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Penric's Demon
A Fantasy Novella by Lois McMaster Bujold
Book 1 of the World of the Five Gods: Penric & Desdemona Series
From Little Stack
If you’re in the mood for fantasy that’s quietly hilarious clever, and character-driven , Penric’s Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold is a gem worth adding to your list. The story begins with an accident: young nobleman Penric stumbles across a dying temple sorceress on the roadside and, through a twist of fate, ends up inheriting her demon. Now he’s sharing his mind with Desdemona, a centuries-old spirit carrying the personalities and memories of her previous hosts. Not exactly what he planned for the day.
What follows is a delightful mix of adventure, theology, magic, and mystery as Penric is swept into the world of temple politics and trained as a sorcerer, one whose greatest talent turns out to be healing.
Why should you read it? Because it’s a smart fantasy that doesn’t rely on epic battles. Instead you get sharp dialogue, fascinating magic, and a wonderfully awkward hero figuring things out alongside a demon with opinions.
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.
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