Penric’s Travels (World of the Five Gods: Penric & Desdemona)

Again, as in Penric’s Progress we are gifted with a trio of, previously, separately published novellas. And again, read as a continuous whole, they become a most moving and nigh-seamless tale.

Penric is on his first, simple diplomatic mission. Of course that mission is immediately subverted and our sorcerous, scholarly friend is put in the gravest peril.

How he and his chaos demon Desdemona extricate themselves from a…sinking…situation is a chilling manifestation of sorcerous ingenuity. Penric is undeterred by cold feet.

Then follows a long and complex sequence of healing, pursuits, and combats both physical and magical.

When it would appear that our duo has reached safe haven with their charges, a re-entry into danger with the most profound of motivations ensues. Penric is in love.

In fact, this entire triad constitutes, and is linked by, a love story.

Bujold’s lyrical evocations of beauty, profound emotions, and happily salacious humor are as engaging as ever.

Conflict, whether the life-imperilment kind or emotional, is a constant, gripping the fortunate reader relentlessly.

As on the earlier compounded trio, cover art by Daniel Dos Santos is singularly well derived from the tale and makes this another book you will display face out on your shelf…between loving re-readings.