I Read Books: The Hallowed Hunt
Bujold returns to the world of The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls, but to the Weald, a country to the south of Chalion*. As before the Gods are powerless except when people choose to act for them. Ingrey is sent to investigate a murder of a prince; as a child he had the spirit of a wolf put in him, which has been banned since the destruction of the Old Weald. He discovers the prince has been killed by Ijada in a forbidden rite that went wrong and has left her with a leopard spirit.
Travelling to the capital various strange events occur; it seems someone has put a geas on Ingrey to kill Ijada. The prince’s soul is sundered from the gods because of the animal spirits intertwined in it; only a miracle can restore him.
But there is also a dark miracle at work, seeking to thwart the gods at every turn.
Bujold spins plots and magic and theology deftly, each attempt by Ingrey, Ijada and others to find their way out creating more confusion and strangeness. Very rewarding.
Read This: For an excellent convoluted plot and romantic fantasy novel with a few views on the nature of kingship
Don’t Read This: If the weirdness of made-up theology will put you to sleep
* Apparently another time period as well though this is essentially irrelevant to the story
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