The Curse of Chalion

I read very little fantasy. I have read all the Vorkosigan stories by Bujold. So I thought to try this fantasy book. It starts out slowly, telling about Caz looking for a way to stay alive. But, The characters drew my attention more and more until I could not put the book down and tried to finish it without sleep.

One aspect that is important to me is the minimal inclusion of magic. While particular magical influences are integral to the plot, the story can be enjoyed for how the characters handle the challenges they face.

While the central character is a 35 year old male, there are multiple strong women characters in the story. The story follows an arc of increasing conflict, danger and complexity from beginning to end. The world building and and completeness of story is impressive.

This story seems to me to be likely entertaining to almost all readers. I am not normally a fan of fantasy, but enjoyed almost every minute of it. There are small but important romance subplots. There are a few small unit conflicts spread through the book. If you are a super animal lover, be warned, some animals are harmed in the making of the book. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to everyone.