Kevin Reitz asked Lois McMaster Bujold:

I’ve been thinking that the Sharing Knife books are your strongest and have the most profound emotional punch. My theory is that the settings come directly from your home culture and resonate especially well with readers from the same historical atmosphere. There’s endless presumed knowledge you can draw on and—no small thing—a rich vernacular to exploit. I wonder if it feels that way from the author’s perspective?

Lois McMaster Bujold
The Sharing Knife tetralogy has had quite varied reader response, from folks who like it as you do to those who totally bounce off it, for a variety of reasons. (Including the perennial "This wasn't the [name some other book] I wanted to have been reading!" Also, "It's bad, because it's a romance!", which I find a touch a priori.) One can get a sense of the array by a cruise through the assorted-star Amazon reviews, or here on Goodreads.

I think my 1600-page anti-epic is a major and original and deeply considered work, but I'm not prepared to argue with those who feel otherwise.

Anyway, standard writerly kvetching about reviews aside, I'm always very pleased to run across a reader who sees it my way. Thank you for your thoughtful reading!

Ta, L.

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