Synopses & Reviews
A man broken in body and spirit, Cazaril has returned to the noble household he once served as page, and is named, to his great surprise, secretary-tutor to the beautiful, strong-willed sister of the impetuous boy who is next in line to rule. It is as assignment Cazaril dreads, for it must ultimately lead him to the place he most fears: the royal court of Cardegoss, where the powerful enemies who once placed him in chains now occupy lofty positions. But it is more than the traitorous intrigues of villains that threaten Cazaril and the Royesse Iselle here, for a sinister curse hangs like a sword over the entire blighted House of Chalion and all who stand in their circle. And only by employing the darkest, most forbidden of magics can Cazaril hope to protect his royal charge an act that will mark the loyal, damaged servant as a tool of the miraculous...and trap him, flesh and soul, in a maze of demonic paradox, damnation, and death.
Review
"Nicely detailed and wittily accented....[H]ere's hoping it launches a series of tales as well told as the Vorkosigan volumes." Roland Green, Booklist (Starred Review)
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"Subtle yet powerful language raises this fantasy above most others in its genre, making it impossible to put down....Bujold's latest novel might just be what older Harry Potter fans are yearning for." VOYA
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"Boilerplate fantasy, with characters too often indistinguishable and, later, the deflating disclosure that everything that happens is some sort of divine plot. Overall, no better than average, but probably adequate for Bujold fans." Kirkus Reviews
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"A finely balanced mixture of adventure, swordplay, court intrigue, romance, magic, and religion makes this book a delightful read." School Library Journal
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"This is one of the great ones." Science Fiction Chronicle
About the Author
One of the most respected writers in the field of speculative fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold burst on to the scene in 1986 with Shards of Honor, the first of her tremendously popular Vorkosigan Saga novels. She has received numerous accolades and prizes, including the Nebula Award for Falling Free and three Hugo Awards for Best Novel: The Vor Game, Barrayar, and Mirror Dance; as well as the Hugo and Nebula Awards for her novella Mountains of Mourning she has, in fact, won more Hugo Awards for Best Novel than any other author with the exception of Robert A. Heinlein. Her previous novel, The Curse of Chalion, was on the final ballot for both the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards for Best Novel and it won the Mytheopeic Award. The mother of two, Bujold lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.