Lois’s answer to “When I first read *The Hallowed Hunt* years ago, I wrote you that I didn't like it as well as the f…” > Likes and Comments
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I read the Chalion books as they were released and loved them all, but Hallowed Hunt was actually my favorite upon initial reading. Upon rereading, I think Paladin of Souls has moved into the favorite position for me, but they are all pretty close.
I think I would still place Paladin in first place, certainly among the 2-3 top favorites of mine of all Lois's books. But HH has moved up into my top 10 now. Not that there is any sense in ranking books. I often like best the one I read most recently!
I read The Hallowed Hunt first, and absolutely loved Ingrey. He was complicated and difficult and *interesting*. That lead to me reading Curse of Chalion, a completely different matter which I also loved. It's absolutely my favorite and certainly the easiest of the three to read, and the one I've reread the most - it's much easier to pick up for some pleasure reading when I'm tired than HH, which requires more of my attention. I need to reread Paladin, because Ista deserves better from me. I read it the once and haven't gone back to it.
I confess to not having enjoyed Hallowed Hunt when I first read it, but since I enjoyed the Penric stories, and now reading the above, I'll go back and give it another try!
"Passive-aggressive bully-boy Ingrey..." *giggles again*
I would say that reading the Penric novella's first would make Hallowed Hunt an easier read. In fact, now when introducing someone to the World of the Five Gods, I would certainly start them off with Penric's Demon.
When I first read The Hallowed Hunt (after Curse and Paladin) I found the Shaman magic confusing. I didn't have a problem with Ingrey. But all of the Five Gods novels grew on me with re-reading.
Which means I have to give The Spirit Ring another go. The only Bujold work I wasn't able to finish on my first attempt. All the rest I have read and/or listened to between 2 and 10 times each.
I think that happened to me with the Sharing Knife series. I started them when I was hot off my first read-through of the Vorkosigan series, and all I really wanted was more Miles. That wouldn't be fair to any book attempted immediately after. I'm reading the Sharing Knife again now, and I'm enjoying them immensely!
I ,too, did not like HH as much on the first read. Mostly my own fault as I read it very fast in the quest to find out what happens. I was confused by the ending. I've since reread it a few times and like it much more each time. Interestingly, it has always been my mid-20's son's favorite of the 3.
Add me to the list of readers who needed a second reading of tHH to fall in love with it. I reread it because I was rereading Chalion and Paladin and could NOT leave that world... so I dove into THH with greater curiosity... and behold, love at second read. I agree Penric might be a gateway drug.... anyway the WOTFG is turning into such a richly populated world, who knows what else you'll show us there in time? A sympathetic Quadrene POV? The possibilities! So grateful for your incredible writing.
Thanks to this thread, I went back and re-read The Curse of Chalion. Previously I'd given it a 2-star rating, this time it was 4 -- and I can't imagine why I didn't like it before! And then I *loved* Paladin of Souls! So glad I wnet back to these! Lois, so often fantasy writers give theology and spirituality short shrift, but I found a great deal of wisdom in your portrayal of deities and saints. And as a middle-aged widow who dreams about buying a motor home and leaving home to live life on the road, hopefully while deepening my own spiritual life, Ista was as much a revelation and delight as Cordelia was when I was in my early thirties.
I read Chalion first, loved it. HH... not so much. Guess I'm going to reread it now :)
Put my vote for "I loved all the WotFG books on first read, especially Hallowed Hunt."
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Kurt
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Sep 18, 2017 05:44PM
I read the Chalion books as they were released and loved them all, but Hallowed Hunt was actually my favorite upon initial reading. Upon rereading, I think Paladin of Souls has moved into the favorite position for me, but they are all pretty close.
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I think I would still place Paladin in first place, certainly among the 2-3 top favorites of mine of all Lois's books. But HH has moved up into my top 10 now. Not that there is any sense in ranking books. I often like best the one I read most recently!
I read The Hallowed Hunt first, and absolutely loved Ingrey. He was complicated and difficult and *interesting*. That lead to me reading Curse of Chalion, a completely different matter which I also loved. It's absolutely my favorite and certainly the easiest of the three to read, and the one I've reread the most - it's much easier to pick up for some pleasure reading when I'm tired than HH, which requires more of my attention. I need to reread Paladin, because Ista deserves better from me. I read it the once and haven't gone back to it.
I confess to not having enjoyed Hallowed Hunt when I first read it, but since I enjoyed the Penric stories, and now reading the above, I'll go back and give it another try!
"Passive-aggressive bully-boy Ingrey..." *giggles again*
I would say that reading the Penric novella's first would make Hallowed Hunt an easier read. In fact, now when introducing someone to the World of the Five Gods, I would certainly start them off with Penric's Demon. When I first read The Hallowed Hunt (after Curse and Paladin) I found the Shaman magic confusing. I didn't have a problem with Ingrey. But all of the Five Gods novels grew on me with re-reading.
Which means I have to give The Spirit Ring another go. The only Bujold work I wasn't able to finish on my first attempt. All the rest I have read and/or listened to between 2 and 10 times each.
I think that happened to me with the Sharing Knife series. I started them when I was hot off my first read-through of the Vorkosigan series, and all I really wanted was more Miles. That wouldn't be fair to any book attempted immediately after. I'm reading the Sharing Knife again now, and I'm enjoying them immensely!
I ,too, did not like HH as much on the first read. Mostly my own fault as I read it very fast in the quest to find out what happens. I was confused by the ending. I've since reread it a few times and like it much more each time. Interestingly, it has always been my mid-20's son's favorite of the 3.
Add me to the list of readers who needed a second reading of tHH to fall in love with it. I reread it because I was rereading Chalion and Paladin and could NOT leave that world... so I dove into THH with greater curiosity... and behold, love at second read. I agree Penric might be a gateway drug.... anyway the WOTFG is turning into such a richly populated world, who knows what else you'll show us there in time? A sympathetic Quadrene POV? The possibilities! So grateful for your incredible writing.
Thanks to this thread, I went back and re-read The Curse of Chalion. Previously I'd given it a 2-star rating, this time it was 4 -- and I can't imagine why I didn't like it before! And then I *loved* Paladin of Souls! So glad I wnet back to these! Lois, so often fantasy writers give theology and spirituality short shrift, but I found a great deal of wisdom in your portrayal of deities and saints. And as a middle-aged widow who dreams about buying a motor home and leaving home to live life on the road, hopefully while deepening my own spiritual life, Ista was as much a revelation and delight as Cordelia was when I was in my early thirties.
I read Chalion first, loved it. HH... not so much. Guess I'm going to reread it now :)
Put my vote for "I loved all the WotFG books on first read, especially Hallowed Hunt."
