The Hallowed Hunt

I came to this book by a probably unusual route, first reading Bujold's series of novellas starting with [b:Penric's Demon 25791216 Penric's Demon (Penric and Desdemona, #1) Lois McMaster Bujold https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436108514l/25791216.SX50.jpg 45642232], set in the same world but in a later time period, and with a very different mood to them. Penric is young and has a sunny disposition, while Ingrey, the hero of this novel, is also young in years but seems middle-aged throughout: he's dour, world-weary, mature, hard-bitten.This is a gripping novel that's hard to put down, with a variety of characters, a complex and interesting story, and a satisfactory conclusion. Although the sorcerers seen in the other stories are present, the emphasis here is on shamans, who use a darker source of magical power that is gradually dying out over the course of time.The world of the Five Gods has the usual fantasy setting: a fictionalized version of our own world, with different countries and languages, and a mediæval pre-gunpowder level of technology, all carefully and vividly described in some detail.This is chronologically the earliest story set in this world—about 150 years before [b:Penric's Demon 25791216 Penric's Demon (Penric and Desdemona, #1) Lois McMaster Bujold https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436108514l/25791216.SX50.jpg 45642232], and about 250 years before [b:The Curse of Chalion 61886 The Curse of Chalion (World of the Five Gods, #1) Lois McMaster Bujold https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1322571773l/61886.SY75.jpg 1129349]. So it might seem reasonable to read this one first, before the others. I don't think the author particularly intends you to do that, but I don't know of any reason why you shouldn't.Compared with the accompanying novels set in this world, [b:The Curse of Chalion 61886 The Curse of Chalion (World of the Five Gods, #1) Lois McMaster Bujold https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1322571773l/61886.SY75.jpg 1129349] and [b:Paladin of Souls 61904 Paladin of Souls (World of the Five Gods, #2) Lois McMaster Bujold https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388350884l/61904.SY75.jpg 819610], in some ways I like this one best; but its emphasis on shamans is a slight disadvantage. I seem to prefer reading about sorcerers, so it's pleasant to encounter a sorcerer in this story, although unfortunately she has only a minor role and isn't on stage much.Although the ending is satisfactory in the way it brings the plot to a conclusion, and it's not unhappy, it is nevertheless macabre, and not one of my favourite endings. However, it would be hard to change, because the rest of the book leads up to it. I've decided in the end that the rest of the book is worth five stars, and I can live with the ending.I didn't immediately warm to the characters of this story; but after repeated rereadings I've grown to like them. Ingrey is all over the story, it's told from his point of view, but there's a diverse array of other characters that are sufficiently well drawn to make an impression. Some of them are likeable and even amusing, although the story is mostly serious.