Title: The Curse of Chalion
Author: Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Fantasy, epic fantasy, political fantasy
Opening sentence:
Cazaril heard the mounted horsemen on the road before he saw them.
I picked this up because I had just finished reading Trickster’s Choice and Trickster’s Queen and was reminded just how much I adore fantasy that is all about politics. Not the politics of our world (though I like that as well) but the political games of second world fantasy. I like intrigue, spycraft and political maneuvering in my fiction. There is a reason why West Wing and Spooks are among my favourite tv-series. The Curse of Chalion had turned up in my recommendations when I based them on Trickster’s Queen. It had really good reviews from a stack of authors whom I respect so I thought, why not give it a go.