Recently Read - ‘The Curse of Chalion’ by Lois McMaster Bujold
Categories
Fantasy
I have grown weary of the tendency in both SF and Fantasy to take our existing culture and warm it over slightly, especially in the religion and politics department. Perhaps the need to crank out title after title encourages this “reduce, reuse, recycle” attitude, but as a reader it sends me fuming towards the exit. Then along comes
Lois McMaster Bujold with another richly detailed fantasy world that is a joy to enter–and hardly anything like ours.
I have to admire Louis McMaster Bujold. She one of those authors whose work just keeps getting stronger all the time. (She won the Nebula in 1989 for Falling Free.) Craftsmanlike from the beginning, her sense of compelling narrative just keeps improving. With Chalion, Lois has developed a nice, functionally distinct world and peopled it with wonderful, engaging characters.
The Curse of Chalion is the engaging story of Cazaril, a man who has been knocked down in the game of life but refuses to surrender. A noble man betrayed by his superiors and sold into slavery, Cazaril has finally been freed. Scarred, marked as a slave, without friends or resources, he makes his way slowly and painfully back home where he hopes to impose upon the kindness of the noble household where, in his youth, he served as page for a job. Any job.
But a man, a noble man of priciples, is more precious than gold. Cazaril is quickly given a position more suited to his inner beauty: he is to be made secretary-tutor to the Royesse Iselle.
As guardian and advisor to Iselle–the beautiful, strong-willed sister of the boy who is next in line to rule the land–Cazaril will come face to face with those who betrayed him. For the capitol, Cardegoss, is filled with a disease of the mind and spirit–the Curse of Chalion–and Cazaril has been chosen by the gods to try and return the land to balance.
I have always been suspicious of the type of hero who starts the story as an unrecognized ubermensch and changes the world without apparant effort once their great abilities are discovered. I prefer Enlightenment heroes: the hero who starts as a person not much different than I am and succeeds on their own wit and ability, rther than some divinity conferred advantage. In Cazaril I have a wonderful example of the kind of hero who rises from the dungheap through his own initiative and ability.
But that doesn’t mean the gods don’t have plans for Cazaril. In fact, Cazaril’s humilty and unswerving devotion are essential to the gods and their plans. Louis McMaster Bujold offers a perspective on deities, curses, and the poor mortals who are caught up in the affairs of the gods that you will long remember.
Throughout the story, I can never quite forget however, that I’m in my arm chair, reading. I feel sympathy for the characters without ever feeling that I am truly a part of their universe. But the story is intelligent, the characters warm and sympathetic, and the suspense made this book one I read in three sittings.
You have a winner when the title was the most objectionable feature of this finely crafted tale of nobility and self-sacrifice. (The title unfortunately reminded me of far too many lazy, self-indulgent fantasy novels.) Overall, Curseleft me with a strong feeling that I’ve been away from Lois McMaster Bujold’s work for too long.
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A nominee for the 2002 Hugo Award (American Gods, by Neil Gaiman, won), they just don’t come more reliable than this. A page turner offering a solid retreat from the relatives during the holidays, beach or airport reading. Buy it new in paperback, hard cover if you’re a Bujold fan.
Rating
4 out of 5.
Get it Here
chapters.indigo.ca