Sheepfarmer's Daughter

These last few years, I've been trying to give older SFF works a shot. Unfortunately, being a reviewer means that I receive new books all the time. Which means that the hundreds of unread novels/series I already owned when I created the Hotlist back in 2005 have remained unread to this day. It dawned upon me a while back that I will never get the chance to read all the books I have at home and those I don't have but want to read. Still, I've decided to give those I should have read long ago a go. Or at least as many of them as humanly possible.

Elizabeth Moon's The Deed of Paksenarrion is one such series I've been meaning to read forever. I remember buying Sheepfarmer's Daughter during the early 90s. Paksenarrion's tale grew in scope and popularity over the years, and I kept telling myself that I would read it soon. Some call it the ultimate paladin story and I was eager to finally discover what it was all about. At the turn of the year, once I finished the first arc of Katharine Kerr's Deverry cycle, I told myself that the time had come for Elizabeth Moon to be next in the rotation.

Here's the blurb:

Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter may be the daughter of a humble sheep farmer in the far north end of the kingdom, but she dreams of so much more. After refusing her father’s orders to do the sensible thing and marry the pig farmer down the road, Paks, runs away to join a band of mercenaries, dreaming of daring deeds and military glory. But life in the army is different than she imagined, and her daydreams at first seem to be turning to nightmares. But Paks refuses to let her dreams die—and does her duty with honor and integrity. Her path is an arduous one, but it will transform her into a hero remembered in songs, chosen by the gods to restore a lost ruler to his throne.

The Compton Crook Award‑winning first novel from Nebula‑winning author Elizabeth Moon. The first in the Paksenarrion Trilogy—now with an all‑new introduction by the author.

As a former member of the US Marine Corps, it comes as no surprise that Moon spent the bulk of her career writing military fantasy and military science fiction works. She definitely knows what she's talking about and she imbues her stories with a realism that civilian authors probably never quite get right. As Pakse joins a mercenary company, readers get to live through the unending repetitive nature of drills and military training. The same goes for life on the road as an infantry unit and the harsh routine that such a lifestyle implies. Some readers seem to find such things a bit boring, yet I figure that they are staples of military life. Especially for new recruits like Pakse.

I really enjoyed how Moon pulled the rug from under the sheep herder/farmer becoming the chosen one trope and replaced it with a girl unwilling to marry a pig farmer instead. Though it's early yet, you can already tell that Paksenarrion is destined for great things. And yet, for the better part of Sheepfarmer's Daughter she's just a naive country bumpkin do-gooder who wants to live life on her own terms. Military life will make her grow as a character. It was interesting to see how the camaraderie with her fellow mercenaries, the emotional highs of victory, the bitterness of having to surrender, and the horrible loss associated with the death of her friends will all shape Pakse into the woman she is meant to become. Understandably, Paksenarrion takes center stage in this story. There are a few poignant moments with secondary characters which show the strength of the bonds forged in such adversity, but I wish there could have been a bit more of them. The supporting cast doesn't get to shine that much, other than Canna and Saben during their harrowing escape with Pakse and Stammel, especially during what led to the rape trial.

Sheepfarmer's Daughter does suffer from pacing issues. I guess it's inevitable with the depictions of the drudgery of drills and military life in general. Having said that, these slower portions are offset by more exciting action sequences of battles and sieges. So it was never a problem for me. Elizabeth Moon's prose creates a vivid imagery and it's impossible not to root for Pakse. It's evident that this first volume is just a set-up book meant to get you invested in the main protagonist and her story. It sure worked for me.

Sheepfarmer's Daughter was first published in 1998, but it has aged particularly well. This is not always the case for books/series dating from the 80s and 90s. Anyone looking for a strong female lead and no romance will probably find a lot to like about this novel. Personally, I'm looking forward to reading the sequels!

The final verdict: 7.75/10

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