A man broken in body and spirit, Cazaril returns to the noble household he once served as page and is named secretary-tutor to the beautiful, strong-willed sister of the impetuous boy who is next in line to rule. It is an assignment Cazaril dreads, for it must ultimately lead him to the place he most fears: the royal court of Cardegoss, where the powerful enemies who once placed him in chains now occupy lofty positions.

But it is more than the traitorous intrigues of villains that threaten Cazaril and the Royesse Iselle here, for a sinister curse hangs like a sword over the entire blighted House of Chalion. And only by employing the darkest, most forbidden of magics can Cazaril hope to protect his royal charge -- an act that will mark him as a tool of the miraculous . . . and trap him in a lethal maze of demonic paradox.

Footloose nobleman Penric journeys from young lord to sorcerer and scholar in the Bastard's Order--and solves mysteries along the way.

Penric's Demon: On the way to his betrothal, young Lord Penric happens upon a riding accident and stops to help. But the victim is a Temple divine, servant to the five gods of this world. Her avowed god is The Bastard, master of all disasters out of season. As she lies dying, she passes her strange powers to Penric--and changes the course of his life forever.

Penric and the Shaman: Now a divine of the Bastard's Order as well as a sorcerer and scholar, Penric must accompany a Locator of the Father's Order assigned to capture a runaway shaman charged with the murder of his best friend.

Penric's Fox: When Penric--sorcerer, scholar, and divine in the Bastard's Order--travels to Easthome, the capital of the Weald, he once again finds himself embroiled in a mystery. The body of a sorceress has been found in the woods, and it is up to Penric and his friends, Shaman Inglis and Locator Oswyl, to unravel a mystery mixing magic, murder, and the strange realities of Temple demons.

Praise for the Penric & Desdemona series:

Lord Penric, Pen to his friends and Penric to others, is a fabulous character. He's got a serious problem; he's never been trained to handle so he's doing the best he can. This ruffles the feathers or exasperates the other characters that he comes in contact with throughout the story. There's tension, danger, humor, and some interesting insights into various human traits. --SFRevu

Another thoroughly engaging entry in the Penric and Desdemona series. There are some truly interesting new characters, a medical mystery to be solved, lots of great dialogue, and some philosophical issues to think about when you finish the story. What could be better? --SFRevu

An engaging revisitation of the world of the Five Gods. Another felicitous combination of formerly told tales, again meshing masterfully (mistressfully?) --Seattle Book Review

[F]illed with a satisfying blend of strong characters and wry humor. --Publishers Weekly

Fans of fantasy with clever, innocent underdog characters will root for Penric to beat the odds and hope to visit him and his demon again. --Booklist

Bujold's fans will be delighted with this latest adventure featuring Penric and his resident demon. --Booklist

Bujold continues to expand her Five Gods world, reviving familiar faces along the way. The fascinating relationship between Penric and Desdemona is especially fun. --Library Journal

Bujold's many faithful readers will delight in this engaging blend of mystery and magic. --Library Journal

Changing points of view make earlier chapters a little challenging, but strong secondary characters and Bujold's amazing worldbuilding will please readers of this swift-paced series. --Library Journal

Fast action and dialog create a humorous and satisfying story that shows the intriguing connection between sorcerer and demon. --Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Library System

Bujold's nuanced writing vividly shows the unique relationship between Penric and Desdemona and their journey that continues to grow in action-filled ways. --Library Journal

Bujold's fans will appreciate this novella, which returns to her World of the Five Gods and beloved maturing characters. --Library Journal

About Lois McMaster Bujold:
The pace is breathless, the characterization thoughtful and emotionally powerful, and the author's narrative technique and command of language compelling. Highly recommended.--Booklist

If you love solid space opera rooted in strong character, you can't go wrong . . . The Warrior's Apprentice already displays the craft and the heart which would soon make Lois McMaster Bujold one of the most feted talents in SF.--SF Reviews

Bujold is adept at worldbuilding and provides a witty, character-centered plot, full of exquisite grace notes . . . fans will be thoroughly gripped and likely to finish the book in a single sitting.--Publishers Weekly on Diplomatic Immunity

A magnificent epic tale of devotion, possession, obsession, and strange destiny from the author of the Hugo Award-winning

Paladin of Souls

Lois McMaster Bujold

The half-mad Prince Boleso has been slain by a noblewoman he had intended to defile -- and Lord Ingrey kin Wilfcliff must transport the body to its burial place and the accused killer, the Lady Ijada, to judgment. With the death of the old Hallow King imminent and the crown in play, the road they must travel together is a dangerous one. And though he is duty-bound to deliver his prisoner to an almost certain death, Ijada may be the only one Ingrey dares trust. For a monstrous malevolence holds the haunted lord in its sway -- and a great and terrible destiny has been bestowed upon him by the gods, the damned, and the dead.

Penric and Desdemona are back in three novellas from Grand Master Lois McMaster Bujold.

Masquerade in Lodi:

Bastard's Eve is a night of celebration for most residents in the canal city of Lodi--but not for sorcerer Learned Penric and his Temple demon Desdemona, who find themselves caught up in the affairs of a shiplost madman, a dangerous ascendant demon, and a very unexpected saint of the fifth god.

The Orphans of Raspay:

When the ship in which they are traveling is captured by Carpagamon island raiders, Penric and Desdemona find their life complicated by two young orphans, Lencia and Seuka Corva, who are far from home and searching for their missing father. Pen and Des will need all their combined talents of mind and magic to unravel the mysteries of the sisters and escape from the pirate stronghold.

The Physicians of Vilnoc:

When a mysterious plague breaks out in the army fort guarding Vilnoc, the port capital of the duchy of Orbas, Penric and Desdemona are called upon by General Arisaydia to resurrect Penric's medical skills and solve its lethal riddle. In the grueling days that follow, Pen will find that even his magic is not enough to meet the challenges without help from dedicated new colleagues--and the god of mischance.

Also includes a new introduction, outroduction, and suggested reading order by Lois McMaster Bujold!

Praise for the Penric & Desdemona series:

Lord Penric, Pen to his friends and Penric to others, is a fabulous character. He's got a serious problem; he's never been trained to handle so he's doing the best he can. This ruffles the feathers or exasperates the other characters that he comes in contact with throughout the story. There's tension, danger, humor, and some interesting insights into various human traits. --SFRevu

Another thoroughly engaging entry in the Penric and Desdemona series. There are some truly interesting new characters, a medical mystery to be solved, lots of great dialogue, and some philosophical issues to think about when you finish the story. What could be better? --SFRevu

An engaging revisitation of the world of the Five Gods. Another felicitous combination of formerly told tales, again meshing masterfully (mistressfully?) --Seattle Book Review

[F]illed with a satisfying blend of strong characters and wry humor. --Publishers Weekly

Fans of fantasy with clever, innocent underdog characters will root for Penric to beat the odds and hope to visit him and his demon again. --Booklist

Bujold's fans will be delighted with this latest adventure featuring Penric and his resident demon. --Booklist

Bujold continues to expand her Five Gods world, reviving familiar faces along the way. The fascinating relationship between Penric and Desdemona is especially fun. --Library Journal

Bujold's many faithful readers will delight in this engaging blend of mystery and magic. --Library Journal

Changing points of view make earlier chapters a little challenging, but strong secondary characters and Bujold's amazing worldbuilding will please readers of this swift-paced series. --Library Journal

Fast action and dialog create a humorous and satisfying story that shows the intriguing connection between sorcerer and demon. --Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Library System

Bujold's nuanced writing vividly shows the unique relationship between Penric and Desdemona and their journey that continues to grow in action-filled ways. --Library Journal

Bujold's fans will appreciate this novella, which returns to her World of the Five Gods and beloved maturing characters. --Library Journal

Praise for Lois McMaster Bujold:
The pace is breathless, the characterization thoughtful and emotionally powerful, and the author's narrative technique and command of language compelling. Highly recommended. --Booklist

If you love solid space opera rooted in strong character, you can't go wrong . . . The Warrior's Apprentice already displays the craft and the heart which would soon make Lois McMaster Bujold one of the most feted talents in SF. --SF Reviews

Bujold is adept at worldbuilding and provides a witty, character-centered plot, full of exquisite grace notes . . . fans will be thoroughly gripped and likely to finish the book in a single sitting. --Publishers Weekly on Diplomatic Immunity

Penric's Mission

Learned Penric, a sorcerer and divine of the Bastard's Order, has faced danger and intrigue many times before. Now, he finds himself on his first covert diplomatic mission. Penric must travel across the sea to Cedonia in an attempt to secure the services of the Cedonian General Arisaydia for the Duke of Adria. But nothing is as it seems. No sooner than he has arrived, Penric finds himself tossed into a dungeon. If Penric is to survive, he'll have to navigate treacherous politics--and his own feelings for the young widowed sister of the General.

Mira's Last Dance

Penric, suffering from injuries attained while escaping from the Cedonian dungeon in which he was imprisoned, must now guide General Arisaydia and his widowed sister, Nikys, across the last hundred miles of hostile Cedonia to safety in the Duchy of Orbas. In the town of Sosie, the fugitive party encounters unexpected delays and even more unexpected opportunities and hazards, as the courtesan Mira of Adria, one of the ten dead women whose imprints make up the personality of the chaos demon Desdemona, comes to the fore with her own special expertise.

The Prisoner of Limnos

Penric and Nikys have reached safety in the Duchy of Orbas when a secret letter from a friend brings frightening news: Nikys's mother has been taken hostage by her brother's enemies at the Cedonian imperial court and confined in a precarious island sanctuary.

Now, Nikys, Penric, and Desdemona must infiltrate the hostile country once more, finding along the way that family relationships can be as unexpectedly challenging as any rescue scheme.

Praise for the Penric & Desdemona series:

Lord Penric, Pen to his friends and Penric to others, is a fabulous character. He's got a serious problem; he's never been trained to handle so he's doing the best he can. This ruffles the feathers or exasperates the other characters that he comes in contact with throughout the story. There's tension, danger, humor, and some interesting insights into various human traits. --SFRevu

Another thoroughly engaging entry in the Penric and Desdemona series. There are some truly interesting new characters, a medical mystery to be solved, lots of great dialogue, and some philosophical issues to think about when you finish the story. What could be better? --SFRevu

An engaging revisitation of the world of the Five Gods. Another felicitous combination of formerly told tales, again meshing masterfully (mistressfully?) --Seattle Book Review

[F]illed with a satisfying blend of strong characters and wry humor. --Publishers Weekly

Fans of fantasy with clever, innocent underdog characters will root for Penric to beat the odds and hope to visit him and his demon again. --Booklist

Bujold's fans will be delighted with this latest adventure featuring Penric and his resident demon. --Booklist

Bujold continues to expand her Five Gods world, reviving familiar faces along the way. The fascinating relationship between Penric and Desdemona is especially fun. --Library Journal

Bujold's many faithful readers will delight in this engaging blend of mystery and magic. --Library Journal

Changing points of view make earlier chapters a little challenging, but strong secondary characters and Bujold's amazing worldbuilding will please readers of this swift-paced series. --Library Journal

Fast action and dialog create a humorous and satisfying story that shows the intriguing connection between sorcerer and demon. --Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Library System

Bujold's nuanced writing vividly shows the unique relationship between Penric and Desdemona and their journey that continues to grow in action-filled ways. --Library Journal

Bujold's fans will appreciate this novella, which returns to her World of the Five Gods and beloved maturing characters. --Library Journal

Praise for Lois McMaster Bujold:
The pace is breathless, the characterization thoughtful and emotionally powerful, and the author's narrative technique and command of language compelling. Highly recommended.--Booklist

If you love solid space opera rooted in strong character, you can't go wrong . . . The Warrior's Apprentice already displays the craft and the heart which would soon make Lois McMaster Bujold one of the most feted talents in SF. --SF Reviews

Bujold is adept at worldbuilding and provides a witty, character-centered plot, full of exquisite grace notes . . . fans will be thoroughly gripped and likely to finish the book in a single sitting. --Publishers Weekly on Diplomatic Immunity

Captain Ivan Vorpatril sometimes thinks that if not for his family, he might have no troubles at all. But he has the dubious fortune of the hyperactive Miles Vorkosigan as a cousin, which has too often led to his getting dragged into one of Miles' schemes, with risk to life and limb--and military career--that Ivan doesn't consider entirely fair. Much practice has made Ivan more adept at fending off his mother's less-than-subtle reminders that he should be getting married and continuing the Vorpatril lineage.

Fortunately, his current duty is on the planet Komarr as staff officer to Admiral Desplains, far from both his cousin and his mother back on their homeworld of Barrayar. It's an easy assignment and nobody is shooting at him. What could go wrong?

Plenty, it turns out, when Byerly Vorrutyer, an undercover agent for Imperial Security, shows up on his doorstep and asks him to make the acquaintance of a young woman, recently arrived on Komarr, who seems to be in danger. That Byerly is characteristically vague about the nature of the danger, not to mention the lady's name, should have been Ivan's first clue, but Ivan is no more able to turn aside from aiding a damsel in distress than he could resist trying to rescue a kitten from a tree.

It is but a short step down the road of good intentions to the tangle of Ivan's life, in trouble with the Komarran authorities, with his superiors, and with the lethal figures hunting the mysterious but lovely Tej and her exotic blue companion Rish--a tangle to test the lengths to which Ivan will go as an inspired protector.

But though his predicament is complicated, at least Ivan doesn't have to worry about hassle from family. Or so he believes.

About Captain Vorpatril's Alliance:
. . .this may be one of the most anticipated and long-awaited entries to Bujold's acclaimed Vorkosigan saga. For years fans have clamored for Ivan Vorpatril's story, and at last Bujold delivers something that will both thrill the devoted audience and entrance new readers . . . Longtime readers will love seeing a new side of Ivan as well as hearing his views on many of the series characters. New readers can enjoy Ivan's story on its own . . . Essential for all SF collections and a must-read for Bujold and Vorkosigan fans.--Booklist

About Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga:
Fans have been clamoring for Hugo-winner Bujold to pen a new Vorkosigan Saga novel. . . her deft and absorbing writing easily corrals the complex plot.--Publishers Weeklyon Cryoburn

Bujold mixes quirky humor with action [and] superb character development...[E]normously satisfying.--Publishers Weekly.

One of sf's outstanding talents . . . an outstanding series.--Booklist

. . . an intelligent, well-crafted and thoroughly satisfying blend of adventure, sociopolitical commentary, scientific experiments, and occasional perils . . . with that extra spicing of romance. . . .--Locus

About Vorkosigan series entry Diplomatic Immunity:
Bujold is adept at world-building and provides a witty, character-centered plot, full of exquisite grace notes. . . fans will be thoroughly gripped and likely to finish the book in a single sitting.--Publishers Weekly

The Vorkosigan Series in Story-based Chronological Order
Falling Free
Shards of Honor
Barrayar
The Warrior's Apprentice
The Vor Game
Cetaganda
Ethan of Athos
Borders of Infinity
Brothers in Arms
Mirror Dance
Memory
Komarr
A Civil Campaign
Diplomatic Immunity
Captain Vorpatril's Alliance
CryoBurn

Omnibus Editions
MILES, MYSTERY & MAYHEM
contains Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos

YOUNG MILES
contains The Warrior's Apprentice + stories

CORDELIA'S HONOR
contains Shards of Honor, Barayarr

MILES, MUTANTS & MICROBES
contains Falling Free, Diplomatic Immunity

MILES IN LOVE
contains Komarr, A Civil Campaign

MILES ERRANT
contains Brothers in Arms, Mirror Dance

Lakewalker Barr Foxbrush returns from two years of patrolling the bitter wilds of Luthlia against the enigmatic, destructive entities called malices, only to find that the secret daughter he'd left behind in the hinterland of Oleana has disappeared from her home after a terrible accusation. The search for her will call on more of Barr's mind and heart than just his mage powers, as he tries to balance his mistakes of the past and his most personal duties to the future.

A stand-alone story set in the world of The Sharing Knife.

Bujold is not just a master of plot, she is a master of emotion.

- SF Site

Bujold's work remains among the most enjoyable and rewarding in contemporary fiction.

- Publishers Weekly

Bujold couldn't characterize badly if threatened with a firing squad.

- Booklist

A superb craftsman and stylist, Ms. Bujold is well on her way to becoming one of the great voices of speculative fiction.

- Rave Reviews

Boy, can she write!

- Anne McCaffrey

Bujold has a gift.

- Chicago Sun Times

Bujold builds a better fantasy romance with compelling characters and the fascinating clash between their cultures, she a farmer's daughter, he an adventurer on the trail of a deadly demon.--Locus

One of the most respected writers in the field of speculative fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold has won numerous accolades and awards, including the Nebula and Locus Awards as well as the fantasy and science fiction genre's most prestigious honor, the Hugo Award for Best Novel, four times (most recently for Paladin of Souls). With The Sharing Knife series, Bujold creates a brand new world fraught with peril, and spins an extraordinary romance between a young farm girl and the brave sorcerer-soldier entrusted with the defense of the land against a plague of vicious malevolent beings. Meet Fawn Bluefield and Dag Redwing Hickory in Beguilement, the first book in Bujold's unforgettable four-volume fantasy saga, and witness the birth of their dangerous romance--a love threatened by prejudice and perilous magic, and by Dag's sworn duty as Lakewalker patroller and necromancer.

A thoughtful and skillful author.
--Cleveland Plain Dealer

One of the most respected writers in the field of speculative fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold has won numerous accolades and awards, including the Nebula and Locus Awards as well as the fantasy and science fiction genre's most prestigious honor, the Hugo Award for Best Novel, four times (most recently for Paladin of Souls). With The Sharing Knife series, Bujold creates a brand new world fraught with peril, and spins an extraordinary romance between a young farm girl and the brave sorcerer-soldier entrusted with the defense of the land against a plague of vicious malevolent beings. In Passage, volume three in Bujold's breathtaking saga of love, loyalty, and courage in the face of bigotry and dark magic, the devoted wedded lovers Fawn Bluefield and Dag Redwing Hickory are joined by new companions in their quest to find peace, acceptance, and a place in a most dangerous world.

8. Contains teaser for The Vorkosigan Companion

Two complete novels and a short novel in one large volume:

Falling Free--The Nebula Award-winning novel. Leo Graf was just your typical efficient engineer: mind your own business and do the job. But all that changed on his assignment to the Cay Habitat, where children had been bio-engineered to have four arms (and no legs) to function in zero gravity. Now that they're no longer needed, a heartless mega corporation is getting rid of them before they eat into the profit margin. Leo Graf adopted 1000 quaddies--now he had to teach them to be free.

Labyrinth--When Miles Vorkosigan is captured while on a secret mission to a lawless world, his only hope of escape is an unlikely pair of allies: a quaddie and a teenage werewolf.

Diplomatic Immunity-- Miles Vorkosigan and his wife were heading home for the births of their first children, but a major diplomatic disaster is looming at Graf Station, colonized by the descendants of the original quaddies, and duty calls. Unfortunately, diplomatic immunity doesn't carry over to immunity from a very nasty biological weapon. The downside of being a troubleshooter comes when trouble starts shooting back. . . .

A saga of daring deeds and unlikely romance.
--Library Journal

One of the most respected writers in the field of speculative fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold has won numerous accolades and awards, including the Nebula and Locus Awards as well as the fantasy and science fiction genre's most prestigious honor, the Hugo Award for Best Novel, four times (most recently for Paladin of Souls). With The Sharing Knife series, Bujold creates a brand new world fraught with peril, and spins an extraordinary romance between a young farm girl and the brave sorcerer-soldier entrusted with the defense of the land against a plague of vicious malevolent beings. Legacy continues the tale of Fawn Bluefield and Dag Redwing Hickory--the dangerous repercussions of their rebellious marriage and the strengthening of their love in the face of dark magic--as duty and disaster call the Lakewalker patroller away from his new bride and toward a peril that could forever alter the lovers and their world.

An engrossing, satisfying read and a fitting conclusion to the series.
Anniston Star

One of the most respected writers in the field of speculative fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold has won numerous accolades and awards, including the Nebula and Locus Awards as well as the fantasy and science fiction genre's most prestigious honor, the Hugo Award for Best Novel, four times (most recently for Paladin of Souls).With Horizon, Bujold brings her remarkable Sharing Knife saga to its magnificent conclusion, as Fawn Bluefield and Dag Redwing Hickory must keep their love strong in the midst of an ever-changing world--even as Dag's apprehensions and abilities increase along with the malevolent threat surrounding them.

The Long-Awaited New Installment in the Popular and Award-Winning Vorkosigan Series. Starring the Explosively Charismatic Miles Vorkosigan.

Miles Vorkosigan is back!

Kibou-daini is a planet obsessed with cheating death. Barrayaran Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan can hardly disapprove--he's been cheating death his whole life, on the theory that turnabout is fair play. But when a Kibou-daini cryocorp--an immortal company whose job it is to shepherd its all-too-mortal frozen patrons into an unknown future--attempts to expand its franchise into the Barrayaran Empire, Emperor Gregor dispatches his top troubleshooter Miles to check it out.

On Kibou-daini, Miles discovers generational conflict over money and resources is heating up, even as refugees displaced in time skew the meaning of generation past repair. Here he finds a young boy with a passion for pets and a dangerous secret, a Snow White trapped in an icy coffin who burns to re-write her own tale, and a mysterious crone who is the very embodiment of the warning Don't mess with the secretary. Bribery, corruption, conspiracy, kidnapping--something is rotten on Kibou-daini, and it isn't due to power outages in the Cryocombs. And Miles is in the middle--of trouble!

Fresh, intriguing, and, as always with Lois McMaster Bujold, superb. --Robert Jordan

It is such a delight to read something by such a good writer, who now seems to be writing at the height of her powers. . . . I really have seldom enjoyed a book so much . . . I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. --Diana Wynne Jones

Living breathing characters who inhabit unusual yet believable worlds. --Jean Auel

Bujold successfully mixes quirky humor with just enough action, a dab of feminist social commentary and her usual superb character development . . . enormously satisfying. --Publishers Weekly

One of sf's outstanding talents . . . an outstanding series. --Booklist

Excellently done . . . Bujold has always excelled at creating forceful characters and she does it here again. --Denver Post

. . . an intelligent, well-crafted and thoroughly satisfying blend of adventure, sociopolitical commentary, scientific experiments, and occasional perils . . . with that extra spicing of romance. . . . --Locus