Magic Casement by Dave Duncan opens the “A Man of His Word” series in the remote island kingdom of Krasnegar, where Princess Inosolan grows up sheltered from the wider politics and dangers of Pandemia. Her closest companion is Rap, a stableboy whose…
Magic Casement by Dave Duncan opens the “A Man of His Word” series in the remote island kingdom of Krasnegar, where Princess Inosolan grows up sheltered from the wider politics and dangers of Pandemia. Her closest companion is Rap, a stableboy whose quiet loyalty and emerging abilities place him at the center of forces neither of them understands. As gods, magic, and rival powers begin to intrude on their small realm, both Inos and Rap are pushed into a coming-of-age struggle that spans continents and cultures. Blending epic and high fantasy with hints of romance and a non-human cast of imps, elves, gnomes, and jotnar, the novel follows two young protagonists forced into rapid maturity by events far beyond their control.
Magic Casement by Dave Duncan opens the “A Man of His Word” series in the remote island kingdom of Krasnegar, where Princess Inosolan grows up sheltered from the wider politics and dangers of Pandemia. Her closest companion is Rap, a stableboy whose…
Magic Casement by Dave Duncan opens the “A Man of His Word” series in the remote island kingdom of Krasnegar, where Princess Inosolan grows up sheltered from the wider politics and dangers of Pandemia. Her closest companion is Rap, a stableboy whose quiet loyalty and emerging abilities place him at the center of forces neither of them understands. As gods, magic, and rival powers begin to intrude on their small realm, both Inos and Rap are pushed into a coming-of-age struggle that spans continents and cultures. Blending epic and high fantasy with hints of romance and a non-human cast of imps, elves, gnomes, and jotnar, the novel follows two young protagonists forced into rapid maturity by events far beyond their control.
Inos, the late king's daughter, had been kidnapped through the magic casement even as the Impish legions overrunning her tiny kingdom were storming the castle tower. Now she was a prisoner in a desert land ruled by a dockside whore with a talent for…
Inos, the late king's daughter, had been kidnapped through the magic casement even as the Impish legions overrunning her tiny kingdom were storming the castle tower. Now she was a prisoner in a desert land ruled by a dockside whore with a talent for magic and a passion for politics.
She little dreamed that the loyal stableboy Rap had jumped through the casement after her. But no one really knew how the magic worked, and Rap found himself not in a desert, but in the steaming jungles of Faerie -- half a world away from Inos!
Rap was determined to rescue his beloved queen, and nothing could stop him -- not even the monsters and headhunters of Faerie, or the paranoid machinations of an evil sorcerer...
Queen Inos was badly shaken. Rap - loyal, trustworthy Rap - had appeared to her, obviously from beyond the grave. His insubstantial image, the echo of his voice...She stiffened her resolve. She would serve her people, whatever the cost. Rap would hav…
Queen Inos was badly shaken. Rap - loyal, trustworthy Rap - had appeared to her, obviously from beyond the grave. His insubstantial image, the echo of his voice...She stiffened her resolve. She would serve her people, whatever the cost. Rap would have wanted her to.
But Rap was alive, armed with a magic word and unwavering resolve to find his beloved Inos and give her whatever help a galley slave could give a queen.
Then Kalkor, cruelest of the vicious Nordland raiders, sailed into port in his longship Blood Wave; and Rap's life took a hellish turn for the worse...
A princess and a stableboy? It sounds like the worst sort of hackneyed formula romance. Think again, for "A Man of His Word" may well be the most original fantasy you ever read. The magic is unique and applied in unexpected ways, some of which the la…
A princess and a stableboy? It sounds like the worst sort of hackneyed formula romance. Think again, for "A Man of His Word" may well be the most original fantasy you ever read. The magic is unique and applied in unexpected ways, some of which the late Lester del Rey admitted he had not met in fifty years as writer and editor. The world itself is unique--there are no humans in Pandemia, only imps, elves, gnomes, jotnar, and many more, all of whom you will recognize as "human". With Inos married to the wrong man and Rap dying in a dungeon, obviously the cause is hopeless. Only Aunt Kade refuses to admit defeat...
