaydia sends Cin to Penric, remembering how Pen healed him after his own blinding.
Thus Pen has two problems to solve. It's time for creative solutions.
I enjoyed this. The new points of view -- Cin and demon Iva, were a welcome innovation.
Blog review.
Darksight Dare is the sixteenth novel/novella in Lois McMaster Bujold's Penric and Desdemona series. It's a long novella or a very short novel. Also, it's a little different from most stories in the series.
Usually what I enjoy about a Pen & Des story is being inside the mind shared by Pen & Des. Their banter is always fun.
There's some of that in Darksight Dare, but most of our time is spent inside other minds. A hedge sorcerer is dying. In the five-gods world a sorcerer is a person who bears a demon. Most of the sorcerers we have met previously were under the care of the temple hierarchy, particularly that part of it devoted to the Bastard. For one thing, the clerics of the Bastard know how to handle and live safely with a demon. Pen & Des are obviously the experts. A hedge sorcerer is a sorcerer who has managed to remain unknown to the temple. It's a dangerous thing to be, and this one, Iva, is dying. She hasn't much time left, so there is an urgent need to find a new host for her demon to jump to when Iva dies.
The other main point of view is cavalry captain Cinar Camurat, who was recently blinded. Pen's brother-in-law General Arisaydia sends Cin to Penric, remembering how Pen healed him after his own blinding.
Thus Pen has two problems to solve. It's time for creative solutions.
I enjoyed this. The new points of view -- Cin and demon Iva, were a welcome innovation.
Blog review.
May 2, 2026
4.25
Description (from Goodreads):
Glancing back through my reviews of the last four or five published Pen & Des books, I notice that I have been saying the same things over and over, and, apologies, I can't help but reiterate them here: these books are my happy place; I would like to read about Pen and Des forever; another new Pen & Des book is a beacon of joy in my life; I hope Bujold remains so inspired! Phew, there! I had to get that off my chest before I could continue.
"Darksight Dare" is a lovely new entry in the series that brings us back to the contemporary timeline in the internal chronology, with Pen married to Nikys and the father of four. Bujold again expands the number of POVs; we only get to be with beloved Pen and delightful Des part of the time, but I liked Cin's voice, and I *loved* Iva-Itola-Spirit. Girl (demon) power! And any appearance of Blessed Iroki is a balm to the soul. (Why does it make me so happy when he calls Des "Miss Big Demon"? It's the little things.)
Like the majority of the Pen and Des novellas, there is a thoughtful ethical quandary at the center of this book. There's not a villain; just life in all its thorny, joyful wonder. There are two beings, one human and one a demon, that need help, and Pen comes up with a Hail Mary idea of how to fix things. Cin is very selfish at first, but in an understandable way. By the end, he is starting to grasp that Iva-Itola-Spirit is more than just a tool to make his life easier. That spark of awareness and empathy was beautiful to see.
"Darksight Dare" sets up an interesting framework for possible future entries in this series - is there a new pattern to how demons and humans can work together and interact with the community? I'd love to see it! Please and thank you, Ms. Bujold. This series is one of the best cozy fantasy options out there; it's so wonderfully human and thoughtful. Start at the beginning!
Description (from Goodreads):
Two intractable problems are brought to the door of sorcerer Learned Penric of Vilnoc and his Temple demon Desdemona. Cinar Camurat, a mutilated Cedonian cavalry captain, has traveled two thousand sea miles to Penric for aid. Iva of Bita, a secret hedge sorceress, lies dying in her Orban hill village, and wants no aid at all.
Penric and Desdemona know well the hazards of medicine and magic, but their greatest puzzle may lodge in the tangle of hopes and fears in human and demonic hearts.
Glancing back through my reviews of the last four or five published Pen & Des books, I notice that I have been saying the same things over and over, and, apologies, I can't help but reiterate them here: these books are my happy place; I would like to read about Pen and Des forever; another new Pen & Des book is a beacon of joy in my life; I hope Bujold remains so inspired! Phew, there! I had to get that off my chest before I could continue.
"Darksight Dare" is a lovely new entry in the series that brings us back to the contemporary timeline in the internal chronology, with Pen married to Nikys and the father of four. Bujold again expands the number of POVs; we only get to be with beloved Pen and delightful Des part of the time, but I liked Cin's voice, and I *loved* Iva-Itola-Spirit. Girl (demon) power! And any appearance of Blessed Iroki is a balm to the soul. (Why does it make me so happy when he calls Des "Miss Big Demon"? It's the little things.)
Like the majority of the Pen and Des novellas, there is a thoughtful ethical quandary at the center of this book. There's not a villain; just life in all its thorny, joyful wonder. There are two beings, one human and one a demon, that need help, and Pen comes up with a Hail Mary idea of how to fix things. Cin is very selfish at first, but in an understandable way. By the end, he is starting to grasp that Iva-Itola-Spirit is more than just a tool to make his life easier. That spark of awareness and empathy was beautiful to see.
"Darksight Dare" sets up an interesting framework for possible future entries in this series - is there a new pattern to how demons and humans can work together and interact with the community? I'd love to see it! Please and thank you, Ms. Bujold. This series is one of the best cozy fantasy options out there; it's so wonderfully human and thoughtful. Start at the beginning!
June 12, 2026
I really enjoyed this installment.
April 30, 2026
In a recent (mis)adventure, Penric managed to get himself gored by a demonic ox. These things happen when you are a Learned Divine of the Fifth God, the Lord Bastard, the master of all disasters out of season. Penric seems to be one of his most favored – or possibly one of his favorite playthings. When the deity you serve is the God of Chaos, the Lord of both chance and mischance, his godly favor often demonstrates the reasons why “may you live in interesting times” is every bit as much of a curse as it is a blessing.
In the World of the Five Gods, demons are not “demons” the way that we think of them. Demons are spirits with an independent existence – and soul – but no body. They achieve sentience by receiving some divine spark – or something like that – and then moving up the evolutionary chain from body to body, from insect to animal to human, gaining skills, experience and maturity as they go.
It’s not body-snatching. It’s not usually possession. It’s sharing. It’s partnership. Penric ought to know as he shares his body with the demon Desdemona, who represents the collective experience of the twelve demon-riders who came before him. All of them female which gives him an entirely new perspective on pretty much everything – and has for the past 25 years. Ever since he first agreed to host Desdemona in Penric’s Demon.
But it’s Penric’s whole adult life, a much different life than the one he originally imagined for himself.
This 16th story in the Hugo Award winning series is about another young man, this time a former cavalry officer, in considerably more desperate straits than Penric was, looking for a cure for his blindness and finding a life that he never imagined for himself, just as Penric once did.
Cinar Camurat was blinded by an enemy while he was a prisoner of war. His life, as he knew it, is over. And, quite likely, his life, period. Once he runs out of hope, he’ll put himself out of his misery – and it’s obvious to everyone around him that he’s hanging on by his fingernails.
Penric, OTOH, has a problem much like the one he walked into himself all those years ago. A hedge-witch (an unsanctioned sorcerer) is dying of cancer. Her demon is untrained and doesn’t know how to throw off the chaos she generates safely so as not to let it build up in her rider. But her demon is partially trained, and the temple always needs more demons for waiting candidates.
Not that any of those candidates can reach Penric in time, just as he was the only person available to take his demon when Desdemona’s previous rider died – of old age – on a remote path.
Cinar needs a future. The demon needs a rider. There is no time left for either of them. Unless they choose to walk their future path together, a road not seen, and seldom taken. But hopefully the right one for them both.
If the Lord Bastard takes them under his care, and gives them times that are just interesting enough.
Escape Rating A-: This series is always fun. And it’s always fun to see how Penric and his family are doing and just how misadventurous his current adventure turns out to be. Meaning that I picked this up the moment I saw it existed and dove into it with a grateful sigh.
One of the things I love about this series, and about the World of the Five Gods in which it is set, is that the whole religion/theology angle is well-thought out, actually works, and doesn’t make the reader think of any current real world analogies.
Not that Penric doesn’t have faith in his god and his god’s actions, but that Penric has met his god and spoken with him and knows for certain that his god’s acts – and the acts of the other gods – are real and have real, obvious and obviously directly attributable effects on their real world.
Penric and his god are also very well matched, in that the Lord Bastard is a chaos avatar, and so is Penric. And it seems as if that characteristic is a real part of Penric’s personality and not something imposed by his god. Not that the Lord Bastard isn’t a die-hard enabler of such behavior, but the behavior was already there. Penric just has more scope for it as a Temple Sorcerer than he did as the second son of a local landowner when he was just starting out.
The story, as so many of Penric’s stories are, is a story about making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. A story about leaping and hoping the net will appear. Of taking a chance and knowing it will make something happen – even if that something is less than ideal. Penric is all about pushing the envelope and seeing what happens when he sees what’s outside the corner.
In this case the story is also a reminder of both Penric’s own origin story AND his predisposition to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.
It was also fun to have another story that centered around Penric’s work as a Temple Sorcerer rather than on his family. There have been a few of those close together – although not the most recent book, Testimony of Mute Things, and it’s nice to have the balance back.
Both of those things being said, that means that the story has a familiar feel to it, as Penric has seen and done similar things and had similar adventures. Which is why this is an A- book instead of higher.
What makes this entry in the series a bit different is wrapped as tightly around Cinar as the badges around his eyes. It’s his situation that carries the heartbreak, and he’s at the end of his psychological rope and isn’t sure whether it’s worth hanging on. So even though Penric’s solution is dependent on this world’s magic, Cinar’s feelings and responses to his situation feel universal.
That Penric’s solution to Cinar’s problems is going to create a whole lot of change and chaos for his own life and his own God’s Order is just par for Penric’s, and the Lord Bastard’s, course.
If you’re already one of Penric and Desdemona’s many fans, this is a fun entry in the series. If this epic in scope but not epically long fantasy series sounds like it just MIGHT be your jam, start at the beginning with Penric’s Demon and prepare yourself for a terrific reading binge.
I’ll be over here, looking forward to the next book in the series, whenever it may appear!
Originally published at Reading Reality
In the World of the Five Gods, demons are not “demons” the way that we think of them. Demons are spirits with an independent existence – and soul – but no body. They achieve sentience by receiving some divine spark – or something like that – and then moving up the evolutionary chain from body to body, from insect to animal to human, gaining skills, experience and maturity as they go.
It’s not body-snatching. It’s not usually possession. It’s sharing. It’s partnership. Penric ought to know as he shares his body with the demon Desdemona, who represents the collective experience of the twelve demon-riders who came before him. All of them female which gives him an entirely new perspective on pretty much everything – and has for the past 25 years. Ever since he first agreed to host Desdemona in Penric’s Demon.
But it’s Penric’s whole adult life, a much different life than the one he originally imagined for himself.
This 16th story in the Hugo Award winning series is about another young man, this time a former cavalry officer, in considerably more desperate straits than Penric was, looking for a cure for his blindness and finding a life that he never imagined for himself, just as Penric once did.
Cinar Camurat was blinded by an enemy while he was a prisoner of war. His life, as he knew it, is over. And, quite likely, his life, period. Once he runs out of hope, he’ll put himself out of his misery – and it’s obvious to everyone around him that he’s hanging on by his fingernails.
Penric, OTOH, has a problem much like the one he walked into himself all those years ago. A hedge-witch (an unsanctioned sorcerer) is dying of cancer. Her demon is untrained and doesn’t know how to throw off the chaos she generates safely so as not to let it build up in her rider. But her demon is partially trained, and the temple always needs more demons for waiting candidates.
Not that any of those candidates can reach Penric in time, just as he was the only person available to take his demon when Desdemona’s previous rider died – of old age – on a remote path.
Cinar needs a future. The demon needs a rider. There is no time left for either of them. Unless they choose to walk their future path together, a road not seen, and seldom taken. But hopefully the right one for them both.
If the Lord Bastard takes them under his care, and gives them times that are just interesting enough.
Escape Rating A-: This series is always fun. And it’s always fun to see how Penric and his family are doing and just how misadventurous his current adventure turns out to be. Meaning that I picked this up the moment I saw it existed and dove into it with a grateful sigh.
One of the things I love about this series, and about the World of the Five Gods in which it is set, is that the whole religion/theology angle is well-thought out, actually works, and doesn’t make the reader think of any current real world analogies.
Not that Penric doesn’t have faith in his god and his god’s actions, but that Penric has met his god and spoken with him and knows for certain that his god’s acts – and the acts of the other gods – are real and have real, obvious and obviously directly attributable effects on their real world.
Penric and his god are also very well matched, in that the Lord Bastard is a chaos avatar, and so is Penric. And it seems as if that characteristic is a real part of Penric’s personality and not something imposed by his god. Not that the Lord Bastard isn’t a die-hard enabler of such behavior, but the behavior was already there. Penric just has more scope for it as a Temple Sorcerer than he did as the second son of a local landowner when he was just starting out.
The story, as so many of Penric’s stories are, is a story about making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. A story about leaping and hoping the net will appear. Of taking a chance and knowing it will make something happen – even if that something is less than ideal. Penric is all about pushing the envelope and seeing what happens when he sees what’s outside the corner.
In this case the story is also a reminder of both Penric’s own origin story AND his predisposition to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.
It was also fun to have another story that centered around Penric’s work as a Temple Sorcerer rather than on his family. There have been a few of those close together – although not the most recent book, Testimony of Mute Things, and it’s nice to have the balance back.
Both of those things being said, that means that the story has a familiar feel to it, as Penric has seen and done similar things and had similar adventures. Which is why this is an A- book instead of higher.
What makes this entry in the series a bit different is wrapped as tightly around Cinar as the badges around his eyes. It’s his situation that carries the heartbreak, and he’s at the end of his psychological rope and isn’t sure whether it’s worth hanging on. So even though Penric’s solution is dependent on this world’s magic, Cinar’s feelings and responses to his situation feel universal.
That Penric’s solution to Cinar’s problems is going to create a whole lot of change and chaos for his own life and his own God’s Order is just par for Penric’s, and the Lord Bastard’s, course.
If you’re already one of Penric and Desdemona’s many fans, this is a fun entry in the series. If this epic in scope but not epically long fantasy series sounds like it just MIGHT be your jam, start at the beginning with Penric’s Demon and prepare yourself for a terrific reading binge.
I’ll be over here, looking forward to the next book in the series, whenever it may appear!
Originally published at Reading Reality
April 27, 2026
4.5/5
Буджолд находит демонам все новые применения 🤣
Очень рада каждому появлению святого Ироки, он у меня один из любимых персонажей в серии.
Буджолд находит демонам все новые применения 🤣
Очень рада каждому появлению святого Ироки, он у меня один из любимых персонажей в серии.
June 23, 2026
I wasn't sure about this one. I didn't like Cin at first, but he grew on me. So much that I really liked the way things were worked out at the end. Still love Pen & Des!
April 27, 2026
Loved this novella. There are no villains in this story, just a complex situation with no simple outcome for any of the characters. But as always, Penric rises to the challenge and applies his original thinking to discover a unique solution to the knotty problem. The logic of the plot is impeccable, the characters' actions inevitable according to their varied personalities, and the narrative superb. It is #16 in the series, but unlike many other series, this one keeps developing and changing, as the author delves deeper into her world and her hero.
May 7, 2026
Four months have passed when Penric is called upon to inspect a dying woman who has a demon. She's on the right side of the cover. The left side is a blind man who is to inherit the demon, an experiment that Penric is quite excited about. 75% or so of the narrative is the man coming to terms with the changes that come with inheriting the demon, including a substitute of sorts for the vision he lost. This is one of the entries where Bujold explores some aspect of the world she's created in detail. The story is told from the perspectives of Penric, the blind man, and for the first time, a demon other than Desdemona.
I enjoy reading these quite a bit as they've maintained a great balance between daily life and something of note happening. That being said, I definitely prefer progressing into the future rather than taking a detour into the past as the previous entry did. I don't really have much to say. The joy is mostly simply from reading them, not so much what they're specifically about. Though, I may prefer Penric's settled days to his adventurous ones. Here's to many more to come.
I enjoy reading these quite a bit as they've maintained a great balance between daily life and something of note happening. That being said, I definitely prefer progressing into the future rather than taking a detour into the past as the previous entry did. I don't really have much to say. The joy is mostly simply from reading them, not so much what they're specifically about. Though, I may prefer Penric's settled days to his adventurous ones. Here's to many more to come.
Read
May 11, 2026I actually want to cry because what do you mean I get another Penric book? I’ve come back to Goodreads after years(?) away and found two additions to this series I haven’t seen before, I gobbled them up and was sooo satisfied but checking in today I see we got ANOTHER one? I’m so happy omg 😭 this is the best April ever
May 12, 2026
3 1/2 stars rounded up because of fondness for the series overall. This entry was kind of underwhelming. Penric is called to deal with a demon, and we don't really get to learn much about that village or the people in it. Then there's a second plotline about a blind soldier, which comes to dovetail into the first.
The whole story just wasn't long enough for me to grow properly attached to any of the new characters, but during the climax the events pull together in a way which was genuinely heartwarming and hilarious, which leaves me with a very fond feeling for the story overall.
The whole story just wasn't long enough for me to grow properly attached to any of the new characters, but during the climax the events pull together in a way which was genuinely heartwarming and hilarious, which leaves me with a very fond feeling for the story overall.
June 7, 2026
Book 16 [a novella] in Lois McMaster Bujold's Penric and Desdemona fantasy series set in the world of the Five Gods. Clearly when you are at book 16 in a series, and you've read every one, and now wait for the next one to come out, it's clear that I enjoy the series. This series is just over 10 years old now [2026], and for me, it has maintained its consistently high level of writing and imagination.
Learned sorcerer, Penric, is a sorcerer because he is possessed by the temple demon, Desdemona, the amalgamation of previous possessions. with his sorcery, and wits, Penric is called upon to aid in and solve temple and political mysteries and problems.
This story combines two problems, a hedge demon, which is about to lose its host via death, and a bind cavalry man, hoping for a way to regain his sight. Check out McMaster's website, and at this point read the series in chronological order, versus publication order. You won't be disappointed in you enjoy fantasy with a bit of police procedural.
Learned sorcerer, Penric, is a sorcerer because he is possessed by the temple demon, Desdemona, the amalgamation of previous possessions. with his sorcery, and wits, Penric is called upon to aid in and solve temple and political mysteries and problems.
This story combines two problems, a hedge demon, which is about to lose its host via death, and a bind cavalry man, hoping for a way to regain his sight. Check out McMaster's website, and at this point read the series in chronological order, versus publication order. You won't be disappointed in you enjoy fantasy with a bit of police procedural.
May 6, 2026
Slurp. I did hold off for days from reading this, which showed remarkable control. Formulaic - but what a formula. And in the end we had some directionality. And really this fit into the chronology without a whole lot of gap. Is this high art? no. But super enjoyable. And I'm so looking forward to re-reading this whole series perhaps more than once. And again perhaps this is a series for an older person, but I am an older person.
May 10, 2026
Chaos as theme
With her rightfully acclaimed Vorkosigan saga, Lois McMaster Bujold traced Miles through his stages of life (with a few diversions and a frame centered on his mother, but I digress). With Penric and Desdemona, Ms. Bujold has settled on bite-sized stories organized in part as explorations of the "what ifs" of her setting. And her trademark insights into human nature continue to delight, well into her much deserved retirement. I'll continue to buy every novella on the day it drops, for as long as she bestows these gifts. Five stars.
With her rightfully acclaimed Vorkosigan saga, Lois McMaster Bujold traced Miles through his stages of life (with a few diversions and a frame centered on his mother, but I digress). With Penric and Desdemona, Ms. Bujold has settled on bite-sized stories organized in part as explorations of the "what ifs" of her setting. And her trademark insights into human nature continue to delight, well into her much deserved retirement. I'll continue to buy every novella on the day it drops, for as long as she bestows these gifts. Five stars.
April 25, 2026
Another cozyish entry into Penric and Desdemona's lives, though a large part of the books is from another character. I think in one sense, it's good to keep doing things to change up each episode to keep it fresh. That said, as much as I enjoy spending time in this world, the repetition of how sorcery and demons work is starting to get to me, as it's harder to be patient with new characters needing Penric to lecture them every time. That said, I'm very curious about the implications of the ending Bujold gave us here. Fascinating.
May 10, 2026
Solid entry
We do leave Penrics POV at times, and while the new characters grew on me, definitely don't like them as much as Pen which lowers the experience some. But always respect mixing it up a little bit
We do leave Penrics POV at times, and while the new characters grew on me, definitely don't like them as much as Pen which lowers the experience some. But always respect mixing it up a little bit
June 9, 2026
Another fantastic adventure with Penric and Des.
In many ways, it felt like a mirror to the very first novella in this series, as Pen meets a young man facing a very similar and unexpected partnership - the same way he did.
This series and world is an all-time favorite!
In many ways, it felt like a mirror to the very first novella in this series, as Pen meets a young man facing a very similar and unexpected partnership - the same way he did.
This series and world is an all-time favorite!
June 11, 2026
Excellent continuation of the series, picking up after Demonic Ox in chronology with a hedge sorceress, a scarred young army veteran, a generally freaked-out demon and just a ton of empathy. Somehow manages to be comforting without shying away from the darker elements of the story.
April 25, 2026
A Different Point of View
This was interesting because Penric and Desdemona were not the main characters. We got to see through new characters' eyes, well, in a way. It was a good story.
This was interesting because Penric and Desdemona were not the main characters. We got to see through new characters' eyes, well, in a way. It was a good story.
May 3, 2026
I do love Pen and Des
I don’t have many writer goddesses, but Lois McMaster Bujold is at the top of the list. I love the Vor books, but when life gets stressful, I enjoy the Penric and Desdemona books. The adventures are fun, as this one was, but also verging on cozy, if one can call a book with demons cozy. I highly recommend!
I don’t have many writer goddesses, but Lois McMaster Bujold is at the top of the list. I love the Vor books, but when life gets stressful, I enjoy the Penric and Desdemona books. The adventures are fun, as this one was, but also verging on cozy, if one can call a book with demons cozy. I highly recommend!
May 12, 2026
A very interesting case for Penric and Desdemona, in that they become uncanny matchmakers by necessity.
The author gives us several interesting new characters: cavalryman Cinar, recently blinded, hoping that Penric can restore his sight, and Iva, a young woman and hedge sorceress, who is dying., and who wants her demon to survive. We even get the demon's POV, which gives the story a extra bit of interest.
This is a fairly quiet story--no murders, no life-threatening injuries to Penric, no fights with bandits.
The excitement in the later part of the book is rather low-key, with a wonderful twist. The ending left me with a sense of calm contentment.
I love these books and I hope Ms Bujold continues to enjoy writing them.
The author gives us several interesting new characters: cavalryman Cinar, recently blinded, hoping that Penric can restore his sight, and Iva, a young woman and hedge sorceress, who is dying., and who wants her demon to survive. We even get the demon's POV, which gives the story a extra bit of interest.
This is a fairly quiet story--no murders, no life-threatening injuries to Penric, no fights with bandits.
The excitement in the later part of the book is rather low-key, with a wonderful twist. The ending left me with a sense of calm contentment.
I love these books and I hope Ms Bujold continues to enjoy writing them.
May 2, 2026
In Darksight Dare, Penric & Desdemona have two emergencies presented to them almost at once.
First, there is a young man come to fetch Learned Penric because his aunt (who turns out to be a secret hedge sorcerer) is dying.
Second, Penric's brother-in-law General Adelis has sent a blinded calvary captain to Penric in hopes that he, like Adelis, could recover his sight. Both were blinded after being captured by enemies. (At least blinded is better than dead, after all.) Fortunately for Adelis, Penric WAS able to restore his sight, but it was an arduous process AND Penric had access to Adelis shortly after the incident happened.
This is the first time in the Penric & Desdemona series where we have met a hedge sorcerer. These are people who have demons, but who were never trained by the Temple and, in fact, stayed as far away from Temples as they could. (Yes, they are QUITE aware that the Temple has the power to destroy their demons, so they give Temples a wide berth.)
The Temples don't pursue the hedge sorcerers because they are usually harmless and, in fact, can be wise women dispensing herbs, etc. to cure minor ills, etc. Temples prefer that THEIR demons are passed from Learned divines to approved / trained Temple candidates. (Penric acquired his during a roadway accident but went for Temple training shortly thereafter.)
We also have not seen that much of military men. Pen's general brother-in-law provided letters of introduction for his wounded cavalryman just in case Penric could help him.
So, we are seeing new people in Penric & Desdemona's world. That is, people from other walks of life than we had seen before.
Anyway, as always, the new Pen & Des novella is a fine adventure, well-told indeed!
First, there is a young man come to fetch Learned Penric because his aunt (who turns out to be a secret hedge sorcerer) is dying.
Second, Penric's brother-in-law General Adelis has sent a blinded calvary captain to Penric in hopes that he, like Adelis, could recover his sight. Both were blinded after being captured by enemies. (At least blinded is better than dead, after all.) Fortunately for Adelis, Penric WAS able to restore his sight, but it was an arduous process AND Penric had access to Adelis shortly after the incident happened.
This is the first time in the Penric & Desdemona series where we have met a hedge sorcerer. These are people who have demons, but who were never trained by the Temple and, in fact, stayed as far away from Temples as they could. (Yes, they are QUITE aware that the Temple has the power to destroy their demons, so they give Temples a wide berth.)
The Temples don't pursue the hedge sorcerers because they are usually harmless and, in fact, can be wise women dispensing herbs, etc. to cure minor ills, etc. Temples prefer that THEIR demons are passed from Learned divines to approved / trained Temple candidates. (Penric acquired his during a roadway accident but went for Temple training shortly thereafter.)
We also have not seen that much of military men. Pen's general brother-in-law provided letters of introduction for his wounded cavalryman just in case Penric could help him.
So, we are seeing new people in Penric & Desdemona's world. That is, people from other walks of life than we had seen before.
Anyway, as always, the new Pen & Des novella is a fine adventure, well-told indeed!
May 3, 2026
A hedge witch from a tiny village has a demon she inherited from an older woman, but knowing nothing of shedding chaos, it has made her so ill she’s dying of cancer. Winces.
Her sister sends to the city for the Learned Penric who brings them back to the temple so that the demon can be saved. There is no hope for the woman, but she will live on in the demon the way Desdemona has many ‘selves’, so she can get a vote in all this.
Meanwhile, Penric’s brother in law, has sent a blinded cavalry captain to him in the hope that he can restore his sight, but it’s been months…
But perhaps there is a solution that will suit both demon and man? it is rare to place a female demon in a male host, but they are pushed for time.
I kept trying to read this with a migraine - lip wobble - had to put it down and wait until the next morning to try again.
The brothers plan to hang around - the sighted one as a diplomat… and Cin as a sorcerer in training so they will pop up in Penric’s ever expanding family.
hugs them all
5 stars
Her sister sends to the city for the Learned Penric who brings them back to the temple so that the demon can be saved. There is no hope for the woman, but she will live on in the demon the way Desdemona has many ‘selves’, so she can get a vote in all this.
Meanwhile, Penric’s brother in law, has sent a blinded cavalry captain to him in the hope that he can restore his sight, but it’s been months…
But perhaps there is a solution that will suit both demon and man? it is rare to place a female demon in a male host, but they are pushed for time.
I kept trying to read this with a migraine - lip wobble - had to put it down and wait until the next morning to try again.
The brothers plan to hang around - the sighted one as a diplomat… and Cin as a sorcerer in training so they will pop up in Penric’s ever expanding family.
hugs them all
5 stars
May 15, 2026
Another entry in the Penric and Desdemona series of adventures. In this instalment, two problems arrive at Penric’s doorstep at roughly the same time, prompting him to devise a plan that might solve both at once. Naturally, things are not entirely above board, and various shenanigans ensue.
This is among the less entertaining novellas in the series. The writing remains excellent, as one would expect, but the story itself feels tired. A substantial portion is devoted to revisiting rules and concepts that long-time readers already know well, particularly regarding demons and their relationships with their human riders.
At one point, the plot hints at something more substantial or surprising, only for that possibility to be quickly extinguished by the author's choice to end the tension before it even had the chance to begin. By the end, I was left wondering what the novella had really added: my understanding of the world had not deepened, I learned little new about either Penric or Desdemona, and the story never generated much tension or excitement.
Like many devoted followers of the series, I’m still glad I read it. Even so, this feels like an unnecessary instalment—one the series could probably have done without.
This is among the less entertaining novellas in the series. The writing remains excellent, as one would expect, but the story itself feels tired. A substantial portion is devoted to revisiting rules and concepts that long-time readers already know well, particularly regarding demons and their relationships with their human riders.
At one point, the plot hints at something more substantial or surprising, only for that possibility to be quickly extinguished by the author's choice to end the tension before it even had the chance to begin. By the end, I was left wondering what the novella had really added: my understanding of the world had not deepened, I learned little new about either Penric or Desdemona, and the story never generated much tension or excitement.
Like many devoted followers of the series, I’m still glad I read it. Even so, this feels like an unnecessary instalment—one the series could probably have done without.
Read
May 3, 2026I’d say this was in the top third of the Penric books. Not the very best, but certainly enjoyable. Any book in which we get to see Blessed Iroki is gonna jump up several spots in the ranking for me – I love him so much. I liked the new characters, and as always I liked the references to previous Penric stories. There were some moments toward the end that were downright hilarious, and I thought the ending tied things up nicely. (Though, is it just me, or does Penric seem to be acquiring quite the collection of sorcerers, none of whom have gotten their demons through “traditional” means.) All that said, I thought there were some odd pacing issues. At about the halfway point, I legitimately couldn’t figure out what else there was to do in the story – it seemed like everything had been wrapped up, and Bujold had to spend a while setting up the conflict for the back half of the book. Also, there were several scenes that I found fairly boring (just people talking to each other in a “getting to know you” kind of way) that probably could have been left out. Still, another enjoyable Penric romp.
April 24, 2026
The way that I rushed to the Kobo store when I saw Ms McMaster Bujold's post announcing a new book....per usual I was not disappointed.
As we rejoin Penric and Desdemona they have been together for twenty five years! Penric is still physically recovering from his encounter with the demonic ox the previous summer.
I enjoyed the new character of Cin and all those associated with him, and the chapters from his perspective were welcome. Nothing about the way the story unfolds will surprise you, but you don't really read these stories to be surprised. I liked that this one was less a mystery and more, how will the characters deal with the circumstances they are faced with.
I happily and eagerly await the next installment.
As we rejoin Penric and Desdemona they have been together for twenty five years! Penric is still physically recovering from his encounter with the demonic ox the previous summer.
I enjoyed the new character of Cin and all those associated with him, and the chapters from his perspective were welcome. Nothing about the way the story unfolds will surprise you, but you don't really read these stories to be surprised. I liked that this one was less a mystery and more, how will the characters deal with the circumstances they are faced with.
I happily and eagerly await the next installment.
May 4, 2026
Demons, humans, saints and horses
I’ve said it before, in my other reviews, these characters are family. Meeting them again is simply wonderful.
A young villager comes to Learned Penric (and Desdemona, of course) with a delicate demon-related issue. A young man comes to Penric hoping that medical magic will help him. These stories will intertwine. For the characters, it will be emotional and confusing. They will make bad decisions and bad judgements, but they will get it right at some point.
I loved that Blessed Iroki made an appearance here, since he is my favourite saint in fiction!
I can’t believe Pen & Des and all the others have sixteen books to live in now. Isn’t it wonderful?
These books are good for the soul.
I’ve said it before, in my other reviews, these characters are family. Meeting them again is simply wonderful.
A young villager comes to Learned Penric (and Desdemona, of course) with a delicate demon-related issue. A young man comes to Penric hoping that medical magic will help him. These stories will intertwine. For the characters, it will be emotional and confusing. They will make bad decisions and bad judgements, but they will get it right at some point.
I loved that Blessed Iroki made an appearance here, since he is my favourite saint in fiction!
I can’t believe Pen & Des and all the others have sixteen books to live in now. Isn’t it wonderful?
These books are good for the soul.
May 27, 2026
4.5 stars, rounded down only compared to other LMB stories. :)
This is one of those Pen stories where philosophical and practical quandaries of demon-wrangling take precedence over any real sense of danger or urgency, with all the beats going pretty much as you'd expect. Still, you can't help but sympathize with the newer characters and the complicated situation that's been thrust upon them.
If anything, in fact, I think this story would have benefitted from not having Pen among the several points of view; long-time readers would still have assumed his good intentions, but it would have amplified the natural doubts of the new characters, making their fears that much more believable.
This is one of those Pen stories where philosophical and practical quandaries of demon-wrangling take precedence over any real sense of danger or urgency, with all the beats going pretty much as you'd expect. Still, you can't help but sympathize with the newer characters and the complicated situation that's been thrust upon them.
If anything, in fact, I think this story would have benefitted from not having Pen among the several points of view; long-time readers would still have assumed his good intentions, but it would have amplified the natural doubts of the new characters, making their fears that much more believable.
June 5, 2026
Here, we have a soldier whose eyes were destroyed by an enemy that mutilates its opponents after capture. Since that soldier's commander had previously had his blindness cured by Penric, he travels a very long distance in hopes that Penric can repeat that healing. But some injuries are not healable, even by a sorcerer healer.
Penric, however, comes up with a partial solution. But the solution has its own issues.
As usual with Bujold's work, there is very strong character work with sympathetic characters. Since this is a novella, that does come at the cost of a simpler plot than in full-length novels, but the story works well in that format.
Also as usual, this book and the series get a very strong recommendation from me.
Penric, however, comes up with a partial solution. But the solution has its own issues.
As usual with Bujold's work, there is very strong character work with sympathetic characters. Since this is a novella, that does come at the cost of a simpler plot than in full-length novels, but the story works well in that format.
Also as usual, this book and the series get a very strong recommendation from me.
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