The Curse of Chalion
core novel 2001 World of the Five Gods
Record
| First published | 2001 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.18 (44,608 ratings, collected 2026-09-13) |
| Page count | 490 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780380979011 |
| Internal chronology | 18 |
Synopsis
Cazaril, a former galley slave and impoverished nobleman broken by his years of captivity, returns to his home province of Chalion seeking only a quiet, humble position. Instead he is hired as secretary-tutor to Royesse Iselle, sister to the heir of the throne, and finds himself drawn back into the politics of a royal court he had hoped to leave behind. As he settles into his new role, Cazaril comes to realize that the royal family of Chalion has labored for a generation under a devastating curse, one whose origins reach back to a earlier king's own betrayal and whose effects threaten Iselle and her brother Teidez directly. Cazaril must find some way to counter the curse before it claims another royal life, even at potential cost to his own.
Where it sits
- Universe: World of the Five Gods
- Series: Chalion core; position 1 of 2 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Lois McMaster Bujold
Awards (verified)
- Mythopoeic Award (Adult Literature), 2002: won
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 2002: finalist; Locus reader-poll placement, ranked 3rd.
- Hugo Award (Best Novel), 2002: nominated
- World Fantasy Award (Best Novel), 2002: nominated; Lost to Ursula K. Le Guin's The Other Wind.
Notes
- From the series record (Chalion): Direct sequel duology; publication order matches internal chronology for these two, but both are chronologically LAST in the wider universe (after Hallowed Hunt and all Penric novellas).
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings and are never conflated: a book's place in one says nothing about its place in the other.
- Publication order, within the series Chalion: position 1 of 2: next Paladin of Souls (2003)
- Internal chronology, within World of the Five Gods: position 18 of 19: previous Darksight Dare (2026) · next Paladin of Souls (2003)
Sources
- The Dendarii Nexus
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curse_of_Chalion
- https://www.thehugoawards.org
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Fantasy_Award
- https://www.sfadb.com
- https://www.mythsoc.org
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