Rating: 
Summary: Good read
Review: Well written, well thought out. Good charachters, engaging story of swordsmanship and Kings.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the good stuff.
Review: Dave Duncan apparently is able to shift between several styles of writing - he can vary the complexity of both the story and the way he tells it over a wide range - almost from comics to "War and Peace". The style he uses in this book is perfect for me, it is complex enough to keep and hold your interest, but not turgid. It is reminiscent of Mike Resnick or Nevil Schute and few do better. The characters are rich and subtle, particularly the King, who has to look good but is not without flaws. I will buy as many as Mr Duncan can write.
Rating:
Summary: Dave Duncan at his best
Review: Every endeavor that Dave Duncan embarks on is truly unique and superb. The King's Blades is no different. All three books stand alone, yet they work together to create a larger picture. Duncan went a step further; however, and also created the King's Daggers. The Daggers are yet another angle on the complex realm of Chivial. The Daggers were written for a Young Adult audience, but the only things that make them "young adult" are larger type and shorter length. If you want the complete picture of the King's Blades, you must read the The King's Daggers as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Gilded Reader
Review: Dave Duncan has created an incredible storyline. The idea is not that original: A king has rettainers known as blades, bound to serve with their life. The special powers they have to protect their ward in times of exigence is non-standard, but possibly a spinoff from legendary tales such as Beowulf. The novel lacks action, but when Duncan desides to infuse action, it is worth waiting for. One scene with blade Durendal and immortal Herat is quite dazzling. Durendal is a character to watch and is the most skilled of all blades, ostiensibly since the dawn of the Ironhall--the forge center for blades. The book is good, but oftentimes corny and melodram. Worth the paperback price, surely, but don't splurge on hardcover.
Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: Unlike most fantasy novels, or series, out there today, the books on the King's Blades by Dave Duncun are very origianl and excellent reading. But the thing with these books is that you can read just one, and not know that you are missing an incredible amount of information. Some of the critiques before me obviously hadn't gotten to the second volume. See, you can read the first one, or you can read the second one, but in if you read both their will be inconsistencies that you can only pick up in the third volume. If you just read one, it may seem like a lot is left out, but it gets explained in the succeeding volumes. Definately worth picking up!
Rating:
Summary: A truly unique fantasy world.
Review: Once again Dave Duncan has come up with a unique, exciting magical system in a vast dynamic universe. The characters are well developed, the plot is fast paced, and overall the book is very exciting. I read it in one sitting - took me the whole night!The only problem I have with this book is it should have been two books. Fortunately the author has gone on to write more books in what I hope will be a long series.
Rating:
Summary: Marvelous Medieval Fare!
Review: This is a wonderful book! A unique concept centering around the binding of men to their warden by the blade of a sword, who in turn are called "Blades", this story focuses on the life of one of these ultimate swordsmen by the name of Durendal. We see his life unfold and the adventures he goes upon as he is bound and eventually has a blade bound to him. Some wonderful concepts are put into play and are all fully realized, but what I personally loved about this book - is the fact that it never slows down for a second. The pacing is furious and incredible, there's barely time to catch one's breath before being whisked into the next adventure. Durendal is a character that you can easily become fiercely attached to, he's extremely likeable and very *real*. I was sharply pulled into this book and read it ravenously til the end. Those that like rollicking swordsplay and solid as stone storytelling will be enchanted with this book! One of my favorite novels from the past fifteen years.
Rating:
Summary: A little disappointed.
Review: For a long time I have read many fantasy novels by author's such as Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, J.V. Jones, and George R.R. Martin. At picking up this book I was very excited hoping that it would be in the same ranks as those authors, but was severely disappointed to find that it did not hold up to my expectations. Most definately engaging, but not nearly as well written or played out as I have become used to.
Rating:
Summary: An Interesting Idea
Review: I thought that Dave Duncan had an interesting idea in this novel. The King's Blades are magically bound to the King, or if not the King, then whomever the King gives them to. However, they are not bound to do every little whim of their ward; they are only bound to make sure that no harm comes to their ward, and to do nothing that would bring them to harm. In short, they give up their lives for whomever they are bound to, if necessary. This, obviously, can cause some foreseeable problems. For example, if a Blade's ward is traitorous to the King, reporting it would be impossible. The Blade's binding would not permit this, since would result in the death of the ward he was sworn to protect. I found this book an enjoyable read, but I do have to admit that sometimes years passed without any segue, although I did find that it wasn't really necessary to date each section, for it fit in with the story. This book is about the greatest Blade of all, Durendal, as he fights for his ward, for his king, and for his life. This is a story of swords and sorcery, treason, courtly intrigue, and a mission to a far-away place that will take Durendal years to reach. All in all, an interesting book that I would recommend. I think I will be reading more of the King's Blades in the future.
Rating:
Summary: The book that redefines Fantasy.
Review: What more can I say then that? Duncan has blown away the standards of the fantasy novel. The characters become more then alive and real as you pursue the pages, they become you're friends, talking to you, telling you their most intimate thoughts and emotions. As you read, you live with them, feeling the pain and suffering, the joy and adventure that they do, as they do. By no means a "quick read" this book draws you into the depths of the story, stimulating your imagination to have you run along side as the events unfold. It's so enticing, so good, that one could easily read it in a single night, then wish they hadn't! The characters, the plot, the illusion, the foreshadowing, it's all there, perfectly balanced in a way that almost makes one think it was an actual occurrence of a real life. By far, one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Well done!
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