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Book review: The Hallowed Hunt
Not the latest book from Lois McMaster Bujold, but the latest I've read. It concerns shamanism, politics and the Five Gods familiar from The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls, but is set in an unfamiliar part of that world and with new characters. Mainly Ingrey, a cast-off nobleman barred from his inheritance due to his unwilling posession of a wolf-spirit, and Ijada, a noblewomen who starts the book his prisoner due to her murder (in self-defence) of the king's younger son. Though being Lois McMaster Bujold things rapidly get much more complicated than that summary would suggest.
I enjoyed it, but I have to say I was a little bit disappointed. LMB usually conveys her worlds and societies with real clarity. The first Miles Vorkosigan book I read was Memory, seven books into the series. I realised this about 5 pages in but Miles and his society are written so impeccably that it didn't actually matter - I never felt lost. But in The Hallowed Hunt I didn't really find that. I actually checked all over the copy to make sure it wasn't a sequel to another novel I hadn't read because I couldn't get a sense of how things worked in this new land at all. I found the plot interesting, but a trifle convoluted as well, though it carried me along readily enough - she can certainly weave a fascinating story.
But what I really missed was the connection to the characters I normally get from an LMB book. Ijada didn't live up to previous LMB female characters for me - she is brave and determined but I don't feel I know her at the end of the book. Ingrey is well-drawn, strong and intelligent with quite black humour and he's a good POV, but he never really knows what is going on until the end. And that's fair enough, but he is carried along by events with no real plan other than a desire to keep Ijada safe and not die himself. I'm used to Miles and Cazaril, who are always thinking and planning, adapting to events. Ingrey never seemed to be in control of his destiny like they do.
So that is my main problem I think - the central characters just felt a little empty. I didn't love them like I love Miles, Cazaril or Ista, and they didn't wrench my heart or lift me up in joy or triumph like all of those characters have.
Worth a read, definitely. But not one of my favourites.
I enjoyed it, but I have to say I was a little bit disappointed. LMB usually conveys her worlds and societies with real clarity. The first Miles Vorkosigan book I read was Memory, seven books into the series. I realised this about 5 pages in but Miles and his society are written so impeccably that it didn't actually matter - I never felt lost. But in The Hallowed Hunt I didn't really find that. I actually checked all over the copy to make sure it wasn't a sequel to another novel I hadn't read because I couldn't get a sense of how things worked in this new land at all. I found the plot interesting, but a trifle convoluted as well, though it carried me along readily enough - she can certainly weave a fascinating story.
But what I really missed was the connection to the characters I normally get from an LMB book. Ijada didn't live up to previous LMB female characters for me - she is brave and determined but I don't feel I know her at the end of the book. Ingrey is well-drawn, strong and intelligent with quite black humour and he's a good POV, but he never really knows what is going on until the end. And that's fair enough, but he is carried along by events with no real plan other than a desire to keep Ijada safe and not die himself. I'm used to Miles and Cazaril, who are always thinking and planning, adapting to events. Ingrey never seemed to be in control of his destiny like they do.
So that is my main problem I think - the central characters just felt a little empty. I didn't love them like I love Miles, Cazaril or Ista, and they didn't wrench my heart or lift me up in joy or triumph like all of those characters have.
Worth a read, definitely. But not one of my favourites.