The Gilded Chain
core novel 1998 The King's Blades
Record
| First published | 1998 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.93 (3,505 ratings, collected 2026-11-02) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780380974603 |
| Internal chronology | 1 |
Synopsis
In the sorcery-filled kingdom of Chivial, a school called Ironhall takes in unwanted, rebellious boys and, five years later, sends out elite swordsmen, the Blades, bound by a magical sword-stroke through the heart to protect their charge to the death. Sir Durendal, the school's greatest swordsman, is chosen to serve first a flamboyant fop and then a monarch who resembles Henry VIII, and is sent on a dangerous mission to the far ends of the Earth. The story alternates between his viewpoint and that of the royal chancellor, Roland, as adventure leads to the secrets of immortality, honor and betrayal.
Where it sits
- Universe: The King's Blades
- Series: Tales of the King's Blades core; position 1 of 5 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Dave Duncan
Notes
- From the series record (Tales of the King's Blades): Novels about individual Blades of Chivial, beginning with Durendal in The Gilded Chain and ending with The Ethical Swordsman.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings and are never conflated: a book's place in one says nothing about its place in the other.
- Publication order, within the series Tales of the King's Blades: position 1 of 5: next Lord of the Fire Lands (1999)
- Internal chronology, within The King's Blades: position 1 of 11: next Paragon Lost (2002)
Sources
- Rising Shadow, Sky of Swords
- FantasticFiction, King's Blades
- Publishers Weekly listing, The Gilded Chain
- Dave Duncan author site
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