I like the author's fantasy novels as they are good fantasy without being a LOTR try hard. The characters are interesting and well developed. The fantasy world's laws are easy to understand and plausible. A great read well worth the effort. Looking forward to the rest of the series. ( )

Beguilement:
Whether you would rather classify this as a fantasy novel or a romance novel, there is no question that it is well written. Ms. Bujold has created a rich world full of complex characters and a history that we only get a glimpse of in this first installment. There are moments of tense action and brutal violence along with the beginning of a deep romantic involvement between two of the characters.

I truly enjoyed this novel and even during the slower moments of day to day life, found the characters and writing vibrant enough to hold my interest throughout. The magic system is fairly unique and I am interested in learning more about the origins and limitations as well as learning more about the history of this fascinating fantasy world.

A lot of people have complained that this book is a romance novel disguised as a fantasy just to get fantasy fans to purchase it. I disagree. My only complaint was that the main love scene in the book was a bit long for my tastes and a bit more detailed than what I am used to in traditional fantasy novels. However, the romance plot line in general really helps to flesh out the story and give some vulnerability to the tales principle characters.

Along that note, one of my favorite things about this novel was that the main characters in it are not superhuman as in a lot of traditional fantasy. Both of the main characters have physical and other limitations that make them seem more real and believable.

All in all, an excellent novel and am looking forward to the second installment in the series.

Legacy: ( )

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