The Adventure of the Demonic Ox by Lois McMaster Bujold

[lightreads]

3/5. Another novella in this fantasy series about the scholar who has a demon in his head. This one about a misadventure with teens in tow, and how families grow and change, and young people starting to find their way.

Pleasant, but I continue to think that there is a tidiness to these books that keeps me from really liking them. It’s not just the knowledge that everything will work out in the end, which it generally does, but occasionally not. I think it’s that she’s set up this theological system to be a bit . . . I don’t know. Categorical? Hogwarts house-y? Overly interventionist? IDK, these books feel terminally undangerous in the midst of dangerous things happening. Angsty teens figure out their life plans in 30,000 words or less. Everyone has a salutary lesson. Go home. I’m not expressing it well. Whatever it is, I think it emanates from the theology, and it renders these books just a little bit too neat, too easy.

Comments

[serriadh]

I think the religious system of this world used to be a bit more nuanced, with hints at future development. However, if Bujold wanted to engage more or develop or problematise more (plot, religion, character, world-building) she wouldn't be writing 100s of Penric novellae rather than another full-length novel, so I guess I have to accept that this is what we're getting now!

[lightreads]

Yes, exactly. The first two novels in this world were interesting, but everything since has felt steadily less so. I have the impression she really likes self-pubbing these, which I get, but, well. Here we are, as you say.

[serriadh]

She's basically writing her own fanfic with these. (No offence meant to the excellent fanfic authors who write things full of gnarly issues and unreliable narrators and unresolved tensions - but you know what I mean!)