On his way to his betrothal, young Lord Penric comes upon a riding accident with an elderly lady on the ground, her maidservant and guardsmen distraught. As he approaches to help, he discovers that the lady is a Temple divine, servant to the five gods of this world. Her avowed god is The Bastard, “master of all disasters out of season”, and with her dying breath she bequeaths her mysterious … powers to Penric. From that moment on, Penric’s life is irreversibly changed, and his life is in danger from those who envy or fear him.
Set in the fantasy world of the author’s acclaimed novels THE CURSE OF CHALION, PALADIN OF SOULS and THE HALLOWED HUNT, this novella has the depth of characterization and emotional complexity that distinguishes all Bujold’s work.
Bujold’s “work remains among the most enjoyable and rewarding in contemporary SF.”
– Publishers Weekly
“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 is not just a master of plot, she is a master of emotion.”
– SF Site
Lois 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. She began writing with the aim of professional publication in 1982. She wrote three novels in three years; in October of 1985, all three sold to Baen Books, launching her career. Bujold went on to write many other books for Baen, mostly featuring her popular character Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, his family, friends, and enemies. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages. Her fantasy from Eos includes the award-winning Chalion series and the Sharing Knife series.
more
I’m a huge fan of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan SF series, but while I read her fantasy novels set in the world of the Five Gods, they didn’t captivate me the same way.
Until now. I’d put off reading the Penric books for a long time and finally gave them a shot. Actually, books is somewhat of a misnomer. They’re really novellas about a young man, a second son of the minor nobility, who finds himself the unwitting, and maybe unwilling, host to a demon. Or two. Or three. He’s not really certain at first.
This is the start of Penric’s adventures with his demon, Desdemona. Housing a largely female spirit is disconcerting, to say the least, and that’s part of what makes the stories fun and the relationship between Penric and his demon(s) grows in further adventures. While Miles and Aral (and Emperor Gregor and even Ivan, that idiot from the Vorkosigan saga) have my love, I’m looking forward to reading more of these entertaining fantasy stories.
This series of novella’s set in Lois’s Chalion world is charming and I’ve enjoyed each instalment! Start with this one.
I’m just starting my third time through the Penric series, this time on audiobook. I basically love everything that Lois McMaster Bujold writes, but this little side-series is especially fun and goes in very unexpected places. This is pure pleasure.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Bujold’s writing, but somehow had never read them. I was in the mood for a short, light fantasy so jumped on Penric’s Demon.
*** What to expect
A quick, charming adventure of the third son of a minor noble, when a chance encounter on the road changed his life.Set in the world of Bujold’s other fantasy novels, but at a different time and place, this is a standalone novella. Expect a gentle story, not quite children’s but certainly not a dark epic either.
*** What I liked
The writing style is charming, the protagonist approachable, and the world is interesting. Even though it’s a short novella, it captures the sense of the fantasy world and makes you want to read more.
*** What to be aware of
As mentioned, this is a very quick read with a simple new-adult character. Don’t expect sprawling intrigues or world-crushing dangers.
*** Summary
Highly recommended for the sheer joy of reading. A charming tale of a young man venturing out into the world and finding his place. I am certainly looking forward to the other Penric’s novellas, as well as the rest of Bujold’s fantasy writing.
—
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A Story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic – for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
Author is an awesome story teller and this series of tales pulls you in and just doesn’t let you go, cost me some enjoyable late nights because I just had to read one more page.
A delightful, quick read about a young man whose life is completely upended by a chance meeting with a dying sorcerer by the side of the road. Pen and Des make a fascinating pair.