Once again Bujold’s Penric hit the right note.

This time a bandit, Rozakajin decides to rob Penric thinking he’s a hapless, wealthy merchant.
Ist big mistake!
Penric’s actually looking for a temple in high country, and as we know is no weakling.
Then Roz’s confederates decide to join him. Things are looking decidedly dicey for a wealthy merchant, but for Penric? Well!
Penric finds the treasure he’s seeking in what was once the hermitage of a saint—and possibly a new acolyte. Getting out though, that’s another question.
I love the demon Desdemona’s development and the flexibility Pen allows her.
The story goes on from here and is a delight.
Once again a winner from Bujold.

A Subterranean Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

In this volume, a thief sees Penric as an easy mark, and he plays along.

My sweet spot for Penric stories is when Penric and Des are off on their own having adventures, and that’s what this one is. I appreciate that Bujold uses the series to explore a hero character having a normal life, including domesticity and a career, and I enjoy those books too – but there’s something so delightful about strangers chronically underestimating Pen and Des emitting arch statements and chaos.

And that’s certainly what happens here, but there’s more. It’s an action/adventure tale, but also a sweet story about redemption. I’m amazed at how the thirteenth installment is just as delightful as the first.

This 13th novella in the series (doesn't really feel like it's been going on for that long already), finds our titular hero scouring the countryside chasing a cache of old tomes and writings he has gotten wind of. Meanwhile, our titular Bandit called Roz has broken off from the rest of his former bandit friends and joins up with Penric, assuming he is a wealthy merchant in search of a treasure. Treasure that might save his life when his former companions catch up to him.

The story and style follow the similar approach found in all Penric books - it is mostly a slice-of-life with some conflict thrown in. This one has a bit more action than most and Des gets to show exactly how powerful she really is but it's still a very slow burn. It is a very pleasant read in all its predictability.

For long-time readers it is nice that Bujold has done away with any need to explain who the main character is, who and what Des is and how magic in this world works and we can get directly into the story. For a new reader this may be confusing, but you should not be starting a series from the 13th novella anyway.

Highly recommended. The Penric novellas read like a pleasant summer's day and this is one of the better ones. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

In this novella Penric is on vacation, seeking an abandoned monastery in hope of finding rare texts. He acquires a dishonest man as a traveling companion who mistakenly thinks Penric is an easy mark. When trouble follows them, the bandit discovers how very much he was mistaken. This is a highly entertaining addition to the series. Penric is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre, a resourceful person whose ability to leave chaos in his wake is mitigated by his decent character.

This is not one of Bujold's stronger pieces. It isn't even one of her stronger Penric pieces. It feels very much like it was written to be slotted in between Demon Daughter and another longer piece that actually has some bearing on Penric's life, or like an anthology contribution intended to stand on its own without disturbing extand Penric and Desdemona canon. Despite all that, it's not badly written, it just doesn't seem to have any stakes or purpose.

Roz, a bandit on the run from his former gang, spots simple-seeming Penric at an inn and makes him his next mark. Little does he know what Penric (with demon Des's aid) is capable of. Nor of the way Penric will ultimately turn Roz's life around.

Author Lois McMaster Bujold returns once again to the World of the Five Gods in this 13th(!) Penric and Desdemona tale. This brief novella hits on the themes of destiny, morality, and redemption as Penric leads Roz on a short hunt for treasure in the mountains. Only time will tell if we see more of Roz in the future.

4 stars

This is perfect quick read for someone looking for a cozy fantasy with some adventure, sweet themes of redemption, and a unique magic system. I’d never read anything by this author before but I’d heard great things about her. Even though this is a later book in the series I had no difficulty understanding what was going on and I enjoyed learning about this new-to-me world. I’ll certainly be reading more of her works and I’d not hesitate to recommend this. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Penric and Desdemona continue to be the best, and this novella is such a joy to read! We find Pen on the road and meeting up with a ne'er-do-well named Roz with enemies of his own. The would-be thief doesn't really know what type of prey he has! There's an awesome display of how competent and powerful our heroes are that I quite enjoyed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for this eARC.

Another installment in the annals of Penric and Desdemona. In this novella, Penric is on holiday traveling in search of a old and deserted monastery in search of an unknown treasure. He cheerfully picks up a travelling companion who happens to be a bandit running from his former crew. Penric of course is well aware the man plans to seal from him and probably leave him dead in a ditch but he's bored and it's always fun to try to do the Bastard's work in rehabilitating thieves. So starts an fun and ofttimes humorous journey into the back woods looking for wealth and inflicting chaos onto a wide variety of well deserving individuals. Penric and Des are always an enjoyable pair to read about. Their adventures fun to read and take place in an interesting world of gods and demons. A great new book by LMB.

The latest installment in the Penric series does not disappoint! This could easily be read as a stand alone novel, with the reveals being more dramatic for those who have no idea what might be coming. For the devotee, this gives an interesting insight into how lives can take different directions due to chance circumstances. Some situations offer only lesser evil choices while others open fully beneficial directions. When and why do people change course? I enjoyed this installment and eagerly await whatever she decides to write next. Recommended to anyone who enjoys character driven fiction.

This was a lovely and delightful read! I always love a solid novella and this one does not disappoint. Can't wait to see more from Bujold.

I'll read anything Bujold writes, frankly, and her Penric series are sweet soothing stories with always delightful characters and a reminder that compassion is always an option that can change lives. Magic and adventure never hurt, either!

I love this series, it never disappoints!!! The perfect length for an afternoon read , the book can be read alone but would be better enjoy by having read the rest of the series first.

Penric and the Bandit by Lois McMaster Bujold


As I have mentioned before on this blog, I was late to the Lois McMaster Bujold party and only discovered her when she was nominated for Best Series for the Vorkosigan saga. I think it was the Baen book covers that turned me off. But I’m on board now!

She definitely deserved the best series Hugo award for the Vorkosigan Books, and also deserved it equally for the World of the Five Gods series. I have still not read any of the novels in that series yet, but once I started reading the Penric and Desdemona novellas, I couldn’t stop. I was hooked instantly and binged my way through the series. Thankfully, Ms. Bujold is still writing more Penric stories.


I was thrilled to get a copy of this new Penric novella - Thank you, Subterranean Press, for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. As usual for a subterranean press edition, there is a new cover with gorgeous cover art.

This book was a joy, like all the Penric stories are. Unlike the last volume, this is story of Penric on the road and not at home. We get a number of sections from the point of view of the titular bandit, who severely underestimates Penric and his capabilities. This book is a delightful read from start to finish.


Can’t wait for the next one!

Pen and his demon Desdemona are on a hunt for an abandoned temple and its treasures (manuscripts) when they fall into the company of a bandit on the run from his own gang. Taking Pen for a fool, said bandit makes plans to fleece him after "helping" him with this treasure he keeps hearing about. In the end, Pen's gentle treatment of the man and Des's less gentle treatment of those after him enable the bandit to change his life for the better. I wouldn't call this a standout in the series, but it's pleasant enough read. Readers will need a little familiarity with the previous entries in the series to get the full effect.

4.5 / 5 stars (rounded up to 5)

Penric and the Bandit is the 13th novella in the Penric and Desdemona series, which is itself part of Lois McMaster Bujold’s broader World of the Five Gods universe.

Full disclosure: I haven’t read any of the preceding books. Friends have been recommending World of the Five Gods for years. I was given the opportunity to review this one through NetGalley (thanks Subterranean Press!), and I thought it might be a good excuse to dive in. It's just a bit of added fun that this happens to be the latest installment.

The story follows Penric, a man on a quest for a mysterious treasure; and Roz, a bandit who offers to "help" Penric under false pretenses. But Penric is not nearly as unsuspecting as he seems. Before long, it's clear that Roz is in over his head—he may not have the upper hand as he first assumes.

Even as a newcomer to the series, I found this novella highly accessible and thoroughly enjoyable. Like Roz, I didn’t know what Penric was truly capable of, which added a layer of discovery and suspense to the unfolding adventure. Longtime readers will likely recognize Roz’s mistake from the start, but for me, it was a satisfying payoff when his folly was revealed.

The standout character here is, of course, Roz. While Penric and Desdemona are clearly well-developed, little of their development occurs in this installment—understandable, given we're at book 13! But this is undoubtedly Roz’s story. His arc drives the emotional core of the narrative.

The central question is whether Roz can break out of his self-destructive cycle after yet another bad decision yields catastrophic results. Bujold doesn't make this easy or simplistic. Instead, she layers his past with trauma and regret, showing how his bad choices stem from a lack of alternatives, not malice. Penric shows Roz that there's a better path and gives him new opportunities to choose. It's in these moments where Bujold's writing shines. The result is a surprisingly moving character journey wrapped inside an otherwise breezy adventure.

And on that note, the pacing is excellent. Despite the short length, Bujold delivers both action and emotional payoff in a small package. The story keeps moving, and each beat feels purposeful.

I also found the worldbuilding and magic system were engaging and easy to follow even though I'm missing 12+ books of context. It's clear that there is a deep history and rich lore beneath the surface. Bujold manages to provide enough context for a reader to get their bearings without bogging down the story with clunky exposition (something I've been very sensitive to, lately).

If you’ve already read the rest of this series, you don’t need me to tell you that this one’s a worthwhile read. But if you’re new to Penric and Desdemona like I was, don’t be afraid to jump in! Penric and the Bandit is a well-written, entertaining, and emotionally satisfying little book. If this is typical of how Bujold writes (and I'm told that it is!) then this series is a sure bet. You just might want to start from the beginning to avoid some minor spoilers!

I know I'll definitely be coming back for more.

This is a worthy addition to the Penric/Desdemona series -- the Penric and Desdemona interaction is always interesting, and the addition of the bandit character, Roz, was an interesting choice. If you liked the earlier books, you'll like this one too.

"Penric and the Bandit" by Lois McMaster Bujold was a pleasure to read. As a novella in the Hugo award winning "World of the Five Gods" series, this work is comfortably filled with adventure and divine sorcery in a pre-technological society. Since the author does introduce the key concepts, this work can be read as a standalone work.

Although there are no Hobbits, Elves, or Dwarves in this story, anyone that enjoys works by Tolkien will very likely enjoy this story as well.

I thank the Louise McMaster Bujold and Subterranean Press for kindly providing an electronic ARC of this work.

I’m a sucker for redemption stories, so this one was right up my alley. Roz is a young man who was sold by his village to the army, then enslaved and used in backbreaking labor before he managed to escape that, only to end up with a gang of bandits. He didn’t mind the stealing, but he hated the killing — hated watching it, tried to never do it — and eventually escaped it only to run into Penric. Pen decides to give Roz the chance to do something more with his life than be a petty thief, which is where he is at the moment, but giving up the only life he knows is hard.

Roz isn’t given easy answers, but what he is given is time and encouragement, and someone to believe in him. But Pen and Des can’t make him take the steps they want, all they can do is gently support him when he does. Honestly, this is just a feel good, cozy little book — if one doesn’t mind the dramatic dash to freedom where bandits are injured and a horse dies. In fact, quite a few animals die in this book, but not graphically.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me an ARC!

Are the Penric books getting a little repetitive by now, the thirteenth installment? Yes. Are they still a delightful opportunity to revisit beloved characters in a low-stakes adventure? Also yes! Nothing new in this outing (which is remarkably similar to Penric and the Shaman), as Penric and Desdemona encounter an outside POV character who slowly comes to comprehend their awesomeness while they fix all his problems with a combination of sassiness and magic, but it's still charming. May Lois McMaster Bujold continue writing her beloved Gary Stu and his loving all-powerful lady demon for many years.