Paladin of Souls: A Novel - Hardcover

Bujold, Lois McMaster

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0380979020 ISBN 13: 9780380979028

Publisher: Harper Voyager, 2003

Synopsis

One of the most honored authors in the field of fantasy and science fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold transports us once more to a dark and troubled land and embroils us in a desperate struggle to preserve the endangered souls of a realm.

Three years have passed since the widowed Dowager Royina Ista found release from the curse of madness that kept her imprisoned in her family's castle of Valenda. Her newfound freedom is costly, bittersweet with memories, regrets, and guilty secrets -- for she knows the truth of what brought her land to the brink of destruction. And now the road -- escape -- beckons. . . . A simple pilgrimage, perhaps. Quite fitting for the Dowager Royina of all Chalion.

Yet something else is free, too -- something beyond deadly. To the north lies the vital border fortress of Porifors. Memories linger there as well, of wars and invasions and the mighty Golden General of Jokona. And someone, something, watches from across that border -- humans, demons, gods.

Ista thinks her little party of pilgrims wanders at will. But whose? When Ista's retinue is unexpectedly set upon not long into its travels, a mysterious ally appears -- a warrior nobleman who fights like a berserker. The temporary safety of her enigmatic champion's castle cannot ease Ista's mounting dread, however, when she finds his dark secrets are entangled with hers in a net of the gods' own weaving.

In her dreams the threads are already drawing her to unforeseen chances, fateful meetings, fearsome choices. What the inscrutable gods commanded of her in the past brought her land to the brink of devastation. Now, once again, they have chosen Ista as their instrument. And again, for good or for ill, she must comply.

About this title

About the Author

One of the most respected writers in the field of speculative fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold burst onto 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 two Nebula Awards for best novel (Falling Free and Paladin of Souls), four Hugo Awards for Best Novel (Paladin of Souls, The Vor Game, Barrayar, and Mirror Dance), as well as the Hugo and Nebula Awards for her novella The Mountains of Mourning. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. The mother of two, Bujold lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

From the Back Cover

One of the most honored authors in the field of fantasy and science fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold transports us once more to a dark and troubled land and embroils us in a desperate struggle to preserve the endangered souls of a realm.

Three years have passed since the widowed Dowager Royina Ista found release from the curse of madness that kept her imprisoned in her family's castle of Valenda. Her newfound freedom is costly, bittersweet with memories, regrets, and guilty secrets -- for she knows the truth of what brought her land to the brink of destruction. And now the road -- escape -- beckons. . . . A simple pilgrimage, perhaps. Quite fitting for the Dowager Royina of all Chalion.

Yet something else is free, too -- something beyond deadly. To the north lies the vital border fortress of Porifors. Memories linger there as well, of wars and invasions and the mighty Golden General of Jokona. And someone, something, watches from across that border -- humans, demons, gods.

Ista thinks her little party of pilgrims wanders at will. But whose? When Ista's retinue is unexpectedly set upon not long into its travels, a mysterious ally appears -- a warrior nobleman who fights like a berserker. The temporary safety of her enigmatic champion's castle cannot ease Ista's mounting dread, however, when she finds his dark secrets are entangled with hers in a net of the gods' own weaving.

In her dreams the threads are already drawing her to unforeseen chances, fateful meetings, fearsome choices. What the inscrutable gods commanded of her in the past brought her land to the brink of devastation. Now, once again, they have chosen Ista as their instrument. And again, for good or for ill, she must comply.

Reviews

In this sequel to The Curse of Chalion (2001), rich in sumptuous detail and speculative theology, dowager royina Ista Dy Baocia undertakes a pilgrimage to ease her soul-and finds instead that in Chalion, Bujold's handsomely crafted fantasy world ruled by Five Gods "just around some strange corner of perception," a more dangerous fate awaits than she could ever have imagined. Swordplay and sorcery sweep sensitive, sensible 40-year-old Ista into Chalion's border stronghold of Porifors, where enemy Roknari incursions and demons from the Fifth God's hell threaten Ista's realm, held precariously at bay by the charismatic Arhys dy Lutez. Ista's romantic quest to save Arhys and his magnetic half-brother, Illvin, teems with equal parts of unearthly magic and down-to-earth quasi-medieval lore. Despite an occasional lapse into adolescent angst and spurts of superficial dialogue, high fantasy fans should thrill at Ista's spiritual perils, while horse admirers of all ages should savor even Ista's saddle sores. This engaging installment of Chalion's mythical history whets the appetite for new marvels yet to come. FYI: Bujold has won both Hugo and Nebula awards.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The eagerly awaited sequel to The Curse of Chalion (2001) continues the story of the world of Chalion, though not strictly of Chalion, after Iselle and Bergon have defeated one lot of enemies and celebrated their wedding. Paladin of Souls focuses, however, on Iselle's mother, Ista. Three years free of the madness that kept her imprisoned in her family's castle, Ista is finally released from her last remaining duties by the death of her mother. She undertakes a pilgrimage, but doesn't get far before she is overtaken by trouble, sorrow, need, and a host of other adversities. Chalion is in trouble again, thanks to the plots, counterplots, machinations, and follies of men and of gods, and Ista is perforce on the front lines. Bujold couldn't characterize badly if threatened with a firing squad, and what really keeps one turning the pages is the fascinating cast of characters--not that the plot is anything to sneeze at. Only dedicated addicts of Bujold's Vorkosigan saga will be miffed that she has given us this book rather than that sf series' next installment, for Bujold is also head and shoulders above the ruck of current fantasists as well as science-fictionists. Roland Green
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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Excerpt

Chapter One

Ista leaned forward between the crenellations atop the gate tower, the stone gritty beneath her pale hands, and watched innumb exhaustion as the final mourning party cleared the castle gatebelow. Their horses' hooves scraped on the old cobblestones, and theirgoodbyes echoed in the portal's vaulting. Her earnest brother, theprovincar of Baocia, and his family and retinue were last of the manyto leave, two full weeks after the divines had completed the funeralrites and ceremonies of the interment.

Dy Baocia was still talking soberly to the castle warder, Ser dy Ferrej,who walked at his stirrup, grave face upturned, listening to thestream, no doubt, of final instructions. Faithful dy Ferrej, who hadserved the late Dowager Provincara for all the last two decades of herlong residence here in Valenda. The keys of the castle and keep glintedfrom the belt at his stout waist. Her mother's keys, which Ista had collectedand held, then turned over to her older brother along with allthe other papers and inventories and instructions that a great lady'sdeath entailed. And that he had handed back for permanent safekeepingnot to his sister, but to good, old, honest dy Ferrej. Keys to lock outall danger ... and, if necessary, Ista in.

It's only habit, you know. I'm not mad anymore, really.

It wasn't as though she wanted her mother's keys, nor her mother's life that went with them. She scarcely knew what she wanted. She knew what she feared - to be locked up in some dark, narrow place bypeople who loved her. An enemy might drop his guard, weary of histask, turn his back; love would never falter. Her fingers rubbed restlesslyon the stone.

Dy Baocia's cavalcade filed off down the hill through the town andwas soon lost from her view among the crowded red-tiled roofs. DyFerrej, turning back, walked wearily in through the gate and out ofsight.

The chill spring wind lifted a strand of Ista's dun hair and blew itacross her face, catching on her lip; she grimaced and tucked it backinto the careful braiding wreathing her head. Its tightness pinched herscalp.

The weather had warmed these last two weeks, too late to ease anold woman bound to her bed by injury and illness. If her mother hadnot been so old, the broken bones would have healed more swiftly, andthe inflammation of the lungs might not have anchored itself sodeeply in her chest. If she had not been so fragile, perhaps the fall fromthe horse would not have broken her bones in the first place. If she hadnot been so fiercely willful, perhaps she would not have been on thathorse at all at her age ... Ista looked down to find her fingers bleeding,and hid them hastily in her skirt.

In the funeral ceremonies, the gods had signed that the old lady'ssoul had been taken up by the Mother of Summer, as was expected andproper. Even the gods would not dare violate her views on protocol. Istaimagined the old Provincara ordering heaven, and smiled a littlegrimly.

And so I am alone at last.

Ista considered the empty spaces of that solitude, its fearful cost.Husband, father, son, and mother had all filed down to the grave aheadof her in their turn. Her daughter was claimed by the royacy of Chalionin as tight an embrace as any grave, and as little likely to return fromher high place, five gods willing, as the others from their low ones. Surely I am done. The duties that had defined her, all accomplished.Once, she had been her parents' daughter. Then great, unlucky Ias'swife. Her children's mother. At the last, her mother's keeper. Well, I amnone of these things now.

Who am I, when I am not surrounded by the walls of my life? Whenthey have all fallen into dust and rubble?

Well, she was still Lord dy Lutez's murderer. The last of that little,secret company left alive, now. That she had made of herself, and thatshe remained.

She leaned between the crenellations again, the stone abrading thelavender sleeves of her court mourning dress, catching at its silkthreads. Her eye followed the road in the morning light, starting fromthe stones below and flowing downhill, through the town, past theriver ... and where? All roads were one road, they said. A great netacross the land, parting and rejoining. All roads ran two ways. Theysaid. I want a road that does not come back.

A frightened gasp behind her jerked her head around. One of herlady attendants stood on the battlement with her hand to her lips, eyeswide, breathing heavily from her climb. She smiled with false cheer."My lady. I've been seeking you everywhere. Do ... do come away fromthat edge, now ..."

Ista's lips curled in irony. "Content you. I do not yearn to meet thegods face-to-face this day." Or on any other. Never again. "The gods andI are not on speaking terms."

She suffered the woman to take her arm and stroll with her as if casuallyalong the battlement toward the inner stairs, careful, Ista noted,to take the outside place, between Ista and the drop. Content you,woman. I do not desire the stones.

I desire the road.

The realization startled, almost shocked her. It was a new thought.A new thought, me? All her old thoughts seemed as thin and raggedas a piece of knitting made and ripped out and made and ripped out again until all the threads were frayed ...

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Paladin of Soulsby Bujold, Lois McMaster Excerpted by permission.
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Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.Copyright © 2003 Dan Simmons
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Edition details

• Publisher: Harper Voyager
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0380979020
• ISBN 13: 9780380979028
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 464