Mira's Last Dance

A delight, and a very satisfying read. LMB displays her signature mixture of drama and humor. Once you have read it, you will understand why LMB abandoned the Penric naming convention for the title she chose. Not independent of the previous Penric novellas, but best read last of the four.

Enjoyed this latest adventure with Penric. However, I wish the ending could have held out more hope for romance. The challenges Penric faces with his fellow adventurers are exhausting, the romance is charming. The final delimas sad. A good read that I wish had a more happy ending.

As always, Lois McMaster Bujold: very psychologically accurate. And this makes a very strong impression. It's magical: it all came together, and it could not be otherwise, but why, when, at what moment did everything change so much? As in life. Just like in life. Thank you, Learned Bujold!

Bujold is amazing. I've got all of the Vorkosigan books, and all of the Penric publications. There are authors I like, and authors I am totally engaged with. Bujold is the latter. Great characters, great stories.

A very enjoyable continuation of the series. It certainly leaves room for further development. I will look forward to the next installment of Penric & Desdemona adventures, and any other stories in the Chalion milieu.

A very nice continuation of the Penric series! Kind of a fun aside finishing the journey from the end of the last novella. I just wish there were more of it -- Mission and Mira together feel like 2/3 of a story, so I look forwards to the next installment!

Since previous book. Its just so a contrast to Cazaril. One wonders if Penric worth to be kept as a main hero at all. I still hope he will be out at least in the last book. The bokk ok if read standalone. ☺

I read (and love) everything Lois writes, and "Mira's Last Dance" did not disappoint! Looking forward to a Penric novel; is that possibly in the offing? I sure hope so. (Another Vorkosigan offering would be just as welcome!)

It's Bujold, so it won't be bad, however I'm becoming less and less a fan of the breadcrumb-dropping of storylines to continue a story arc. Hence I like the richness of the Wof5G novels MUCH more than Penric stories or the Sharing Knife series, and all the Vorkosigan books were crafted so well that each stood on its own. I've liked each Penric less than the preceding one, and frankly, I'm becoming bored with Penric and Desdemona. Been there, read that . . .

Does not stand alone at all. You might be able to get away with just reading the previous episode, but should really start with "Penric's Demon" and go through all three of the predecessors. I can't make this spoiler-free but will keep it vague.

So after the last book, Penric had started out on a promising new romance. But romances in fiction are never permitted to run smooth, so in this volume the author introduces a big new issue that they'll need to work through somehow, probably over more than one volume, before getting together in the end. There is a distastefully arbitrary feel to it.

Worse, however, is that "the issue" undermines my favorite element of the series so far, the sense of Desdemona as an emergent being who has *almost* developed into a true person, with Penric guiding her evolution by a mixture of human decency and divine providence. In this volume, however, the appearance of Mira makes one question how 'real' Desdemona really is or can be as an independent being.

I really hate these short stories, and see it as authors ploy to get more money for one book. I love Bujold's books however, but she is fast losing her place in my honor role with commercialism. I also hate the ending, it just does not fit the females character and we are once more left with heroes (authors) indecision on what to do. the reason it the ending is out of character is she ruled her own household and now she is going to be a servant to a child. Really? I don't think so. answering to a child and childs indulgent parents is worst of the worst, I can't see this lasting. flimsy excuse for not running off with the hero. so is there a booklet 5 in offing? another 4 dollars?

Another chapter for Penric -- this one lacks characterization, let alone character development. Episodic. Of this series only Penric and the Shaman has told an entire story -- come on, there isn't any dancing, literal or metaphorical, in Mira's Last Dance. It's just a series of events that pick up from Penric's Mission. And it ends abruptly. Lois McMaster Bujold is publishing rough drafts of stories at this point in her career. I hope she returns to being a serious author -- at her best, she is an amazing storyteller.

I love Lois MacMasters Bujold's writing and have since I first ran across the Vorkosigan series sometime in the early 90s. *Mira's Last Dance* is beautifully written and lots of fun…but…

Well, there had to be a caveat, didn't there? It's the gender roles. On one hand, she seems to advocate for lots of different ways of being a man or a woman or something else, but any relationship outside of the hetero-norm is usually that of supporting characters and invariably rather one dimensional. The romance she focusses on seems always to be one in which a man courts a woman, usually somewhat clumsily, and the woman has the final yea or nay. Mira's Last Dance is no exception. We have a hero, Penric, who has living in his psyche the personalities of, I think it's 12, women, most of them quite sexually interested and and one at least a "courtesan." Yet, when push comes to shove, he is forced into the role of wooer waiting on the woman's decision as to whether she can put up with him. In spite of all the women that are increasingly merging with his masculine self, when push comes to shove, he's a guy wearing his heart on his sleeve and she's dithering and making him wait. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose, but this could have been complicated.

We are left with a hero, Penric, who is at the mercy of his various masters, 12 demon ladies and the twists and turns of the international politics of his world, but who doesn't seem to have goals or passions of his own, other than a desire to study other people's books. So, now he's in love with a nice girl who is holding out on him. I mean, with all those various women in there, you would think that at least he'd have a boyfriend on the side, or a love of cross dressing, or a strong maternal drive, or something that bends gender just a little. But apparently, in there the girls all stay or their own side, making fun of the guy over there who remains kind of cute but apparently as clueless as a husband in a cold-remedy commercial.

It's worth reading, it's fun, the characters are great, but somehow, Penric just doesn't live up to his potential.

Spoiler-ific review

I was given this book for free for the purpose of an unbiased review.

This is the forth book written in the Penric series, but is chronologically the fifth book in the series.  I have read the first three books in this series chronologically, but not the book just prior to this one. I'll be honest, I was a bit confused. Mira's Last Dance follows closely on the footsteps of 'Penric's Mission,' so you should read this only after reading that (and the first four books in the series while you're at it).

Penric and Desdemona are on a secret diplomatic mission far away from the Ibran Peninsula on behalf of the Bastard. And by diplomatic mission I mean they are spies using their magic powers to escape pursuit and save the woman Nikys from the cops. They are trapped alone in a foreign land with no friends and no access to the temples of the gods which usually help priest Penric.

Ordinarily this situation wouldn't be to much trouble- after all, Desdemona is a magic-wielding demon in a low-magic world. (Desdemona is a personality-devouring demon who copies the personalities of her hosts and adds them to her own personality). However on top of all their other troubles Penric was injured, and since Desdemona drains his body for energy to fuel magic their magic is all tied up.

I won't go into details about the plot, but it has a fun and spoiling it in the least will kinda ruin it. I'll just say that Mira is one of Desdemona's sub-personalities.

Highly recommended if you read the prior four novellas in this series as well as 'The Curse of Chalion'. If not, I suggest you check out those first. I kid you not, the World of the Five God super-series is one of the best modern fantasy series.

Stay Sunny!

Mira is one of the dozen or so previous hosts Penric's daemon Desdemona has inhabited in the past two centuries. Mira was a very very high-priced courtesan and her skills come in handy when Penric lands in a brothel and disguises himself as a women. Penric's companions, Arisaydia and Nikys, watch in amazement as a few strategically-placed rolls of cotton, some henna and face paint transform tall slender Penric into a stately beauty who captivates the heart (and purse) of wealthy, honorable and unsuspecting General Chadro.

This novella is the latest chapter in the tale of Learned Penric and his daemon Desdemona. It immediately follows Penric's Mission and is considered #5 in the series. Despite the novella's title, I hope we meet Mira again.

I received a review copy of "Mira's Last Dance" by Lois McMaster Bujold (Subterranean) through NetGalley.com. It was first published in 2017 by Spectrum Literary Agency, Inc. and has been reissued by Subterranean. As of this writing it is not showing up on the store.com.

Spoiler-ific review

I was given this book for free for the purpose of an unbiased review.

This is the forth book written in the Penric series, but is chronologically the fifth book in the series.  I have read the first three books in this series chronologically, but not the book just prior to this one. I'll be honest, I was a bit confused. Mira's Last Dance follows closely on the footsteps of 'Penric's Mission,' so you should read this only after reading that (and the first four books in the series while you're at it).

Penric and Desdemona are on a secret diplomatic mission far away from the Ibran Peninsula on behalf of the Bastard. And by diplomatic mission I mean they are spies using their magic powers to escape pursuit and save the woman Nikys from the cops. They are trapped alone in a foreign land with no friends and no access to the temples of the gods which usually help priest Penric.

Ordinarily this situation wouldn't be to much trouble- after all, Desdemona is a magic-wielding demon in a low-magic world. (Desdemona is a personality-devouring demon who copies the personalities of her hosts and adds them to her own personality). However on top of all their other troubles Penric was injured, and since Desdemona drains his body for energy to fuel magic their magic is all tied up.

I won't go into details about the plot, but it has a fun and spoiling it in the least will kinda ruin it. I'll just say that Mira is one of Desdemona's sub-personalities.

Highly recommended if you read the prior four novellas in this series as well as 'The Curse of Chalion'. If not, I suggest you check out those first. I kid you not, the World of the Five God super-series is one of the best modern fantasy series.

Stay Sunny!

Penric is leading General Arisaydia and his widowed sister through now-hostile Cedonia to what they hope will be sanctuary in the Duchy of Orbas. It's a difficult and tricky journey, with dangerous delays. Temporarily stranded in the city of Sosie, they take refuge in a high-end brothel.

The brothel has a little problem with pests at the moment, which Penric, with his need to shed chaos, is able to help with. What he doesn't initially anticipate is that Mira, one of the ten women whose personalities make up the demon Desdemona, will step forward with her own skills to help them on their way.

Mira, of course, is the courtesan.

Over the course of their days in Sosie, it becomes easy to see why everyone who doesn't already know Penric well at some point suspects that his demon has become ascendant.

Another solid Penric adventure.

I bought this book.

I love Lois MacMasters Bujold's writing and have since I first ran across the Vorkosigan series sometime in the early 90s. *Mira's Last Dance* is beautifully written and lots of fun…but…

Well, there had to be a caveat, didn't there? It's the gender roles. On one hand, she seems to advocate for lots of different ways of being a man or a woman or something else, but any relationship outside of the hetero-norm is usually that of supporting characters and invariably rather one dimensional. The romance she focusses on seems always to be one in which a man courts a woman, usually somewhat clumsily, and the woman has the final yea or nay. Mira's Last Dance is no exception. We have a hero, Penric, who has living in his psyche the personalities of, I think it's 12, women, most of them quite sexually interested and and one at least a "courtesan." Yet, when push comes to shove, he is forced into the role of wooer waiting on the woman's decision as to whether she can put up with him. In spite of all the women that are increasingly merging with his masculine self, when push comes to shove, he's a guy wearing his heart on his sleeve and she's dithering and making him wait. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose, but this could have been complicated.

We are left with a hero, Penric, who is at the mercy of his various masters, 12 demon ladies and the twists and turns of the international politics of his world, but who doesn't seem to have goals or passions of his own, other than a desire to study other people's books. So, now he's in love with a nice girl who is holding out on him. I mean, with all those various women in there, you would think that at least he'd have a boyfriend on the side, or a love of cross dressing, or a strong maternal drive, or something that bends gender just a little. But apparently, in there the girls all stay or their own side, making fun of the guy over there who remains kind of cute but apparently as clueless as a husband in a cold-remedy commercial.

It's worth reading, it's fun, the characters are great, but somehow, Penric just doesn't live up to his potential.

Spoiler-ific review

I was given this book for free for the purpose of an unbiased review.

This is the forth book written in the Penric series, but is chronologically the fifth book in the series.  I have read the first three books in this series chronologically, but not the book just prior to this one. I'll be honest, I was a bit confused. Mira's Last Dance follows closely on the footsteps of 'Penric's Mission,' so you should read this only after reading that (and the first four books in the series while you're at it).

Penric and Desdemona are on a secret diplomatic mission far away from the Ibran Peninsula on behalf of the Bastard. And by diplomatic mission I mean they are spies using their magic powers to escape pursuit and save the woman Nikys from the cops. They are trapped alone in a foreign land with no friends and no access to the temples of the gods which usually help priest Penric.

Ordinarily this situation wouldn't be to much trouble- after all, Desdemona is a magic-wielding demon in a low-magic world. (Desdemona is a personality-devouring demon who copies the personalities of her hosts and adds them to her own personality). However on top of all their other troubles Penric was injured, and since Desdemona drains his body for energy to fuel magic their magic is all tied up.

I won't go into details about the plot, but it has a fun and spoiling it in the least will kinda ruin it. I'll just say that Mira is one of Desdemona's sub-personalities.

Highly recommended if you read the prior four novellas in this series as well as 'The Curse of Chalion'. If not, I suggest you check out those first. I kid you not, the World of the Five God super-series is one of the best modern fantasy series.

Stay Sunny!

Mira is one of the dozen or so previous hosts Penric's daemon Desdemona has inhabited in the past two centuries. Mira was a very very high-priced courtesan and her skills come in handy when Penric lands in a brothel and disguises himself as a women. Penric's companions, Arisaydia and Nikys, watch in amazement as a few strategically-placed rolls of cotton, some henna and face paint transform tall slender Penric into a stately beauty who captivates the heart (and purse) of wealthy, honorable and unsuspecting General Chadro.

This novella is the latest chapter in the tale of Learned Penric and his daemon Desdemona. It immediately follows Penric's Mission and is considered #5 in the series. Despite the novella's title, I hope we meet Mira again.

I received a review copy of "Mira's Last Dance" by Lois McMaster Bujold (Subterranean) through NetGalley.com. It was first published in 2017 by Spectrum Literary Agency, Inc. and has been reissued by Subterranean. As of this writing it is not showing up on the store.com.

Spoiler-ific review

I was given this book for free for the purpose of an unbiased review.

This is the forth book written in the Penric series, but is chronologically the fifth book in the series.  I have read the first three books in this series chronologically, but not the book just prior to this one. I'll be honest, I was a bit confused. Mira's Last Dance follows closely on the footsteps of 'Penric's Mission,' so you should read this only after reading that (and the first four books in the series while you're at it).

Penric and Desdemona are on a secret diplomatic mission far away from the Ibran Peninsula on behalf of the Bastard. And by diplomatic mission I mean they are spies using their magic powers to escape pursuit and save the woman Nikys from the cops. They are trapped alone in a foreign land with no friends and no access to the temples of the gods which usually help priest Penric.

Ordinarily this situation wouldn't be to much trouble- after all, Desdemona is a magic-wielding demon in a low-magic world. (Desdemona is a personality-devouring demon who copies the personalities of her hosts and adds them to her own personality). However on top of all their other troubles Penric was injured, and since Desdemona drains his body for energy to fuel magic their magic is all tied up.

I won't go into details about the plot, but it has a fun and spoiling it in the least will kinda ruin it. I'll just say that Mira is one of Desdemona's sub-personalities.

Highly recommended if you read the prior four novellas in this series as well as 'The Curse of Chalion'. If not, I suggest you check out those first. I kid you not, the World of the Five God super-series is one of the best modern fantasy series.

Stay Sunny!

Mira’s Last Dance is the shortest Penric novellas so far, and yet it is in many ways the most enjoyable. It is a brief sojourn into the wit that Bujold displays in her Vorkosigan books, that sly gleam of humor as she leads us on a dance (pun intended) through innocence and innuendo, through discretion and distraction, and through male and female minds and female minds within male minds. It’s a witty romp through dangerous territory as Mira, one of Desdemona’s progenitors, plays with us and her victims as she veils and unveils, well, just about everything.

On one hand, this is an incredibly fun and witty comedy, on the other, a breathless tale of near misses and escapes. If you love Penric, Bujold, or fantastical fantasies, this is simply a must-read addition to the Penric-Desdemona canon/cannon.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Penric is leading General Arisaydia and his widowed sister through now-hostile Cedonia to what they hope will be sanctuary in the Duchy of Orbas. It's a difficult and tricky journey, with dangerous delays. Temporarily stranded in the city of Sosie, they take refuge in a high-end brothel.

The brothel has a little problem with pests at the moment, which Penric, with his need to shed chaos, is able to help with. What he doesn't initially anticipate is that Mira, one of the ten women whose personalities make up the demon Desdemona, will step forward with her own skills to help them on their way.

Mira, of course, is the courtesan.

Over the course of their days in Sosie, it becomes easy to see why everyone who doesn't already know Penric well at some point suspects that his demon has become ascendant.

Another solid Penric adventure.

I bought this book.

Bit of a gender bender for Penric in which his feminine demon gets him out of serious trouble. This book continues the story from 'Penric's Mission'.

The description of Mira's Last Dance is tactfully done, and is mainly left to the reader's imagination. So there is no potential offence to younger readers.

Also, Penric has to deal with the painful issue of breast cancer. He has to decide whether to attempt to cure and give possibly false hope, or to keep silent.

Number 4 in the Penric series -- a short work following Penric and his demon Desdemona as they try to recover from the events in the last novella and make it back. In this particular episode, Mira, one of the demon's former riders, gets to come to the fore and have one last chance to use a body and do what she does best -- enchant and captivate.

An intersting novella that follows the action in Penric’s Mission. Great for fans of the Penric and Desdemona series. It was fun to see what Mira could get up to if turned loose.

I received an ARC of the story.

It's fascinating to see Penric and Desdemona from Nikys's point of view, and to compare that with Penric's own ideas. And we certainly see Penric a whole new way, as Desdemona calls on Mira's ....er..... special expertise.... to get them all out of trouble. There's always an unexpected twist to the story, always something to make you gasp or giggle or wince. Loving these characters more every time I see them.

I bought the iBooks version because they allow left justification instead of full justification. If you enjoyed the prior stories in this series then you will love this one. Even more whimsical than the prior books it was just plain fun.