The Sharing Knife, Volume 1

Beguilement

By: Lois McMaster Bujold

Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne

Young, pregnant Fawn Bluefield has just fled her family's farm to the city of Glassforge, where she encounters a patrol of the enigmatic soldier-sorcerers known as Lakewalkers. Fawn has heard stories about the Lakewalkers, who are wandering necromancers with no permanent homes and no possessions except the clothes they wear and the mysterious knives they carry. What she does not know is that the Lakewalkers are engaged in a perilous campaign against inhuman and immortal magical entities known as "malices".

When Fawn is kidnapped by one of these creatures, it is up to Dag, an older Lakewalker, heavy with sorrows and responsibilities, to rescue her. But in the ensuing struggle, it is not Dag but Fawn who kills the creature, at dire cost. And an uncanny accident befalls Dag's sharing knife, which unexpectedly binds their two fates together.

Don't miss the second volume, Legacy.©2007 Lois McMaster Bujold (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Bujold develops the characters and their relationship skillfully enough to please romance as well as fantasy fans." ( Booklist)
"[A] saga of daring deeds and unlikely romance. Bujold quickly develops unforgettable characters as she crafts a world filled with unique monsters and an original approach to magic." ( Library Journal)
"Compelling characters lift this first of a two-book romantic fantasy from Hugo-winner Bujold....Bujold hints at an epic past of mighty kingdoms and ancient sorceries, a past that will hopefully be fully detailed in the sequel." ( Publishers Weekly)

Would you like romance with your fantasy?

This is a fairly solid, even standard fantasy story. It is also, unabashedly, a romance novel. I'm not usually a fan of romance novels, but it was tastefully done and the fantasy bits were likely enough to keep me involved. Overall it is a great tale if you don't mind mixing the genres.

Love love

Sweet and comfortable love story and I am cutting this review short to go buy the next one now!

A few chapters of action, then all romance.

I liked the story, even though it's definitely the "weak, stupid, young damsel in distress" and "interracial romance is forbidden" and "age gap love" tropes because the fantasy world with Malices is interesting. But I was disappointed there wasn't more development of that throughout the book. The first few chapters were combat/adventure, and the rest of the book is a love story. I think the author was trying to make people uncomfortable and challenge views, but it's kinda extra, how the author tries to do it. Overall, I was entertained for a 9-hour bus ride, and the narrator performance was great, so not a loss. I'm just not sure I'll try the second book. I need a little more substance to a romantic fantasy than "We're in love" and managing the world's response to an unlikely pairing. I have autism and just cannot grasp social relationships in the same way others do, so maybe that's why it turned me off once they took the relationship back to the judgy family. I wouldn't care what they think or about getting their blessings, especially if I had been emotionally abused or neglected by them, but it seems normal social behavior to need to? want to? get the approval of people who haven't treated you that great nevertheless in society... I guess. Mind boggling, really...

Weird World

I love weird and interesting worlds. This one fits the weird category. I loved the series and have listened to it three or four times. #funlisten #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

loved it

it made me thoughtful on the way we interact with the world around us. Beautiful