Paragon Lost
A Chronicle of the King's Blades
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4.6 • 5 Ratings
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- $2.99
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
Many legends have emerged from the shadows of Ironhall, yet surely none can surpass the greatness and glory predestined for Sir Beaumont—possessor of the purest and strongest of hearts, and a mind as quick, keen, and accurate as his sword. But the day he sets out in the service of the elderly Lord Wassail turns to a black one, and young Beau's journey ends in horror and blood . . . and disgrace. Banished from the King's Blades, he now faces a grim future as a homeless pariah, a creature to be shunned and despised. But redemption can come from unexpected directions and in unrecognizable guises. Approached in secret by the legendary Durendal, now Grand Master of the Order, the dishonored paragon is offered one last chance to win back his weapon and his place among his brothers in arms. But to do so, Beau must ride alone back through the icy gates of Hell . . . and do battle with the Devil himself.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Canadian author Duncan offers plenty of swashbuckling fantasy adventure in this outstanding stand-alone novel, a follow-up to the three books in his loosely connected Tales of the King's Blades series (The Gilded Chain; Lord of the Fire Lands; Sky of Swords). Set during the reign of King Athelgar about a dozen years after the action of the previous volumes, the present story follows the binding of Sir Beaumont, one of the best of the King's Blades (swordsmen) in the land of Chivial, to the aged Lord Wassail, who must escort a royal princess from the court of the treacherous and insane Czar Igor and deliver a bride to the king. Along with fellow blades Arkell and Oak, Beaumont travels a narrow path in order to keep Wassail safe. Meanwhile, Igor desires his own blade and seeks the secrets of the rituals needed to gain one, aided by vicious ensorcelled dogs and the murderous strelsy. It's up to Beaumont, now disgraced and out of favor, to retrieve and stop a missing blade, Swithin, who's bound to the czar's brother-in-law, from reaching the czar's court. Rich, evocative language and superior narrative skills lift this mix of quest, swordplay, politics, love and honor high above the usual run of genre fiction. This book can only enhance Duncan's reputation as one of the leading masters of epic fantasy. FYI:Duncan is also the author ofSir Stalwart and other titles in the King's Daggers series.
Customer Reviews
Solid swashbuckling fun!
The Kings Blades - graduates of the foremost school of swordsmanship in the continent- are bound by magic to protect their Ward : no MATTER WHAT IT TAKES. Whether that means protecting their Ward from weather, bandits, civil war, or his own poor planning or stupidity, the Blades are there. What happens when a reluctant Ward is forced to take three new bonded Blades into the steppe lands on a secret diplomatic mission? A mission so secret, it has been embarked on with no preparation, no understanding of the land or its perils both political and geographic ? And apparently, no sense of geography ? (Its HUNDREDS of LEAGUES, with NO ROAD? ) Even worse, an Ivan the Terrible type autocrat is willing to do anything to obtain Blades of his own, because his paranoia sees The Kings Blades as the magical solution to his constant terror of traitors plotting against him and his family. Guarded by a personal army unit who remain loyal, because they know the people would kill them for their inhuman crimes at the behest of the same Tzar, even these men may become tools for the Blades to keep their Ward from disappearing into one of many isolated dens of torture and dark magic where the tzar finds his entertainment. However well they perform, however, the Paragon will not escape the wrath of the King- sometimes, sacrifices need to be made, to prevent a multinational war, to hold onto a throne, to keep a nation whole- even when those sacrifices are The Kings Blades. Sandwiched between two kings and two princes, all seeking to preserve their own power, The Paragon of the Blades, Beau, must find a way to dance, lunge, parry and score his hits on the worlds political stage, as well as with his sword. All the while, making sure that he gets the girl- or all the girls, in the best Blade tradition.
“Just one more chapter” rating: up till 2 AM. Solid 4+/5