The Chalion books

I'm currently rereading Lois McMaster Bujold's Chalion books - The Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls, and The Hallowed Hunt. I'm in the midst of the second book just now.

Taken as a whole, I think PoS is rather a darker book than CoC, but I'm delighted to be reminded that in parts, it's actually quite funny - funnier than its predecessor. I'm thinking in particular of Ista's conversation with Ferda at the beginning of Chapter 9:

"Ferda," she interrupted gently.
"Yes, Royina?"
"I want... a piece of bread and a bedroll."
"This rough camp is no place for your repose - "
"Any bread. Any bedroll."
"There may be some women I can find for your attendants, but they are not what you are used to - "
"Your bedroll would do."
"Royina, I - "
"If you do not give me a bedroll at once, I am going to sit down on the ground right here and start to cry. Now."

And of course there's this:

"Oh, but I love my task," said Liss cheerfully, slapping her dirty tabard. "People give me fast horses and get out of my way."

(Liss is almost always fun.)

LMB is such a wonderful writer...

Birthday

Happy birthday, mukhtar!