A Novella in the World of the Five Gods - Penric & Desdemona

The Penric stories are quite good! There's some "nasty" violence in here, but it isn't explicitly described.
The ending is ... indicative of another story to come; not exactly a cliffhanger, but not a real ending either.

I love the writing of LMB and read each of her books/novels/etc. as soon as available. My only problem was with the store's notice to me - the email came 7 days after I had purchased and read this book. Too slow the store.

Bujold does a fine job here as she always does. Those who have already enjoyed meeting Penric in the two previous novellas will be pleased to encounter him and Desdemona again, especially as he has ventured abroad on this mission and encounters a different culture.

Penric's character has become more complex and darker with time (and unpleasant) experience. All Bujold's characters continue to be well-thought out and their actions and motivations make sense in their world. I enjoyed the story and look forward to more!

In my opinion, this is the best of the Desdemona series. The story flows perfectly from start to finish. The mixing and separation of Penrics demon is good. I liked the mixture of his life demons and Desdemona who tries to protect him from them.

As always, Lois writing spellbinds me. She is my absolutely favourite author and having read all of the Vorkosigan/Cordelia books I am thrilled beyond saying to find myself enthralled by Penric and Des too. I sincerely hope to follow them for a long time forward.

Great story, and interesting characters. Bujold does not disappoint. This 3rd story about Penric and Desdemona is very enjoyable and a lovely addition to the series. Hopefully she will do a full novel about Penric sometime.

Bujold is an excellent story teller. I read and reread her stories when I can not find new good works. Penric is a lovable and quaint hero without being ostentatious or superhero like. Penric's Mission is the best in the series, so far. I look forward to more.

After reading the first two Penric books and now the third I love them but I have too say poor Penric! Lois seems to ask herself how can I mess with this guy and then put it on paper/pixels. Loved the story except it is too short! Thus my withholding one star. Lois stopped writing before I was done reading.

The familiar, well-rounded characters grow ever more three-dimensional, and the new people also LIVE. Here is not only world-building, but also culture-building. It echoes our here-and-now. "Paper" people behave as "real" people would given a different world. It follows the two previous "Penric" tales, but could stand alone, or be read first. Now I need to re-read it!

The protagonist is inhabited by 10 personalities, so first person narration does not come close to describing the story!

It could be longer, Bujold writes long stories very well, but this makes a nice 'airplane ride' length story.

Bujold continues the tale of Penric & Desdemona's partnership in a third novella, just as witty and thoughtful as the first two. There are some new twists in this one, though they are likely to be pleasantly familiar to fans of Bujold's oeuvre.

I was so glad to see a new series from one of my favorite authors. Ms. Bujold is a past master - her awards room must look like a spaceship storage yard. Her characters are charming and unique, her prose glass clear. I would follow her writing anywhere, and have.

Just as good as all Bujold's writing. Penric and Desdemona continue to be utterly delightful. This novella reads like the first section of a book, not a full story on its own, but is entirely worthwhile anyway -- as long as she writes the rest of it soon!

A much better developed story than her first two Penric ones. Better challenges, you see Penric as not perfect or completely lucky and she leaves us wondering what will happen next. A very pleasant read.

Each of the Penric tales is better than the last—in whichever way you count it! This one brings a quiet depth to Penric's character and fleshed out what we know of healing magic. Can't wait to find out more about Lady Owl...

Another Bujold triumph; the Penric stories are a welcome addition to her oeuvre. Well developed characters in challenging situations. The world of the five gods is only one of her interesting series.

Its a bit of a rip off to sell a 100 page book at this price. Clearly the author has cut up a regular novel into bite sized chunks and is selling them individually. Normally I could get one of the regular sized books for $10.00. I will end up paying $20 to buy it in pieces. Still, it is pleasant to read. I do a lot of travelling and use the Kindle in airports.

A new chapter in the Penric universe. it feels like an in-between chapter: no great goals, no great efforts, but still good storytelling as Bujold is known for. And... it tastes like better will come to us in the future - it is stage-setting.

Only reason I marked it down a star was it ended too suddenly and wasn't really a satisfying ending. Wanting more is one thing, feeling like the author just stopped is another. And I freaking love this series, and all the Five God books.

I'm loving the new ability to publish e-novellas, which keep the stories coming more quickly. Disappointingly unresolved ending, though as others have said I take it that this means a new chapter in Penric's story is soon to arrive.

I have been enjoying the adventures of Penric and his demon companion Desdemona for some time and very much enjoyed this third installment. It seems that this tale is a bit longer than the first two, but still far shorter than one would expect from a full book, so be aware of what you are purchasing. That said, since the author did make it clear that this was a novella, and the price was reasonable, I was delighted to have this installment, and will look forward to any further tales of Penric and Desdemona that will appear.

This story, set about 10 years after the first, opened with a lighthearted air, then things got dark and frightening quickly. There was one point so frightening that if I hadn't trusted Bujold as an author, I might have given up. But the story and characters develop together and we get a resolution that is satisfying. I look forward to more in the future.

I am a great fan of Ms. Bujold, and enjoyed the first two installments of Penric and Desdemona. This third installment -- not so much. Like others, I found the ending abrupt, and somewhat dissatisfying. I could have forgiven this if the plot had been less predictable or the supporting characters drawn with the deftness that has defined her work through the years. Case in point: the now-deceased Princess Divine of the previous book was only in a few pages, but her characterization was so vivid you felt her power and understood the complexities of her relationship with Penric. In P'sM I found the heroine a little vapid, her brother's character inconsistent, and the villain a bit of a wispy caricature (yes, he's evil, but why?, how?). Lastly, Penric is supposed to be clever, but for the most part he relies on "magic" whether demon-driven or wealdian. I got bored with the constant reliance of sorcery to advance the plot.

The book is good, but it took me tome to think before buy a next one. The demones comes ahead steadilly , and Penric never been strong male character degrades further becoming just a vehicle for his female rider. Spoiled my imressions of a story told.

If you liked any of the stories of the World of the Five Gods, you will like this one as well. Just stop dithering around and read every single thing Lois McMaster Bujold has ever written. You will not regret it

Penric’s Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold takes the Penric and Desdemona series of novellas to a new level in terms of story complexity, character development, and reader engagement. Where the previous three installments were serviceable enough stories, fun to read, and moved things along in terms of Penric’s progression as a sorcerer, Penric’s Mission allows the character to grow in entirely new ways. Not only does he display a level of confidence I’ve not seen before with his sorcery, but he also builds up enough courage to engage in a bit of romance despite a certain over-protective brother working against him. I received Penric’s Mission via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Bujold did not write the Penric and Desdemona stories in chronological order, though I’ve been reading them as such, ignoring the order in which they were published. Based on information I found on the Chalion Wiki, Penric’s Mission is the fourth novella in the series.

In Penric’s Mission, the titular character finds himself in a far and distant land, working undercover to enlist the aid of a disaffected general. All seems to be going well until Penric is betrayed, thrown into a dungeon, and then sentenced to death. Penric has come a long way since he first met Desdemona, the demon who shares his body in a sort of symbiotic relationship, so he handles this change of fortune with tact and intelligence. Once free, he has the option to flee for his life. Instead, Penric stays on point, putting the mission ahead of his own well-being. It doesn’t hurt one bit that Penric finds himself attracted to the general’s sister. What started as a straightforward mission to secure the aid of a military genius becomes a fight for survival as Penric must face off against his betrayer and the sorcerer who serves him.

Penric’s Mission is a great addition to the Penric and Desdemona series and the first novella to earn a four rocket rating from me. Bujold’s writing style is as captivating as always, but what really sets this book apart from its predecessors is Penric himself, who has matured in terms of both his sorcery and his personality. He still relies on Desdemona’s greater experience and wisdom, but he often shows initiative all on his own now. It’s a refreshing change to his character, one that allows him to grow much more within the span of this one book then I’ve seen previously.

Needless to say, I liked Penric’s Mission and I already have plans to pick up the next book in the series.

The third novella in the Penric & Desdemona series features a new challenge for Penric - palace intrigue! And, a romantic interest! We’ve now skipped ahead another handful of years, and Penric has been loaned to the Duke of Adria, who has sent him on a secret mission to hire a Cedonian general. Only, of course, Penric (and Desdemona) have barely set foot in Cedonia when he’s arrested as a spy. Soon Penric discovers he’s in an even bigger mess than he imagined, and Penric being Penric, he decides it’s his responsibility to fix it - sometimes in very hilarious ways (like giving a theology lecture to an attacker who Desdemona half-buried in a landslide).

Bujold excels at tightly-wrapped plots and amazing characterization. Penric and his demon have a fascinating relationship - part best friends and part older sister / younger brother. Adelis, the Cedonian general, and his sister, Nikys, are wonderful additions to the series, and provide an opportunity to give a “Sorcerer 101” course to anyone who’s just picking up these books, but, please, don’t short yourself! Read the other ones first!

Half of the fun of these novellas is watching Penric and Desdemona’s relationship evolve, and at discovering the events that have happened between books. However, due to the abrupt end of the story, I certainly hope Ms. Bujold decides to pick up right where she left off!

Reading Ms. Bujold’s work is always a pleasure. Recommended for anyone who loves well-written fantasy with a fully developed world, humor, and amazing characters.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Penric has been through some big changes since the events in Penric's Fox. His studies with the shamans in Easthome completed, he returned to Martensbridge, where his medical abilities became greatly in demand. Very greatly in demand--and only for the most serious cases. The Princess-Archdivine Llewen has died, and so has his mother. In the end, it was too much loss, and he moved to Adria, first to serve the White God's archdivine there, and then to serve the Duke.

And the Duke has sent him to Cedonia, to make contact with a general who wishes to take service in Adria.

Unless, of course, the letter from the general is a forgery.

Penric finds himself plunged into danger and intrigue immediately upon disembarking in Cedonia. Hit on the head from behind, dumped in a bottle dungeon, and intended to drown, his challenges are only beginning.

Penric continues to develop as a character, and his story continues to advance, as we continue to explore more of the world of the Five Gods. This is a novella, so it's hard to say anything more without engaging in inexcusable spoilers, but in character, pace, and convincing world-building, it's good, solid Bujold storytelling.

Recommended.

I bought this book.

"Penric's Mission" was the first story with Penric and his demon Desdemona, that I have read. I was not aware, that there were others before. This I learned only having read and enjoyed this one. So I can tell you first hand, that this story is a good starting point.
The learned Penric is a sorcerer and that means he builds a team with a demon (Desdemona) that inhabits his body. Both work together and trust each other, they are cooperating for a long time.

In this story Penric is on a secret mission. On behalf of of the Duke of Adria they should convince general Arisaydia of Cedonia to work for the Duke.
But the mission is not as secret as it should be and so Penric is placed in jail, while the general is blinded with acid.
The story tells of their escape, together with Nikys. the twin sister of the general, and of the beginning love between Penric and Nickys.

The story telling is great and there is only one problem. While the current problems get solved some others are still open, when the story ends (read: there is a cliffhanger)
So I was quite happy to see, that the story is continued with "Mira's Last Dance", that's already available for reading.

An excellent read, as one would expect from Lois McMaster Bujold.

Penric's story continues with this new novella. Some years have passed since we last saw our titular hero and now hee is on a mission in a far away land. It's a covert mission, though, and one which quickly goes foul.

Unlike previous novellas, the story feels like a section of a larger book rather than a self-contained tale. The ending is left surprisingly open, inviting more story and, dare we hope, the potential for a full-length novel on Penric.

The world and writing are as interesting as ever and the story is a pleasure to read. Penric and Des are delightful, especially as Penric is a bit older and more confident in himself. I did wish this was a larger book in order to learn a bit more of the new land we are visiting and the end is a bit unsatisfying. All in all though this is Bujold's typical high quality writing and you really can't go wrong with that.

Lois McMaster Bujold is probably my favorite author. "Penric's Mission" is a fun novella continuing the story of Learned Penric and his daemon Desdemona. Penric goes on a secret mission but is betrayed and thrown in prison. He is also thrown into the warm and ample bosom of young widow Nikys Khatai who is intent on rescuing her brother disgraced General Arisaydia.

As always Ms Bujold's writing skills deliver an amusing and believable story.

I received a review copy of "Penric's Mission" by Lois McMaster Bujold (Subterranean) through NetGalley.com.

NB the store no longer alerts reviewers when comments or up and down votes are posted. If you would like a response to your comment, write to me. You could also ask the store why they now hide feedback from reviewers.

Well that sucks! I was so drawn in to Penric and his happenings that before I knew it I was on the last page. The ending was far too abrupt. I need, indeed must get hold of what happens next!!
Note: I read the sequel (Mira's Last Dance) and am now much happier
Anyway in Mission, Penric enters into a secret diplomatic mission for the Duke of Adri that ends in unmitigated disaster with Penric imprisoned and the future looking grim. Desdemona as usual has a few pithy words to say! A well constructed world that opens up new vistas, with a fitting sense of humor and occasion.
Penric is altogether one of my favorite characters, and here his story just keeps on giving!

A NetGalley ARC

Penric is now in the wider world. But he is caught up in a wider conspiracy.

His powers have developed considerably since the previous book. We are not taken through this journey of discovery. With so powerful a demon and developed magical powers, Penric is in danger of becoming a Mary Sue. That is, a character who is able to overcome every challenge without effort.

Despite this, the book is still an enjoyable read. I have continued to read the following books in this series

On first reading, not my favourite of the Penric stories, but I have learnt to wait till I have reread Bujold's stories several times before making a final judgement, as her stories do have multiple layers and more than I will get in one reading.
I do enjoy Desdemona.

Hear Hear for Semi-Retired Authors! What does an author do when she already has 4 Hugo Awards, 2 Nebula Awards, a long-running acclaimed series (such as the Vorkosigan Saga), etc.? Why, she writes novellas "for herself". That is, no contracts, no deadlines, AND she writes them when she feels like it.

Since the author in question is Lois McMaster Bujold and the fantasy novella series is Penric (set in the World Of The Five Gods), all I can say is "Hooray and Thank You!"

There are three thus far in this series: Penric's Demon, Penric and the Shaman, and Penric's Mission.

This is a kind of tale that I really enjoy. Penric has not had a moment of peace since at age 19 he accidentally acquired his chaos demon. Anything that happens, his demon has an opinion on it and, since his demon is 200 years old, sometimes it is very good advice indeed! I enjoy telepathy between characters (whether in their own bodies or sharing a body). Penric's demon Desdemona sometimes speaks internally but often uses Penric's own mouth (so it looks like he spends a lot of time talking to himself).

Penric has also been a sorcerer since age 19 (in this world, sorcerers are defined as persons with chaos demons). So I enjoy the similarities & differences with the champion Bahzell (David Weber's War God's Own fantasy series). Both Penric and Bahzell have a relationship with their respective gods.

There is no guarantee that Ms. Bujold will write another Penric novella nor when (if she does) but it is certainly something to be fervently wished for!!

The Penric novellas are must-read if you love Bujold or fantasy. While they’re short and rather episodic novellas, the books are deep, mystical, and thoroughly enjoyable and each contributes to the whole story and mythology. In Penric’s Mission, the fourth book in the series, Penric has been enlisted to spy out and recruit a supposedly politically ambiguous general to recruit. The mission is compromised and Penric and Desdemona must do all they can to rescue the mission, the general, and his sister.

What results are breathless escapes, wonderful Desdemona-Penric conversations and magic, and perhaps a budding relationship between Penric and General Arisaydia’s sister, Nikys. As usual the writing is wonderful, the storyline engaging, and the characterizations deep and satisfying. Wonderfully complex and enjoyable all around.

Penric’s Mission is perhaps my favorite Penric novella so far, and yet I feel that way toward each when I read it. Highly recommended.

I'm not a "fantasy" reader, discovered Lois McMaster Bujold in the more "science" science fiction Vorkosigan Saga. Still, the Penric / Desdemona series is very enjoyable. Enough magic to be magical, but not so much as to make the "fantasy" ludicrous.

Lois McMaster Bujold is probably one of the best writers today. I adore her Vorkosigan series and have read them all. I love the Sharing Knife series and the Penric ones too. Fast, funny, serious, and so, so, enjoyable. Anyone reading it won't be disappointed!

Lois mcMaster Bujold doesn't really need an endorsement, but I'm giving one anyway. I loved it. I love Penric, and his new companions. The only downside is that the story feels unfinished. Not a cliffhanger as such, but more a to be continued.