Sheepfarmer's Daughter

Sheepfarmer's Daughter is the first part of the massive trilogy The Deed of Paksennarion, which I received for Christmas. I enjoyed it very much. Though it seems like it might be swords-and-sorcerers fantasy, the fantasy/magical elements (in this first book) are really low-key, more like magical realism, or magic the way Sherwood Smith employs it in her books – everyday magic rather that Big Fancy Sorcery magic.

Paksennarion is a young woman who leaves her home to become a mercenary. She's good at it, but not in a Mary-Sue-Perfect-At-Everything way. She works hard to develop her skills, makes mistakes, has doubts, keeps working. She also (so far) seems to be asexual, and I really hope that aspect of her character doesn't change; it's an interesting dynamic.

It appears that the magical elements may become more significant further into the trilogy; I hope they continue to be more organic to the story and the created world, and don't overwhelm the exisiting elements which I enjoy very much.