Review by Booklist Review
At the end of Penric's Mission (2017), Learned Penric was severely wounded in a brutal, magical attack. Penric has been helping the lovely widow Nikys and her brother, General Arisaydia, evade capture, hoping they will return with him across the sea. His resident demon, Desdemona, is helping him heal, but he is very weak and must depend on others, for once. The fugitives take refuge in a pest-ridden brothel, where the young sorcerer offers his services in ridding the building and inhabitants of their pesky infestation. In return for healing the proprietress' illness, Penric asks for aid in escaping across the border. The brothel mistress helps Pen disguise himself as a woman, but, before they can leave town, the commander of the local garrison takes an interest in Penric's alter ego. To fend off his amorous admirer and save his companions, Penric must rely on the courtesan Mira, one of Desdemona's multiple personalities and what the vivacious Mira will do is anyone's guess. Series fans will be delighted with this new Pen and Des adventure.--Lucy Lockley Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Bujold's Shakespearean fantasy novella returns to the story arc that began in Penric's Mission, continuing the flight of Temple sorcerer Penric, ex-general Adelis Arisaydia, and Adelis's sister, Nikys Khatai, from Imperial Cedonian forces. In the town of Sosie, Penric bargains with a local madam, Zihre, offering his magical talents for healing and vermin removal in exchange for a safe haven. So that he may travel incognito, Penric assumes the role of the courtesan Mira of Adria, one of the 10 human personalities, all female, that inhabit his demon companion, Desdemona. When Gen. Egin Chadro, commander of the local garrison, takes a fancy to Mira, it is she-not Penric or Desdemona-who offers the only chance of safety to the three fugitives. While Bujold's entire series has contemplated gender identity issues, this is the first time that one of the female personalities of Penric's demon has come fully to the fore. Bujold uses this transformation to help her characters glow and concludes this segment with the promise of more to come. Series fans and fantasy readers who seek well-drawn characters will love this tale. Agent: Eleanor Wood, Spectrum Literary. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
In this sequel to Penric's Mission, Bujold's hero leads the betrayed and blinded General Arisaydia and his widowed sister Nikys through war-torn Cedonia into the Duchy of Orbas. As they enter the town of Sosie, however, Penric's own injuries and lack of funds force them to seek refuge in a house of ill repute. When delays cause the group to come under more scrutiny, Penric turns to his chaos demon, Desdemona, for further assistance. In particular, he calls up the courtesan Mira of Adria, one of the dead women whose imprints make up Desdemona's personality. At the same time, Nikys must decide if the growing feelings between her and Penric can overcome the other women so enmeshed in his life. Bujold's nuanced writing vividly shows the unique relationship between Penric and Desdemona and their journey that continues to grow in action-filled ways. VERDICT Bujold's fans will appreciate this novella, which returns to her World of the Five Gods and beloved maturing characters.-Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
