Publishing information: Paperback; 1216 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Book Group; 21 January 2010
ISBN 10: 1841498548
ISBN 13: 9781841498546
Omnibus that contains the first trilogy
Contains the books Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance, and Oath of Gold
Reviewer: Tyson
Back of the Book "Paksenarrion wasn't planning to submit to an unwelcome marriage and a lifetime of poverty, so she left her village with a plan and her grandfather's sword. And a few weeks later, she was installed as Duke Phelan's newest recruit in a company of soldiers for hire, her arms training about to begin. But when Paks sees combat, she's stabbed with an ensorcelled knife and barely survives. Then the near-misses start mounting up, raising questions about this young fighter. Is she attracting evil because she is a danger to them all? Or is there another reason malignant forces seek her life? Paks will face the spider-minions of the Webmistress Achrya, orcs and the corrupted men who serve blood mage Liart, Master of Torments. She will also earn the gratitude of elves and of her Duke. And through conflict she will learn she has powers of her own and a destiny. To become a gods-chosen Paladin of Gird, and a target for the ultimate torture."
The Deeds of Paksenarrion is my first novel or novels rather by Elizabeth Moon. Nearly everyone else here at Speculative Book Review has read one, if not several books by her and I have to admit that I am impressed. Since this is an omnibus I thought I would attempt to tackle the books separately and then bring it all back together so, bear with me.
Sheepfarmer's Daughter
The first book in the series was a real high point in the series. We are introduced to nearly everyone in the rest of the series in this book. Paksenarrion comes across as a real individual. While this is a fantasy, if you were brought into the world Elizabeth Moon created she seems that she would be someone you would find in any small village or town. Many of the supporting cast is also realistic. There are various personalities thrown into the mix and they all feel real.
The pacing of the novel is very fast. We move from her time with her family in a very small village to her time training with her mercenary group. Once her training is completed she and her cohort are quickly brought into action. While most readers may cringe at the idea of reading about the training of a soldier, Moon does an excellent job of bring out what would be required to be an efficient soldier and the various personalities that are in a military unit. It made for some humorous and interesting moments. It was also very effectively paced and was not tedious or boring. It was entertaining and to a certain degree educational.
Due to Elizabeth Moon's personal background as a former US Marine the training and dialogue feels genuine. Which only adds to the enjoyment of the book. The way that the soldiers work together and how they are handled by their superiors has you feeling like you are one of the group.
The overall story of Sheepfarmer's Daughter is mainly a set up for the other installments in the other books. But while the book does set up the other installments, it also has a great story as well. There is plenty of action, worldbuilding, and characterization. A great way to start the series.
Divided Allegiance
The second book in the series is a bit darker than the first book. Paksenarrion or Paks as she likes to be referred to is a veteran and the incidents at the end of the first novel have forced her hand to move on and seek her own path which leads her on a larger than life adventure that will taker her closer to her ultimate destiny.
There are a few more new characters that are introduced in this novel and many of them play a huge role later on but Divided Allegiance is more about Paks' personal growth as she learns more about the world and herself. There is not a lot of world building as the groundwork was laid in the first novel but there are a few new location that we encounter. We also discover more about the various gods on both side of the spectrum and uncover some of what the forces of dark have planned for the world.
Oath of Gold
The direct sequel to Divided Allegiance takes place right where it left off. Paks has become an agent of good and that action leads to where she is needed most, to uncover the last prince of the Northern kingdom but while that might be quest enough for some the forces of evil have also marked her as a threat and do everything in their power to stop her from succeeding.
Since the last two novels in the series have introduced us to most of the major players and locations this book once again focus on Paks and her mission which takes us for a a quite a ride. Action and political intrigue are par for the course in Oath of Gold and Moon does not disappoint. With each new chapter the story becomes stronger and while the big mystery was a little to obvious for me it did not lessen my enjoyment of the story.
The Deed of Paksenarrion is a great addition to any library and personally I found it a spectacular way to be introduced to a highly talented author. While reading this omnibus I found it hard to imagine why I had not read this series earlier. While not groundbreaking fantasy it was a great read. I really enjoyed reading about a strong female character who was not helpless and when you consider Moon's personal experience as a Marine you can not help but think that some of the instances and individuals in the book may have been apart of Moon's past. Highly entertaining and recommended.
Plot 9
Characterization 9
Style 9
Overall 9.5/10
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