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Horizon by Lois McMaster Bujold

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This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series The Sharing Knife

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
The Sharing Knife Series, Volume Four
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books; 1 edition (February 10, 2009), Format: Kindle Edition, File Size: 438 KB, Print Length: 464 pages, Language: English, ASIN: B001NLL8UG

This is a story about battles.  A fight against evil creatures, predjudice and old concepts. Dag, the magic wielding Lakewalker and his young bride the Farmer-girl Fawn continue their story with plenty of adventures. They have found a new Lakewalker camp where Dag can learn to use his developing maker abilities, but it isn’t long until Farmer versus Lakewalker troubles start to appear. Add into this story a new kind of Malice and you have an interesting tale.  This book takes place immediately following Passage.

Lois McMaster Bujold has written numerous Science Fiction and Fantasy books and series including The Vorkosigan Saga, The Chalion Universe Series and the The Sharing Knife Series. Horizon is the last book in The Sharing Knife Series which has a total of four books. These books fall into the Fantasy genre but can also be considered a Romance since it revolves around a love story. There is magic in this universe that is welded by the Lakewakers and it takes place in a society that is equivalent to ours in the early 19th century. It occurs after the fall of a greater society that was destroyed by the creation of evil creatures known as Malices. In this world the Lakewalkers serve by destroying these creatures as they continue to randomly pop up. The story is told in a third person narrative by the two main protagonists Dag, the Lakewalker and Fawn, the Farmer girl.

I liked the first two books in this series better than the last two books, but I am still glad I read them all as it is a satisfying tale. This book once again addresses the problems associated with predujice and shows the harm it can cause.  Dag’s journey and inner struggle are well written and believable.  He is looking to the future and continually coming up with great solutions.  All the characters are pretty well rounded and show good depth.  We are introduced to some new characters and we learn more about Lakerwalker magic and makings. The story had a great build up to an exciting and frightening climax. The book shows that through co-operation and understanding people can overcome their dfifferences and learn to combine their strengths to the benefit of all.

I recommend this book, it is a good conclusion to an interesting and different fantasy series.  If you enjoy reading a good, original fantasy story that revolves around a romance then you will enjoy this book.  This is a stand alone book, but you will enjoy it more if you read the books in order as the story builds from book to book.

Book Review, Fantasy, 2 Treasure Boxes, In Library, Goodreads

Passage by Lois McMaster Bujold

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This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series The Sharing Knife

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
The Sharing Knife Series, Volume Three
Publisher: Harper Voyager (January, 2009), 411 pages, Language: English, ISBN-10: 978-0-06-137535-4

Do you want to read about two far-sighted individuals who want to improve the world? Then you should give this story a try, it is a journey both literally, from far inland all the way to the sea and spiritually, as the couple try to gap the great gulf between their two peoples. Dag, the magic wielding Lakewalker and his young bride the Farmer-girl Fawn continue their story with plenty of adventures, but instead of fighting malices, they are this time fighting against evil people and helping others on their trek.  This book takes place immediately following Legacy. 

Lois McMaster Bujold has written numerous Science Fiction and Fantasy books and series including The Vorkosigan Saga, The Chalion Universe Series and the The Sharing Knife Series. Passage is the third book in The Sharing Knife Series which has a total of four books. These books fall into the Fantasy genre but can also be considered a Romance since it revolves around a love story.  There is magic in this universe that is welded by the Lakewakers and it takes place in a society that is equivalent to ours in the early 19th century.  It occurs after the fall of a greater society that was destroyed by the creation of evil creatures known as Malices.  In this world the Lakewalkers serve by destroying these creatures as they continue to randomly pop up. The story is told in a third person narrative by the two main protagonists Dag, the Lakewalker and Fawn, the Farmer girl.

Our protagonists have gone on a voluntary exile from Dag’s family and community.  They knew it was either that or face being told to leave.  Together they decided it would be best to be out on their own and in the process start to breach the distance between the Lakewalkers and the Farmers.  There was not as much excitement in this book as in the previous two books.  There were no conflicts against malices, but there was trouble against people including bandits and renegade Lakewalkers. Dag was given the opportunity to learn more about his magic and we understand more about how it works.  This book showed much more depth into the characters and how this world works. 

I thought it was really interesting how Dag’s healing abilities worked. It showed how this is a great attraction for those who need it, but it also showed what the ill effects of using it can be. Once again clarifying that there is always a price.  This also gave insight into how and why the old world was destroyed.  The two start out on their journey alone, but by the end they have accumulated a number of people that travel with them.  Effectively creating their own mobile village which is comprised of an amalgamation of different peoples. This is a reflection of who they are and what they are trying to accomplish which is to bring the world together.

I highly recommend this series.  If you enjoy reading a good, original fantasy story that revolves around a romance then you will enjoy this book.  This is a stand alone book, but you will enjoy it more if you read the books in order as the story builds from book to book.

Fantasy, 3 Treasure Boxes, Romance, In Library, Goodreads

Legacy by Lois McMaster Bujold

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This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series The Sharing Knife

Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes
The Sharing Knife Series, Volume Two
Publisher: Harper Voyager (May, 2008), 356 pages, Language: English, ISBN-10: 978-0-06-113906-2

This is a story of magic, the fight against evil, family commitments and love. Dag, the magic wielding Lakewalker and his young bride the Farmer-girl Fawn continue their story including the ongoing battle against the evil creatures known as Malices. This book takes place immediately following Beguilement. 

Lois McMaster Bujold has written numerous Science Fiction and Fantasy books and series including The Vorkosigan Saga, The Chalion Universe Series and the The Sharing Knife Series. Legacy is the second book in The Sharing Knife Series which has a total of four books. These books fall into the Fantasy genre but can also be considered a Romance since it revolves around a love story.  There is magic in this universe that is welded by the Lakewakers and it takes place in a society that is equivalent to ours in the early 19th century.  It occurs after the fall of a greater society that was destroyed by the creation of evil creatures known as Malices.  In this world the Lakewalkers serve by destroying these creatures as they continue to randomly pop up. The story is told in a third person narrative by the two main protagonists Dag, the Lakewalker and Fawn, the Farmer girl.

Dag and Fawn, two individuals with completely different backgrounds are married and in love.  They leave Fawn’s farmer family and continue on to Dag’s communal camp.  Once they arrive they are once again facing the unfairness of prejudice. Dag is called away to fight against a mature malice that has uncanny abilities and gets into a very tight spot in the process.  Fawn is left alone in a hostile environment and it is heart wrenching reading about her mistreatment at the hands of Dag’s own family and community. It is all based on discrimination against her, not because she isn’t a good person, but because she is a farmer.  It is surprising because Dag was only half a person before he met Fawn and some people see and understand this. The story unfolded with a good pace and there was plenty of excitement and suspense during the fight against the malice. The book had a great ending.

I highly recommend this book.  If you enjoy reading a good, original fantasy story that revolves around a romance then you will enjoy this book.  This is a stand alone book, but I quickly picked up the next book in the series to see where the story is going.

Fantasy, 3 Treasure Boxes, In Library, Goodreads

Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold

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This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series The Sharing Knife

Book Review; 3 Treasure Boxes
The Sharing Knife Series, Volume One
Publisher: Harper Voyager (April 24, 2007), 384 pages, Language: English, ISBN-10: 978-0-06-1139079

What kind of world would it be if it could be assaulted by Malices? Malices are evil immortal creatures that turn living creatures into zombie-like beings and they leach all life from the world around them. Lakewalkers have magical abilities to sense and kill Malices. Farmers are smaller humans with no magical abilities that the Lakewalkers protect. This is the love story of a Lakewalker and Farm girl who have difficulties because it is taboo for the two races to intermingle.

Lois McMaster Bujold has written numerous Science Fiction and Fantasy books and series including The Vorkosigan Saga, The Chalion Universe Series and the The Sharing Knife Series.  Beguilement is the first book in The Sharing Knife Series which has a total of four books. These books fall into the Fantasy genre but can also be considered a Romance since it revolves around a love story.  There is magic in this universe that is welded by the Lakewakers and it takes place in a society that is equivalent to ours in the early 19th century.  It occurs after the fall of a greater society that was destroyed by the creation of evil creatures known as Malices.  In this world the Lakewalkers serve by destroying these creatures as they continue to randomly pop up. The story is told in a third person narrative by the two main protagonists Dag, the Lakewalker and Fawn, the Farmer girl.

We are first introduced to Fawn, who has run away from home because she has become pregnant.  This first book is the story of her meeting and falling in love with the experienced Lakewalker, Dag. During their adventures together, Fawn becomes more than a mere Farmer.  This book deals with prejudice and shows how old beliefs hold you back. The story is very original.  The magic that is welded is new and unique.  It can only come from the death of another Lakewalker whose spirit has passed  through another Lakewalker’s thigh-bone.

I highly recommend this book.  If you enjoy reading a good, original fantasy story that revolves around a romance then you will enjoy this book.  This is a stand alone book, but I quickly picked up the next book in the series to see where the story is going.