The Paladin

This is a great book about an orphan girl who, like the ancient story goes, bugs an expert fighter to train her. He is a local legend, a hero even, but has decided to retire to a life of solitude. He doesn't want to train for many reasons, not the least of which is that he doesn't believe a female should be taught to fight.Eventually he gives in and gives her ridiculous tasks that he believes she is shirking. Like many kind teachers, he pretends not to notice. However, when she angers him, and he decides to call her out, she proves beyond doubt that she has in fact been doing everything he asked of her. At this point, he begins to train her in earnest.I don't want to spoil the rest of the book, but to say that it is a book about revenge, and very well written. The characters are deep, change over time, and act according to their personalities instead of simply what the plot requires. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of Cherryh's writing, but this book is fantastic.

This is the ultimate action/adventure Romance. Though it features a STRONG female heroine, it is definitely NOT Politically Correct nor does it promote the Feminist fantasy that women in general are as physically strong as testosterone-packing men. It IS however a FANTASY of another type. A "fantasy" about the "good guys" beating the "bad guys". This fantasy is done "realistically" with excellent characterization provided by the award-winning author C.J. Cherryh. Though C.J. Cherryh usually writes Science Fiction this particular book, THE PALADIN, can more accurately be categorized as an Historical Romance and, in my opinion, the BEST book she's ever written as well as the BEST Romance I've ever read (even better than Catherine Cookson's GREAT Historical Romances). Many of the covers, especially the latest paperback edition and the widely distributed Book-Of-The-Month hardback, imply that this story takes place in medieval Europe. This isn't true. My guess is that the target audience was "white" Americans descended from Northern Europeans. The only time I've seen an accurate hardcover dust jacket depicting the Asian protagonists (standing on a rocky knoll dressed in animal skins) was in a copy I found in the MIT Science Fiction Society Library. Note that this picture is NOT Politically Correct. The male hero stands head-and-shoulders taller than the female heroine. This portrayal accurately reflects the story in which the male character comes from the well-fed aristocractic samurai class whereas the female protagonist is from the down-trodden peasant class, and believe me SHE'S GOT AN ATTITUDE. Each of the protagonists brings something different and indispensable to the relationship. Without each other they would be hopelessly lost. And that my friends is what Romance is all about. (If you think about it, that's also what Procreation & Evolutionary Biology are all about too.) By the way, if you're into Romantic movies I recommend such movies as PIPE DREAM. THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO LITTLE, UNTAMED HEART, LOCKOUT, I (HEART) HUCKABEES, TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT, and the Disney movies ALADDIN, BEAUTY & THE BEAST, HERCULES, THE INCREDIBLES, and especially WALL*E. Disney Studios, believe it or not, are the masters of Romance (at least until they released that horror story BRAVE). Sincerely Politically Incorrect, if not out-right crazy, Tom Lang/P.O. 6726/Santa Rosa, CA/95406, born in the Midwest, educated on the East Coast, and currently dressed up as as a medieval steampunk cowboy complete with holster and baldric and filled with a .45 Colt, flintlocks, Cold Steel plastic katana, filling punk pirate boots, and covered in [Harry Dresden's] leather duster. I apologize for [absolute zen] No-thing [ness].

This book is something of an oddity, written as if it were a fantasy, but it could have just as easily have been placed into the 'historical' novel camp, with just some minor changes in the described locale and time, as there are no magical happenings, no flights of fancy, nothing that could not have happened in the real world.The plot line is quite simple. A young girl comes to beg training in sword fighting from a legendary master who has 'retired' to a mountain hermitage so she can use the acquired skills to exact revenge on a lord who has desecrated her homeland and family. The master, former advisor to the old Emperor, is actually in exile, forbidden on pain of death from ever returning to court, and has settled into a simple life of meditation and taking care of his old war-horse, and not wishing to get involved with anyone, or to return to intrigues of the court. But the girl finally manages to force the master to accept her as an apprentice, and her training begins.The interaction between these two characters during this portion of the work is excellent, as each displays traits of stubbornness that make for continuous conflict between the two. And the conflict extends beyond the physical training, into the realm of why one should or shouldn't take action against perceived wrongs, what purpose an individual's life has, the value of honesty both to self and others. This is well done, and I felt that I really got to know and admire these two individuals, as each has traits that are worth emulating.But the second half of this novel, when the two take to the road to actually accomplish the girl's original objective, is not nearly as good, dropping down to a standard swash-buckling adventure novel, with action a-plenty (and somewhat confusing as the reader is hit with many minor characters and place names that are difficult to keep track of), but almost none of the fine philosophy and character interaction of the first portion. The ending is quite predictable, and left me with a disappointed feeling, as I could see this could have been much better.Cherryh used something of the same type of plot line and character interaction in her Cuckoo's Egg, but there the resolution of the story held up to the premises and promise of its beginnings, making for a much better story, and I would recommend that book in preference to this one. Read this one only if you are desperate for more Cherryh to read.---Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

I'm a lifelong fan of cherryh but i still find surprises in her back catalogue. Master of character development and the slow building of tension till the explosive conclusion. She failed to disappoint yet again

I appear to have lost my original copy of The Paladin and. as I like to re-read it regularly, I just had to get another one. This is a stand-alone story, not set in one of Cherryh's usual universes, but in a land which certainly resembles medieval Japan, along with a pretty useless heir to the throne, a manipulating and murderous Regent, an exiled warrior and a peasant girl who is bound and determined to get he revenge on the Regent, persuading the exile toteach her to fight. Much against his better judgeement he does so, and finds out that he is teaching a natural. Leaving their mountain refuge, they meet up with a group of noblemen coming their way to ask for help against the Regent - and the rest, as they say, is history. There are no demons or dragons about, but natural events make it look as though there are.

Really well developed and believable characters given that the setting is a medieval fantasy. Puts male and female relationships into humorous perspective which is great given the current tone of male female dialogue.

A terrific pace that kept me out of breath. The best read I've had this year. I love this author.

Replacing a cherished book.

A page turner that once started I couldn't put down.