Booklog 62/2024: Lois McMaster Bujold: The Hallowed Hunt – Five Gods #3 - Audiobook

[jacey]

I read this many years ago, before I started to keep my book logs, so have just revisited it via audiobook read by Marguerite Gavin. Not much of it had stuck with me, and as the story progresses, I begin to realise why. Lord Ingrey kin Wolfcliff, a tough troubleshooter for a high-up politician,  is sent to collect the body of the recently murdered Prince Boleso, and his murderer Ijada, a noblewoman. She killed in self-defence, protecting herself from more than straightforward rape, but thet will probably not save her. Boleso was mad, involving himself in rituals to acquire animal spirits. The upshot of Ijada's self-defence is that she acquires a leopard spirit, while Ingrey, himself, carries a wolf spirit. Even though she's likely to be executed for her crime, Ijada is the only person he can trust, and love grows. The current Hallow King lies dying, so the crown is in play while Ingrey's cousin, Horseriver, is far more than Ingrey realises. He not only carries an animal spirit, but is also tied to the past. This is a book of two halves, the journey to the captal followed by more complex theological problems and a plot concerning Horseriver and an ancient massacre. I love The Curse of Chalion with a deep love, but this book less so. It's set in the same 'world' but it's a standalone. There are still five gods, Father, Mother, Daughter, Son, and Bastard but it's distant from Chalion in both geography and time. Of all the Bujold books (and she is my favourite author) this is not one I love. It's well written (it's Bujold, so that goes without saying) but Ingrey himself is a dark character, not as engaging or sympathetic as other Bujold protagonists. I have complained about Grover Gradner's readings of Bujold's books, but I think he might have been more suited to this one than a femaile reader, though Marguerite Gavin does a decent job.