Bujold, Lois McMaster
THE HALLOWED HUNT
Lois McMaster Bujold
EOS/Harper Collins 2005
Hb 470 pgs
ISBN#
0-06-057462-3
A sword & sorcery story with emphasis on mysticism, THE HALLOWED HUNT makes a great Halloween tale. It’s spooky! When I was reading the last hundred pages, I was so engrossed in the story that when interrupted by someone coming into the room I jumped. Ms. Bujold is a master storyteller because she focuses on details of characterization that pin the reader to the page. She is definitely one of my favorite authors.
HALLOWED HUNT is in the same fantasy world as THE CURSE OF CHALION and its Hugo Award winning sequel PALADIN OF SOULS. Several hundred years prior, as the story goes, the Darthacans raided their neighbors to the west, conquering those in the Weald by slaughtering thousands and forcing their own Quintarian religion upon the surviving pagans. Now we have a man of two cultures: Lord Ingrey kin Wolfcliff has been raised Quintarian, but while still in his youth Ingrey’s father pressed a wolf spirit upon his son in the Old Weald manner. So Ingrey cannot hold title and lands because he is considered by the church to be tainted with evil. But the great mystical power from the ancient wolf spirit suits his needs as he moves through a dangerous land choked with rite-of-succession intrigue. The story opens as Ingrey is called upon to bring the murderer of Prince Boleso back to the castle for punishment. Of course this assignment turns out to be anything but straightforward.
Prince Boleso, its seems, had believed that if he could sacrifice an animal while raping a virgin at the same time that he could gain his own great mystical power. The lady in question, however, refused the rite. She defended herself admirably, but in so doing, murdered the prince and accidentally captured a dieing leopard’s spirit within her own. Thus Lady Ijada and Lord Ingrey immediately have something in common.
So how can he deliver this enchanting woman to the fatal punishment of his Hallowed King? Well, apparently there’s more going on than court intrigue. HALLOWED HUNT is not just a rivalry for the hallowed crown, but also involves the five gods themselves, for it turns out they are the ones hunting. What are they hunting for? It is a deep dark secret, a mystery sure to keep the pages turning clear until the very scary ending. Boo! It will get you.
A sample of the text: “He turned into the parlor to find Ijada already standing there in the illumination of the sconces, in the wheat-colored dress looking like candlelight herself. She turned at the sound of his step, and a smile flared on her face that made his lips part. He could not very well fall upon her like a ravening wolf, not least because the accursed warden stood at her side, hands and lips tightly folded.”
And the rest of the story is even more intense! A great read.
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