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Updated November 21, 2003
The Gilded Chain, by Dave Duncan (Young Adult/Adult)
The Gilded Chain is the first book in a series called The King’s Blades. The story takes place in medieval times in the country of Chivial. There is an academy for the training of the best swordsmen who are subsequently bound to the king’s service. He may dispose of them as he wishes. The binding takes the form of plunging the sword of the candidate into his heart and extracting it. The conjurations attending the ceremony ensure that the candidate does not die…. in most instances. Sometimes the King assigns his prerogative to a another individual, like a prince or the chancellor of the country. Whoever actually does the binding is the ward of the Blade. He is obligated to defend his ward with his life. If the ward dies of anything other than natural causes the Blade goes mad.
The Gilded Chain is the story of a particular Blade, Durendal, who rises from his position as Blade to Leader of the Royal Blades and then to Chancellor. The story is filled with magic, swordplay, intrigue, and adventure.