The Curse of Chalion

Lupe dy Cazaril, Royesse Iselle dy Chalion, and Betriz dy Ferrej are up against a powerful curse that plagues the land and the Chalion royal line, as well as corruption that rules the land in the name of Iselle's half brother Orico. The curse has driven Iselle's mother Ista mad, rendered Orico incapable of rule, and is coming for Iselle next. With little but their wits and strength of will to guide them, they must clear the curse and cleanse the land.

In terms of review, I'm going to copy paste this part across all three five gods books I've read. The theology and magic are excellent. The characters are strong, and, while in desperate circumstances and compelled to take impossible risks, do so in bold and interesting ways. There's some setup to get into the action, but Bujold weaves the stories together in a way that keeps the action flowing while making it impossible to predict what will happens next, in a way that never feels forced or unearned.