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Legacy (The Sharing Knife #2)

by Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)

3.71 of 5 stars 3.71 · rating details · 3,337 ratings · 198 reviews

Fawn Bluefield, the clever young farmer girl, and Dag Redwing Hickory, the seasoned Lakewalker soldier-sorcerer, have been married all of two hours when they depart her family's farm for Dag's home at Hickory Lake Camp. Having gained a hesitant acceptance from Fawn's family for their unlikely marriage, the couple hopes to find a similar reception among Dag's Lakewalker kin...more

ebook, 384 pages

Published October 13th 2009 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published June 26th 2007)

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Dec 28, 2008 Lightreads rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, romance, fantasy, disability

The second volume of the Sharing Knife series, following directly on from Beguilement. Dag and Fawn, newly married, travel to Dag’s home with the Lakewalkers. There they meet resistance to their cross-cultural marriage, family drama, a new malice threat, and some strange new developments with Dag’s Ground powers (life force magic, basically).

Since it does not seem possible to review this book without addressing it, I’ll pause here to register my continued bafflement over the splitting of the vol...more

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Jul 15, 2009 Lisa Butterworth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I opened up Vol 4, and realized that I couldn't remember the series well enough to understand what was going on, so I went crazy and got all four books from the library and devoted my week to reading them all in a row. What a lovely week it was.

I am just so enthralled by this world she has created, the ground sense magic, the ancient immortal malices growing out of the earth, the difficult cultural divides, and so many lovely and starkly real characters.

This wasn't the most fun I've had readin...more

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Aug 26, 2007 Trin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, american-lit

The continuing adventures of Lakewalker patroller Dag and his new farmer-girl bride Fawn. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed this less than Beguilement, the first part of the duology. This one starts out, as that book ended, with a lot of domestic/culture clash stuff, but the Lakewalkers giving Fawn the cold shoulder was much less interesting that the farmers getting all up in Dag's face. The book really picked up when a new malice pops up, and that entire sequence—Dag riding off through Fawn's...more

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Jan 01, 2009 Tatiana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

More from Lois McMaster Bujold. This time the action is with the Lakewalkers, who treat Fawn like a child or animal of some sort. Bujold is developing the world/civilization/society a bit more, which is interesting. We don't know how things got the way they are on what is clearly earth, or a planet almost entirely populated with earth life, but it seems something new is about to happen. Dag's becoming a maker of some type, and the malices are springing up faster and more frequently. The human po...more

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Feb 24, 2013 rivka rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookswaps, gr-author, other-spec-fic

Really enjoyed this two-book series. [Correction: First two books of 4, although these first two really must be read together.] This non-nuclear post-apocalyptic world is reminiscent in some ways of the early Sime-Gen universe. Life force as an energy that can be transferred, split of the human race into two distinct groups with different abilities and roles, and only vague remaining knowledge of the humans that preceded them. Not to mention strong cultural resistance from both groups at the ide...more

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Jun 09, 2008 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2008

This second book in the series has the same pace as the first, Beguilement, the same laid-back tone, but the details are becoming more complex, the setting more detailed. Lakewalker history makes an appearance, and I have to say that the idea that the malices (the creatures spawned from the original malice that "hatch", as it were, and cause destruction, death, and blight to the land) were the direct result of human interference in the natural order of things, intriguing to the extreme. Add to t...more This second book in the series has the same pace as the first, Beguilement, the same laid-back tone, but the details are becoming more complex, the setting more detailed. Lakewalker history makes an appearance, and I have to say that the idea that the malices (the creatures spawned from the original malice that "hatch", as it were, and cause destruction, death, and blight to the land) were the direct result of human interference in the natural order of things, intriguing to the extreme. Add to this the theory that this sparsely-populated land has been shut off by the peoples of the southern continents until the problem has been decisively dealt with, and we get the germs of an interesting and unique fantasy setting.

Speaking of which, the land itself is a kind of southern United States type of setting (not that I've been there, but going by the books I've read and the movies I've seen ... it reminded me somewhat of To Kill a Mockingbird in landscape, for example), the people reduced to more primitive means of farming and minimal manufacturing since the Kings and nobles disappeared (or became malice, as the theory goes), and the gods became "absent". Now there are just the farmer folk, and the Lakewalkers, the descendents of the nobles who hunt and destroy malices from a mix of a feeling of responsibility, and because they are the only ones who know how and have the ability to do so.

Beginning just two hours after the previous book ended, Legacy takes no detours into extrapolation or catch-up or anything like that, but does help jog the memory (if, like me, it's been nearly a year since you read the first book and your memory's hazy) with naturally-placed reminders and explanations. After their highly unusual wedding - because it is forbidden for Lakewalkers to marry farmers; it taints their lines and thus weakens their groundsense ability, which is what enables them to destroy malices - Dag and Fawn make their way to the Lakewalker camp at Lake Hickory. Their marriage is treated with a mixture of derision, scorn, disbelief, astonishment and anger. Dag's mother, Cumbia, and brother, Dar, are the most virulently opposed.

Trying to get his marriage recognised isn't the only problem: Dag's broken arm is still healing, leaving him pretty much completely handicapped (he lost his left hand fighting a malice several years previous), and when the Raintree Lakewalkers call for help in fighting a strong and well-organised malice, Dag is given the job of captain, leaving Fawn alone, until she senses that he's in trouble and needs her.

There's a lot of Lakewalker prejudice against farmers, which doesn't endear the reader to them as a whole, though they can also be loyal, friendly, generous and show much more gender equality than the farming folk (not that the farmers don't also have many positive attributes). The estrangement between farmers and Lakewalkers becomes a more central issue, and adds to a growing complexity that makes this story much more satisfying than, say, A Game of Thrones, with its lack of focus, unlikeable characters and sledge-hammer style plotting. I like subtlety, and while the first book was a pleasant read with some conflict, drama and tension, I wasn't expecting a great deal from this series. But with the pacing and tone perfectly matched to the setting and cultures, and the slowly revealed situations and history, I'm really starting to appreciate McMaster Bujold's talent, and I can understand why she's a multiple award-winner in both fantasy and scifi.

One thing I just have to say: I'm still having trouble with "Dag" as a first name. Most of the time I can go with it, and it does fit the character, but it's just so hard... having used the word all my life for quite different meanings.
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Oct 01, 2007 Wealhtheow rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I was surprised to find I actually enjoyed reading this book. I still don’t like Fawn, who is oh-so-sweet and naïve, or Dag, whose “I’m just an old warhorse” schtick is pretty tired. In fact, I find their entire romance contrived and unrealistic, and their “artfully” yet explicitly described sex scenes are far from erotic. And yet, Bujold is a good enough author that even though I didn’t like any of the characters, I still couldn’t help but want to read more of their adventures. Despite a battle...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Précis
Lakewalker Dag and his farmer wife Fawn return to the camp where Dag calls home. They receive a cold welcome from all but a few of the folks there. Fawn does her best to fit in and succeeds somewhat with one side of the family but she is never truly accepted.

Just before the situation comes to a head, a malice (a spirit being of great power) is reported and Dag heads out with a patrol to stop it, leaving Fawn behind. Dag manages some fancy groundwork (a method of controlling and using the i...more Précis
Lakewalker Dag and his farmer wife Fawn return to the camp where Dag calls home. They receive a cold welcome from all but a few of the folks there. Fawn does her best to fit in and succeeds somewhat with one side of the family but she is never truly accepted.

Just before the situation comes to a head, a malice (a spirit being of great power) is reported and Dag heads out with a patrol to stop it, leaving Fawn behind. Dag manages some fancy groundwork (a method of controlling and using the inner power within us) to link Fawn to him through their marriage cords, since farmers do not have the ability to control their ground.

The malice proves to be more powerful than anything Dag has ever encountered and never kills himself to take it out. Fawn senses this and travels to be with him and comes up with a solution to a deadly problem.

The council stills wants to hear charges against Dag for bringing the farmer girl in and the result is unexpected.

Protagonist: Dag and Fawn
Antagonist: Dag's brother Dar

What I liked The subtle use of magic in the story, the growth of Dag and Fawn in dealing with the unfriendly reception in the camp, the great description of what a malice can do, and the emotion of the book.

What I didn’t like Not enough history on the world and the mages of old, although I suspect that as this series progresses more will be revealed. Pace drags a bit here and there but not enough to be a concern.

Final Comments This is the second book in the Sharing Knife series and I am now a fan of Bujold's fantasy writing. I still like the Miles Vorkosigan series better and was disappointed (like many fans I am sure) when she stopped it and wrote the previous fantasy series starting with The Curse of Chalion. I have only read the first of that series and thought it was so-so but this series is much better.

The focus here is definitely on the characters and the uneasy relationship between Lakewalkers and Farmers. I see the Lakewalkers as similar to the Native American Indians and the Farmers as the white European settlers in the early days of the West. The magic is subtle and never gets in the way but yet is integral to the story and the books are fun to read and make you think. A different kind of fantasy that you should read
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Oct 18, 2012 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, novels, romance

Reading some reviews I'm rather glad I hadn't read the Vorkosigan saga first. Not that I don't love that science fiction series of Bujold, which I discovered later, but I didn't go into this one with expectations shaped by that series. No, this isn't science fiction (although I think there are hints there could be a scientific explanation for what looks like fantasy). And yes, this involves a May/September romance between an eighteen year old and a 55-year old. If that bothers you, you might wan...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Estara rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of the first book

Shelves: ebook, re-read, read-in-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The big plot point in the second book is the culture clash that Fawn experiences when she enters Lakewalker society - the fact that the Lakewalkers are much less willing to adapt to her role in Dag's life than her family was to his.

I have the impression that this is the case because Farmer women leave their families to go off to the new family, whereas Lakewalker men leave THEIR families to go to their wife's family. So there is this lack of space in the normal society now that Dag is returning...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Kater Cheek rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a second in a series, but it differs greatly from the first novel in its setting. The first novel dealt with Dag and Fawn in farmer territory, trying to make peace with her family and reconcile them to their relationship. This novel deals with his family, and his people.

Although there are some battle scenes, sort of, with patrollers fighting mud men and malices and enchanted townsfolk, most of the conflict of this novel stems from the Lakewalkers' refusal to accept Fawn. This is quite re...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Jacey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, romance, fantasy

The continuing adventures of Lakewalker, Dag Redwing Hickory and his ‘farmer’ wife Fawn Bluefeld, following on directly from the events in ‘Beguilement’ which ended with Dag and Fawn’s wedding at the Bluefeld farm, having more or less overcome her family’s objections. Now they’re off to face Dag’s family which is going to be a much more difficult sell because the Lakewalkers think they’re a cut above, magically, that is, and that the rest of the world – farmers whether they farm or not – are a b...more The continuing adventures of Lakewalker, Dag Redwing Hickory and his ‘farmer’ wife Fawn Bluefeld, following on directly from the events in ‘Beguilement’ which ended with Dag and Fawn’s wedding at the Bluefeld farm, having more or less overcome her family’s objections. Now they’re off to face Dag’s family which is going to be a much more difficult sell because the Lakewalkers think they’re a cut above, magically, that is, and that the rest of the world – farmers whether they farm or not – are a bunch of ignorant ingrates.

Lakewalkers can sense ‘grounds,’ that’s life-energy to you and me, and they are dedicated to killing ‘malices’ – power-hungry entities that pop up out of the ground, and blight everything around – including people. Only Lakewalker magic can kill a malice, they’re immortal and immune to everything but specially prepared bone knives imbued with mortality. Nothing is more important to Lakewalkers than this duty and their whole way of life is dedicated to supporting their patrollers. It’s a tight knit little community that Fawn walks into – hoping she can impress Dag’s harridan mother. She doesn’t and neither does Dag who, it seems, is the son who can’t do anything right. Dag’s brother Dar is as much of a problem as his mother. Luckily there are one or two patrollers that Fawn met in ‘Beguilement’ who, while not openly accepting of their marriage, are not hostile to Fawn and so the couple settle down to married life with the threat of a council meeting hanging over their head to proclaim on the validity of the marriage.

Dag shows his mettle, grows in talents and in saving others manages to get himself into malice trouble again and only with Fawn’s help does he get out of it, but despite proving herself over and over again, she’d never going to be able to make Yorkshire Puddings like Mother makes. Dag solves the problem in his own way which lead them nicely forward to the much anticipated third book in the series, ‘Passage.’

Everything I said about the first book in The Sharing Knife sequence stands here. Well-written, well-rounded characters and if the plot is less than action-packed, the dramatic tension remains high. We learn more about Dag, his first marriage, and some of the reasons why he never followed through and became a captain, despite that being his obvious destiny in his younger days and one of his obvious talents. The fact that he cares so much about others is one of the appealing things about him. Dag doesn’t – in any way - consider himself above farmers. Dag and Fawn are an engaging couple deliberately mismatched for extra interest and cultural misunderstandings.

If you’re looking for the kind of pace Miles Vorkosigan keeps up, you may need to look elsewhere, but this series is on a par with Bujold’s Chalion novels for character and interest. Her writing never disappoints, whatever the style.
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Mar 27, 2011 Books-treasureortrash rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes

This is a story of magic, the fight against evil, family commitments and love. Dag, the magic wielding Lakewalker and his young bride the Farmer-girl Fawn continue their story including the ongoing battle against the evil creatures known as Malices. This book takes place immediately following Beguilement.

Lois McMaster Bujold has written numerous Science Fiction and Fantasy books and series including The Vorkosigan Saga, The Chalion Universe Series and the The Sharin...more Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes

This is a story of magic, the fight against evil, family commitments and love. Dag, the magic wielding Lakewalker and his young bride the Farmer-girl Fawn continue their story including the ongoing battle against the evil creatures known as Malices. This book takes place immediately following Beguilement.

Lois McMaster Bujold has written numerous Science Fiction and Fantasy books and series including The Vorkosigan Saga, The Chalion Universe Series and the The Sharing Knife Series. Legacy is the second book in The Sharing Knife Series which has a total of four books. These books fall into the Fantasy genre but can also be considered a Romance since it revolves around a love story. There is magic in this universe that is welded by the Lakewakers and it takes place in a society that is equivalent to ours in the early 19th century. It occurs after the fall of a greater society that was destroyed by the creation of evil creatures known as Malices. In this world the Lakewalkers serve by destroying these creatures as they continue to randomly pop up. The story is told in a third person narrative by the two main protagonists Dag, the Lakewalker and Fawn, the Farmer girl.

Dag and Fawn, two individuals with completely different backgrounds are married and in love. They leave Fawn's farmer family and continue on to Dag's communal camp. Once they arrive they are once again facing the unfairness of prejudice. Dag is called away to fight against a mature malice that has uncanny abilities and gets into a very tight spot in the process. Fawn is left alone in a hostile environment and it is heart wrenching reading about her mistreatment at the hands of Dag's own family and community. It is all based on discrimination against her, not because she isn't a good person, but because she is a farmer. It is surprising because Dag was only half a person before he met Fawn and some people see and understand this. The story unfolded with a good pace and there was plenty of excitement and suspense during the fight against the malice. The book had a great ending.

I highly recommend this book. If you enjoy reading a good, original fantasy story that revolves around a romance then you will enjoy this book. This is a stand alone book, but I quickly picked up the next book in the series to see where the story is going.

For more of my reviews go to: www.books-treasureortrash.com (less)

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Jan 10, 2011 Scott Marlowe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Last month, I received all four of Bujold's Sharing Knife books from EOS. Their original call for advanced readers was for book four in the series, Horizon, due out January 27, 2009. But they sweetened the offer by throwing in books one through three. I jumped on it, promising to review not just Horizon, but all four books. As promised, here is the second of those reviews.

Legacy is the second book in Bujold's Sharing Knife series. To say it is the continuation of the story begun in book one, Beg...more Last month, I received all four of Bujold's Sharing Knife books from EOS. Their original call for advanced readers was for book four in the series, Horizon, due out January 27, 2009. But they sweetened the offer by throwing in books one through three. I jumped on it, promising to review not just Horizon, but all four books. As promised, here is the second of those reviews.

Legacy is the second book in Bujold's Sharing Knife series. To say it is the continuation of the story begun in book one, Beguilement, is an understatement, for Legacy picks up exactly where Beguilement left off. One might imagine the author having written both books at the same time as one giant volume, then chopping them in two when it came time for publication. The truth of the matter is that The Sharing Knife consists of four parts.

That being said, Legacy is, in fact, a semi-conclusion to events set in motion in book one. Dag and Fawn, married now, set out to return to Dag's Lakewalker camp where they hope to settle into the typical life of a Lakewalker married couple. The reader is given the feeling through Dag that things aren't going to be that simple. In Lakewalker eyes, farmers are not exactly inferior, but certainly not equals. Precedent as well as tradition dictate the two peoples remain separate, for it is believed that long ago Lakewalker sorcerers ruled common folk as lords. But bad things happened, and the modern day scourge of malice was the result. Now, Lakewalkers spend their days searching for malice uprisings, all the while recognizing that it was their doing that created them in the first place.

Dag and Fawn are not greeted with open arms. Just when things seem at their worst for our young lovers (Dag is actually much older than Fawn) the camp is presented with the distraction of a particularly bad malice uprising very nearly under a farmer village (a malice feeds best from children, so 'coming up' in such a place presents a bounty for the malice to feed from and grow in power). Dag is selected to lead the war party, and domestic disaster is averted, or is it? I will leave it up to you to find out for yourself.

In many ways Legacy is very much like Beguilement. The writing flows identically; you can tell Bujold wrote them both in one sitting (figuratively speaking, of course). The dilemmas as well, for while Dag and Fawn had to contest Fawn's family and their own traditions, so must they face similar challenges with Dag's Lakewalker brethren. The story also moves along at a fairly even pace. Don't expect a lot of grab you by the seat of your pants action or suspense. There are some gripping moments as the Lakewalker hunting party closes in on the malice and then has to deal with the subsequent fallout, but those moments are short. Mostly, Legacy is a romance about the veteran Lakewalker, Dag, and his farmer bride, Fawn, and the challenges such a union must overcome.

Personally, I'm enjoying the series. The writing is excellent and has a certain 'folksy' mannerism about it that just works. Dag is an interesting character, especially as he begins to discover a whole new side to his sorcery, and one can't but help feel for Fawn as she attempts to make nice with her unappreciative mother-in-law.

Impressive writing, world-building, and characters make this second volume in The Sharing Knife a winner.

This review at http://www.scottmarlowe.com/post/Book...(less)

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Jan 05, 2011 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The plot was slow and generally not super exciting, but as in the first volume, I really enjoyed this book's earthy, domestic atmosphere. This book celebrates the sights, scents, sounds, and everyday routines of traditional American life in a way that perfectly complements the magic system and the love story. There's something impressive about a series peppered with steamy sex scenes giving equal attention to other physical experiences - injuries and aches, fabric coarse and fine, cool water and...more

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Sep 22, 2010 Sam Kabo Ashwell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, so The Sharing Knife is not as good as the Vorkosigan Saga, or even the Chalion books. It is still Bujold, though, so it's still pretty good. Part of the deal of The Sharing Knife is that Bujold is going to indulge in every romance-novel trope she feels like, actually do sex scenes. Not that much of a problem, really. Even with sex scenes Bujold is still indomitably sensible. It's pretty impressive, really.

There are some odd things about this book. The obvious thing is that in Bujoldworld,...more

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May 29, 2010 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Dag and Fawn are now married, embracing both Farmer and Lakewalker tradition and ceremony. While Fawn's family was opposed to the match, Dag's family makes them look downright pleased. Incensed that Dag has brought his Farmer wife home, his mother and brother bring charges against him to the Council demanding that the marriage not be recognized and the marriage cords cut.

All this after Dag is named Captain and sent on patrol to find a new Malice which has sprung up underneath a Farmer town and...more

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Jun 08, 2009 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Second book in the Sharing Knife series-- I read the first about a year ago, but never reviewed it. In this story, Dag and Fawn, newly married, return to the Lakewalker camp and face an unfriendly reception. Fawn, a farm girl, is seen by most of the Lakewalkers-- whose society is quasi-Native-American in structure-- as an inferior being. Those who might be okay with that are still uncomfortable with the fact that she's something like 37 years younger than her new husband. And lo, there is PREJUD...more Second book in the Sharing Knife series-- I read the first about a year ago, but never reviewed it. In this story, Dag and Fawn, newly married, return to the Lakewalker camp and face an unfriendly reception. Fawn, a farm girl, is seen by most of the Lakewalkers-- whose society is quasi-Native-American in structure-- as an inferior being. Those who might be okay with that are still uncomfortable with the fact that she's something like 37 years younger than her new husband. And lo, there is PREJUDICE, and there is RACISM, and then there is another MALICE ATTACK. And lo, Fawn does do something SPUNKY and COURAGEOUS, and PROVE HERSELF once again. But will it be enough...? *cough*

It's an engaging story, a quick read, and definitely interesting enough that I'll try to get the sequel. Fawn and Dag are sweet together, despite the slightly creepy May-Decemberness of their relationship, and their interactions are the most pleasant and readable parts of the book. (From this I specifically exclude their, um, more intimate interactions, which are awkwardly written and tend towards Way TMI.) I also really like the quasi-undead baddies of this series. The hierarchical setup of the malice actually reminds me of the undead in the Sabriel series, which I loved. The sharing knives are quite novel, too, as far as fantasy weaponry goes. Dag is getting more powerful-- I wonder if Fawn will, too?
The characters are getting a bit... typeset, maybe? for my taste. Not that they weren't at the beginning, but they should be developing more: cute, spunky, clever young ingenue, grizzled-and-worldly-wise male lead, both pretty much identical since the last book, as far as I can recall. (They're actually like a sunnier version of Jane and Mr. Rochester, plus magic.) There is also the Bitter And Sullen Brother, the Proud And Bitter Elderly Mother, the Eager Young Pup, the Crusty Yet Lovable Old Grandpa Type, the Gruff But Good-Hearted Old Military Officer. Etc. I haven't read much Bujold-- just the Curse of Chalion a long time ago-- but she's quite well-known and has a great reputation, and I do hope the characterization gets a bit more interesting. Other than that, the story's definitely good enough to keep me going. :)(less)

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Mar 25, 2012 jD rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, 2012_4-stars, 2_audio-book, 1_library-yes, fantasy_adventure_worldbuilding, fantasy_romance, fantasy_myths

This series just keep bringing out the romantic in me. I found myself smiling and going ahhhh. The story continues to be quite original along with the strange magic of the Lakewalkers. The story continues for Dag and Fawn. In this installment, Dag takes Fawn home to meet the family and experience life as the wife of a Lakewalker. While Dag is deeply in love with his sweet young farm girl, his people are not feeling his joy. They do not mix with farmers in their daily lives and they never inter-m...more This series just keep bringing out the romantic in me. I found myself smiling and going ahhhh. The story continues to be quite original along with the strange magic of the Lakewalkers. The story continues for Dag and Fawn. In this installment, Dag takes Fawn home to meet the family and experience life as the wife of a Lakewalker. While Dag is deeply in love with his sweet young farm girl, his people are not feeling his joy. They do not mix with farmers in their daily lives and they never inter-marry. Dag basically tells everyone in his own special Dag way that Fawn isn't going anywhere. The level of distain Fawn endured gave me a greater respect for her character. These two do not win every battle for the hearts of his people which in truth is how prejudice works in reality. I liked the fact that they stood up for themselves and found happiness and a way forward. It wasn't easy but I felt the ending provided a perfect solution.

The Bog creatures were back and much more nasty and powerful than in the previous book. I learned more about the magic of the Lakewalkers and how they use those powers to kill the Bog things. I am still not sure what they are exactly but I believe Ms. Bujold is getting to it very slowly. Normally, I would not have the patience to keep going with so little information but I have found I am not in this for the mystery but am drawn by the romance. As well, I am intrigued by the magic and history of the Lakewalkers. Dag's magic has taken on some new aspects which I feel will be the focus of the next book. None of the characters really know enough to guide Dag so I don't feel like something is being held back as much as it hasn't reached a level of understanding. It's evolving.

I don't recommend this book as a stand-alone. You really need to read the first one to understand the relationship between the farmers and Lakewalkers. You would also need to understand what life was like for Fawn as a farm girl to appreciate her determination. All-in-all, this is not the best fantasy I have read but it has something special that works for me.(less)

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Nov 16, 2012 Joe Martin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, library-books

Why did I read this? I have an aversion to starting a series and not finishing it. Also, I respect Bujold and I didn't believe that the entire series would be horrible. But book #2 isn't much of an improvement over book #1.

This book didn't suffer from the Horrible Borrowed Setting that the first book suffered from. (Yes, the characters carried over but the situations and events started to diverge.) On the other hand, it was mostly pretty boring.

Dag spent much of the book sitting around convalesc...more

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Mar 31, 2012 MMOGC rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, romance, magic

This series probably isn't for everyone, but I really dug it. It's definitely the characters that do it for me and also the way Bujold writes. I think she can write about Dag and Fawn doing any number of boring mundane things and I'll probably still enjoy reading it. Even so, I was glad for the action in this book, which made up for the slower pace of the first book.

Legacy picks up immediately where Beguilement left off, with newlyweds Dag and Fawn heading up north to Lakewalker country to meet...more This series probably isn't for everyone, but I really dug it. It's definitely the characters that do it for me and also the way Bujold writes. I think she can write about Dag and Fawn doing any number of boring mundane things and I'll probably still enjoy reading it. Even so, I was glad for the action in this book, which made up for the slower pace of the first book.

Legacy picks up immediately where Beguilement left off, with newlyweds Dag and Fawn heading up north to Lakewalker country to meet his family -- and boy, are Dag's brother and mother real pieces of work. Needless to say, Fawn's arrival is met with suspicion and open hostility. While Dag tries to settle her in, a malice outbreak happens at the worst possible time, forcing him to leave his farmer bride at home while he heads up a patrol to handle the problem.

This novel is more interesting than its predecessor for a couple reasons. First of all, there's a lot more conflict in this novel -- aside from the protagonists having to deal with Dag's bitchy mother and asshole brother, the book also turns its focus back on the Lakewalker vs. malice war, which is good news for those disappointed by the first book because of its lack of progress on that front.

Second, we also get a lot more lore and background of the world, as well as more details about Lakewalker magic. The magic system here involving "grounds" can get pretty convoluted, but is admittedly quite interesting and unique. I also love the world building, especially when it comes to Lakewalker culture. Consider how in many fantasy worlds, magic-users are usually the lords, the masters, and the upper class who live in castles and mansions holding power over the common magic-less folk. In contrast, Bujold's Lakewalker sorcerer-soldiers in this series live lives of sacrifice. Their existence is spartan, rustic and they dedicate their lives to protect the land and the farmers living on it.

I want to note, Beguilement and Legacy should be read back-to-back, since both were apparently written together. Whatever the reasons (I really don't feel like opening up that can of worms right now), the publisher decision to split them up was a pretty stupid one, since in my opinion the story would have been so much more cohesive as one big book, and it's not like 600 pages these days is considered too long for a fantasy novel.(less)

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Sep 13, 2011 Brie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Something that I appreciate about this series is that the info about the world is doled out slowly so that you never feel like the details are being bombarded upon you, rather being shown as the story unfolds. Interestingly enough, there are moments when explanation about some occurance is required, these were the only points where I did have moments of confusion. The most notable was pertaining to the sharing knife and its role in this volume. I had to reread some passages on it a couple of tim...more

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Feb 11, 2010 Lighthearted rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, romance

As feared, the Lakewalkers are opposed to marriage between Dag and Fawn: they feel that the bloodline and thereby Lakewalker powers will be diminished if the marriage is allowed to stand. Despite Fawn and Dag’s best efforts to win everyone over, a council meeting is planned to rule on the legitimacy of their marriage. Lifelong banishment from his home, his people and his life’s purpose is one possible outcome Dag faces if he chooses to remain with Fawn.

In the meantime, Dag is called away by a Ma...more

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Aug 05, 2010 Trickey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction

First, whoever drew Dag on the cover did not know what they were thinking. I really don't see his attractiveness in this image and yet his is really attractive in Bujold's writing. We can't even see his golden eyes here. After the excellent capture of Spark's character on the last cover, I found this a real let down.

That said, the rest of the novel was a bit of a let down as well. Dag's Lakewalker community troubles take up way too much of the first half of this book. It's interesting as they co...more

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Aug 24, 2011 Dave rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-read

I find Bujold's writing quite rich and engaging. The story of Dag & Fawn continues in this book, describing how Dag's lakewalker kin, peers, colleagues and acquaintances react to his marrying a farmer woman. Prejudice and distrust run deep between and among the farming people and the magic wielding lakewalkers. The story is part heated romance, part fantasy / magic battle quest and part literary overview of human nature. Dag's magical talents are revealed to be greater than either the reader...more

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Nov 23, 2010 Sue Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2010

A fair follow up to the first book - Beguilement - but readers be warned... don't read this unless you've actually read the first of the series or it won't be much of a story. This is really a continuation of the first book, so all the background of the characters and the reason for the story in the first place is all done in it. So if you haven't read it first, don't start with this one as you will be disappointed. As for the book itself, it was ok but I thought it could be better ... too many...more

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Mar 14, 2009 Shannon rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

You know I liked the first book well enough to grab the other one quickly at the library. I was not as thrilled with this one. At least the intimate scenes tended to have a point in the first book--it didn't seem that way in this one. The scenes with conflict in the camp didn't ring very true since few of the new characters seemed well fleshed out. Once the action left the camp, it improved again. The stuff before, though, had put me off. Also, I was disappointed that what was supposed to be two...more

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Jul 27, 2008 Emmaco rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, romance

Continues the slow pace of the first book. The further away I get from finishing it the more I remember aspects of the characters and plot that irritated me. I'm still interested in the overall story and world so will borrow the third book from the library.

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Nov 12, 2012 Gavin rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: young girls

Shelves: not-for-me

Whatever happened to the opening scene or sentence gripping your audience by the curlies? I listened to a newly deflowered and now married hardly teenaged girl with a man my age about to get it on in classic girlie prose …. Oh god I wanted to upchuck .. but was in my neighbour’s driveway taking macro photographs of bugs (really). Then I remembered what I thought of the last book. Men are not lovers of girlie love scenes in general so starting this way just lost 50% of the reading population … if...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Kathryn Lynn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You know, it might not be Bujold's best work but I will say this for The Sharing Knife series: as far as fantasy romances go... it's a hell of a lot better than Twilight.

I can't blame Bujold for this, and I refuse to say she's disappointed; it's simply not the sort of book one is used to reading from her. Instead of judging her against herself, I'm going to compare this book to others in the genre and say it was better thought out, better fleshed out, and the gods know better worded than most o...more

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About Lois McMaster Bujold

One of the most respected writers in the field of speculative fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold burst on to the scene in 1986 with Shards of Honor, the first of her tremendously popular Vorkosigan Saga novels. She has received numerous accolades and prizes, including two Nebula Awards for Best Novel (Falling Free and Paladin of Souls), four Hugo Awards for Best Novel (Paladin of Souls, The Vor Game, B...more

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Quotes from Legacy

“She rolled the mysterious plunkin across in front of the hearth and stared at it. It still looked disconcertingly like a severed head. "What do we do with this?"

Dag sat cross-legged and smiled--not much of a smile, but a start. "Lots of choices. They all come down to plunkin. You can eat it raw in slices, peel it and cut it up and cook it alone or in a stew, boil it whole, wrap it in leaves and cook it in campfire coals, stick a sword through it and turn it on a spit, or, very popular, feed it to the pigs and eat the pigs. It's very sustaining. Some say you could live forever on plunkin and rainwater. Others say it would just seem like forever.” — 1 person liked it

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Legacy (The Sharing Knife #2)

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