In 2005, Lois McMaster Bujold returned to her speculative fiction world in the Chalion Trilogy to write the conclusion that ignores the other two entries and adds a slightly new taste to a stale plot. Synopsis: Prince Boleso is dead--slain by a nobelwoman he had intended to defile*. Lord Ingrey kin Wolfcliff has been dispatched to the remote castle of the late, exiled, half-mad royal to transport the body to its burial place and the accused killer, the Lady Ijada, to judgement. Ingrey's mission is an ugly and delicate one, for the imminent death of the old Hallow King has placed the crown in play, and the murder of his youngest son threatens to further roil already treacherous political waters. But there is more here than a prince's degenerate lusts and the fatal retribution it engendered. Boleso's dark act, though unfinished, inadvertently bestowed an unwanted mystical "gift" upon proud, brave Ijada that must ultimately mean her doom--a curse similar to one with which Ingrey himself has been burdened since boyhood. A forbidden spirit now inhabits the soul of Ijada, giving her senses she never wished for and an obligation no one sane would desire. At once psychically linked to the remarkable lady and repelled by what she carries within, Ingrey fears the havoc his own inner beast could wreak while on their journey, as he fights a powerful growing attraction...and an equally powerful compulsion to kill. The road they travel together is beset with dangers--and though duty-bound to deliver Ijada to an almost certain execution, Ingrey soon realizes that she is the only one he dares trust. For a malevolent enemy with designs on a troubled kingdom holds Ingrey in his sway--and without Ijada's aid and love, the haunted lord will never be able to break free and realize the great and terrible destiny bestowed upon him by the gods, the damned, and the dead.
And there's no longer any reason for me to review this book. I mean she just tells you what happens in the synopsis on the cover--okay, well, I'm looking at the hardcover edition. It may be something different on the paperback edition. Anyway...
The novel starts just like above. Boleso is dead. Ingery must return his body and Ijada to Easthome. Both Ingrey and Ijada have animal spirits trapped in them--Ingrey's from childhood, Ijada's from Boleso and a mystery sorcerer from Ingrey's past. Along the travel back, Ingrey feels compelled to kill Ijada and each time manages to save her from his possessed body. Ijada notes a second presence in Ingrey (yeah, that's gonna get annoying after a while; the in Ingrey, I mean) and has him stop along the path to find her friend Hallana who is a member of the Bastards Order who has a demon living inside her. Hallana tries to break it and succeeds much to the cost of freeing the trapped wolf-spirit in Ingrey. Well, not free from the body, more like free from the chains Ingrey and others placed upon it since childhood. They learn that there is something calling the two of them and in a dream Ijada notes that it has something to do with her lands and dead people that were once known as Wealding sorcerers and soldiers. Ingrey's comrade, Wencel, points out how dumb and stupid this seems (much like the rest of us).
Once at Easthome, Ingrey talks to Sealmaster Hetwar and Prince Biast of his events and they agree to postpone Ijada's execution until after the funeral. During that funeral, Ingrey and Ijada fall asleep and meet the Son of Autumn who commands Ingrey to free Boleso's animal spirits from Boleso so he can take him, which Ingrey does, though he believes that Boleso doesn't deserve it. After the funeral, Ijada and Ingrey tell Lewko--a member of the Bastards Order--about the dream/vision thing. The three find out that a servant, Cumril, is the sorcerer who placed the animal spirits in Ingrey and Ijada. They interrogate him and learn that Wencel is behind the whole damn thing. Ingrey confronts Wencel and learns that the spirit of Audary inhabits Wencel and has eradicated Wencel and survived like this for the last few centuries, passed from Father to Son down the ages. Ingrey reports this to Biast, Hetwar, and Lewko; they reach an agreement that Ingrey will play the role of bodyguard to Biast's sister, Fara, in case Wencel tries to kill her. Wencel, in paranoid delusion, kidnaps Fara and Ingrey and takes them to Ijada's land, Bloodfield. Fara is forced to kill Wencel and Audary tries to take over Ingrey but fails when Ijada shows up and helps Fara and Ingrey break the banner carrier's flagpole. Audary dies along with Wencel and Ingrey releases the trapped spirits one by one, using Lewkow for the Bastard, Biast for the Son, and three others for the Mother, Daughter, and Father. At the end, Ijada is pardoned by Biast now that the threat is over. She marries Ingrey off screen and together they train under Lewkow.
All in all, a piss-poor finale for a novel trilogy. Too much time was spent getting to Easthome and on long inane conversations that do nothing for the overall story. I don't recommend this novel for any readers of the Fantasy genre. Bujold just fails to captivate and hold one's interest.
And there's no longer any reason for me to review this book. I mean she just tells you what happens in the synopsis on the cover--okay, well, I'm looking at the hardcover edition. It may be something different on the paperback edition. Anyway...
The novel starts just like above. Boleso is dead. Ingery must return his body and Ijada to Easthome. Both Ingrey and Ijada have animal spirits trapped in them--Ingrey's from childhood, Ijada's from Boleso and a mystery sorcerer from Ingrey's past. Along the travel back, Ingrey feels compelled to kill Ijada and each time manages to save her from his possessed body. Ijada notes a second presence in Ingrey (yeah, that's gonna get annoying after a while; the in Ingrey, I mean) and has him stop along the path to find her friend Hallana who is a member of the Bastards Order who has a demon living inside her. Hallana tries to break it and succeeds much to the cost of freeing the trapped wolf-spirit in Ingrey. Well, not free from the body, more like free from the chains Ingrey and others placed upon it since childhood. They learn that there is something calling the two of them and in a dream Ijada notes that it has something to do with her lands and dead people that were once known as Wealding sorcerers and soldiers. Ingrey's comrade, Wencel, points out how dumb and stupid this seems (much like the rest of us).
Once at Easthome, Ingrey talks to Sealmaster Hetwar and Prince Biast of his events and they agree to postpone Ijada's execution until after the funeral. During that funeral, Ingrey and Ijada fall asleep and meet the Son of Autumn who commands Ingrey to free Boleso's animal spirits from Boleso so he can take him, which Ingrey does, though he believes that Boleso doesn't deserve it. After the funeral, Ijada and Ingrey tell Lewko--a member of the Bastards Order--about the dream/vision thing. The three find out that a servant, Cumril, is the sorcerer who placed the animal spirits in Ingrey and Ijada. They interrogate him and learn that Wencel is behind the whole damn thing. Ingrey confronts Wencel and learns that the spirit of Audary inhabits Wencel and has eradicated Wencel and survived like this for the last few centuries, passed from Father to Son down the ages. Ingrey reports this to Biast, Hetwar, and Lewko; they reach an agreement that Ingrey will play the role of bodyguard to Biast's sister, Fara, in case Wencel tries to kill her. Wencel, in paranoid delusion, kidnaps Fara and Ingrey and takes them to Ijada's land, Bloodfield. Fara is forced to kill Wencel and Audary tries to take over Ingrey but fails when Ijada shows up and helps Fara and Ingrey break the banner carrier's flagpole. Audary dies along with Wencel and Ingrey releases the trapped spirits one by one, using Lewkow for the Bastard, Biast for the Son, and three others for the Mother, Daughter, and Father. At the end, Ijada is pardoned by Biast now that the threat is over. She marries Ingrey off screen and together they train under Lewkow.
All in all, a piss-poor finale for a novel trilogy. Too much time was spent getting to Easthome and on long inane conversations that do nothing for the overall story. I don't recommend this novel for any readers of the Fantasy genre. Bujold just fails to captivate and hold one's interest.
