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The Sharing Knife #4
Horizon
Fawn's husband Dag apprentices to a master groundsetter. But the camp has rigid mores with respect to farmers like Fawn's people. The pair must answer the question posed when they killed their first malice together: When old traditions fail, can their untried new ways win?
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
172 people are currently reading
1500 people want to read
About the author
Lois McMaster Bujold
181 books39.4k 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 458 reviews
October 21, 2016
Eight or more years ago, I bought and read the first book in this series, Beguilement, but never felt particularly motivated to finish the 4-book series until a few weeks ago. It occurred to me that before I let my (expensive non-resident) library card lapse for the next few months, I should grab this series off the library's shelves and plow or skim through it, as the spirit moved me.
The second book was a skimmer for me (I didn't rate or review it because of the amount I skipped over), but the third was good enough that I actually read the whole thing with a fair amount of interest, especially the last part, which really ramped up the intensity. The excitement kind of ramps down again at the start of this fourth and final volume in the series, but I found myself unexpectedly taken with the telling of Dag and Fawn's stay with a camp of Lakewalkers, where Dag can learn from others how to use and control his abilities as a maker and healer. The magical aspects of this were fascinating.
Dag and Fawn are still battling the prejudices that Dag's people, the Lakewalkers, have against Fawn's, the farmers, and vice versa. Specifically, Lakewalkers don't like Dag practicing his healing abilities on farmers. But when a young farmer boy gets lockjaw from stepping on a nail, what's a self-respecting healer to do? And one thing leads to another, and of course Dag and Fawn and their friends aren't finished dealing with the deadly malices that blight their lands. And one malice is of a sort that no one's ever seen before:
This book turned out to be a lot more interesting and exciting than I was expecting. I wasn't sure if Bujold could find a way to wrap up the series that would be both believable and satisfying to me, but she did it. It's definitely my favorite book of this western frontier fantasy series.
Bujold is a very creative and talented author who writes believable characters. I'm not sure if I'd recommend plowing through the entire series unless (a) a frontier era fantasy sounds interesting, and (b) you don't mind a large side helping of May/December romance. But I can tell you that, at least in my opinion, if you do, you won't be disappointed by the ending of the series.
4.5 stars.
Art credit: http://pre09.deviantart.net/b043/th/p...
The second book was a skimmer for me (I didn't rate or review it because of the amount I skipped over), but the third was good enough that I actually read the whole thing with a fair amount of interest, especially the last part, which really ramped up the intensity. The excitement kind of ramps down again at the start of this fourth and final volume in the series, but I found myself unexpectedly taken with the telling of Dag and Fawn's stay with a camp of Lakewalkers, where Dag can learn from others how to use and control his abilities as a maker and healer. The magical aspects of this were fascinating.
Dag and Fawn are still battling the prejudices that Dag's people, the Lakewalkers, have against Fawn's, the farmers, and vice versa. Specifically, Lakewalkers don't like Dag practicing his healing abilities on farmers. But when a young farmer boy gets lockjaw from stepping on a nail, what's a self-respecting healer to do? And one thing leads to another, and of course Dag and Fawn and their friends aren't finished dealing with the deadly malices that blight their lands. And one malice is of a sort that no one's ever seen before:
This book turned out to be a lot more interesting and exciting than I was expecting. I wasn't sure if Bujold could find a way to wrap up the series that would be both believable and satisfying to me, but she did it. It's definitely my favorite book of this western frontier fantasy series.
Bujold is a very creative and talented author who writes believable characters. I'm not sure if I'd recommend plowing through the entire series unless (a) a frontier era fantasy sounds interesting, and (b) you don't mind a large side helping of May/December romance. But I can tell you that, at least in my opinion, if you do, you won't be disappointed by the ending of the series.
4.5 stars.
Art credit: http://pre09.deviantart.net/b043/th/p...
February 16, 2009
I figured out a long time ago that Lois McMaster Bujold is one of THOSE authors--basically, if she writes a book, it's good. Period. And the Sharing Knife books are no exception. McMaster Bujold's worlds feel real, and her characters matter. This series is a little slower paced than some of her science fiction, but they're still very rewarding reading.
Horizon is the fourth book in the Sharing Knife series, in which a farmer girl and a one-armed Lakewalker man meet while fighting a terrible monster and end up marrying. However, in this land, farmers and Lakewalkers generally avoid each other. The Lakewalkers despise the farmers for having no magic (groundsense); the farmers fear the Lakewalkers for their magic and because the Lakewalkers make knives out of their dead kins' bones. What the farmers do not understand is that the sharing knives--imbued with the souls of the dying--are the only weapon capable of destroying the terrible malices (which are kind of like the Star Trek's Borg, only more organic--see my review of Jim Butcher's Alera books!). Lakewalkers hunt malices, and if they didn't, the land would soon be overrun and destroyed.
As Dag and Fawn deal with both malices and malicious humans, they see clearly what no one else has realized: that the rift between farmers and Lakewalkers inadvertently benefits the malices. The seemingly mismatched couple sets out to change prejudices and find solutions, ultimately a greater challenge than slaying a malice.
In the crowded sci-fi/fantasy realm, not many authors stand out, but Lois McMaster Bujold is so good she scarcely has any competition. Of course, if you're going to read about Dag and Fawn, you should start with Book One and travel the author's land clear to the Horizon.
Horizon is the fourth book in the Sharing Knife series, in which a farmer girl and a one-armed Lakewalker man meet while fighting a terrible monster and end up marrying. However, in this land, farmers and Lakewalkers generally avoid each other. The Lakewalkers despise the farmers for having no magic (groundsense); the farmers fear the Lakewalkers for their magic and because the Lakewalkers make knives out of their dead kins' bones. What the farmers do not understand is that the sharing knives--imbued with the souls of the dying--are the only weapon capable of destroying the terrible malices (which are kind of like the Star Trek's Borg, only more organic--see my review of Jim Butcher's Alera books!). Lakewalkers hunt malices, and if they didn't, the land would soon be overrun and destroyed.
As Dag and Fawn deal with both malices and malicious humans, they see clearly what no one else has realized: that the rift between farmers and Lakewalkers inadvertently benefits the malices. The seemingly mismatched couple sets out to change prejudices and find solutions, ultimately a greater challenge than slaying a malice.
In the crowded sci-fi/fantasy realm, not many authors stand out, but Lois McMaster Bujold is so good she scarcely has any competition. Of course, if you're going to read about Dag and Fawn, you should start with Book One and travel the author's land clear to the Horizon.
May 3, 2022
The final book in the sharing knife series is as I expected, entertaining. The premise of the entire series was around breaking prejudiced old traditions, and making ways for a new, better and accommodating world. It was a love story, full of adventures and camaraderie. What I love most about the series was the homey feeling I got while reading, it was inviting, comfortable m, and have lovable characters. I grew fond of Dag and Fawn the main characters, and just wanted more of their story. I truly enjoyed this series.
November 20, 2009
In which this four-book romance fantasy wanders – by which I mean plot? What plot? – to a close – by which I mean babies for all!
Yikes. A friend called this the "never-ending beige adventure," which made me laugh. More than the book did.
I'm feeling kind of cranky about this book. It's intellectually boring, with a thematic conversation (communication, clashing and changing paradigms, etc.) little deeper than your average morality play. I could forgive intellectual boredom for emotional interest – God knows I've done that before. But my emotional needle didn't so much as quiver throughout. I will say that the book is at least prettily, if . . . rustically written. And I don't usually get cranky over boring, because boring for me is a great romance for someone else (though, I've never met anyone who was actually really moved by this particular series . . . Bueller?).
No, the real problem is the explicit and implicit helping of babymaking propaganda. Did you guys know that the purpose of marriage is babies? Didya didya didya? The sheer amount of moral imperative this series piles on reproduction – though, okay, not always heteronormatively – is staggering because half of it is delivered with this 'duh' of universal unarguable truth, which, um, no, and the other half feels entirely unconscious and kind of uncomfortable as a glimpse of author id to me. The older I get, the more toxic that becomes. Yeurgh.
Yikes. A friend called this the "never-ending beige adventure," which made me laugh. More than the book did.
I'm feeling kind of cranky about this book. It's intellectually boring, with a thematic conversation (communication, clashing and changing paradigms, etc.) little deeper than your average morality play. I could forgive intellectual boredom for emotional interest – God knows I've done that before. But my emotional needle didn't so much as quiver throughout. I will say that the book is at least prettily, if . . . rustically written. And I don't usually get cranky over boring, because boring for me is a great romance for someone else (though, I've never met anyone who was actually really moved by this particular series . . . Bueller?).
No, the real problem is the explicit and implicit helping of babymaking propaganda. Did you guys know that the purpose of marriage is babies? Didya didya didya? The sheer amount of moral imperative this series piles on reproduction – though, okay, not always heteronormatively – is staggering because half of it is delivered with this 'duh' of universal unarguable truth, which, um, no, and the other half feels entirely unconscious and kind of uncomfortable as a glimpse of author id to me. The older I get, the more toxic that becomes. Yeurgh.
October 29, 2023
There are some fairly negative rewiews of this book. They claim it's a filler, unnecessary, and weaker than othher books in the series. I must disagree. As someone who followed the story closely, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It does have it's flaws, there are several deus ex moments, but it was pleaasnt and enjoyable reading through and through.
Read
June 25, 2009Fawn, Dag, and their never-ending beige adventure.
February 5, 2022
Bernadette Dunne does a fantastic job reading! She really brought the story to life.
The last quarter of Dag and Fawn's odyssey was just what I hoped it would be.
They made it to the bottom of the river and now they need to make they're way north again by horse. Of course there are troubles and new friends from both likely and unlikely places.
Dag needs to find help with his 'Making', but can he find a lakewalker willing to do so?
I love how Fawn and Dag just seem to gather friends wherever they go, like they're a lamp and the people are moths. Dag is tall and dark and dangerous with a hook for his left hand. So at first he kinda freaks people out, but then he gets mulling over the division of lake walkers and farmer folk... Next thing you know another has joined the band wagon!
The whole series is a study in prejudice. But it also shows how people are people and when push comes to shove, most of us will lend a hand.
I was surprised that there's actually an OW wannabe in this one. She's a right nasty piece of work too.
Best of all was the epilogue from a year later, with a wee baby and an old friend visiting.
Safety is good
The last quarter of Dag and Fawn's odyssey was just what I hoped it would be.
They made it to the bottom of the river and now they need to make they're way north again by horse. Of course there are troubles and new friends from both likely and unlikely places.
Dag needs to find help with his 'Making', but can he find a lakewalker willing to do so?
I love how Fawn and Dag just seem to gather friends wherever they go, like they're a lamp and the people are moths. Dag is tall and dark and dangerous with a hook for his left hand. So at first he kinda freaks people out, but then he gets mulling over the division of lake walkers and farmer folk... Next thing you know another has joined the band wagon!
The whole series is a study in prejudice. But it also shows how people are people and when push comes to shove, most of us will lend a hand.
I was surprised that there's actually an OW wannabe in this one. She's a right nasty piece of work too.
Best of all was the epilogue from a year later, with a wee baby and an old friend visiting.
Safety is good
November 8, 2018
Rating
Review
*** This review originally appeared on Out of this World Reviews. ***
Horizon is the fourth and final book of Bujold's Sharing Knife series. In it, we find our heroes, Dag and Fawn Bluefield, returning north with the intention of settling a place of their own. Dag, already a veteran Lakewalker patroller, has become more than that now: medicine-maker, groundsetter, husband, father/brother figure, and all-around leader to a small conclave of Lakewalkers and farmers. Dag wants for simple things, but his life is anything but simple. As he and Fawn and a myriad of others travel north, they come face-to-face with Dag's worst nightmare: a malice that has grown unchecked and become very powerful as a result.
The Sharing Knife is, by it's very definition, about sacrifice. Dag sacrifices his usual way of life as a Lakewalker. Fawn sacrifices the stability of the life of a farmer to be with him. Others cross paths with Lakewalkers and farmers alike throughout the series and oftentimes come away missing something. A sharing knife itself is a medium of sacrifice, for it is imbued with the 'death' of a Lakewalker individual, and is the only weapon that can slay a malice.
Horizon is very much a continuation (and conclusion) of the series. The story itself comes full circle in more ways than one as Dag and Fawn return north and, in inadvertent fashion, complete the quest most dear to Dag's heart: to seal the rift between farmer and Lakewalker and unite them against the common threat of malice. Perhaps the best thing about Horizon is the way in which this happens. I won't give anything away, but suffice to say Dag spends much of the first three books planting seeds which only spring forth in this final volume.
I've said this before, but it bears mentioning again: the four books read as one. The style, the flow of the various plotlines; one can easily imagine Bujold having written the series in one long, continuous sitting. The writing is consistently excellent, with characters true to form and dialog spot on. This is not an action-packed thriller, yet Bujold has an excellent sense of moving the story along. I never felt like she was spinning me in circles or going down a path that had no relevance to the overall story. It's just great storytelling.
I'm giving Horizon and the overall Sharing Knife series 5 out of 5 rockets. It really is an enjoyable read, with interesting characters, hints of suspense in all the right places, and a world that is believable and engaging. The 'magic system' is fresh and original, and not overdone in any sense. I'd recommend picking up a copy and giving it a read.
Review
*** This review originally appeared on Out of this World Reviews. ***
Horizon is the fourth and final book of Bujold's Sharing Knife series. In it, we find our heroes, Dag and Fawn Bluefield, returning north with the intention of settling a place of their own. Dag, already a veteran Lakewalker patroller, has become more than that now: medicine-maker, groundsetter, husband, father/brother figure, and all-around leader to a small conclave of Lakewalkers and farmers. Dag wants for simple things, but his life is anything but simple. As he and Fawn and a myriad of others travel north, they come face-to-face with Dag's worst nightmare: a malice that has grown unchecked and become very powerful as a result.
The Sharing Knife is, by it's very definition, about sacrifice. Dag sacrifices his usual way of life as a Lakewalker. Fawn sacrifices the stability of the life of a farmer to be with him. Others cross paths with Lakewalkers and farmers alike throughout the series and oftentimes come away missing something. A sharing knife itself is a medium of sacrifice, for it is imbued with the 'death' of a Lakewalker individual, and is the only weapon that can slay a malice.
Horizon is very much a continuation (and conclusion) of the series. The story itself comes full circle in more ways than one as Dag and Fawn return north and, in inadvertent fashion, complete the quest most dear to Dag's heart: to seal the rift between farmer and Lakewalker and unite them against the common threat of malice. Perhaps the best thing about Horizon is the way in which this happens. I won't give anything away, but suffice to say Dag spends much of the first three books planting seeds which only spring forth in this final volume.
I've said this before, but it bears mentioning again: the four books read as one. The style, the flow of the various plotlines; one can easily imagine Bujold having written the series in one long, continuous sitting. The writing is consistently excellent, with characters true to form and dialog spot on. This is not an action-packed thriller, yet Bujold has an excellent sense of moving the story along. I never felt like she was spinning me in circles or going down a path that had no relevance to the overall story. It's just great storytelling.
I'm giving Horizon and the overall Sharing Knife series 5 out of 5 rockets. It really is an enjoyable read, with interesting characters, hints of suspense in all the right places, and a world that is believable and engaging. The 'magic system' is fresh and original, and not overdone in any sense. I'd recommend picking up a copy and giving it a read.
July 18, 2018
Love, love, love these 4 books. And the epilogue of this book is one of the best places to leave a series, ever.
December 20, 2018
Mini-Review:
YAY for narration by Bernadette Dunne! I've heard her before but now I will keep an eye out for her name on audiobooks. I really enjoyed her style of narration for this series.
I liked it. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but it worked. I should have realized by the second book that the series would be more about the journey of making changes rather than finding a particular answer. The focus moved from being about Dag and Fawn to showing the reader the world in which they lived and how much harm can happen due to ignorance and fear of the unknown. It means something when the series is over and you're left wondering what happened to all of the characters that you've gotten to know. I definitely feel that wistful note here at the end.
Horizon was an adventure story that teaches about being open to trying new things, working with failure and noting that change may be full of prickly pangs but also goodness.
It was a nice jaunt into a different world and full of great characters that I enjoyed getting to know.
YAY for narration by Bernadette Dunne! I've heard her before but now I will keep an eye out for her name on audiobooks. I really enjoyed her style of narration for this series.
I liked it. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but it worked. I should have realized by the second book that the series would be more about the journey of making changes rather than finding a particular answer. The focus moved from being about Dag and Fawn to showing the reader the world in which they lived and how much harm can happen due to ignorance and fear of the unknown. It means something when the series is over and you're left wondering what happened to all of the characters that you've gotten to know. I definitely feel that wistful note here at the end.
Horizon was an adventure story that teaches about being open to trying new things, working with failure and noting that change may be full of prickly pangs but also goodness.
It was a nice jaunt into a different world and full of great characters that I enjoyed getting to know.
December 23, 2018
Audiobook
I guess this is the end of the series. A really nice ending with both groups working together. I would recommend this series.
I guess this is the end of the series. A really nice ending with both groups working together. I would recommend this series.
February 22, 2019
Mit diesem Band kommt die Seenläufer-Saga zu ihrem Ende.
Die kleine Gruppe der Reisenden wurde über die Zeit immer größer und kommt letztendlich wieder am Ausgangspunkt an.
In der Zwischenzeit ist natürlich viel passiert. Beziehungen wurden neu geknüpft oder haben sich verändert, das eigentliche Ziel der Reise entwickelt sich und wird immer klarer und am Ende haben wir einen (zwar ein bisschen langweiligen) aber befriedigenden Ausgang der Geschichte.
Zu Beginn des Buches hatte ich schon das Gefühl, dass die Autorin ihre Sage zu sehr in die Länge gezogen hat, aber in der letzten Hälfte wurde es dann doch noch sehr spannend.
Aus meiner Sicht 3,5 Sterne für die gesamte Saga und einen halben Stern extra als Fanbonus.
Eine Kleinigkeit, die mir wirklich gefallen hat, war, dass Bujold die Seenläufer-Kultur matriarchalisch aufgebaut hat, ohne, dass die Männer dabei diskriminiert wurden. Eine schöne Vorstellung, dass so etwas möglich sein könnte. :)
Die kleine Gruppe der Reisenden wurde über die Zeit immer größer und kommt letztendlich wieder am Ausgangspunkt an.
In der Zwischenzeit ist natürlich viel passiert. Beziehungen wurden neu geknüpft oder haben sich verändert, das eigentliche Ziel der Reise entwickelt sich und wird immer klarer und am Ende haben wir einen (zwar ein bisschen langweiligen) aber befriedigenden Ausgang der Geschichte.
Zu Beginn des Buches hatte ich schon das Gefühl, dass die Autorin ihre Sage zu sehr in die Länge gezogen hat, aber in der letzten Hälfte wurde es dann doch noch sehr spannend.
Aus meiner Sicht 3,5 Sterne für die gesamte Saga und einen halben Stern extra als Fanbonus.
Eine Kleinigkeit, die mir wirklich gefallen hat, war, dass Bujold die Seenläufer-Kultur matriarchalisch aufgebaut hat, ohne, dass die Männer dabei diskriminiert wurden. Eine schöne Vorstellung, dass so etwas möglich sein könnte. :)
March 18, 2012
I know I know, I have been bored for 2 books now and still I read this one. I just wanted to know how it ended. But after having thought about this, it ended as boringly as it went on. Nothing happened at the end either.
Right this book then. Dag and Fawn talk --> they talk to other people --> they think about things ----> they are going north with a bunch of other people ---> more talking and thinking.
*falls asleep* Yes I actually fell asleep while reading.
Nothing happens, and when something finally does happen I am just too bored to notice. Still the book is not bad, it's well written and interesting. But it's just so darn boring!
Would I recommend it? No, I can't say I would. Do i feel foolish for reading them? Yes I do, darn these books, they were boring but still they compelled me to continue. At least they are a fast read.
Right this book then. Dag and Fawn talk --> they talk to other people --> they think about things ----> they are going north with a bunch of other people ---> more talking and thinking.
*falls asleep* Yes I actually fell asleep while reading.
Nothing happens, and when something finally does happen I am just too bored to notice. Still the book is not bad, it's well written and interesting. But it's just so darn boring!
Would I recommend it? No, I can't say I would. Do i feel foolish for reading them? Yes I do, darn these books, they were boring but still they compelled me to continue. At least they are a fast read.
January 7, 2013
Basically, I'll review all four books of the Sharing Knife series in this review.
I wanted to read some of Bujold's fantasy after reading her fantastic Vorkosigan series. Unfortunately I started with the Sharing Knife series.
Coming from the Vorkosigan saga's excellent expression of complex characters and clearly delineated political systems, this series was a disappointment.
It has her usual themes from the Vorkosigan series: culture clash, younger woman/older man relationship, women's roles in a patriarchal society, and so forth. However, these themes are more clumsily executed.
The culture clash theme is portrayed in the conflict between the settled farmers who want land to work while the Lakewalkers patrol these lands for evil magical disturbances and would rather the farmers stay in one place so as not to be a ready food source for those magical entities.
Actually, the way the magical entities are described is pretty interesting, hinting at an ancient society of powerful sorcery gone wrong. However, Bujold brushes aside the epic story arc for a micro view.
When Lakewalker Dag and Farmer Fawn get married, that is the minute examination of culture clash when each meets the other's families and tries to live in the other's fairly closed society, in a very similar way to Cordelia and Aral. But the ways in which the two cultures clash is fairly predictable and kind of meh.
The culture clash idea is also a little irritating because it's obvious that the Lakewalkers are basically just white-washed Native American stereotypes. Even the landscape is pretty obviously North America (they boat down the Mississippi at one point) which makes the whole white-ified thing more annoying.
Though one small aspect I did like was the contrast between the Northern Lakewalkers and the Southern Lakewalkers, demonstrating that the society is not one strict homogeneous culture. Still, that's not enough to save the whole book.
Bujold as usual makes one society more feminist than the other, the Lakewalker society being matrilineal while the farmer society is both patrilineal and patriarchal. Fawn and Dag's sex life is very sex-positive in that they both enjoy it and take time with it. It is contrasted to the sex that Fawn had back on the farm which involved the double standards of a patriarchal society. Also, warning for her near rape in the beginning of the first book (which also is something that happens to Cordelia) as sexual violence against women in times of war is another theme of Bujold's. The whole sex positive part is done pretty well.
I was disturbed by the 18 year old Fawn/55 year old Dag's relationship. When we read Fawn and Dag's feelings, we know that it's a pretty equal relationship, but personally, I still am disturbed. Especially when they first met because Dag saved Fawn from a near rape and subsequent miscarriage and then they get married after two weeks after which neither of them can really divorce each other without totally screwing themselves over.
Also, Bujold has a theme of injured men and nursing women. That's pretty much the whole series. Dag has already lost a hand anyway, and then he spends like two books with a useless arm while Fawn nurses him through. Though that was a good theme in the beginning of Cordelia and Aral's relationship, and pretty great in Curse of Chalion with Cazaril (I felt it enhanced his religious blooming), it got a little tiresome in the Sharing Knife series.
Bujold is careful to describe Dag's respect for Fawn's abilities, but it almost comes off as just too...fawning. (pun intended :P) Though both Fawn and Dag's abilities develop throughout the books, their relationship is just too saccharine.
Basically I just thought Fawn and Dag were a little shallow compared to former characters, and that their relationship was too much Dag-as-a-teacher/explainer/awesome-sorcerer and Fawn-as-Dag's-loyal-supporter/military-backup. Though the world is well formed and the magic aspect nicely described, the characters just don't carry it out to the full potential. And the whole microview of a potential epic is also dissatisfying. All in all, a substandard story coming from a great author like Bujold.
I wanted to read some of Bujold's fantasy after reading her fantastic Vorkosigan series. Unfortunately I started with the Sharing Knife series.
Coming from the Vorkosigan saga's excellent expression of complex characters and clearly delineated political systems, this series was a disappointment.
It has her usual themes from the Vorkosigan series: culture clash, younger woman/older man relationship, women's roles in a patriarchal society, and so forth. However, these themes are more clumsily executed.
The culture clash theme is portrayed in the conflict between the settled farmers who want land to work while the Lakewalkers patrol these lands for evil magical disturbances and would rather the farmers stay in one place so as not to be a ready food source for those magical entities.
Actually, the way the magical entities are described is pretty interesting, hinting at an ancient society of powerful sorcery gone wrong. However, Bujold brushes aside the epic story arc for a micro view.
When Lakewalker Dag and Farmer Fawn get married, that is the minute examination of culture clash when each meets the other's families and tries to live in the other's fairly closed society, in a very similar way to Cordelia and Aral. But the ways in which the two cultures clash is fairly predictable and kind of meh.
The culture clash idea is also a little irritating because it's obvious that the Lakewalkers are basically just white-washed Native American stereotypes. Even the landscape is pretty obviously North America (they boat down the Mississippi at one point) which makes the whole white-ified thing more annoying.
Though one small aspect I did like was the contrast between the Northern Lakewalkers and the Southern Lakewalkers, demonstrating that the society is not one strict homogeneous culture. Still, that's not enough to save the whole book.
Bujold as usual makes one society more feminist than the other, the Lakewalker society being matrilineal while the farmer society is both patrilineal and patriarchal. Fawn and Dag's sex life is very sex-positive in that they both enjoy it and take time with it. It is contrasted to the sex that Fawn had back on the farm which involved the double standards of a patriarchal society. Also, warning for her near rape in the beginning of the first book (which also is something that happens to Cordelia) as sexual violence against women in times of war is another theme of Bujold's. The whole sex positive part is done pretty well.
I was disturbed by the 18 year old Fawn/55 year old Dag's relationship. When we read Fawn and Dag's feelings, we know that it's a pretty equal relationship, but personally, I still am disturbed. Especially when they first met because Dag saved Fawn from a near rape and subsequent miscarriage and then they get married after two weeks after which neither of them can really divorce each other without totally screwing themselves over.
Also, Bujold has a theme of injured men and nursing women. That's pretty much the whole series. Dag has already lost a hand anyway, and then he spends like two books with a useless arm while Fawn nurses him through. Though that was a good theme in the beginning of Cordelia and Aral's relationship, and pretty great in Curse of Chalion with Cazaril (I felt it enhanced his religious blooming), it got a little tiresome in the Sharing Knife series.
Bujold is careful to describe Dag's respect for Fawn's abilities, but it almost comes off as just too...fawning. (pun intended :P) Though both Fawn and Dag's abilities develop throughout the books, their relationship is just too saccharine.
Basically I just thought Fawn and Dag were a little shallow compared to former characters, and that their relationship was too much Dag-as-a-teacher/explainer/awesome-sorcerer and Fawn-as-Dag's-loyal-supporter/military-backup. Though the world is well formed and the magic aspect nicely described, the characters just don't carry it out to the full potential. And the whole microview of a potential epic is also dissatisfying. All in all, a substandard story coming from a great author like Bujold.
February 10, 2009
So, I will endeavor to review the final book in a series without spoiling the other three.
Frankly, I'd hold up The Sharing Knife series as how to do a multi-book romance without plunging into unbelievable melodrama. The 'will they or won't they' is settled in the first book, leaving books 2-4 as a story of a young couple with a 'forbidden' relationship trying to carve a place in the world. Book 4 opens with Dag and Fawn in the south, where the problem of Lakewalkers and farmers is shown in high relief. The south hasn't had a malice attack in living memory, so Lakewalkers are forced to interact somewhat, but even then they don't have a solution that satisfies Dag. Dag is able to find a teacher for what he wants to do, though, and then strikes up north to return to the part of the country he grew up.
I continue to like how things are set up. Fawn continues to be 'the smart one' in the relationship, something that Bujold never says but does a wonderful job of showing. A lot of times in 'normal'/'paranormal' relationship fiction I get the sense that the normal person is just a kind of placeholder, and Fawn is nothing like that.
The book also does a good job of showing Dag-as-mage, in that some of what he does is reinvented because he didn't have access to a teacher, and some of what he does is innovative. I also like the interaction between him and his teacher, Arkady.
The one problem I had with this book is that Bujold introduces a cast of characters for the trip north -- a group of settlers that Dag offers to help guide, another wagon that they help in the mountains, and a Lakewalker patrol led by Dag's niece. A lot happens with those -- one set of siblings are half-Lakewalker and the sister has both a decent amount of groundsense and a bad case of Caught-Between-Two-Worlds, both of which the party addresses. There's also a romance between Dag's niece and his teacher. A lot of these don't get as much time as I'd like, and some of the characters (the male settlers, for instance), blur together. It's possible I'll resolve this on a reread, but it was disenheartening in a series so good about character relationships.
Overall, I do recommend this series as one of my favorite fantasies and romance-oriented fiction. I'd recommend the series to anyone who wants to see 'forbidden romance' done right, without either character abandoning his or her home culture but instead trying to forge a new path.
Frankly, I'd hold up The Sharing Knife series as how to do a multi-book romance without plunging into unbelievable melodrama. The 'will they or won't they' is settled in the first book, leaving books 2-4 as a story of a young couple with a 'forbidden' relationship trying to carve a place in the world. Book 4 opens with Dag and Fawn in the south, where the problem of Lakewalkers and farmers is shown in high relief. The south hasn't had a malice attack in living memory, so Lakewalkers are forced to interact somewhat, but even then they don't have a solution that satisfies Dag. Dag is able to find a teacher for what he wants to do, though, and then strikes up north to return to the part of the country he grew up.
I continue to like how things are set up. Fawn continues to be 'the smart one' in the relationship, something that Bujold never says but does a wonderful job of showing. A lot of times in 'normal'/'paranormal' relationship fiction I get the sense that the normal person is just a kind of placeholder, and Fawn is nothing like that.
The book also does a good job of showing Dag-as-mage, in that some of what he does is reinvented because he didn't have access to a teacher, and some of what he does is innovative. I also like the interaction between him and his teacher, Arkady.
The one problem I had with this book is that Bujold introduces a cast of characters for the trip north -- a group of settlers that Dag offers to help guide, another wagon that they help in the mountains, and a Lakewalker patrol led by Dag's niece. A lot happens with those -- one set of siblings are half-Lakewalker and the sister has both a decent amount of groundsense and a bad case of Caught-Between-Two-Worlds, both of which the party addresses. There's also a romance between Dag's niece and his teacher. A lot of these don't get as much time as I'd like, and some of the characters (the male settlers, for instance), blur together. It's possible I'll resolve this on a reread, but it was disenheartening in a series so good about character relationships.
Overall, I do recommend this series as one of my favorite fantasies and romance-oriented fiction. I'd recommend the series to anyone who wants to see 'forbidden romance' done right, without either character abandoning his or her home culture but instead trying to forge a new path.
June 24, 2012
I was disappointed with this book, but possibly it's because I have this reaction to a lot of fantasy, that it's not made real enough to satisfy me. I had looked forward to understanding more of the whys of this world and its social setup. I want to know what malices are, and how they're related to Lakewalkers, and how they're both related to farmers, how it all came about on a planet which if it isn't Earth definitely has an uncanny resemblance to it in its fauna, flora, and even technology, diseases, tools, etc. Maybe I just don't get the assumptions of this genre or something. The story was fine. It came to a nice resolution. But the world was left completely unexplained, and that bugged me. I had thought it would all make a lot more sense in the end, I guess.
Fantasy I like: I absolutely love Tolkien. I love Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea series. I love Octavia Butler's fantasy stuff, like that Vampire novel Fledgling, or the slavery one Kindred. It's fantasy but it makes sense.
Fantasy I enjoyed but thought was mediocre: All the dragonriders of Pern stuff by Anne McCaffery, the Liveship Traders series by Robin Hobb, this series.
Fantasy I've thought was really poor: Sherri Tepper, Animal Farm, any of those dystopia type warnings that are didactic in nature. In fact, I loathe didacticism in books that label themselves as stories.
I enjoy Bujold's Vorkosigan books, though they're pretty lightweight for the most part, so I thought I would like this too. I can't say it wasn't entertaining for the most part, but I found it ultimately unsatisfying.
An update because I reread this series recently, though I'm not sure why. I really enjoyed the relationship between Dag and Fawn this time through, and the way they treated each other. I liked how Dag took on and fostered these very annoying (in some cases) young people and helped them grow up well. I thought the building up of the group over time was really good, really meaty and true. I loved how real was the way their families treated them to start with, and how they built themselves a new family together that had a lot more respect and joy in it. So I added one star for that reason.
Fantasy I like: I absolutely love Tolkien. I love Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea series. I love Octavia Butler's fantasy stuff, like that Vampire novel Fledgling, or the slavery one Kindred. It's fantasy but it makes sense.
Fantasy I enjoyed but thought was mediocre: All the dragonriders of Pern stuff by Anne McCaffery, the Liveship Traders series by Robin Hobb, this series.
Fantasy I've thought was really poor: Sherri Tepper, Animal Farm, any of those dystopia type warnings that are didactic in nature. In fact, I loathe didacticism in books that label themselves as stories.
I enjoy Bujold's Vorkosigan books, though they're pretty lightweight for the most part, so I thought I would like this too. I can't say it wasn't entertaining for the most part, but I found it ultimately unsatisfying.
An update because I reread this series recently, though I'm not sure why. I really enjoyed the relationship between Dag and Fawn this time through, and the way they treated each other. I liked how Dag took on and fostered these very annoying (in some cases) young people and helped them grow up well. I thought the building up of the group over time was really good, really meaty and true. I loved how real was the way their families treated them to start with, and how they built themselves a new family together that had a lot more respect and joy in it. So I added one star for that reason.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2013
This series could have been so much better if it was less about the romance and more about...everything else.
The malices/mud-men/mages and all the back story with the Lakewalkers and their magic and whatnot was really compelling. The world was really interesting, and a lot was made of how dangerous the north is but we never get anything except for a vague reference to the character Dag's time spent up there. The whole story with how the Lakewalkers essentially need two deaths to be shaped into a knife, and that knife to be used to teach a malice how to die was really interesting. There was so much potential story here...
Too bad we instead only get to see how to destroy a pretty great character: when Dag gets mixed up with a farmgirl who has absolutely no personality. All I learned about Fawn was that she was curious (well, enough to get herself pregnant, which is how we meet her running away from home), tottered a lot (which puts me in mind of a toddler, and then makes me think of the age difference between her and Dag -- 37 years!), and tossed her head all the time like a self-involved preteen. There's absolutely no character growth for her. And her brother, who we're supposed to basically hate right from the start, becomes a more compelling character as the story drags along.
If this series had been about the war between Lakewalkers and malices, with Dag and some of the other characters figuring out along the way that farmers need to be in on it too, this story would have been fantastic, especially in the hands of such a proven talent as Ms Bujold. If the romance had been a side-story it would have been interesting. Heck, if the female character had been less of a Mary Sue and more of an actual person, this story would have been fantastic! But it's not.
And 3 stars because I read all four volumes, and why would I stick around just to give the whole thing a bad rating?
The malices/mud-men/mages and all the back story with the Lakewalkers and their magic and whatnot was really compelling. The world was really interesting, and a lot was made of how dangerous the north is but we never get anything except for a vague reference to the character Dag's time spent up there. The whole story with how the Lakewalkers essentially need two deaths to be shaped into a knife, and that knife to be used to teach a malice how to die was really interesting. There was so much potential story here...
Too bad we instead only get to see how to destroy a pretty great character: when Dag gets mixed up with a farmgirl who has absolutely no personality. All I learned about Fawn was that she was curious (well, enough to get herself pregnant, which is how we meet her running away from home), tottered a lot (which puts me in mind of a toddler, and then makes me think of the age difference between her and Dag -- 37 years!), and tossed her head all the time like a self-involved preteen. There's absolutely no character growth for her. And her brother, who we're supposed to basically hate right from the start, becomes a more compelling character as the story drags along.
If this series had been about the war between Lakewalkers and malices, with Dag and some of the other characters figuring out along the way that farmers need to be in on it too, this story would have been fantastic, especially in the hands of such a proven talent as Ms Bujold. If the romance had been a side-story it would have been interesting. Heck, if the female character had been less of a Mary Sue and more of an actual person, this story would have been fantastic! But it's not.
And 3 stars because I read all four volumes, and why would I stick around just to give the whole thing a bad rating?
March 9, 2013
1st read: This book is wonderful and with a very satisfying ending too! I have so much enjoyed the "Sharing Knife" world--it is such an interesting fantasy 'take' on a alternate frontier America.
I especially enjoy how Lois McMaster Bujold portrays a strong marriage partnership with love, respect, and caring between two strong and multi-dimensional characters. One partner's weaknesses are counteracted by the other partner's strengths and vice versa. So that the couple is stronger together than apart--this is what true romance is to me. Their relationship "rings true" based on my life experience. I find this rare in many novels that I read, so I celebrate it when I come across it.
This type of strong marriage and equal partnership shows up in LMB's other books, also in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, with Commander Vimes & Lady Sybil in Terry Pratchett's Diskworld series and to some degree in J. Suzanne Frank's books. If you can think of any others, please feel free to recommend them to me.
2nd read 10/2/11
3rd read 3/7/13
I especially enjoy how Lois McMaster Bujold portrays a strong marriage partnership with love, respect, and caring between two strong and multi-dimensional characters. One partner's weaknesses are counteracted by the other partner's strengths and vice versa. So that the couple is stronger together than apart--this is what true romance is to me. Their relationship "rings true" based on my life experience. I find this rare in many novels that I read, so I celebrate it when I come across it.
This type of strong marriage and equal partnership shows up in LMB's other books, also in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, with Commander Vimes & Lady Sybil in Terry Pratchett's Diskworld series and to some degree in J. Suzanne Frank's books. If you can think of any others, please feel free to recommend them to me.
2nd read 10/2/11
3rd read 3/7/13
May 29, 2021
I read the four books of The Sharing Knife one right after the other, and while I wasn't wildly in love with the series, I did like it a lot and wish there were more.
I got awfully tired of the explanations of ground and of Dag's figuring out what to do to bring lakewalkers and farmers together. I got tired of the scenic journey on the riverboat. But I enjoyed the characters very much, although by the end there were so many of them that I began to lose track of some of the minor characters. I'd really like to follow Dag and Fawn further.
I got awfully tired of the explanations of ground and of Dag's figuring out what to do to bring lakewalkers and farmers together. I got tired of the scenic journey on the riverboat. But I enjoyed the characters very much, although by the end there were so many of them that I began to lose track of some of the minor characters. I'd really like to follow Dag and Fawn further.
April 14, 2023
Such a great conclusion 🖤4.25!
May 21, 2016
Second read 5/20/16:
I'm so sad that I'm done with this series again. The audio versions were fabulous, and it only added to how much I enjoy these characters. It had been just long enough since I read it that I had mostly forgotten the plot, but still remembered the feel of it. I will definitely be reading these again in a couple of years.
First read 6/22/13:
This was an enjoyable conclusion to the series. Like the rest, it was really part of one long story, rather than being its own book. It added some more interesting characters--enough that, at one point, there were a good twenty secondary characters floating around. Many of the old favorites were there, too, which was nice. Despite his shaky beginnings, I really came to like Whit, and naturally Berry remained a favorite, too. Even Barr grew on me, which I completely didn't expect.
I like how you can feel the progress in these books. The characters are constantly learning things, testing and changing their perception of the world, making mistakes and then correcting for them. Or not correcting for mistakes, and thus making for some nice antagonistic characters to balance things out.
I recommend this series, but I definitely recommend reading all four in close succession. I think they would have lost something if I spaced them out more.
I'm so sad that I'm done with this series again. The audio versions were fabulous, and it only added to how much I enjoy these characters. It had been just long enough since I read it that I had mostly forgotten the plot, but still remembered the feel of it. I will definitely be reading these again in a couple of years.
First read 6/22/13:
This was an enjoyable conclusion to the series. Like the rest, it was really part of one long story, rather than being its own book. It added some more interesting characters--enough that, at one point, there were a good twenty secondary characters floating around. Many of the old favorites were there, too, which was nice. Despite his shaky beginnings, I really came to like Whit, and naturally Berry remained a favorite, too. Even Barr grew on me, which I completely didn't expect.
I like how you can feel the progress in these books. The characters are constantly learning things, testing and changing their perception of the world, making mistakes and then correcting for them. Or not correcting for mistakes, and thus making for some nice antagonistic characters to balance things out.
I recommend this series, but I definitely recommend reading all four in close succession. I think they would have lost something if I spaced them out more.
May 10, 2016
Oh, it was going so well!
Until near the end.
Fawn got SO short-changed. She flippin' changes a sharing knife into a sharing crossbow bolt on the battle field in the dark against a FLIPPIN' FLYING MALICE, and what does the narrative leave us with? Her being buried alive out of some Lakewalker patroller's ugly, ugly jealousy, and Dag's suffering at almost losing her. WHY IS NO ONE ASKING HER ABOUT HOW SHE REMADE THE WEAPON like they're asking Dag and Arkady about the ground shields?? Why is the story ignoring the really important part that Fawn played???
From being a fleshed-out, gutsy, smart, and highly capable character, Fawn got demoted to a one-dimensional figurine whose main purpose seems to be keeping Dag sane and in love with the world. Dag got demoted, too, from a visionary to a broken man just hanging on by a little spark. Damn it, both of them are so much more than that!
I thought this book was going in a different direction than it finally settled on, and the narrative peeled readers out of the multiple layers and dimensions of the main characters and their relationship as the story went on, until we were only left with shallow surface images at the end, a tableau that made me relieved, not sad, that the stories were ending.
Until near the end.
Fawn got SO short-changed. She flippin' changes a sharing knife into a sharing crossbow bolt on the battle field in the dark against a FLIPPIN' FLYING MALICE, and what does the narrative leave us with? Her being buried alive out of some Lakewalker patroller's ugly, ugly jealousy, and Dag's suffering at almost losing her. WHY IS NO ONE ASKING HER ABOUT HOW SHE REMADE THE WEAPON like they're asking Dag and Arkady about the ground shields?? Why is the story ignoring the really important part that Fawn played???
From being a fleshed-out, gutsy, smart, and highly capable character, Fawn got demoted to a one-dimensional figurine whose main purpose seems to be keeping Dag sane and in love with the world. Dag got demoted, too, from a visionary to a broken man just hanging on by a little spark. Damn it, both of them are so much more than that!
I thought this book was going in a different direction than it finally settled on, and the narrative peeled readers out of the multiple layers and dimensions of the main characters and their relationship as the story went on, until we were only left with shallow surface images at the end, a tableau that made me relieved, not sad, that the stories were ending.
May 1, 2009
The final volume in the Sharing Knife quartet. This is not a bad book, but I did find it to be rather a let down, especially after the previous volume, which was possibly my favorite of the series and seemed to be taking the whole thing in a new, bold, darker direction. Yet in this one, the worries that Dag might be tapping into something dark and dangerous with his powers are quickly shrugged off, and all the cool hints about the fallen civilization that the current Lakewalker/Farmer communities have replaced are seemingly forgotten. There’s one cool battle, but in general not much actually happens. Talk about going out with a whimper instead of a bang!
Bujold is a good writer, and I pretty much enjoyed this book while I was reading it, but the more I think of it, the most frustrated I am by this as the conclusion to the series and by what that says about the priorities of the series in general.
Bujold is a good writer, and I pretty much enjoyed this book while I was reading it, but the more I think of it, the most frustrated I am by this as the conclusion to the series and by what that says about the priorities of the series in general.
March 24, 2009
This is supposed to be the conclusion of the Sharing Knife series, but even though it has a satisfactory ending, I really don't want to think that Bujold has told all the stories there are to tell in this world.
I loved the characters and I thought the magic system, which they explore and learn cool things about--things no one else even thought to find out (I love characters who "think outside the box"), was very clever and well-thought-out.
Bujold is a great science fiction writer, but she is also a great fantasy writer, and I look forward to her next book, whatever it is.
I loved the characters and I thought the magic system, which they explore and learn cool things about--things no one else even thought to find out (I love characters who "think outside the box"), was very clever and well-thought-out.
Bujold is a great science fiction writer, but she is also a great fantasy writer, and I look forward to her next book, whatever it is.
December 17, 2014
This has been a different kind of a fantasy series. Not much action (but when it’s there, it’s sizzling), and a much slower pace than most books—even most of Bujold’s books. But, at the end of the journey, it’s a delightful experience. The pioneer-esque world, the detailed magic system, and the charmingly vibrant and unique characters are lovingly crafted—and it shows in every word. This is probably my second favorite of the series, after the first one. The Third Plot Point is one of the tensest I’ve ever read. Yowza!
June 5, 2017
love love love
April 18, 2019
The Sharing Knife tetralogy is one any author would be proud to have. The characters are charming, the writing is a thing of beauty, and the world is profoundly fascinating, a kind of fantasy version of the American midwest with mild post-apocalyptic elements. I particularly enjoyed the loving accounts of flatboat sailing and trail riding in the second two books.
And yet... it's not quite Bujold's best work. I'd say the issue is two-fold. One, while the characters are generally very fun to read about, they don't quite have the spark that you see in the Vorkosigan or Five Gods books. Dag is a good character, but Cazaril and Miles are absolutely masterful ones.
The other issue is that the books feel almost... small... in comparison to Bujold's other work? Fundamentally, most of each book is a kind of Alternate 19th Century Slice of Live/Romance/Historical Fiction, and that works. But the Malices which are the great supernatural threat never seem to quite deliver after that first one. They're imposing and terrifying and yet they seem to go down very quickly, and the fascinating backstory about the Lake Lords and the shattered king is mostly an aside in the second book. The result is that while the Malices inform so much of the story, the story generally seems to work best without them -- the third book, which had purely human antagonists, also had the strongest conflict, I think.
Anyway, I wouldn't make too much of this. These are still excellent books, and I read them quickly and with great enjoyment. I probably wouldn't make these the first Bujold books you read, but if you've read the Curse of Chalion or The Vor Game and liked them, definitely pick up the Sharing Knife books.
And yet... it's not quite Bujold's best work. I'd say the issue is two-fold. One, while the characters are generally very fun to read about, they don't quite have the spark that you see in the Vorkosigan or Five Gods books. Dag is a good character, but Cazaril and Miles are absolutely masterful ones.
The other issue is that the books feel almost... small... in comparison to Bujold's other work? Fundamentally, most of each book is a kind of Alternate 19th Century Slice of Live/Romance/Historical Fiction, and that works. But the Malices which are the great supernatural threat never seem to quite deliver after that first one. They're imposing and terrifying and yet they seem to go down very quickly, and the fascinating backstory about the Lake Lords and the shattered king is mostly an aside in the second book. The result is that while the Malices inform so much of the story, the story generally seems to work best without them -- the third book, which had purely human antagonists, also had the strongest conflict, I think.
Anyway, I wouldn't make too much of this. These are still excellent books, and I read them quickly and with great enjoyment. I probably wouldn't make these the first Bujold books you read, but if you've read the Curse of Chalion or The Vor Game and liked them, definitely pick up the Sharing Knife books.
June 7, 2017
The finale of the series, part two of book two.
This felt like a very gentle closure of the series. No crazy climax, nothing particularly or of the ordinary. Just a continuation of the series, slay a few malices, fall in love some more, Dag being special and figuring stuff out with magic, farmers and Lakewalkers reconciling.
I had a few quibbles. The treatment of Neeta's character felt very awkward and forced - just to give Dag more problems. I was skeptical about Sumac and Arkady because yet another age gap couple in which the guy is super old. Ookay.
I thought the "climax" was too benign. It felt like another side adventure with a malice rather than the climax of the series.
Three stars for the book and three stars for the entire series. Overall, a series worth reading if you want a romance in which two people have to come together and understand two different groups of people.
I definitely liked Vorkosigan and Chalion better though.
This felt like a very gentle closure of the series. No crazy climax, nothing particularly or of the ordinary. Just a continuation of the series, slay a few malices, fall in love some more, Dag being special and figuring stuff out with magic, farmers and Lakewalkers reconciling.
I had a few quibbles. The treatment of Neeta's character felt very awkward and forced - just to give Dag more problems. I was skeptical about Sumac and Arkady because yet another age gap couple in which the guy is super old. Ookay.
I thought the "climax" was too benign. It felt like another side adventure with a malice rather than the climax of the series.
Three stars for the book and three stars for the entire series. Overall, a series worth reading if you want a romance in which two people have to come together and understand two different groups of people.
I definitely liked Vorkosigan and Chalion better though.
January 10, 2021
petition to remove the word “bemused” from Bujold’s vocabulary due to overuse
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