Knife Children

Bujold’s Sharing Knife series returns (after 2009’s Horizon) with this fun, short installment that offers a glimpse into familial life in the world of Oleana. Barr Foxbrush, a Lakewalker, makes his way home after two years fighting evil in the north and, along the way, discovers that Lily, the secret daughter he abandoned years before, has gone missing. Barr derails his travels to search for her, only to realize, once he finds her, that she has inherited his powerful Lakewalker magic. Finally forced to own up to the teenage indiscretion that led to Lily’s birth, Barr must work to bond with and make a home for his daughter. Bujold masterfully blends the domestic with the fantastical in her signature style. Though there are references to characters from the rest of the series, new readers will follow the plot with ease as Bujold lays out the intricacies of Lakewalker culture. This quick, nimble novel is an easy recommendation for fans eager to return to the Sharing Knife universe and anyone looking for light high fantasy fare. Agent: Eleanor Wood, Spectrum Literary Agency. (Mar.)