Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Paladin of Souls (World of the Five Gods, #2)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Paladin of Souls

(World of the Five Gods (Publication) #2)

Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)

4.17 · Rating details · 23,380 ratings · 1,411 reviews

One of the most honored authors in the field of fantasy and science fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold transports us once more to a dark and troubled land and embroils us in a desperate struggle to preserve the endangered souls of a realm.

Three years have passed since the widowed Dowager Royina Ista found release from the curse of madness that kept her imprisoned in her family'

...more

Get A Copy

Kindle Edition, 496 pages

Published October 13th 2009 by HarperCollins e-books (first published September 23rd 2003)

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Paladin of Souls, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen (Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold

Favorite Books Read In the 2010s (2010 - 2019)

35 books — 1 voter

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Chewy Science Fiction + Fantasy Books

16 books — 5 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.17 ·

Rating details

· 23,380 ratings · 1,411 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Paladin of Souls (World of the Five Gods, #2)

Jan 15, 2012 carol. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of epic fantasy, feudal fantasy

Shelves: awards, epic-fantasy, female-lead, nebula

Unexpectedly captivating.

I'm a longtime fantasy reader, but I've gotten tired of the current crop of twenty year old heroines, the descriptions of their clothes, their vague struggles with boyfriends, and the development of their special powers. Even if coming-into-one's power storylines are set with werewolves and vampires, a certain uniformity starts to develop. Paladin does something I never expected in an epic fantasy; she's written a thoughtful coming-of-age story focused on a forty-year o Unexpectedly captivating.

I'm a longtime fantasy reader, but I've gotten tired of the current crop of twenty year old heroines, the descriptions of their clothes, their vague struggles with boyfriends, and the development of their special powers. Even if coming-into-one's power storylines are set with werewolves and vampires, a certain uniformity starts to develop. Paladin does something I never expected in an epic fantasy; she's written a thoughtful coming-of-age story focused on a forty-year old noblewoman who has been fighting her 'god-touched' connection for years.

Ista is an interesting, complex female lead that is reaching toward change, even if she isn't exactly sure how to get there. She's had emotional scarring in her past, and years of a cursed "madness" coupled with her status as a royal have kept her wrapped in a cocoon. However, she recognizes this and longs for some unspecified alternative. "The dullness of her life, the stalemate of her soul since then was just long habit." She develops a plan to escape her highly protected life under the guise of a pilgrimage visiting various gods' shrines. It's part of the underlying irony that this is Ista's justification for travel when she secretly hates the gods and their interference in her life.

While some events happen to her in the beginning, she begins to take more authority over her choices and decisions little by little, until it is partly her energy and leadership that (view spoiler) Her entourage is an interesting group as well. Liss, a courier pressed into service as a lady's maid, made me laugh when they first tried to work out how to manage Ista's hair. "You do your own, presumably. What do you do with it?" "Well, I put it in a braid..." "Do you do the horses?" "Oh yes, my lady. Snail braids, and dressed with ribbons..." It's a charming little snippet of dialogue that shows Ista's willingness to step outside her traditional boundaries.

Bujold has a very unexpected way of dealing with demons, god-possession and life-energy. Part of Ista's struggles are a personal and theological grudge against the deities of her world from events that happened during her early marriage. Even within the framework of the system Bujold has created, she manages to take the spiritual angles of the magic and demon system to unexpected places. (view spoiler) A demon-ridden woman, initially set up to be a negative and opposing force, develops into a tragic figure by the end of the story.

Bujold's writing is a perfect mix of description and action. I enjoyed her imagery and use of language. The subtle ways she shows us Ista's confinement at court; the pacing, bouncing her foot furiously beneath a gown, a well-meaning handmaiden taking the outside edge of a steep walkway all go so much farther to convey the feeling than a mere "Ista was frustrated." Ista herself is quite a woman, with intelligence and depths of character; her moments of sly humor streaking through her thoughts bring a smile to Ista and the reader, even as she conceals her thoughts from her surrounding company. "She wondered, a little dryly, if the school also had a particularly fine cook." "She approached the possessed animal, who lowered its head again... in what might be submission, love or dementia."

Yet while Ista develops and pushes herself in new directions, Bujold wisely keeps transformations believable. (view spoiler). All in all, a well-balanced and nicely developed book that deserves its many awards. ...more

flag 174 likes · Like · see review

Jan 08, 2018 Mayim de Vries rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"I do not speak to you as your royina. I do not even speak as one god-touched. I speak as a woman, who has walked to the end of that road and returns to report the hazards."

Middle-aged woman, a widowed mother of two, believed to be deranged (well, at least not entirely right in her head) is certainly not your typical fantasy heroine. But just like it was in the first instalment in the World of the Five Gods series, Ms Bujold proves to be very adept at creating the most unusual protagonists. As Z ...more

flag 108 likes · Like · see review

Mar 25, 2013 Bradley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-shelf, fantasy

Even though this one is set in the same universe and there are crossover references and characters, this novel is quite different from The Curse of Chalion, in both situation, location, and MC's. Don't let that dissuade you, because this book kicks some serious butt. Literally, for there's even a WAR!

Enter Ista, the dowager mother, considered mad but really just god-ridden, bored and desiring a bit of action on the side. (Get your mind out of the gutter. Yes, she does have some romantic feels, o Even though this one is set in the same universe and there are crossover references and characters, this novel is quite different from The Curse of Chalion, in both situation, location, and MC's. Don't let that dissuade you, because this book kicks some serious butt. Literally, for there's even a WAR!

Enter Ista, the dowager mother, considered mad but really just god-ridden, bored and desiring a bit of action on the side. (Get your mind out of the gutter. Yes, she does have some romantic feels, on the side, but it's more the case of a woman on a mission of self-discovery, travel, and understanding.) And just because she becomes the Paladin of a God and becomes one of my most favorite female protagonists in fantasy literature, full of rounded personality, wry humor, natural desires and surprising reactions to what ought to be some horrific reveals, should never downplay the fact that when push comes to shove, she really knows how to kick ass. Need I say that the reveals and the novel's climax are amazing? Probably not. The novel is a widespread favorite of a lot of people and it won the Hugo in 2004.

Of course, she's not the only great character in the novel. I have to say I've grown quite fond of the Bastard. Liss has quite a personality, too. :)

I'm fascinated at just how much this novel does NOT feel like a pilgrimage of saints. Or how the portrayal of so much death does NOT feel strange or odd, but instead feels like a spur to great things. I was frankly amazed at feeling a great deal of awe at so many of the otherwise fantasy-normal events that were twisted on their sides to appear as something completely different than I'm used to.

I could just chalk that up to Bujold being Awesome Bujold, but I think it's something more than that. She manages to turn something that ought to be epic fantasy with battles and demons and mages with blood flying everywhere into something personal and revealing and surprising, and that isn't something that anyone should take lightly. It takes a brilliant writer to pull that off, and she's got the chops. :)

Beautiful novel. :) ...more

flag 82 likes · Like · see review

Feb 08, 2018 mark monday rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-modern

the woman is not old, but blame the place and time, she is seen as such. the woman is not maternal, despite having given birth to a child she loves. the woman is not mentally unwell, but blame the past's taint on her present, she is seen as such. the woman seeks adventure and an opening for escape from the smothering life that those who love her would trap her in. she forces a door to open and so off she goes! smart, brave, emotional, critical, modest, kind, and eccentric... she's all the best t ...more

flag 64 likes · Like · see review

Jan 12, 2018 Choko rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

*** 4 ***

A buddy read with the folks at FBR, because we love good Fantasy!

"...“The gods give no gifts without hooks embedded.”..."

For anyone who knows me, they must understand my love affair with the works of Lois McMaster Bujold. I am all about the characters who seem normal but are anything but... They are just enough off-center, that they become different than most leading characters we usually meet in both Sci-Fi and the Fantasy genres, despite their obvious to us, after we get to know ...more

flag 46 likes · Like · see review

Dec 17, 2012 Allison rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars, published-2000s, favorites, award-winner, romantic-elements, fantasy, own-physical-shelf, romance-rating-mature-pg13, favorite-authors, potential-re-read

Updated Review Sept 12, 2015:

I always find it really difficult to review those books that I experience at a gut level and love completely irrationally. This was one of those. I simply enjoyed reading every moment of it, and don't know how to explain why. Now I've put it off for too long, and I'm going to try anyway.

First of all, if you've read The Curse of Chalion, you need to know that the pacing and focus of this book is completely different. That one was epic, full of political intrigue and k Updated Review Sept 12, 2015:

I always find it really difficult to review those books that I experience at a gut level and love completely irrationally. This was one of those. I simply enjoyed reading every moment of it, and don't know how to explain why. Now I've put it off for too long, and I'm going to try anyway.

First of all, if you've read The Curse of Chalion, you need to know that the pacing and focus of this book is completely different. That one was epic, full of political intrigue and kingdom-wide conflicts. This is not. It mostly takes place in a remote fortress and focuses on characters more than kingdom. So the pace is much different, and may seem slow if you're expecting action-driven plot. Now that that's out of the way...

I really loved that the main character is a middle-aged woman. It's not often that you get someone with more experience as a main character in Fantasy. In this case, Ista has already lived a life. She was married to the (now dead) king, and has grown children who are out of the picture. But although everyone around her believes that's all she's allotted to get out of life, she is not by any means old and is completely stifled. She still needs to find out who she can be, just as much as any young protagonist out there. So we get a mature woman who escapes from home and her caretakers to find adventure and a new life for herself. Hurray!

Maybe it's the fact that I am no longer a fledgling myself, but her story really resonated with me. Her observations about life and people were so spot on for someone who has lived more than 30 years. Plus, I really liked her. I wanted to be her. Since this is a character-driven story, that's kind of important.

Aside from Ista, there's a full cast of characters to complement her, and I enjoyed all of them (except the ones I wasn't supposed to). It's been a couple months since I read this, and I still remember at least six of the characters even if I've forgotten their names. There's the monk, two soldier brothers who actually have their own personalities, a female messenger turned lady's maid, and a dynamic lord of the fortress whose brother is mysteriously ill. The mystery of the brother's illness is where the story really gets going, in case you haven't been hooked yet by that point.

What drives the plot are the mystery behind the brother's illness, and problems of god-possession and demon-possession. Ista has been touched by a god before, and was considered insane for years. Now she wants to avoid anything to do with gods because they can't be trusted. Yeah, that doesn't work out so well for her. Once a god notices you, it's impossible to ignore them.

Maybe it built a little slowly, but it captivated me, really from the start. I loved the development of the characters through it all, and the complexity that was revealed over time. How it turned out left me breathless. I was enjoying it so much that I was afraid the ending would disappoint, so I was almost giddy with relief that it didn't. I really loved it. And I know I haven't explained why well enough at all, and used too many words to do it.

Initial Review June 27, 2015:

I loved pretty much every minute of this. Why did I wait so long to read it?? I'll try to write a proper review later. ...more

flag 39 likes · Like · see review

Oct 18, 2008 Sherwood Smith added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I have to admit my partisanship right up front. I am a dedicated fan of the Miles Vorkosigan books and I loved The Curse of Chalion, which serves as a prequel to this book. Though Paladin stands quite well on its own.

The plot is fairly easily summed up: the Royina Ista, a middle-aged widow, decides to go on pilgrimage through the land of Chalion, which feels a lot like a Renaissance alternate-Spain, one that is overseen from the other-worldly realm by five gods, so there are five religious tradi ...more

flag 39 likes · Like · see review

Apr 15, 2010 Felicia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This book is an outstanding followup to the first in the series (that I actually read so long ago I didn't quite remember, but it didn't really matter). There are beautiful twists in storytelling here, and a very interesting mature woman character. I found the storytelling refreshing and the characters engaging on a fantasy-level, with a bit of romance (but nothing to turn off guys ;) ). Lois Bujold is an author that transcends genre, definitely check it out! ...more

flag 32 likes · Like · see review

Aug 04, 2013 Michael rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Michael by: carol.

Shelves: fantasy

A totally satisfying vision of a middle-aged woman driven down by past tragedy who takes up the heroic work of making the world safe from the dangers of enslavement of souls. The character of Ista captured my heart with her charm, wit, and courage, as she almost did for the hero Cazaril in the previous book, “Curse of Chalion” (2001). For this feudal world, Bujold invents a lovely blend of Christian dualism with a Roman-style pantheon of five gods, a system within which saints and demon-infested A totally satisfying vision of a middle-aged woman driven down by past tragedy who takes up the heroic work of making the world safe from the dangers of enslavement of souls. The character of Ista captured my heart with her charm, wit, and courage, as she almost did for the hero Cazaril in the previous book, “Curse of Chalion” (2001). For this feudal world, Bujold invents a lovely blend of Christian dualism with a Roman-style pantheon of five gods, a system within which saints and demon-infested sorcerers square off over the fate of souls with opposing approaches for melding matter and spirit.

Ista, the mother of the current queen, dreams of escaping the emptiness of her protected life and settles on a fake pilgrimage. In the first pages, Bujold builds a pre-condition for her hero worthy of mythological themes identified by Joseph Campbell. Ista’s stultifying life in a provincial capital is punctuated by a series of bubbling thoughts:
Who am I, when I am not surrounded by the walls of my life? When they have all fallen into dust and rubble. …
I want a road that does not come back. …
But how could she gain the road? Roads were made for young men, not middle-aged women. …
I am an orphan now, though. Is that enough to qualify me? .

It was fun to see her put together an ideal escort, bullying her way past her official protectors to avoid a big retinue of attendants, soldiers, and a distinguished spiritual guide. In her mind she ponders, “What might pilgrimage be like if, instead of dragging a lot of tired guardians out on a road that suited their bones so ill, she could travel with people who laugh? Young people, not brought low by old sin and loss?” A small troop led by two dashing young brothers is enlisted from Cazaril’s forces. A young, scholarly acolyte of the quirky Bastard god is tapped to be her religious guide. A young female courier who is masterful with horses is snapped up to be a combination personal courier and lady’s maid.

Many dangers beset their party. She ends coming under the protection of the governing family of a province besieged by marauding Roknari soldiers from a neighboring enemy kingdom. Among them are sorcerers who host demons within their souls. Her host family has a terrible dark secret of their own, which also involves demons. For survival, Ista is forced to learn to how to harness her own special talents in dealing with spiritual beings and in leading people toward effective action. A love story is buried in the rich and rewarding tale of second chances.

Bujold works a lot of poetic metaphors into the spiritual order of her world, as introduced early in the book through their priest’s first sermon:
From the fire at the heart of the world slowly grew the World-Soul.
But the eye cannot see itself, not even the Eye of the World-Soul. So the World-Soul split into two, that it might so perceive itself; and so the mother and father came into being. And with that sweet perception, for the first time, love became possible in the heart of the World-Soul. Love was the first of the fruits that the realm of the spirit gifted back to the realm of the matter that was its fountain and foundation. But not the last, for song was next, then speech.
…In their first love for each other they bore the Daughter and the Son, and divided the seasons of the world among them, each with it special and particular beauty, each to his own lordship and stewardship. And in the harmony and security of this new composition, the matter of the world grew in boldness and complexity. And from its strivings to create beauty, plants and animals and men arose, for love had come into the fiery heart of the world, and matter sought to return gifts of spirit to the realm of spirit, as lovers exchange tokens.”
…But the fire at the heart of the world also held forces of destruction that could not be denied. And from this chaos arose the demons, who broke out and invaded the world and preyed upon the fragile new souls growing there as a mountain wolf preys upon the lambs of the valleys.

While these four gods can only deal with the spiritual realm, the Bastard god is more Christ-like in its blend of matter and spirit:
And so was born the last god, the Bastard, love child of the goddess and the great-souled demon. …their Son, of all the gods, was given agency over both spirit and matter, for He inherited as servants the demons that His father’s great sacrifice had conquered and enslaved and so swept out of the world.

Despite my focus here, the spiritual system and magical elements involved in negotiating the bleeding edge of good and evil forces at play are not overwrought, as is often the case in classic fantasies like “The Lord of the Rings.” The excitement of the teamwork as a band of “brothers” and creative problem solving during crises made this tale a compelling read for me.
...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Jul 21, 2017 Gavin added it · review of another edition

The was more of a spin-off from Curse of Chalion rather than a regular sequel but that did not stop it from retaining most of the elements that made the first book such a good story. The pacing is fairly sedate but Bujold has an engaging style and this character driven story mixes in more than enough magic, mystery, action, and even a tad of romance to keep things interesting!

Curse of Chalion was Cazaril's story but Paladin of Souls switched focus and gave us Ista's story. We met the Dowager Ro ...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Jul 28, 2013 Kelly rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, its-the-quiet-ones, shes-quite-an-original-my-dear, fiction, grand-opera, examined-lives

I was a really big fan of this when I started it. It's an aftermath story of a middle-aged woman, a Mother figure from a previous novel who has already lived through the fire and black magic that lead to the somewhat more typical fantasy-adventure of her daughter's coming of age, marrying the prince, producing an heir and living somewhat happily ever after. This woman, considered mad due to her previous involvement with gods and curses and magic, starts the book not even after those events close I was a really big fan of this when I started it. It's an aftermath story of a middle-aged woman, a Mother figure from a previous novel who has already lived through the fire and black magic that lead to the somewhat more typical fantasy-adventure of her daughter's coming of age, marrying the prince, producing an heir and living somewhat happily ever after. This woman, considered mad due to her previous involvement with gods and curses and magic, starts the book not even after those events close, but after the death of her dominating mother. She is suddenly alone, with no obligations or immediate threats to face for the first time in twenty years or more and asks a compelling question:

"Who am I, when the walls of my life no longer surround me?"

It drives her to run, to change, to Eat, Pray, Love it up high fantasy style. It's awesome at first watching her assert herself and build her own life and find out her strengths and her talents.

However, perhaps not unexpectedly, she discovers these talents through stumbling upon a A Situation that must be fixed, which only she can do. Unfortunately, this meant that we largely left the more interesting inner character development and exploration to watch her figure out the rules of magic and theology and demons, interspersed with battle sequences. This is her talent, so it makes sense, but I wish that Bujold had kept more of a balance between the way she started the book and the Quest that the rest of the book became. There were still a few affecting moments here and there, but on the whole the rest of the novel became a more typical sword and sorcery thing that I was far less interested in. It was cool, though, to see the hero of such a tale be a middle-aged, somewhat average looking woman, even if she did have super special powers and spoke to gods. That did seem to be somewhat the point, so well done, mission accomplished. You go girl!

It was an interesting experience to read how a typical fantasy hero might be different with twenty years more of experience, a life behind them, and, you know, being a woman, a mother, and one who had made a lot of mistakes and specifically NOT been a hero before. There were decisions that the heroine made that someone without those things would not have (her relationships with her love interest and his brother, her dealings with her former "keepers", and especially her dealings with the other female character with the most screen time). I wish we had spent more time on that aspect of things, though, rather than on the more typical action sequences, magical rules and world building that I could encounter elsewhere. Bujold created a cool thing here, I just wish she'd spent more time making the most out of it, rather than driving home the point of how much this thing is like the other.

In any case, an enjoyable read with an interesting premise that is pretty solidly written throughout. Just not as unique as I thought it would be at the start. Or maybe it's just that I have still only rarely encountered an action sequence that did not make my eyes glaze over if it lasted more than a few pages. That could be it, too. I'll take some of the blame for my less than stellar rating on this one. ...more

flag 25 likes · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2018 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2018, favourites

5 brilliant stars!

Because this is what I call 'Book Heaven!'

What do you do when you can talk to Gods and have the second sight but everybody thinks you’re completely and undeniably MAD?!

Easy – you do what Ista did: start off on a quest to curse a few Gods, fight a few demons, save a few souls and gain forgiveness for your own, answer a few prayers, fall in love, curse the Gods some more and then become their tool to maybe save the world?! Perhaps find courage, happiness and even yourself along ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

May 13, 2012 Clouds rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pub-2000s, locus-fantasy, fantasy-series, reviewed, nebula, hugo, fantasy

Following the resounding success of my Locus Quest, I faced a dilemma: which reading list to follow it up with? Variety is the spice of life, so I’ve decided to diversify and pursue six different lists simultaneously. This book falls into my LOCUS FANTASY list.

As the Locus Sci-Fi Award winners list treated me so kindly, I figure I’ll trust those same good folk to pick me some stars in their sister-list, the Locus Fantasy Award winners.

While I was predominantly reading my way through every wi ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Oct 04, 2019 Anthony rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, series, locus-award-winners, hugo-winners, nebula-winners

I had a rather puzzling experience with this novel. I find the quality of Bujold’s writing itself to be quite fluid, assured, and inventive; and I find her characters to be appealing, surprising, and full of intriguing quirks and depths. But somehow throughout this novel I felt kept at an arms’ length from feeling fully swept up by it. Then there were lovely, crystalline moments of emotional complexity and grace — the final scene between Ista and Goram was especially rich and moving — and I foun ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Jun 22, 2011 John Patrick Schutz rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Quite possibly the best fiction I've read in a decade. I was always fond of Lois McMaster Bujold's "Vorkosigan Series" of Science-Fiction books - always rollicking good fun while having deep underlying issues that make the reader remember them long after all the action and humor have faded to the background... but when Bujold decided to turn her hand to grand fantasy she found even more.

The first book of this grouping, "The Curse of Chalion" grabbed me from the first page. As a fan of Tolkein wh Quite possibly the best fiction I've read in a decade. I was always fond of Lois McMaster Bujold's "Vorkosigan Series" of Science-Fiction books - always rollicking good fun while having deep underlying issues that make the reader remember them long after all the action and humor have faded to the background... but when Bujold decided to turn her hand to grand fantasy she found even more.

The first book of this grouping, "The Curse of Chalion" grabbed me from the first page. As a fan of Tolkein who does NOT enjoy most of the imitators and pretenders that simply don't have the depth of plot, deeper issues, facility with language, and creation of a fully realized alternate reality I was thrilled to find Bujold a worthy successor to Tolkein and Ursula LeGuin.

However, her second book in this loosely associated trio - "Paladin of Souls" took me from thrilled to astonishment. Not at all what one expects in a fantasy, our main character is a middle-aged noble woman, former Royina (Queen-Consort) and now "Dowager Royina" (mother of the current monarch). Only in her mid-forties, she is percieved as having served her purpose and is now no longer useful. In fact, she's considered slightly mad, though the reader will discover that assumption to be quite wrong. Troubled by a recurring dream, she embarks on what is obstensibly a religious pilgrimage, but is frankly an escape from those who would smother her with good intentions but slowly wring the life from her soul.

What she finds is remarkable, inspiring and frightening. The book brought me, a grown 40-something man to tears of heartbreak, rage and overwhelming joy on several occassions - and I've heard other men, usually not the type, respond in the same way. It is not a surprise that this book won just about every award a science-fiction/fantasy novel CAN win.

The follow-up third book "The Hallowed Hunt", is just as captivating as the first book "Chalion", and though it does not reach the soaring apex of the soul that "Paladin" acheives, it is in no way a letdown. It still has moments of staggering beauty and painful goodness, and brings us back to earth from the heights of the central novel.

The grouping is so wonderful that after reading each at its initial publication (2001, 2003, 2005) I have since re-read them twice. The "finish" date is for my most recent reading. I recommend this series even to those who do not generally go for "Grand Fantasy" as this is true Grand Fantasy, NOT a "swords and sorcery" stamped-out rehashed pulp novel. The issues and emotions dealt with here are much more evolved and thoughtful than any pretender to Tolkein's throne could be. Dare I say it, her insight into emotions and motivations is better than that of Tolkein, who did not let us see into the very souls of his heroes and heroines the way Bujold bares the very core of her protagonists. ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Apr 12, 2017 Mike rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love, LOVE the protagonist of this book. She's not a great warrior, or a skillful rogue, or a powerful wizard, or anything like that. She's not even a not-great warrior or a not-powerful wizard who grows more powerful as the story progresses.

She's a middle aged woman who really wants a vacation.

Ista was a fairly minor character in Curse of Chalion, albeit one who was hugely affected by the events of that book. Here, she's been restored to full sanity, and chafing at the restrictions of her (lo ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Jan 28, 2013 Julie Davis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: rereading-project-2019

How good is this?

I read it in 24-hours, devoting every spare moment to it. It helps that it was a Sunday, when I had more time, but I did ignore normal chores this morning in order to dash to the conclusion.

I admit that I was a bit dismayed to find myself in Ista's company at the beginning of the book. However, her unique past and relationship to the gods yielded a compelling story, especially when coupled with the situation into which she was thrust by war.

I won't say more because part of the ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Sep 14, 2010 Mike (the Paladin) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I'm going to say the same thing about this, the second volume of Bujold's Chalion trilogy (I suppose, I've only seen three titles, I have the third as "to read"), I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I do try to reserve the "5 star" rating for books that I truly enjoy. Neither artistic writing, nor classic prose will I rate alone as 5 stars. I just got/get involved in these books. I care about the characters in them and am able to suspend belief and flow with the story.

Of late I've been (I be ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Sep 10, 2021 Spencer Orey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Slow but good overall. I liked the adventures of grumpy old Ista, who isn't actually old but is treated as such. I particularly liked the start where she goes on meandering pilgrimage, before the book becomes more focused on war and threats. There are some good mysteries around demons and sorcery and the influence of the Gods. The slow build of romance was a nice touch too.

I have a very limited tolerance for books where the elite person feels bad about how all their privilege and servants are co ...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Sep 29, 2019 Gabi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: hugo_winners, locus_winners, nebula_winners

This was the right book at the right time. These are not the 5 stars of an enthuiastic love at first sight, or a wow-moment. These are the 5 stars of the longlasting love that comes when the first impulses died down and reality is faced.

I felt absolutely comfortable with this story on nearly every level. Like in the first book Lois McMaster Bujold's prose is a perfect mix of lightfooted humor and a mature take on story and characters. It feels completely self-assured and therefore is able to dra ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Sep 23, 2008 Heather rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Heather by: Joseph

Shelves: favorites

I love this book. I love Ista. I love her sense of humor, and I admire her strength and forbearance. I love watching her warm up and fill up over the course of the book.

I love how the worldbuilding is just so natural and easy, and how complete and interesting it is. I love the theology.

I love how she tackles the themes of redemption, grace, forgiveness, guilt, sin, failure, the relationships of gods with their creations, power and impotence, selfishness, aging, death and dying, finding a sense o ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

May 01, 2020 Emma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites

Left me with a happy glow!

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Apr 07, 2021 Narilka rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, read-in-2021

"Once, she had been her parents' daughter. Then great, unlucky Ias's wife. Her children's mother. At the last, her mother's keeper. Well, I am none of these things now. Who am I, when I am not surrounded by the walls of my life?"

Paladin of Souls is the second book in Bujold's World of the Five Gods series. Technically it can be read standalone as the story is wholly contained, has all the information needed to understand the nuances of the world and only references the first novel that aren't pl "Once, she had been her parents' daughter. Then great, unlucky Ias's wife. Her children's mother. At the last, her mother's keeper. Well, I am none of these things now. Who am I, when I am not surrounded by the walls of my life?"

Paladin of Souls is the second book in Bujold's World of the Five Gods series. Technically it can be read standalone as the story is wholly contained, has all the information needed to understand the nuances of the world and only references the first novel that aren't plot impacting. If you're looking for a fantasy novel starring a mature, middle aged woman with demons and gods mucking about, this is the book for you. Ista's story had me hooked immediately.

Dowager Royina Ista is questioning what to do with her life. Previously believed to be mad though in reality just god cursed, the feeling of being stuck and believing her life has no purpose is slowly driving Ista mad in actuality. Unable to put up with the condescension of her keepers any longer, Ista decides to go on a pilgrimage to escape castle life. It's not long before Ista learns that while you can run away to a different location, problems eventually find a way back to you, especially when gods are involved.

Ista is such a great character and one that's easy to identify with. Who hasn't had that same feeling of being at a crossroads in life, unsure where to go next, unsure if your life has purpose at all and just wanted to run away from everything? I know I've been there a few times. As Ista sets off on her journey a bigger mystery starts to unfold. Ista is up for the challenge and encounters a great supporting cast along the way. There are plenty of clues as to where the mystery is going, several I picked up on, a few I missed and were nice surprises.

A small warning. There is an apparent love triangle early on. If you hate that trope please push through. It ends up not being what it first appears at all.

If I had one gripe with the book it is that (view spoiler)

I absolutely loved this book. This having being my second time reading her works, I love Bujold's writing style and am firmly a fan now. I need to check out some of her other series. ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Aug 04, 2013 Rob rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, author-female, read-2014, own, audio-book

Executive Summary: A slow-paced but enjoyable fantasy novel that can mostly be read as a stand-alone.

Audio book: This is my first novel read by Kate Reading. I have long heard she is a great narrator, and I would have to agree. She doesn't exactly do voices or anything but she does distinguish a bit between characters. She speaks clearly with good inflections and emotions.

Full Review
Right off the bat this novel is unique for me. The protagonist is a 40-something woman. That's never the case ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Mar 31, 2017 Kitty G Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is technically the second book in this series, although it doesn't follow many of the characters from Curse of Chalion with the exception of Ista, the once-mad Royina, who is the main character of this book.

In this story we see that Ista, following the events in Curse of Chalion, doesn't really have any purpose in her life now. Both her children have gone and she's left surrounded by her mother's old court of stuffy and silly ladies quite unlike her. Although she's an older and sometimes b ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Jan 13, 2018 Silvana rated it really liked it

Shelves: fyeahfantasy, mine-mine-mine, reading-with-friends, female-nonbinary-authors, kindle-google, z-sff-2018-female-challenge, z-sff-2018-reading-challenge, z-sl-sword-challenge-2018

Finishing this book was not as fast as I thought. It was set in a more sedate pace than The Curse of Chalion. I know I said I missed Cazaril's POV a lot because he's funnier but actually Ista could be funny too with her dry remarks. Ista herself was a great character. It is not often we find a middle-age woman as a main character in any novels especially fantasy, which still has tendency to focus on teenage girls ready to fight the world and all that jazz. Maybe because I am past my teen years I ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Apr 06, 2021 Lata rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi-fantasy, x2021-read, auth-f

Ista, a character peripheral to the action in book one, takes centre stage here, and she's magnificent. Having been seen, erroneously, as mad for many years, she's healed now and chafing at her restrictions at home; pondering escape, she decides to go on a pilgrimage get away from her brother's and servants' constant coddling.
She quickly becomes embroiled in a fight with demons and a plot against Chalion, and with the heightened emotions of a difficult and dangerous situation with the noble fam ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Sep 29, 2013 Jim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3series, 1audio, fantasy, 2fiction

I read (listened to) this out of order, third instead of second. Not a big deal. The events take place soon after the first book, but the third is set centuries earlier, so doesn't impact it at all.

All three books had different readers. The first, told about a man was read by one. This one, about a woman, was read by one who did quite a good job.

Again, Bujold uses a damaged, ravaged soul as the focus of the story, except from the 'privileged' female perspective. Issa was simply a minor, piteous I read (listened to) this out of order, third instead of second. Not a big deal. The events take place soon after the first book, but the third is set centuries earlier, so doesn't impact it at all.

All three books had different readers. The first, told about a man was read by one. This one, about a woman, was read by one who did quite a good job.

Again, Bujold uses a damaged, ravaged soul as the focus of the story, except from the 'privileged' female perspective. Issa was simply a minor, piteous character previously, but events have freed her to find her own way again - sort of. The damn gods want a lot though & this woman has to rise to meet their demands or be crushed.

The nature of the gods & demons is much discussed again. It's a very cool system that Bujold sets up with limits & powers that are inventive & even appalling at times. Very human-like without the monochromatic view of most fantasies. Yes, there is good & evil, but sometimes its hard to tell one from the other, just like in real life. Other times it's obvious - there's definitely a goal - but the path getting through is quite twisty.

Most of all, the characters are quite human. The heroes have their faults, the villains redeeming characteristics & motivations. Even (especially?) saints are imperfect. The mix makes for a thoughtful, if action-packed & memorable tale.

I like the way Bujold handles horses in her books. I don't get the feeling that she's an expert on the subject the way Janny Wurts is, but she's certainly competent & understands both their strengths & frailties on a gut level. Horses get footsore just as riders occasionally get saddle sores. Wonderful! It's such a nice change of pace from the fantasy authors who think they're simply cars with hooves. Overall, this was a very 'real' fantasy firmly grounded in the realities of a Medieval society with all the little inconveniences that we no longer have to worry about & so many authors forget about.

I'm sorry to come to the end of these books. It's a great world that I will miss. ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Nov 14, 2009 Laura (Kyahgirl) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, part-of-a-series, favorites, action-adventure, magic, demons, gods-and-their-ilk, romance-very-subtle

May 2019 re-read. Still love this one. Excellent story.

5/5; 5 stars; A+

I read this book years ago and rated it highly but now that I have read The Curse of Chalion and have a better context, this book shines even more brightly.

Ista was a secondary character in The Curse of Chalion. A woman who most regard as somewhat demented. By the end of that book Ista has come out from under the curse but is still wrapped in the loving cocoon/prison of her family and caretakers.

This book is about Ista, find ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Feb 04, 2017 Cyndi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I thought the first book in this series was good, but Holy Bastards, Batman this one was awesome!!! We have a strong heroine who has been thought mad most of her life. Now she has hit middle age and wants to escape the controlling life she has been living. She goes on a pilgrimage, even though she doesn't want anything to do with religion, just wants to shake off the cloying life she's been living.
But, the gods find her anyway and direct her in their paths. I laughed, I cried; it was glorious! ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Play Book Tag: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold - 5 stars	2	8	Nov 17, 2021 05:52PM
Hugo & Nebula Awa...: July 2018 "The Paladin of Souls" Discussion <Caution! Spoilers May Be Present!>	27	20	Oct 01, 2019 07:31AM
Hugo & Nebula Awa...: July 2018 "The Paladin of Souls" Discussion <No Spoilers>	8	9	Jul 18, 2018 10:22AM
Beyond Reality: Paladin of Souls—Finished Reading -- SPOILERS LIKELY!!	19	34	Feb 16, 2018 03:48AM
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Paladin of Souls [Jan 10, 2018]	103	44	Jan 18, 2018 06:20AM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Fantasy

2,434 users

Fiction

275 users

Hugo Awards

87 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

84 users

Romance

81 users

Fantasy > High Fantasy

80 users

Fantasy > Epic Fantasy

75 users

Audiobook

58 users

Science Fiction

51 users

Fantasy > Magic

36 users

See top shelves…

About Lois McMaster Bujold

Lois McMaster Bujold

37,120 followers

Lois McMaster Bujold was born in 1949, the daughter of an engineering professor at Ohio State University, from whom she picked up her early interest in science fiction. She now lives in Minneapolis, and has two grown children.

Her fantasy from HarperCollins includes the award-winning Chalion series and the Sharing Knife tetralogy; her science fiction from Baen Books features the perennially bestse ...more

Other books in the series

World of the Five Gods (Publication) (3 books)

Books by Lois McMaster Bujold

The Curse of Chalion (World of the Five Gods, #1)

The Warrior's Apprentice (Vorkosigan Saga, #2)

More…

Meet the Epic and Awesome Authors of Fall's Big Fantasy Novels

If you love the fantasy genre, this is the season for you! Some of the biggest books out this fall promise to be epics full of magic, adventure,...

Trivia About Paladin of Souls ...

1 trivia question

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Paladin of Souls

“And the Bastard grant us... in our direst need, the smallest gifts: the nail of the horseshoe, the pin of the axle, the feather at the pivot point, the pebble at the mountain's peak, the kiss in despair, the one right word.” — 51 likes

“Poets speak of hope in ladies smiles, but give me a smirk any day, I say.” — 37 likes

More quotes…

See a Problem?

Preview — Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold

Paladin of Souls

(World of the Five Gods (Publication) #2)

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Lois McMaster Bujold

Other books in the series

Books by Lois McMaster Bujold

Related Articles

Trivia About Paladin of Souls ...

Quotes from Paladin of Souls