Bøger af Dave Duncan

The city of Mera is a fortress hidden from the rest of humanity, a sanctuary for the diverse group of people rescued from death by the Oracle that rules the city. The Oracle has brought together the citizens of Mera from every land and every time period, protecting them from the ravages of time, death, and the evil demon forces that howl outside the city at night. All that the Oracle asks in return is a willingness to aid the rest of humanity, calling the citizens to go forth on various missions of rescue to mortals in need of aid. The Oracle sends Jerry out into the wilderness, accompanied by his ancient Greek friend Killer, a world famous lecher and juvenile delinquent with deadly combat skills. There they must rescue a woman named Ariadne, on the run with her children and seeking shelter. But children are not allowed in Mera, and Ariadne will not leave them while Mera's evil demon enemies move closer and closer to Jerry and Killer's temporary place of respite.

A young man is transformed into a barbarian fighter in this adventure from ';one of the leading masters of epic fantasy' (Publishers Weekly).Wallie Smith can feel the pain. He goes to the hospital and remembers the doctors and the commotion, but when he wakes up it all seems like a dream. However, if that was a dream, how do you explain waking up in another body and in another world? Little Wallie finds himself in the physique of a barbarian swordsman, accompanied by both an eccentric priest babbling about the Goddess and a voluptuous slave girl. Is this a rude awakening or a dream come true? What in the world will Wallie do now that he has found himself stranded in a strange realm? Well, it just so happens that the Goddess is in need of a swordsman. It will not be easy, but if he succeeds he will have everything he wants. If he does not, things could get ugly. Wallie is reluctant but sees his chance. If only he had the faintest clue as to the adventure he is about to unleash! If only he could imagine the forces that will be out to vanquish him!

This fantasy by the author of the Seventh Sword series offers ';a madcap mix of outrageous prose and superlative wit' (Times-Colonist, Victoria B.C.). Omar is the finest storyteller the world has ever known, captivating audiences everywhere, from the fires of soldier camps to the plush residences of nobility. In times of turmoil, people can still appreciate a good tale that offers respite from their troubles. But as hordes of barbarian soldiers surround the unvanquished city of Zanadon after ravaging the surrounding countryside, few things are certain any longer. Omar has been guided to the city by prophetic dreams, yet finds himself in an increasingly dangerous situation as the people grow more desperate and the gift of a glib tongue turns into a curse.

As WWI rages on, two immortal enemies engage in a war between alternate worlds in book two of this epic fantasy series. In the midst of the horror of the First World War, a stranger falls from nowhere into the mud and death of Flanders battlefieldbruised, babbling, and stark naked . . . with a remarkable story to tell. The Great Gamethe timeless diversion of human gods, a ruthless contest of treachery, magic, betrayal, and manipulation, created to relieve the tedium of immortalitygoes on.

A new link in the tale begun in The Gilded Chain from ';one of the great unsung figures of Canadian fantasy and science fiction' (Quill & Quire). Originally issued as a YA trilogy called the King's Daggers (including volumes Sir Stalwart, The Crooked House, and Silvercloak), The Monster War works equally well as a single novel. The story fills a gap in the first Blades novel, The Gilded Chain, when King Ambrose sought to shut down the evil sorcery of the Elementaries, and the sorcerers fought back by trying to kill him. The same great characters are all here: Ambrose himself, Grand Master, and Blades Durendal, Bandit, and Snake. Appearing for the first time are Sir Stalwart, the only Blade who does not bear a binding scar, and Emerald of the White Sisters, the only girl ever enrolled in Ironhall. The action wanders across Chivial from the White Sisters' headquarters at Oakendown, to Grandon, and into the heart of Ironhall, for the evil penetrates even there. If you missed this one the first time (and most Blades fans did), then here is your chance to join the action as the King's Blades ride again!

';Exceptional ... Duncan can swashbuckle with the best, but his characters feel more deeply and think more clearly than most' (Publishers Weekly). Raider and Wasp have spent five years at Ironhall studying to become Blades, expert swordsmen whose talents stand unmatched. Magic both enhances the Blades' fighting skills and binds them to lifelong duty. But when Raider and Wasp are selected to protect the king of Chivial himself, they refuse, an act unprecedented in the living history of the Blades. Now on the run for their ';treasonous' act, the two gifted swordsmen must escape to the Fire Lands, where pirates, monsters, and mixed allegiances wait around every corner. As old hatreds and still fresh tragedies come to light, these young swashbucklers must confront both harsh truths from the past and a present swarming with their would be brothers at arms seeking vengeance and intending punishment. Dave Duncan'sLord of the Fire Landsserves as a splendid sequel and companion to his earlier bookThe Gilded Chain, and his later Tale of the King's BladesSky of Swords. Engaging and complex, it may be enjoyed as a standalone novel or in combination with the rest of the trilogy. Either way, readers are in for a smart, thrilling adventure that cuts like a knife.

';Complicated politics and family scandals twist through this tale of courtly intrigue from prolific fantasist Duncan' (Publishers Weekly). Though Quirt's name is little known, his skills as a gladiator are quickly obvious and hard to match. In Aureity, noblemen battle in the arena circuit, using their powers of teleportation and telekinesis to prove their breeding and strength. The prizes at play are not only silver and bronze but also the chance to rise amongst the nobility and mate with the ruling class of women. Older than most players, Quirt still manages to draw attention and awe through his mastery of the games. Some of that attention comes from Humate, a brash young competitor with unbelievable power and little patience or control. To him, Quirt is a mystery he can't resist. However, that mystery soon proves much bigger than all of them. Ancient crimes, struggles for status, romance, vengeance, dutyHumate has a lot to learn from the world wise Quirt. As the secret of Quirt's true identity and past unfolds, Humate and Quirt race to bring justice to the murderer and madman whose blood links the two gladiators together. WithIll Met in the Arena, award winning fantasy author Dave Duncan creates yet another new, fully realized world filled with complex cultures and brisk adventure. Intrigue, politics, action, humorthis book will grab you from pageone and not let go until the final word.

First seen in The Reaver Road';a fun, very readable fantasy with agreeable, intelligent characters'Omar the Storyteller returns (Metaphorosis Reviews). Omar often gets into trouble as a result of his role as the world's greatest storyteller. The wrong tale at the wrong time told to the wrong audience can prove fatal. A slighted innkeeper threatens to kill Omar by tossing him out into the vicious storm that rages just outside the door of the inn. But this time, for a change, Omar also has the chance to redeem himself by using his gift. If Omar can top the most outrageous tales invented by the inn's guests, he may get away with his neck intact. Omar not only tells a series of tales that would astonish the most gifted bard, but he corrects the errors of the others and weaves them all together into one absolutely compelling tale of adventure.

Space opera at its finest and most action filled, from the bestselling author of fantasy quests, epic tales, and swashbuckling adventures. Vaun, born a peasant in the stinking mud flats of Ult, a thriving colony planet, claws his way to survival and fame by becoming the toughest young officer in the Space Patrol. A veteran of the brutal training academy, he seizes opportunities as they arise, leading the first ship out against a surprise attack by the mysterious Brotherhood. He returns to a hero's welcome as the Brotherhood ship falls to the surface of his home planet in shattered pieces. The Brotherhood is elsewhere unstoppable, though, as neighboring planets, one by one, fall silent, conquered. And then, the Patrol detects a huge spacecraft launched from one of the now silent worlds and headed for Ult. Facing a challenge greater than he can truly hope to overcome, Vaun nonetheless sets out to save Ult for a second time.

The ';tightly written, intelligent, and original' fantasy epic of interdimensional war comes to ';a decisive and satisfactory end' (Booklist). In a place called Nextdoorthe farthest flung outpost of British imperialismearthborn mortals possess the power of gods. Young Englishman Edward Exeter has spent five years trying to escape the magnetic and powerfully magical pull of the Great Game, which has designated him as its most important player. But war and bloodthirsty intrigue rage on both sides of magical portals and across worlds, and Exeter can resist his destiny no longer. He accepts the mantle of Liberator that has been thrust upon him, and the decision turns old friends into foes and old enemies into acolytes as he is surrounded by murderous plots and betrayals. But this is not the uninformed Edward Exeter who came naked into this hidden realm years ago. He has lived the Game and learned it welland he intends to play it boldly to its shocking, worlds shattering conclusion.

A sword-and-sorcery classic from the Aurora Awardwinning author of the King's Blades series. Wally Smith, having died on Earth, finds himself reincarnated as a swordsman in another world and entrusted by the presiding goddess with a mission that has no appeal for him at all. Can he bring together all the swordsmen to finally defeat the sorcerors and their terrible technology? Wally is not quite convinced he should, but goddesses can be very persuasive . . .This is the third and final exciting book, afterThe Reluctant SwordsmanandThe Coming of Wisdom, in the Seventh Sword Trilogy.

In medieval Scotland, a Highlander picks up his sword against his oppressors. ';Duncan excels at old-fashioned swashbuckling fantasy' (RT Book Reviews). All of Europe is under the control of the Khan, whose conquering armies swept across the West in 1244. Scotland, in addition, lies under the heel of England. Young Toby Strangerson, a half English bastard, reared by a witchwife, wants only to shed his hated ';Sassenach' blood and free his beloved highlands. Toby wields a sword as the outlaw Longdirk. The sword can cut down men like so many stalks of corn. But stranger winds are swirling and howling across the lochs, eldritch winds that are ridden by ';hobs' and ';wisps' and demons. The enemy Sassenach king is also a sorcerer. His demon soul needs a body and his Black Arts can free Europe from the Khans Golden Horde. This book was originally published under the pseudonym Ken Hood.

In medieval Scotland, an outlaw seeks his freedomfrom both the merciless khan who conquered Europe, and the demon spirit that possesses him. All of Europe is ruled by the Khan, whose Golden Horde swept its conquering way across Europe in 1244. The Scottish outlaw Toby Strangerson, known as Longdirk, is ruled by an even harsher master. He is possessed by a ';hob,' a demon spirit murderous as a child, although inherently neither good nor evil. Toby wants his freedomand the spirit of the tyrant demon Nevil, ensorcelled in amethyst, can be traded for the exorcism of the hob. In order to make the exchange, though, Toby and his friend and ally Hamish must face the hexer Oreste on his own ground, in the dank and fetid dungeons of Barcelona, where souls are racked and tortured and destroyed on the relentless wheel of the Inquisition. This book was originally published under the pseudonym Ken Hood.

Longdirk, the hero of medieval Europe, faces his greatest threat. ';Duncan excels at old-fashioned swashbuckling fantasy' (RT Book Reviews). The Scottish outlaw Toby Strangerson, known as Longdirk, has used gramarye, dark magic, to defeat the Fiend and save Europe from abject slaverybut he has also made himself the most feared and envied man in all of Italy. The hordes are reorganizing and plan to sweep over the Alps once more and retake their lost prize of power and conquest. Toby and his friend Hamish struggle to unite the quarreling city states into a single, powerful force to resist the invasion in a world where no ally can be trusted and traitors lurk in every shadow. But there is more at stake than freedom and the destiny of a continent. A woman's love is also hanging in the balance. This book was originally published under the name Ken Hood.

';A complex and gripping story' of plague, prophecy, and a woman's quest for freedom from the author of Portal of a Thousand Worlds (Booklist). The world was desperate. Since the empire had fallen a hundred years ago, Gwin and her people had nearly given up hope that the Renewer would come. Gwin had lost everything. Her husband was killed in one of the wars. Her children died of Star Sickness. Even her work at the hostel was in jeopardy because the politicians had it out for her. The cursed Gwin, therefore, had nothing to lose. When she took in the girl, a survivor of the Star Sickness, it was a dreadful crime. Gwin was at the end of her rope, and possibly the end of her life if she was found out. But the Sickness had left the girl with certain magic, certain powers, which could prove very useful to them both. Was it possible that this young survivor could save their lives and theempire? Was a new life for Gwin and her world finally at hand?

A barbarian warrior faces the forces of the Fire God in this thrilling adventure from the acclaimed author of Children of Chaos. Wallie Smith is staring death in the face; only a miracle can save him. And then one does! The Goddess appears to preserve his soul, but she does much more than that. She promises to bestow upon him a new and powerful body, and, more important, to endow him with the fabled Sapphire Sword of Chioxin. But nothing in this world or any other comes without a price. The Goddess demands that, for her services, Wallie become her champion. It will be an honor to serve such a presence, to have the chance to be victorious over all challengers. But Wallie and his sword quickly find themselves outmatched in a world of high stakes magic. Even the Goddess's priests cannot offer any resistance to the invading sorcerers and their quest to conquer souls for the Fire God. Wallie will need to find in himself and in the world the powers that will save all mortals. He will need to find the Coming of Wisdom.