Paladin of Souls
Paladin of Souls is a 2003 fantasy novel by Lois McMaster Bujold. It won the 2004 Hugo Award for Best Novel and the 2004 Nebula Award for Best Novel.
The book is a sequel to Bujold's earlier novel The Curse of Chalion and is set some three years after the events of that novel. The plot of the novel centers around the widow Ista, mother of the Royesse (Queen) Iselle, and her adventures during a religious pilgrimage which rapidly turns into a dangerous and supernatural adventure. Like The Curse of Chalion, the novel's themes are redemption and self-sacrifice for the sake of others.