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.The author, Dave Duncan , 27 October, 1998
A tale of magical bodyguards
"The Gilded Chain" is a standalone fantasy novel, so if cliffhanger endings rile you, don't worry. It also begins a series of books about the sorcerous bodyguards called The King's Blades, and thus it should appeal to those who like to explore a larger world. (This is known as eating your cake and having it too.) The main characters are the swordsman Durendal and his lord, King Ambrose IV of Chivial.

I set out to write a sword-and-sorcery, because none of my previous books had exactly fitted into that sub-genre. To some extent I succeeded, because there are monsters and clashing swords, but this is certainly not a typical example. (I never manage to write anything typical.) It has been winning a lot of rave reviews and a few boos, which is a healthy mixture.

Although I have created some bizarre worlds in my time, the land of Chivial, in which "The Gilded Chain" is set, is an obvious rerun of Tudor (16th Century) England, with Ambrose playing the role of Henry VIII. This is not entirely due to laziness. The comfy-familiar feel of the background lets readers find their way into the story more easily, and when Durendal does arrive in distant Samarinda, the contrast is all the greater.

But enough of telling ABOUT the story. Why not let me introduce you to the Blades themselves--Sir Wolfbiter, Sir Montpurse, Sir Quarrel and the greatest of them all, Sir Durendal...? --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Genre: Fantasy