The Prisoner of Limnos

Will review at www.fantasyliterature.com.

Penric's adventures continue. This one picks up pretty much right after [b:Mira's Last Dance 34348998 Mira's Last Dance (Penric and Desdemona, #4) Lois McMaster Bujold https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487582553l/34348998.SY75.jpg 55425075].Nikys's mother has been arrested and imprisoned in an impregnable tower on the isle of Limnos. Penric's beloved Nikys has asked him to try to rescue her. It seems an impossible task, but she has faith that Penric and Desdemona can pull it off. Penric can hardly say no, so he and Nikys set off on their risky endeavor. Along the way they are aided by some quirky characters including a palace eunuch and Nikys's relatives.We get quite a bit of action, some romance, and a dash of humor (once again, circumstances force Penric to cross-dress as a woman). As usual, Bujold's skillful writing carries the story smoothly.

I reread all the Penric stories quite frequently because I find them so pleasant to read. How much I enjoy each particular story varies somewhat, but I reread them all because I enjoy the world, the characters, and the writing.

I give this story five stars because it's a particular treat to read. It has a more interesting plot than usual, and it introduces a bunch of good new characters—who do reappear later, but not in every subsequent story.

Furthermore, Limnos is a picturesque place to visit.

After the preceding two stories, it's quite nice to have a rest from Adelis, half-brother of Nikys, who doesn't appear this time. He's one of the good guys, but (for good reasons) we haven't yet seen him at his best, and it's easier for Penric and Nikys to get along without him in the middle. We do meet Ikos for the first time: another half-brother not mentioned until now...