Penric and the Shaman

The Penric & Desdemona Series, Book 2

By: Lois McMaster Bujold

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

In this novella set in the World of the Five Gods and four years after the events in Penric's Demon, Penric is a divine of the Bastard's Order as well as a sorcerer and scholar, living in the palace where the Princess-Archdivine holds court. His scholarly work is interrupted when the Archdivine agrees to send Penric, in his role as sorcerer, to accompany a "Locator" of the Father's Order, assigned to capture Inglis, a runaway shaman charged with the murder of his best friend. However, the situation they discover in the mountains is far more complex than expected. Penric's roles as sorcerer, strategist, and counselor are all called upon before the end.

Bujold delivers an astonishing tale that is not soon forgotten.

©2016 Lois McMaster Bujold (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Way too short

Another delightful and well written Novela by Lois McMaster Bujold. The author has the uncanny ability to humanize her characters to the point where the reader wants to know them more, to be friends with them, and misses their absence after the story is finished. In the grand tradition of Miles Vorkosigan, Penric is another such character, and this Novela was way to short a look into this hero's adventures. It is my true hope that the Author will continue to develop this character and that Grover Gardner will turn these tales into audio books. The tales of Penric and Desdemona are highly recommended.

I love to hear Gardner reading Bujold's words

Makes Penric reminiscent of a tall Miles, now that he's grown into a self assured certified Devine.
Highly recommend :)

Intriguing story

Both story and narrator were excellent. I enjoyed the contrast between sorcerer and shaman. Interesting theological concepts

Wonderful!

I so enjoy Lois McMaster Bujold's characters, and Grover Gardner's reading highlights their personalities perfectly.

More developed characters

The longer length of the second novella allowed for deeper character and plot development. Penric reminds me of the dowager queen in the second book of the Challon series. The same refusal to be awed during extraordinary circumstances.