The Gilded Chain: a Tale of the King's Blades (Hardcover)

Sir Durendal, the leader of the King's Blades, the finest swordsmen in the magical land of Chivial, embarks on a quest for a glorious treasure that lies behind the walls of an ancient, isolated city where danger and death are everywhere.

Wonderful Reviews for THE GILDED CHAIN:
THE GILDED CHAIN has received wonderful reviews from both Publishers Weekly and The SF SITE: From Publishers Weekly, Oct 12, 1998 (a starred review): Duncan (The Great Game) raids some of the juiciest eras of European history for this classy opener to his King's Blades series. In the sorcery-ridden land of Chivial, the grim Ironhall nurtures unwanted boys, transmuting them by muscle-building, weapons-training and fearsome magic ritualizing into an elite corps of swordsmen, each spiritually bonded to defend a master unto death. Bound first to an outrageous fop, then to a Henry VIII look-alike monarch, rebellious knight Durendal pursues adventure and the horrifying secrets of immortality. Duncan's people are marvelously believable, his landscapes deliciously exotic, his swordplay breathtaking. Initially, the narrative disconcertingly alternates between dashing young Durendal and righteous Chancellor Roland, but all soon becomes satisfyingly clear. "Durendal," the sword that legendary Roland used to smite his Saracen enemies in France's national epic, binds swordsman and statesman into one irresistable hero in this handsomely crafted commentary on honor and betrayal. Copyright (c) 1998, Publishers Weekly. All rights reserved. From The SF SITE, October 19, 1998: Buy this book. OK, now that it's obvious that I liked The Gilded Chain, let me move on to why.... Dave Duncan's work has always been original and loads of fun to read. This time out, Duncan takes a step away from his trademark backdrop of intriguing uses of magic and concentrates on telling a story. Sub-titled "A Tale of the King's Blade," The Gilded Chain is just that. It is the tale of the best swordsman in the land of Chivial. The Blades, as they are known, are the finest swordsmen in the land, bound by magic to serve their wards with absolute loyalty. Durandel is the best of those knights and his story is filled with intrigue, adventure, tournaments, and dark magic. Of course, to become the greatest knight, Durandel does have to overcome a couple minor obstacles. Being bound to "an effete noble fop" does make the goal of charging into battle at the side of your liege a bit of a challenge, and having to deal constantly with a vicious inquisitor who is convinced Durandel is destined to betray his king, does make life interesting. Duncan, never one to tell a simple tale when a more complex one would be even better, has put together a truly great story. He has taken what could have been a uninspired rehashing of every sword-swinging hero motif and molded a tale that draws more from the characters and the depth of the story line than it does from bloodshed and swordplay. Of course, there is lots of swordplay: after all, this is a story of a swordsman. However, what makes The Gilded Chain great is the depth of the characters and the elaborate detail which fills the story. Duncan has a rare talent with words and uses them to his advantage. ...Duncan is a true master of his craft. Buy this book, you won't regret it. Copyright © 1998 by Wayne MacLaurin