World of the Five Gods

Lord Cazaril has been, in turn, courtier, castle-warder, and captain; now he is but a crippled ex-galley slave seeking nothing more than a menial job in the kitchens of the Dowager Provincara, the noble patroness of his youth. But Cazaril finds himself promoted to the exalted and dangerous position of tutor to Iselle, the beautiful, fiery sister of the heir to Chalion's throne. Amidst the decaying splendor and poisonous intrigue of Chalion's ancient capital, Cazaril is forced to confront not only powerful enemies but also the malignant curse that clings to the royal household, trapping him, flesh and soul, in a maze of demonic paradox, damnation, and death for as long as he dares walk the five-fold pathway of the gods.

Follow Lois McMaster Bujold, one of the most honored authors in the field of fantasy and science fiction, to a land threatened by treacherous war and beset by demons. Three years have passed since the widowed Dowager Royina Ista found release from the curse of madness that kept her imprisoned in her family's castle at Valenda. Yet her newfound freedom is bittersweet, and so the road, and escape, beckons. As Ista and her little party of pilgrims wander at will, they are unexpectedly set upon. But a mysterious ally appears, a warrior nobleman who fights like a berserker. The temporary safety of her enigmatic champion's castle cannot ease Ista's mounting dread, however, when she finds his dark secrets are entangled with hers in a net of the gods' own weaving. What the inscrutable gods commanded of her in the past brought her land to the brink of devastation. Now, once again, they have chosen Ista as their instrument. And again, for good or for ill, she must comply. "Rich in sumptuous detail and speculative theology…This engaging installment of Chalion's mythical history whets the appetite for new marvels yet to come." "Bujold's sequel to The Curse of Chalion introduces a middle-aged heroine of great courage and hidden resources. [Bujold] demonstrates her storytelling skill and artful humor in an engaging fantasy that belongs in most libraries." "Superbly and smartly written, this novel will entice even those readers not traditionally drawn to fantasy." "The highlight of this book is its deep, believable, and sympathetic characters. The plot becomes almost secondary to the mesmerizing Ista, and the minor characters are just as compelling. With its high adventure, sorcery, and spirituality, this tale will enchant the most jaded reader." "A wonderful example of the perfect pairing of story and voice...Kate Reading sounds like royalty in every book she narrates…her ability to enunciate without sounding like she is working at it lends itself beautifully to Lady Ista…[A] step above the ordinary in fantasy literature and audiobooks."

Lois McMaster Bujold returns to the vivid, perilous world of her previous masterworks, the Hugo Award—winning Paladin of Souls and Hugo and World Fantasy Award—nominated The Curse of Chalion, with this tale of devotion and strange destiny. The half-mad Prince Boleso has been slain by a noblewoman he had intended to defile. It falls to Lord Ingrey kin Wilfcliff to transport the prince to his burial place and to bring the accused killer, Lady Ijada, to judgment. His mission is an ugly and delicate one, for the imminent death of the old Hallow King has placed the crown in play, and the road he travels with his burden and his prisoner is fraught with danger. But in the midst of political chaos, magic has the fiercer hold on Ingrey's destiny, and Ijada herself may turn out to be the only one he dares trust.