The Anvil of the World
core novel 2003 The Anvil of the World
Record
| First published | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.88 (2,060 ratings, collected 2026-11-01) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780765308184 |
| Internal chronology | 1 |
Synopsis
Smith, a former assassin from the Children of the Sun, a people given to blood feuds, wants to retire quietly under a false name. He agrees to lead a caravan with valuable cargo from Troon to the pleasure city of Salesh, but murders, magic and a demon known as the Master of the Mountain threaten the travelers. Later he runs a hotel in Salesh, where a death on the premises and a constable's deadline put his livelihood at risk. Along the way he befriends Lord Ermenwyr, a half-demon whose family troubles draw him in. The world is shared by the Children of the Sun and the Yendri, a spiritual people who oppose violence but are not above having others fight for them. The book is made of three linked episodes told in order.
Where it sits
- Universe: The Anvil of the World
- Series: The Anvil of the World core; position 1 of 3 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Kage Baker
Awards (verified)
- Mythopoeic Award (Adult Literature), 2005: nominated
Notes
- Published as a novel; it is made up of three linked parts.
- From the series record (The Anvil of the World): Three novels in one fantasy world, the second a prequel to the first and the third a loosely linked story.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings, but they resolve to the exact same sequence for this book, so one combined line is shown instead of two identical ones.
- Reading order, within the series The Anvil of the World: position 1 of 3: next The House of the Stag (2008)
Sources
← The Anvil of the World dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.