Kindle Price: $8.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Elizabeth Moon
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Deed of Paksenarrion (Paksenarrion Series combo volumes Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Elizabeth Moon (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,511 ratings
See all formats and editions
Complete at Last in a
Single Hardcover Volume
—the Finest Trilogy of
Epic Fantasy in a Decade

Paksenarrion, a simple sheepfarmer's daughter, yearns for a life of adventure and glory, such as was known to heroes in songs and story. At age seventeen she runs away from home to join a mercenary company and begins her epic life . . . Book One: Paks is trained as a mercenary, blooded, and introduced to the life of a soldier . . . and to the followers of Gird, the soldier's god. Book Two: Paks leaves the Duke's company to follow the path of Gird alone—and on her lonely quests encounters the other sentient races of her world. Book Three: Paks the warrior must learn to live with Paks the human. She undertakes a holy quest for a lost elven prince that brings the gods' wrath down on her and tests her very limits.

At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

"Engrossing . . ." —Anne McCaffrey

"A tour de force . . ." —Jack McDevitt

"Worldbuilding in the grand tradition, background thought out to the last detail." —Judith Tarr

"Superlative . . ." —Booklist

"Brilliant . . . the excitement of high heroic adventure . . . will enchant the reader." —Bookwatch

Elizabeth Moon has degrees in history and biology, served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, was elected to public office, and spent six years as a paramedic on a rural Texas ambulance service. Her much acclaimed novels include The Deed of Paksenarrion, an epic fantasy, the "Heris Serrano" series; and two nationally bestselling collaborations with Anne McCaffrey, Sassinak and Generation Warriors. Her recent novel Remnant Population was acclaimed by Anne McCaffrey (". . . marvelously empathic insights . . . pure satisfaction . . .") and Ursula K. LeGuin (". . . a book full of pleasures.") and was a Hugo Award finalist. Her last novel was Change of Command, to which Against the Odds is a sequel. Moon lives outside of Austin, Texas with her husband and their son.
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 2
    Paksenarrion Series combo volumes
  2. Print length
    1044 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    December 9, 2013
  6. File size
    2004 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card
All 2 for you in this series See full series
See included books
Total Price: $17.98
By clicking on above button, you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use
More like The Deed of Paksenarrion (Paksenarrion Series combo volumes Book 1)
Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  12. Tribute (Sagacious Book 1)
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  13. The Curse of Chalion
    Kindle Edition
    $13.49
  22. Remnant Population: A Novel
    Kindle Edition
    $12.99
Next page
Loading...

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00APA1E96
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Baen Books; 1st edition (December 9, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 9, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2004 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 1044 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,511 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Elizabeth Moon

Elizabeth Moon

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Elizabeth Moon served in the US Marine Corps, reaching the rank of 1st Lieutenant during active duty. She has also earned degrees in history and biology, run for public office and been a columnist on her local newspaper. She lives near Austin, Texas, with her husband and their son. Twenty-six of her books are in print, and she won the Nebula Award with her science fiction novel Speed of Dark (also shortlisted for the Clarke Award), and was a finalist for the Hugo in 1997.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
2,511 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

MGW
5.0 out of 5 stars WOW.... just WOW. Epic (and I'm not easy to please)
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
I'm a fantasy reader -- I stick to quality stuff.... Can't stomach all the mediocre fantasy/scifi out there now. From the start, the quality of the writing, characters and plot just had me hooked. Terrific world-building (without being tedious and boring), just enough magic traveling just below the surface, elves/dwarfs/orcs etc. Fabulous characters. Plot that kept me reading into the late hours of the night - can't remember the last time THAT happened. Interesting, unique ending (and left me reading more slowly because I would miss all the characters). Only issue (for me, anyway) is there were a LOT of battle descriptions - a good amount of the first book is devoted to battle slashing and formation movement and I did quite a bit of skimming those parts. That said, the story is reminiscent of reading GOT, Wheel of Time, Hobbit etc. Could see this as an amazing series LOL. The 2nd "book" (included in this version) is even better than the first, and it held me through the last/3rd. PLEASE NOTE that this version has all 3 books in it. It's a small paperback, tiny font, and seriously thick and heavy. I find this type of book itself physically difficult to hold comfortably and I hate tiny print. If I ordered again, it would be a different version - one book at a time despite the added cost. ADORE the writing, characters and story, just hate this 3 book version. This will go down as one of the best fantasy books I've ever read -- up there absolutely with GOT, Tolkien, Lion/Witch/Wardrobe. Yup - THAT good. I am lucky to have found this book.
Helpful
 Report
John A Lee III
5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME!
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2006
Verified Purchase
Others have called this a fitting successor to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. So it is. The mythos is not as familiar nor is it as well developed but it is not less engrossing. From the first page of the first book, I was captured, knowing that something new and exciting was just around the corner.

This is a Three-In-One volume. The three books of the trilogy are included under one cover. That made the transitions from one story to the next immediate and costly of my working schedule. It was worth it.

This is the story of a young peasant girl who aspires to be something more. She runs away to become a soldier and have a life of excitement.

This is the story of a woman who continues to grow. The first volume shows her development as a warrior and has very little of the magical about it except that the character seems somehow magical. The second book shows her development of some degree of independence and sets her up for her great challenge. Throughout it, the reader is dismayed that Paks cannot see in herself the qualities which everyone else, especially the reader, can see. It sees her soar to greatness and then collapse, as humans invariably do. The third volume see her regain her confidence and her greatness and in greater measure than before. She will need these qualities to achieve the task appointed to her. All the while, we marvel at her humility.

It is a wonderful series. Synopses of the individual books appear below:

SHEEPFARMER"S DAUGHTER - The Praise is Well Deserved

This is a work of grand fantasy although it does not start out as such. It takes place in a world of magic, elves, dwarves, paladins and powerful gods. It is a story of good and evil. It is all of those things but that misses the point. It is really about a young lady with ambitions to be a soldier.

Paksenarrion is the daughter of a sheepfarmer. She has no wish to be married to another farmer. Instead, she wants a life of adventure as a soldier. Unfortunately for her, her father has already promised her in marriage. There is only one thing a girl in that situation can do. She runs off and joins the army. It is a mercenary company.

The real interest of the story lies is seeing Paks develop as a person and a skilled fighter. She goes through her training and is involved in a few minor campaigns. In doing so, she distinguishes herself and comes to the notice of other. Eventually, the point comes where her mercenary company is betrayed by an evil force. She is the one who gets the message out and saves the remainder of her force. From them, the book becomes a quest to vanquish the evil villain. Throughout, Paks continues to learn her trade and learn about herself, all the while impressing those around her.

Magic and other fantasy elements play a role in this story but it is a fairly minor role. The emphasis is on the character. It is well worth the read.

DIVIDED ALLEGIANCE - From the Real to the Fantastic

The first volume of the Paksenarrion trilogy saw the young girl, Paksenarrion, seek her fortune as a mercenary soldier. She proved an apt pupil and was fortunate to work with an honorable company where she distinguished herself. Fantastical elements like elves, dwarves, mages and such were present in the first book but they were a very peripheral part. That changes in this, the second installment.

Paks has left the company of Duke Phelan. Although she loved the organization and the people, she could not handle the horrors of their last assignment. It went against her nature to protect. So it is that she is sent out on her own, with the Duke's blessing, to seek more training. She is welcome back at any time. Her travels expose her to the more magical elements of this realm and she continues to distinguish herself as she grow in experience, skill, and knowledge of herself. She does not seem to recognize just how remarkable she is but nobody is more please than she is when she is chosen for training as a paladin. Her training, however, exposes her to great evil and makes her vulnerable. The forces of evil wish to destroy her and her effectiveness. By the time she gets done with her quest, she is a very ill young lady indeed but her companions know that something more is in store. That will have to wait, however, for the next volume.

This is a very readable book. It is easy to like the characters and identify with them. It is well written and Elizabeth Moon shows a distinct talent for giving the reader just enough information to make one wonder at the grand scheme of things. She also leaves the explanations for a riper time. It works. It hooked me. I have to read the next book.

OATH OF GOLD - Best of Series

The second book of the Paksenarrion trilogy was a very good read but highly unsatisfying with its ending. Young Paks had proved her mettle as a soldier and was learning about more eldritch things and progressing nicely on the road to becoming a paladin of Gird. Then she was captured and tortured. The book ended with her as a shattered wreck and a coward afraid of her own shadow. It was a cliffhanger that outraged after investing so much time and care about her character.

It was well done and forced the reading of the last volume. I would have done it anyway but the ending of book 2 certainly speeded up the process.

OATH OF GOLD begins with Paks still a shattered wreck. She is ready, even eager to die and end the misery. By happenstance, she finds herself in the same town when her journey towards the miraculous began. To avoid meeting with anyone she knows, she ducks into the grove of Master Oakhollow, the shepherd of the trees. He recognizes that her healing was incomplete and sets himself the task of completing it. In doing so, she becomes stronger than ever before and actually becomes a Paladin, thereby reminding everyone that Paladins are chosen by the gods and not by the military orders. All of her ordeals thus far have been to prepare her for a quest.

The quest is not an easy one. It is her task to restore the rightful ruler to a kingdom in chaos. The forces arrayed against her are vast and they are evil. Even with her miraculous powers, it will not be easy and, ultimately, it will require a sort of paschal sacrifice of her.

It is an engrossing read. It is well done and I am sorry it is over.
20 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
PPK
5.0 out of 5 stars Great, old-school fantasy
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2013
Verified Purchase
This is an omnibus of three novels: "Sheep Farmer's Daughter," "Divided Allegiance" and "Oath of Gold."

The three novels follow the career of Paks, from the time she runs away from home to join a mercenary company to her becoming a paladin and preforming her most famous deed. Moon takes Paks from a star-eyed girl with dreams but no experience to a young woman with wisdom and experience who becomes a true hero, in every sense of the word. She does this through believable characterizations and gradual growth and change. Her "hero" has her own uncertainties and regrets, and you don't feel like Paks is an untouchable saint, but rather a real person who still has room to learn and grow.

For anyone unfamiliar with Moon, she was a former Marine, and it shows in the attention she pays to training, battles and troop movements. Personally, it's one of the most believable and well written books I've ever read in this sense. No one starts out automatically being a great warrior, and Paks faces fear and wounds. Some of the characters you get to know even die (although it's nothing like George R.R. Martin novels).

To me, these novels have a very "early D&D" feel to them, but in a good way. I fell in love with the game because I had a good imagination and I had friends who took the game far beyond the typical "dungeon crawl." This series is along those lines, and Moon is a great "dungeon master," taking her characters on a fantastical, yet still believable journey that kept me up late turning pages.

I read the negative reviews for this series and they gave me some pause, but I decided to purchase anyway, and I'm very glad I did. Some reviews pointed out that the novels had a "this happened, then that happened" feel, but I didn't get the impression that it was stilted or contrived at all. The story is told primarily from one point of view and in a very linear fashion, as Paks experienced it, with an omniscient view. I'm not sure what those reviewers expected different in that regards. Another reviewer seemed bent out of shape that a minor plot point in the second book appeared to be abandoned without any explanation. Read on, and it is resolved, with more of an explanation than something so minor might have warranted.

In fact, every single plot point is resolved at some point or another and character motives are explained. The thing about these novels that really endears them to me is that while motives are understood and plot points are resolved, I was never left with a feeling that the end was really "the end." There's plenty of room for the reader to take the characters beyond what was written on the page and imagine more adventures, or place yourself in the world Moon has created and have your own adventures. It feels whole without being complete, if that makes any sense; things are resolved, but not over.

I don't give very many books five-star reviews, but this series met and exceeded all my expectations. I've read many of Moon's books before, but this series is by far her best, and in this omnibus format, feels less like three novels than one large story. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an engaging tale set in a believable world.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Jeremy Gamble
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book and the entire series is as maxing.
Report
Mina
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the finest epic military fantasies ever. A real classic!
Reviewed in Germany on September 9, 2023
Verified Purchase
I just reread this book after some 12 years and what can I say: I loved the book maybe even more than before!
It’s an epic, very classic high fantasy, the making of a one of a kind hero: Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter is a sheepfarmer‘s daughter who runs away when her father wants her to wed. She joins a mercenary company, learns how to be a soldier and fights wars in far away countries. She likes that kind of life, is good at it and if not for certain circumstances, she would never have left. But things happen that lead her away and she finds adventure, gets to know more of the continent and meets lots of people, the good, the bad and the ugly so to speak. Slowly, over the course her adventures, there are hints at the possibility that higher powers, the gods themselves, are interested in her and send quests her way…
Paks is a incredibly likable and relatable character. And no, her way is not an easy one, there is stuff happening to her that actually made me cry and I am not prone to overflowing emotion. But I was so invested in the story, so wanted her to prevail, that some parts of her hero‘s journey were just heart-wrenching. But it made her development so believable and gave the story its intensity. The author built a wonderful and fantastical world, with the religions and politics to go with it, and she really knows how to write her fights and battles! I like that the daily life in this fantasy world was shown so realistically, it made plot and characters feel real too, elves, kuakgan, gnomes and all.
This book is one of my all time favorites and I so enjoyed going back to Paksenarrion and her world.
Report
Andrea Botteri
5.0 out of 5 stars Grande saga, sottovalutata
Reviewed in Italy on December 13, 2022
Verified Purchase
Grande saga, sottovalutata, assolutamente raccomandato
Report
bee
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written
Reviewed in Australia on August 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
I liked this when I first read it 18yrs ago. Still bloody brilliant. Despite it being a good sized book, it finishes surprisely quickly. I look forward to reading the prequal for the first time.
Report
theCook
5.0 out of 5 stars À lire
Reviewed in France on September 19, 2016
Verified Purchase
Excellente série avec comme personnage principal une jeune femme forte, qui devient d'autant plus intéressante lorsqu'elle se révèle avoir aussi des faiblesses!
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report