<p>In this novella set in the World of the Five Gods and four years after the events in <i>Penric’s Demon</i> Penric is a divine of the Bastard’s Order as well as a sorcerer and scholar living in the palace where the Princess-Archdivine holds court. His scholarly work is interrupted when the Archdivine agrees to send Penric in his role as sorcerer to accompany a “Locator” of the Father’s Order assigned to capture Inglis a runaway shaman charged with the murder of his best friend. However the situation they discover in the mountains is far more complex than expected. Penric’s roles as sorcerer strategist and counselor are all called upon before the end.</p><p>Bujold delivers an astonishing tale that is not soon forgotten.</p>