This is an omnibus edition of three novels, conceived as one story, dealing with the paladin Paksenarrion: Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance and Oath of Gold. I loved this book on first read, one of my favorite works of fantasy, and one that read quickly despite the doorstopper length. Reading over the reviews, I've been told the books strictly follow Dungeons and Dragons rules, and that this step-by-step follows "the Heroes Journey." Maybe I'm lucky I've never played the game nor read Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces, because this story didn't ever feel formulaic to me. I had heard Moon had a military background--she was a United States Marine--and I could well believe it reading this book. The military details and training come through with a credibility I rarely see, especially when involving a female heroine. Those parts of the book never bored me, but rather fascinated me with their verisimilitude.
It's true that Paks is almost too good and earnest and pretty asexual. But it should be remembered Moon is telling the story not of an ordinary knight, but a paladin: originally meaning one of the 12 peers in the court of Charlemagne, but used in the fantasy role playing sense of "holy knight" imbued with godly powers. And in fact, I've read Paks was indeed inspired by Moon wanting to work through how such a figure out of the Dungeons and Dragons role play would really act (and with more than a bit of inspiration from Joan of Arc.) I think Moon succeeded in her purpose--and gave us one of the great heroines in fantasy in the bargain.
