Spirit Ring

____________________________________________"The Spirit Ring" is based on "The Grateful Dead", which is an oldfolk-tale (young man pays for a pauper's burial, and is rewarded by hisghost), Ms. Bujold's great-uncle's Ph.D. dissertation, and (I presume)source of the band's name. This is, I think, her most personal novel. Theheroine's domineering, larger-than-life father must be, in part, LMB's ownengineer-father, though the character is formally modeled on BenvenutoCellini. The spunky, rebellious, and ultimately spectacularly successfuldaughter is surely, in part, Lois herself (or at least a power-fantasywish-fulfillment mental self-image) [1]. Huh. I don't normally do (orlike) this sort of review, but it feels right this time. Read the book andsee what you think. LMB has said that the engineer-hero of "Falling Free"was explicitly modeled after her Dad. And "The Spirit Ring" is her onlyfemale coming-of-age novel. None of this will get in the way of yourenjoyment of the book, BTW, it's Bujold at her story-telling best, a fineand stirring yarn indeed.We're in the smokehouse at a rural inn: Thur glanced up, then his gaze was riveted by what lay in the shadows above the rafters... the nude body of a gray-bearded man, close-wrapped in the same sort of gauze as the sausages... His skin was shrivelled and tanning in the smoke. "Pico was right," Thur observed after a moment's stunned silence. "Your wife does smoke the most unusual hams." Catti glanced up after him. "Oh, that," he said in disgust. "...He's a refugee from Montefoglia who didn't quite make it. Penniless, it turned out -- after the bill was run up." "Do you often do this to guests who don't pay?" asked Thur in a fascinated voice. "I'll tell Pico to settle our bill promptly...""The Spirit Ring" was Bujold's ninth published novel, first fantasy noveland first hardcover. It didn't sell very well. I was vaguely aware of itsexistence, but I'm not a regular fantasy reader and had passed it by. Don'tyou make the same mistake.Happy reading!Pete Tillman

This was the first Lois McMaster Bujold book I ever read (and now I've read them all) and it's still one of my favorites. What makes this book stand out from all the other Middle Ages, magical rings books is, first and foremost, this book makes sense! Bujold carefully lays down the ground rules for the use of magic in her world, and then she sticks to them. There's no "Deus ex machina" in The Spirit Ring, just a wonderful, witty, entirely "believable" story. As always in a Bujold book, there's mystery, comedy, action, and even a little romance.

This was the first Bujold book I happened to pick up. A medieval fantasy would not normally be a vehicle for comedy, but this one is. There are several zinger lines and a sequence involving poisoned wine that is hillarious. The book makes a serious point and makes you laugh at the same time.

Lois McMaster Bujold is known for her hard sf writing. However, with THE SPIRIT RING, she shows she can handle fantasy as well. A great read and a good time! Pamela Adams

From the writer of award-winning SF comes this spectacular fantasy. Set in an alternative history where magic works, this book is many things. It is a scientific exploration of magic, it is a touching romance, it is gripping battle between the forces of good and evil.