RogerBW's Blog

Penric and the Bandit, Lois McMaster Bujold 09 August 2025

2024 fantasy novella in the World of the Five Gods (formerly known as Chalion). Roz the bandit has fallen out with his gang, and is looking for a new pigeon to pluck. And the traveller he meets at an inn seems like a good prospective victim. He even has a treasure map…

This is told from mixed viewpoints, some Roz and some Penric (because of course it is he). And in principle what it's about is a trip to an abandoned temple, in the hope of recovering some lost manuscripts… but the point is much more that Penric, who has instantly worked out what's going on with Roz, finds himself seeing a path for Roz that doesn't involve continued unsuccessful banditry followed by death (possibly from his own former colleagues).

There's also a lot of practical travel, including things like eating the food bought from the inn in the right order so that on day four what's in your bag will still be at least edible if not pleasant, and some shenanigans involving the abandoned temple. Matters mostly conclude with a desperate fight, showing the full development of Penric's and Desdemona's sorcerous powers.

But all of that action is very much in the background to the story of Roz's possible redemption. (What do you find to do if your experience is working on a road gang, being a drafted soldier, and being a bandit? Especially if they're still looking for you for banditry and desertion?)

Good stuff. There wouldn't be enough here to make a novel, but as a novella it works rather well.

[Buy this at Amazon] and help support the blog. ["As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases."]

Previous in series: Demon Daughter | Series: Penric and Desdemona

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