Sheepfarmer's Daughter

We need more characters like Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter, the daughter of a sheep farmer who joins a mercenary company to avoid an unwanted marriage. Moon, who served as a Marine in Vietnam, gives us a perfect hero’s tale. Paksenarrion (“Paks” for short) doesn’t set out to garner fame and glory, but she works hard at what she does, and her moral compass is firmly attuned to a sense of justice and truth. Paks captures everything we want in a hero, and Moon’s understanding of infantry, siege, and melee tactics filters through in subtle yet powerful ways, from details like foot soreness… show more.

Not only does this book have a fantastic world of mercenary warriors and a completely relatable main character, it has the most intriguing prolog I’ve ever read. Magic abounds, but it comes at a high price to the users. There’s plenty of treachery to, a personal favorite. My interest in weapons such as swords and pikes was well served as the warriors trained and fought with varying levels of skill. I was carried right onto the battlefield with the main character. Awesome. 

Paksenarrion is a young farm girl in a fantasy world who can’t face the quiet life that seems to be her fate. Tall and strong, she runs away from home to join a mercenary company and train to be a soldier. Then she goes on the campaign and through grit and determination survives and thrives, impressing her commanders to rise to a command of her own. The book’s low magic setting and focus on the reality of military life make for a refreshing change in fantasy. There’s no chosen one, no prophecy, no evil wizard threatening the whole world; just… show more.