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.

A thoughtful and immersive read that blends emotion with strong world-building. The pacing was uneven at times, but the characters kept me engaged.

A great reintroduction to a character I have been reading for quite some time. Penric and his demon of disorder Desdemona encounter a bandit Roz fleeing his previous life and crimes and they try to figure out if he truly wants to change his life and they try to help him on this journey. It's a lovely novella. It feels like catching up with an old friend after not seeing them for a few years.

Interesting. Both are making judgements as they travel together. Treasure is not what one expects. How will it end?

Another great read from Lois McMaster Bujold in the Penric series. I always look forward to these, and can't wait to see how the series continues. Love the characters, and the stories and pacing are great too. #PenricandtheBandit #NetGalley

Los McMaster Bujold's Penric series is a delight and Penric and the Bandit is no exception. While venturing into the countryside in search of lost relics, Penric becomes entangled with first, a bandit, and then rather more than one. While Penric looks like easy pickings, he is always more than her seems, thanks to both native intelligence and the powerful presence of Desdamona, his conjoined demon. This is a nice story about redemption (a common Bujold theme) with adventure and clever dialogue along the way. I liked that the viewpoint is shared between the bandit and Penric, which makes for a more interesting story; it is always fun to see outsider try to mentally grapple with Penric and Desdamona. The novelette/novella is a great length for these Penric gems and I hope the series continues.

Thanks to the excellent Subterranean Press and NetGalley for an Earl in exchange for a fair review.