The Curse of Chalion by respected speculative fiction writer Lois McMaster Bujold is a story set in one of her fantasy universes that tells the tale of a man named Lupe dy Cazaril and his quest to redeem himself and protect the Royesse (Princess) Iselle and her companion, Lady Betriz. Synopsis: On the eve of the Daughter's Day--the grand celebration that will
honor the Lady of Spring, one of the five reigning deities--a man
broken in body and spirit makes his way slowly down the road to Valenda.
A former courtier and soldier, Cazaril has survived indignity and
horrific torture as a slave aboard an enemy galley. Now he seeks nothing
more than a menial job in the kitchens of the Dowager Provincara, in
the noble household where he served as page in his youth. But the gods
have greater plans for this humbled man. Welcomed warmly, clothed and
fed, he is named, to his great surprise, secretary-tutor to the Royesse
Iselle--the beautiful, strong-willed sister of the impetuous boy who is
destined to be the next ruler of the land. But the assignment must
ultimately carry Cazaril to the one place he fears even more than the
sea: to the royal court of Cardegoss, rife with intrigues and lethal
treacheries. In Cardegoss, the powerful enemies who once placed Cazaril
in chains and bound him to a Roknari oar now occupy the most lofty
positions in the realm, beneath only the Roya himself. Yet something far
more sinister than their scheming hangs like a sword over the royal
family: a curse of the blood that taints not only those who would rule,
but those who stand in their circle. The life and future of both Iselle
and her entire blighted House of Chalion lie in dire peril. The only
recourse left to her loyal, damaged servant is the employment of the
darkest and most forbidden of magics--a choice that will indelibly mark
Cazaril as a tool of the miraculous... and trap him, flesh and soul, in
a maze of demonic paradox, damnation, and death for as long as he dares
walk the fivefold pathway of the gods.
It starts (with a rather excruciatingly slow 11 chapters that don't serve a point if you ask me) off with Lupe dy Cazaril walking to the Province of Valenda where the Dowager Provincara eventually gives him the job of teaching the Royesse Iselle before she, her companion/friend Betriz, Iselle's brother the Royse Teidez, his tutor dy Sanda, and Cazaril are summoned to Cardegoss by their half-brother, the roya Orico. There, and at Valenda, Cazaril hears of a curse placed on Royina Ista's family that goes back to Fonsa the Fairly-Wise. Apparently, Fonsa used death magic to kill the Golden General and it proceeded but not before placing a curse on the family of Fonsa and all his descendants--this includes relatives by blood (Tiedez, Iselle, Orico), by marriage (Ista and Sara), and close friends (Martou dy Jironal and Dondo dy Jironal). Orico tells Iselle that she'll be married to Dondo. She doesn't want to be but Orico refuses to hear one word against it. As she prays for a quick death, Cazaril talks Betriz out of using dark magic. Cazaril instead performs it and wakes up the next morning alive (something that's never happened to anyone else who performs death magic) and Dondo is dead. After Dondo's funeral, Umegat (the animal keeper for Orico), who is a member of the Bastard's order, tells Cazaril that he's carrying Dondo's soul inside him. In desperation to stop dy Jironal from taking over her life, Iselle orders Cazaril to ride to Ibra in Darthaca and ask Royse Bergon, son of the Fox, for his hand in marriage. Reluctantly, Cazaril agrees especially after Dondo starts trying to take control of Cazaril's body and Teidez kills the animals and wounds Umegat, believing he's freeing Orico from the curse. Orico becomes half-blind and extremely sick. Cazaril, Betriz and Iselle hope that she can marry out of the curse. Teidez dies of an infection and Iselle sends Cazaril on his way. He stops at Valenda to tell Ista of Teidez's death and she tells him what her husband, the former roya Ias and his lover dy Lutez and she did to try and rid the curse. On accident, they killed dy Lutez, and hid the truth about his death. They believed dying thrice would finish off the curse. And since Cazaril has died once and might die again with Dondo and the Bastard's demon inside him, Ista believes he is Iselle's dy Lutez. Cazaril continues on his way and arrives in Ibra. Bergon demands that Cazaril take off his shirt and it turns out Cazaril saved Bergon years ago and Bergon tells his father. The Fox seems impressed and, after a few days of travel and death, Bergon and Iselle announce their marriage. The curse grasps onto Bergon and Cazaril believes he's failed them. Bergon tells him not to give up and they plan to retake Cardegoss from dy Jironal. During the battle, dy Jironal stabs Cazaril, wounding him. Lightning strikes from the sky and kills dy Jironal. The Daughter releases her hold on the Bastard's demon and Dondo and the Bastard takes back the curse. Cazaril is spared, much to the disappointment of the demon, and Iselle appoints him chancellor.
All in all, once you get to chapter 12, where I believe the story actually starts, its good. The first 11 chapters seem to drag and that's because they don't serve the plot or anything other than to get Cazaril to Valenda, give him the teaching post, then send him to Cardegoss. Granted, she puts in tiny details that come back later in the novel but the vast majority of them are so abstract or so unimportant that most readers that I've talked to have failed to pick up on them. Which was the main conversation I had with a friend who adores Bujolds novels and sees no flaws. Well, to each their own, eh. Also, important note for history buffs and geography lovers: click here. I believe you'll find the information fascinating.
It starts (with a rather excruciatingly slow 11 chapters that don't serve a point if you ask me) off with Lupe dy Cazaril walking to the Province of Valenda where the Dowager Provincara eventually gives him the job of teaching the Royesse Iselle before she, her companion/friend Betriz, Iselle's brother the Royse Teidez, his tutor dy Sanda, and Cazaril are summoned to Cardegoss by their half-brother, the roya Orico. There, and at Valenda, Cazaril hears of a curse placed on Royina Ista's family that goes back to Fonsa the Fairly-Wise. Apparently, Fonsa used death magic to kill the Golden General and it proceeded but not before placing a curse on the family of Fonsa and all his descendants--this includes relatives by blood (Tiedez, Iselle, Orico), by marriage (Ista and Sara), and close friends (Martou dy Jironal and Dondo dy Jironal). Orico tells Iselle that she'll be married to Dondo. She doesn't want to be but Orico refuses to hear one word against it. As she prays for a quick death, Cazaril talks Betriz out of using dark magic. Cazaril instead performs it and wakes up the next morning alive (something that's never happened to anyone else who performs death magic) and Dondo is dead. After Dondo's funeral, Umegat (the animal keeper for Orico), who is a member of the Bastard's order, tells Cazaril that he's carrying Dondo's soul inside him. In desperation to stop dy Jironal from taking over her life, Iselle orders Cazaril to ride to Ibra in Darthaca and ask Royse Bergon, son of the Fox, for his hand in marriage. Reluctantly, Cazaril agrees especially after Dondo starts trying to take control of Cazaril's body and Teidez kills the animals and wounds Umegat, believing he's freeing Orico from the curse. Orico becomes half-blind and extremely sick. Cazaril, Betriz and Iselle hope that she can marry out of the curse. Teidez dies of an infection and Iselle sends Cazaril on his way. He stops at Valenda to tell Ista of Teidez's death and she tells him what her husband, the former roya Ias and his lover dy Lutez and she did to try and rid the curse. On accident, they killed dy Lutez, and hid the truth about his death. They believed dying thrice would finish off the curse. And since Cazaril has died once and might die again with Dondo and the Bastard's demon inside him, Ista believes he is Iselle's dy Lutez. Cazaril continues on his way and arrives in Ibra. Bergon demands that Cazaril take off his shirt and it turns out Cazaril saved Bergon years ago and Bergon tells his father. The Fox seems impressed and, after a few days of travel and death, Bergon and Iselle announce their marriage. The curse grasps onto Bergon and Cazaril believes he's failed them. Bergon tells him not to give up and they plan to retake Cardegoss from dy Jironal. During the battle, dy Jironal stabs Cazaril, wounding him. Lightning strikes from the sky and kills dy Jironal. The Daughter releases her hold on the Bastard's demon and Dondo and the Bastard takes back the curse. Cazaril is spared, much to the disappointment of the demon, and Iselle appoints him chancellor.
All in all, once you get to chapter 12, where I believe the story actually starts, its good. The first 11 chapters seem to drag and that's because they don't serve the plot or anything other than to get Cazaril to Valenda, give him the teaching post, then send him to Cardegoss. Granted, she puts in tiny details that come back later in the novel but the vast majority of them are so abstract or so unimportant that most readers that I've talked to have failed to pick up on them. Which was the main conversation I had with a friend who adores Bujolds novels and sees no flaws. Well, to each their own, eh. Also, important note for history buffs and geography lovers: click here. I believe you'll find the information fascinating.
