December Book: Curse of Chalion

[FicusFan]

Well since nobody else has started it I will.

I loved this book, though I read it several years ago.

I liked Cazaril, and the fact that he is another non-standard character. He is old, and scarred and homeless and not in the least typically heroic. I like the LMB takes people who would not be 'stars' and makes them so - not by erasing their problems and weaknesses, but by helping them and us rise above their limitations.

I liked Isselle and her crazy mother, and her stern and protective grand-mother.

I thought the 5 gods and the religious issues in the book were very well done.

I thought the part about Cazaril arguing with his religious tumor late at night in the last part of the book, was possibly one of the funniest things ever written. I love that LMB has such a wonderful sense of humor.

I really enjoyed this book (though it took me a bit to get over the fact that it wasn't Miles), and I also have read the next in the series The Paladin of Souls

[ChrisW]

I loved the book but I found the way she described the fighting at the end strange. I can't remember it exactly but he's holding a gate or something and she doesn't describe the fight at all. He's just talking to himself or something .

[Nimea]

Just like when reading The Bone Doll's Twin, this book drew me further in with each page.

I loved it!

Cazaril is a very interesting character. He is a bit older, very experienced, he's gone through a lot - yet he is . . . can I say 'nice'?
Loyal, caring, strong. Simply a good man.

And the 'evil' men are so for sure, yet Cazaril grants at least the older dy Jironal that he also was a victim of the curse . . . I liked that.

Oh, and the royesse. Great! A young girl, strong-headed, yet not the type that rather wants to run away or be the fighter. She knows what she can and should do, what her responibilities are. Really a very good 'young princess'.

Not to mention that beautiful love story between Caz and Betriz. I enjoyed that very much.

Just like FicusFan I liked the humor. And Caldazar, you could be right with the description of the scene. But on the other hand it did not disturb me and did not hinder me to imagine what happened there.

That's what I think about the book.
Did anyone else read it? I am a little surprised that almost nothing happened in the first week of discussion - although I am guilty of reading slowly and only finishing it last Friday.

Anything we can discuss further about the novel? Like the religion or the curse itself? *shrugs*

Right now, the last thing I can say: I will definitely read "The Paladin of Souls"!

[Nimea]

Something came to my mind last night right before falling asleep . . .

The five fingers on a hand are each attributed to one of the five gods. And the Bastard's finger is the thumb.

That's very interesting, because in Germany we do not 'cross our fingers' but 'squeeze our thumbs' (that's the best translation I came up with for 'Daumen drücken').
That goes back to, I think, the middle ages (could be another time, but some long time ago), when we attributed the thumb as the Devil's finger. Through it Satan could influence one badly. So holding, pressing or squeezing it, prevented the Devil's evil doings and brought luck.
I heard that story years ago and now I remembered it while thinking about the book and this discussion.

[FicusFan]

Originally posted by Nimea
The five fingers on a hand are each attributed to one of the five gods. And the Bastard's finger is the thumb.

That's very interesting, because in Germany we do not 'cross our fingers' but 'squeeze our thumbs' (that's the best translation I came up with for 'Daumen drücken').
That goes back to, I think, the middle ages (could be another time, but some long time ago), when we attributed the thumb as the Devil's finger. Through it Satan could influence one badly. So holding, pressing or squeezing it, prevented the Devil's evil doings and brought luck.
I heard that story years ago and now I remembered it while thinking about the book and this discussion.

Interesting. I just came across a reference to the 'thumbs up' gesture as a pagan male virility symbol. Wonder if the Devil is in the thumbs, because of sex ?

I think the Bastard is the most interesting of the gods. I like having a god that deals with people who are problems. Not that you have to change and become better, but that you have a god who can appreicate you for who and what you are. Very cool

[Leiali]

I really enjoyed it, there is something to be said of having a fallible, endearing hero who really would rather not get involved in the moving and shaking that goes with the territory of saving the world! I did get confused at the end though, as I did not quite understand the whole thing (like Caldazar) at the big fight. It just kind of happened.
I think the book is dynamic because it is funny, and LBJ writes with ease. It always comes across as though she is enjoying writing it, and enjoying where the characters are taking her. And I enjoy it too!

Oh - and I have to say that I really missed Miles when reading it - I kept hoping he would turn up somehow.....

[sueVee]

I happened on LBJ almost by accident awhile back when I was in a dry period. I had just finished the intensive Erickson's books of Malazan and wanted something a little lighter and entertaining. So I happened to pick up a Miles book and was hooked. So when I saw this book a few months ago I grabbed it and I was glad I did.

It has been awhile since I read it and I dropped into this discussion late, but Caz seemed to remind me a little of Robin Hobb's Fitz, especially in the beginning when returning to the castle. Did anyone else see this?

[FicusFan]

Originally posted by sueVee
It has been awhile since I read it and I dropped into this discussion late, but Caz seemed to remind me a little of Robin Hobb's Fitz, especially in the beginning when returning to the castle. Did anyone else see this?

I have read the first three books with Fitz. I have all of the books in the 2nd trilogy and the Mad Ship trilogy, but have not read them yet. My recollection of Fitz, from the first book, is that he is young, and a pretty passsive creature who develops into a whining, passive adult in the next 2 books. I also seem to remember thinking that he blamed everyone around him for his own problems as well as those fate dumped on him. I have never been able to see him as an interesting or admirable character.

Caz on the other hand I like very much. He has had lots of troubles in his life, and he is still keeps on trying. He also seems to have learned wisdom from his troubles, something that I don't think Fitz even approached (at least in the first trilogy). I also never really bought his Garbo impression.

So I don't see the similarity, but perhaps you are talking about an improved Fitz from one of the later books ?

[sueVee]

Yes, I was talking about Fitz in the last trilogy of the Fool. But I don't want to spoil it for you.

[FicusFan]

Great to hear it. It gives me something more to look forward to in terms of the next two trilogies. I really liked the world that Hobbs created, and was sort of reading for that part of it, and in spite of Fitz. Though I have heard others say good things about the last trilogy in particular.

[Hobbit]

Just realised that (with about 8 hours to go!) that I hadn't made any comments about this book.

I'll try and keep it short for a change.

SPOILERS.......



OK - Curse of Chalion is a literate read, with an interesting premise and world setup, though most of the book concentrates on a small part of it - that around the main characters. The lead character, deity and 'hero' (though more of a reluctant antihero) is an interesting and unusual character, especially when you read of the understated backstory. Caz is a person with history. He is a worn out hero, which is interesting.

Bujold has used her well developed writing skills in order to produce a well-written page turner, though I would add that the world is not a pleasant one - indeed, it is a harsh one, hardly romanticised - there are gruesome deaths, tortures, and sacrifices to death gods for example, as well as the usual courtly machinations and intrigue.

There are plot devices that are a little obvious - Beatriz's romance with Caz is obvious, but humourous, for example, and the main one to me particularly was the one on which much of the book seems to hinge, about Princess Iselle and her Prince - but Bujold has the skill to keep it going.

It is not Bujold's first foray into fantasy (try the Spirit Ring for that) but it is an interesting one.


END SPOILERS

Hobbit

[Zedar]

(resurrecting another thread as I go through all the bookclub threads for books I've read)

Note: I listed to this as an audiobook, so forgive any manglings of characters names...

I really enjoyed curse of chalion, thought it was a nice easy read (as such), with an interesting story and enjoyable characters. I really thought the strongest aspect in this case was the worldbuilding. The world itself was clearly recognizable as 15th century spain, but with a few twists. The religion especially was a high point for me.

Contrary to many here though, I found the characters to be the weakest point. Most of them seem to be rather shallow stereotpes, either purely altruistic or purely evil, with a "whiny prince", and "weak will monarch" thrown in for good measure. The only interesting character was the chancellor in my opinion. Not that this stopped me from enjoying the book a great deal, the storyline was more than enough to keep me going