Rating: 
Summary: FIVE STAR BOOK DROPPED TO THREE BY FINAL SCENE
Review: I would have given this book five stars. Was, in fact, intending to. Until the final page. You see, I had already read The Guilded Chain. These are two very good books. Supposedly stand-alone stories in the same world. Yet, the two books directly contradict each other, distroying both stories. I came away feeling, with that one incredibly stupid scene that the editor should never have allowed to get through, that Mr Duncan has a VERY low opinion of his audience's intelligence. My advice to anyone who hasn't read either of these books, buy one of them and read it. They are equally entertaining. After reading one, DO NOT EVER read the other. I'm ashamed of you Mr. Duncan.
Rating: 
Summary: Not all trilogies work the same way
Review: "Lord of the Fire Lands" covers much the same time interval as "The Gilded Chain" and even shares some characters with it. Each book is a standalone, complete in itself, but if you read both, you will note certain discrepancies between them. The differences will be resolved in "Sky of Swords", which is due out around October 2000 and views events from Malinda's viewpoint. The three books together encompass a larger story than the parts do separately. They do form a series, but a rather unusual one.
Rating: 
Summary: It's love, love, twue love!
Review: I have a new hero. His name is Dave Duncan.The Gilded Chain was the first Duncan book I ever read. I was lured into buying it by Publishers Weekly's glowing review, and I am so glad I did. What a rollicking, rambunctious swashbuckle of a story that is. Brilliant. So of course I was hanging out for the next King's Blade tale, and hoping it was going to be as entertaining and enthralling as the first. Well, I wasn't disappointed. Wow, it's so good. I love this series. I want to read the next one. Soon. Now I'm hanging out for Sir Stalwart, first in the King's Dagger series. It's great to see an author writing stand alone novels in a single setting. The only other person really doing that is Pratchett, I think. It's a great idea. Not that I don't like series, because I do, but we all get tired of waiting for the next installment. Here, we get the best of both worlds. I have read some of other Duncan's other stuff, but I think he's saved the best till last (or at least, later) with the King's Blade's series. It's great. Go for it. You'll have a rollicking time.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining sword and sorcery tale
Review: Wasp enters the Blades of Ironhall because pirates killed his entire family. After several years of training, the time for Wasp and his companion Raider to pledge their dying loyalty to King Ambrose of Chivial arrives. However, instead of accepting the honor of becoming super swordsman that magically would change them, the two pupils decline the privilege. King Ambrose declares Wasp and Raider as traitorous outlaws. Their peers, the other Blades, hunt them down with the goal being to kill them. However, the duo soon uncovers a terrifying plot of dark magic that, if left unchecked, will destroy the entire kingdom. For the past decade, Dave Duncan has been one of the leading authors of sword and sorcery tales. His latest novel, LORD OF THE FIRE LANDS: A TALE OF THE KING'S BLADES will augment his reputation for constructing worlds that make magic seems real. Wasp and Raider are a complex duo who will garner much reader understanding and support especially when they challenge years of tradition. Though not quite as loony as his earlier works, Mr. Duncan continues to provide some of the sub-genre's most exciting and well-written tales.
Rating: 
Summary: Another book from the Tales of the King's Blades Series
Review: Lord of the Fire Lands is perhaps a book in it's own right, and although it is not a continuation from The Gilded Chain, it is nevertheless recommended that the first book is read in order to get a "feel" for the story and the setting. Duncan's writing style is interesting yet curious, because the second book is completely set aside from the first, so far in fact that the two books don't even connect, as if we are viewing two possible time lines. Nevertheless, Lord of the Fire Lands is an exceptional book, and very readable, Duncan's writing style and technique makes the reader feel for the characters, and the suspense to see what happens next is what keeps the page turning. However, unlike the Gilded Chain, Lords is not a biography style book about the main character, which can possibly lead to further ideas in Sky of Swords perhaps? It is disappointing that the book has not been published anywhere else outside the States. I look forward to reading his third book when I do have a chance to ship it in from America.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book, lousy sequel
Review: Having just finished "The Gilded Chain," I was excited to find that Duncan had written a sequel. Unfortunately, the book left me torn. Almost the entire story remains true to the first with great characters and an engaging plot. It was one of those books that keeps you awake at night. I almost skipped a class to finish it. The ending however completely invalidated the first book. I want to know what happened. I mean really, if Mr. Duncan wanted the story to go this way, way end the other book as he did. I found this book to be frustrating beyond belief. If you've never read the first book, then you'll enjoy this, but don't read "The Gilded Chain." If you've read the first book, skip this. It will only make you want to find the author and beat an explanation out of him.
Rating:
Summary: Lord of the Fire Lands - Another wonderful tale!
Review: "Lord of the Fire Lands" is another exceptional example of superior fantasy writing by author, Dave Duncan. After finishing his first "Tale of the King's Blades" in "The Gilded Chain," it seemed as though that novel would be a hard one to follow but Dave Duncan deftly handles that in writing this thoroughly absorbing and compelling story. The only downside to this story is the beginning in which it seems to take some time for the story to get going at a decent pace but I suspect that was, for me, simply an aftereffect of having just finished "The Gilded Chain" and the frenetic pace at which that story concluded. Overall though, "Lord of the Fire Lands" is a completely compelling story where Dave Duncan sets a good pace for the plot and tells a tale that adds brilliantly to King's Blades mythology. The one truly intriguing aspect of this novel is the ending which contradicts the conclusion of "The Gilded Chain." As I understand it though, Dave Duncan cleverly handles this contradiction with ease in the third novel, "Sky of Swords." Every one of the novels begins with a blurb about how these novels can be read independently of the others but it would be "best" to read them in order to get the thorough experience of the overall story, which is exactly what I would suggest. The first two tales pretty much run concurrently of each other and there are even appearances in "Lord of the Fire Lands" by key characters from the first novel. The Premise: "Lord of the Fire Lands" is the story of two would be Blades in Wasp and Raider. When the time comes for King Ambrose IV to come to Ironhall and bind them into his service Raider respectfully refuses to do so and his best friend Wasp follows his lead. In the entire of history of the King's Blades, this has never happened before. As the two youngsters patiently await the outcome of their dreadful decision, King Ambrose comes to them and orders them to explain why they've done what they've done. This is where the true story kicks in for this outstanding novel as Raider, who turns out to be Radgar, the son of the former King of the Baels, Eled. Raider begins to tell them how he came to be in Ironhall and the tale takes of from there... What follows from there is an extremely enlightening addition to the "Tales of the King's Blades" as Dave Duncan takes us on an adventure that spans several years where the characters are extremely well defined with exceptional depth and the overall plot is thoroughly well thought out and executed. I highly recommend not only this second book in the King's Blades tales but the all of them to any and all who are fans of exceptional fantasy fiction that is written with adults in mind. Dave Duncan is a superior author who deserves any and all accolades he's received and I'm sure continues to receive for these exceptional stories. {ssintrepid}
Rating:
Summary: Can't put the book down
Review: Excellent read. Completely draws you in. I had trouble putting the book down!
Rating:
Summary: Slow Start and a Gripping End
Review: I started this book a while ago, and my reading habits are admittedly slow at times. A recent recovery required a lot of time at home, so I dove in determined to get through this book (since I enjoyed the first one so well).
Luckily getting over the hump in this book was close at hand by this time and the story really started to flow. Don't give up on all of the groundwork that is lain as the book progresses. I promise you will be rewarded for your patience as this book went every direction but where I had expected. Just like some movies that need to explain why something is about to happen, so too does this book. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book to show up in my PO Box!
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