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Search - The Gilded Chain : A Tale of the King's Blades
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The Gilded Chain : A Tale of the King's Blades Author: |
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Book Information
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Other Versions of this Book: Hardcover
Book Description:
As unwanted and rebellious boys, they find refuge in Ironhall....Years later they emerge as the finest swordsmen in the realm -- A magical ritual of a sword through the heart binds each to his ward--if not the king himself, then to whomever else the monarch designates -- with absolute loyalty. And the greatest Blade of them all was -- and is -- Sir Durendal.
But a lifelong dream of protecting his beloved liege from enemies, traitors, and monsters is dashed to bits when Durendal is bonded till death to an effete noble fop at his king's orders. Yet Destiny has many strange and inscrutable plans for the young knight -- for a mission, a contest, and, perhaps, a treasure await him in a faraway land. But he soon finds himself enmeshed in treason and foul intrigues, compelled to betray the king he had hoped to serve. The Blades have ways to protect their own, but death and madness haunt the path to salvation -- and few ever return unscathed. As unwanted and rebellious boys, they find refuge in Ironhall....Years later they emerge as the finest swordsmen in the realm-- A magical ritual of a sword through the heart binds each to his ward--if not the king himself, then to whomever else the monarch designates--with absolute loyalty. And the greatest Blade of them all was--and is--Sir Durendal.
But a lifelong dream of protcting his beloved liege from enemies, traitors, and monsters is dashed to bits when Durendal is bonded till death to an effete noble fop at his king's orders. Yet Destiny has many strange and inscrutable plans for the young knight--for a mission, a contest, and, perhaps, a treasure await him in a faraway land. But he soon finds himself enmeshed in treasonand foul intrigues, compelled to betray the king he had hoped to serve. The Blades have ways to protect their own, but death and madness haunt the path to salvation--and few ever return unscathed.
But a lifelong dream of protecting his beloved liege from enemies, traitors, and monsters is dashed to bits when Durendal is bonded till death to an effete noble fop at his king's orders. Yet Destiny has many strange and inscrutable plans for the young knight -- for a mission, a contest, and, perhaps, a treasure await him in a faraway land. But he soon finds himself enmeshed in treason and foul intrigues, compelled to betray the king he had hoped to serve. The Blades have ways to protect their own, but death and madness haunt the path to salvation -- and few ever return unscathed. As unwanted and rebellious boys, they find refuge in Ironhall....Years later they emerge as the finest swordsmen in the realm-- A magical ritual of a sword through the heart binds each to his ward--if not the king himself, then to whomever else the monarch designates--with absolute loyalty. And the greatest Blade of them all was--and is--Sir Durendal.
But a lifelong dream of protcting his beloved liege from enemies, traitors, and monsters is dashed to bits when Durendal is bonded till death to an effete noble fop at his king's orders. Yet Destiny has many strange and inscrutable plans for the young knight--for a mission, a contest, and, perhaps, a treasure await him in a faraway land. But he soon finds himself enmeshed in treasonand foul intrigues, compelled to betray the king he had hoped to serve. The Blades have ways to protect their own, but death and madness haunt the path to salvation--and few ever return unscathed.
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Top Member Book Reviews
Beth G. (
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Duncan is clearly using Tudor England as the setting for this book and King Ambrose couldn't be more like Henry VIII, but there are differences, of course.
In this world magic is everywhere and unwanted boys go to Ironhall to become the finest swordsmen in the world. When they are ready, each is bound by a magic ritual to either the King or someone he designates. At the end of the ritual, the ward, the one who the Blade will serve, thrusts a sword through the candidates heart. When it is removed, the successful candidate is alive, healed and bound to his ward in absolute loyalty. Every Blade would far rather die than allow his ward to be hurt or captured.
This book follows the life of Durendal, a brash young boy who becomes the greatest swordsman of his century and has adventures that make him a legend before he is thirty.
However, his time as a Blade doesn't start off well, when he is bound to worthless effete courtier who is unlikely to ever need him to draw his sword.
This is an absorbing fantasy with characters feel substantial. I read a review that said the characters were generic, but it certainly didn't strike me that way.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent book. Duncan displays his prototypical flare to take common fantasy themes (like magical warriors) and turn it ninety degrees. This is less a book about magic and quests (also there is an awesomely creepy battle in it and some other amazing scenes), and more a book about the costs and benefits of loyalty and faithfulness. A great start to his King's Blades series.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really enjoy this series, and this first book is a great introduction to the King's Blades books.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a series worth reading. This book the first about the King's Blades, knights pledged to protect their beloved lieges whom they are bonded till death to. Full of enemies, traitors and monsters and great sword fights.
Jeff P. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A passable - but not great - fantasy novel. Unless I learn that the later books in the series are better written, I won't be reading any more of them. This just wasn't up to the standards of Tolkien or Donaldson, and I have many other things to read. Oh well.
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