The Complete Book of
Swords: Trilogy compromised from The First, Second, and
Third book of Swords Copyright Dates: First and Second
Book of Swords 1983; Third Book of Swords 1984 Publisher: Tor Books Number of pages: 626 Inside
book jacket text: Mark grew up with the Sword hanging on his father's
wall. He knows well its keen edge and its unearthly perfection. But he does not
realize its power until Duke Fratkin's men arrive one day to wrest the Sword
from Jord. As Mark watches, the Sword strikes out, screaming with an inner fury
that cares little for the safety of its wielder. When the fight is over, the
Duke's men are dead; but Jord and Mark's older brother, too, have
fallen. Carrying the Sword with him, Mark flees the Duke's vengeance, heading
for the lands of the Kind Sir Andrew. Along the way, he joins forces with the
dragonhunter Nestor -- owner, too, of a Sword -- and his two assistants, the
big, simple-seeming Ben, and pretty Barbara. But they do not find the peace
they seek at Sir Andrew's. For mighty forces are on the move, set in motion by
hunger for the mastery over their fellow man promised by the Swords: the creul
Duke Fratkin; the Silver Queen, Yambu, leading her magical inhuman army; the
greedy Blue Temple, anxious to find the Swords it once owned; and the Dark King
himself, ruler of the demons, reeking of evil -- and armed with the most
fearsome Sword of all. In the years of struggle that follow, Mark and his
companions are drawn inexorably toward the climatic moment when the Swords will
meet in battle -- and Mark will be forced to join in a game even the gods can no
longer control.
The Lost Swords: The First
Triad Trilogy compromised from The First Book of Lost
Swords: Woundhealer's Story, The Second Book of Lost Swords: Sightblinder's
Story, and The Third Book of Lost Swords: Stonecutter's Story Copyright Dates: First Book 1986; Second Book 1987; Third Book
1988 Publisher: Tor Books Number of pages:
602 Inside book jacket text: The Complete Book of
Swords opened the way to a world where, for their own amusement, the
gods forged twelve Swords of Power and cast them into the kingdoms of men. But
they had forged their weapons too well, for the Swords could slay the gods
themselves. And with the gods gone and the Swords scattered, men and women and
wizards both good and evil were about to contend for control of the twelve
Powers . . . THE FIRST BOOK OF LOST SWORDS: WOUNDHEALER'S
STORY. His son Adrian blind and racked by seizures, Prince Mark of
Tasavalta is determined to find Woundhealer, the Sword of Mercy. But Mark's
sworn enemy, Baron Amintor, has already stolen Woundhealer. And, allied with the
evil wizard Burslem, Amintor will prove a formidable opponent that will see the
magic of four of the great Swords -- Woundhealer, Dragonslicer, Shieldbreaker,
and Farslayer -- unleashed against friend and foe alike. THE SECOND BOOK
OF LOST SWORDS: SIGHTBLINDER'S STORY. Prince Mark, his nephew Zoltan, and
Ben of Purkinje have been seeking the wizard Honan-Fu, hoping he will accept
Adrian as an apprentice. But their request is cut short when Mark is
unceremoniously kidnapped by a griffin and imprisoned in the wizard's
castle. The castle has been captured by the dread Ancient One -- a being part
human and part reptilian, equipped with potent spells, deadly demons . . . and
Mark's own stolen weapon, Shieldbreaker. Ben and Zoltan are helpless against his
power, until Sightblinder, the Sword of Stealth, decides to take a hand --
Sightblinder, the Sword that makes the viewer see what he most desires . . . or
most fears. THE THIRD BOOK OF LOST SWORDS: STONECUTTER'S
STORY. Having borrowed the Sword Stonecutter from Prince Mark, Prince
al-Farabi is understandably distraught when the weapon -- which can cut through
any substance -- is stolen from his desert camp. Then the young physician
Kasimir meets the illustrious magistrate Wen Chang, and persuades him to help
recover it. But can even the clever Wen Chang prevail when the thief's trail
leads them into the murderous intrigues of two jealously competing
Temples?
The Lost Swords: The Second Triad
Trilogy compromised from The Fourth Book of Lost Swords:
Farslayer's Story, The Fifth Book of Lost Swords: Coinspinner's Story, and the
Sixth Book of Lost Swords: Mindsword's Story Copyright
Dates: Fourth and Fifth Book of Lost Swords 1989; Sixth Book of Lost
Swords 1990 Publisher: Tor Books Number of pages:
558 Inside book jacket text: Long ago, the gods forged Twelve
Swords of Power and cast them upon the gameboard of life -- prizes humankind
would scramble and kill for. But the game defeated its creators -- the Swords
destroyed the gods themselves. And with the deities gone, mortal men, woman and
wizards vied for control of the unearthly Powers. . . Farslayer's Story. Sorcery had made Black Pearl a mermaid,
and sorcery would make her human again. Or so the wizard Cosmo promised. But by
giving him the Sword she found on the river bottom -- booty from a shipwreck in
the creul rapids upstream -- Black Pearl unwittingly sacrificed both their
futures. For the weapon was the Sword of Vengeance, and Cosmo sent it against
his clan's sworn enemies. Then they used the Sword in turn, and the dread
cycle began anew -- a trail of death unmistakable to those, mortal and immortal,
who coveted Farslayer's Powers. Coinspinner's
Story. Coinspinner had reposed in Tasavalta for some time -- before
taking itslef to another place. . .spontaneously and unpredictably as it was
known to do. Crown Prince Murat of Culm held it awhile -- long enough to
steal Tasavalta's greatest treasure, the Sword Woundhealer. But then Murat gave
Coinspinner into a traitor's hands. . . that fool in turn lost it to a wizard .
. .and that wizard, daring to believe he could control the Sword of Chance, set
inmotion a most evil plan. . . Mindsword's Story.
Ashamed of the theft of Woundhealer, Murat risked his life to recover the
Mindsword, intending it as a peace-offering for Tasavalta's beautiful Princess
Kristen. But when attacked by bandits, he had no choise but to unsheath the
Sword. . .and the would-be murderers immediately came under its
spell. Embarrassed by their helpless adulation -- their vows to serve and die
for him -- Murat tried to keep the Sword of Glory safely covered. But travelers
always face danger, natural and unnatural, and the bandits proved to be merely
the first of many who would come to threaten -- then to worship -- the man who
wielded the Mindsword.
The Lost Swords:
Endgame Compromised from The Seventh Book of Lost
Swords: Wayfinder's Story and The Last Book of Lost Swords: Shieldbreaker's
Story Copyright Dates: Seventh Book of Lost Swords 1992;
Last Book of Lost Swords 1994 Publisher: Tor
Books Number of pages: 378 Inside book jacket
text: Countless tales have been told of the Twelve Swords of Power
-- how they were forged by the gods who then cast the blades among humankind. .
.thus sealing their own doom. With the gods gone forever and the Swords
scattered, fierce passions raged in mortal realms as ordinary men and women vied
with wizards for control of the Twelve Powers -- Ben of Purkinje
possessed many virtues, but tempermence was not among them, and there were times
he deeply regretted the lack. His first meeting with Sergeant Brod was one of
those times. The Blue Temple had promised the Sarge a rich bounty fro Ben's
capture. And though Ben had been exceptionally formidable in his youth, at 42,
witha throbbing head and a body still numb from a night's heavy drinking, he was
no match for Brod and his greedy men. Yet he dared not let them hamper the
mission he'd undertaken for Prince Mark of Tasavalta: a desperate search for the
Sword Woundhealer, the one Power that would cure the gravely ill Princess
Kristen. In his present condition, Ben could not hope to outfight or outrun his
captors. Therefore he set about to outwit them. . . Valdemar had always
believed he would one day be touched by greatness. But he never actually yearned
for adventure nor dreamed of leaving his beloved mountain vineyards -- until he
found the Sword of Wisdom, Wayfinder on his doorstep. It seemed the
fulfillment of his youthful expectations -- though Valdemar did not seek wealth
or glory. Instead he asked the Sword "Guide me to the woman I have almost
despaired finding, the one who is most fit, most suitable, to share my
life." Seven days later, Wayfinder led him to Yambu -- she who had once been
called the Silver Queen. No suitable bride for the young grape-grower, but a
60-year-old sorceress who might lead him to his heart's desire. If Death did not
find him first. For all their paths were coming together . . .a dangerous
confluence of magical forces and mortal desires as the Great Sword's final
destiny unfolded.
An Armory of Swords Alternate tales of the Swords of Power by various authours and edited by
Fred Saberhagen. Copyright Date: All stories published
1995 Publisher: Tor Books Number of pages:
317 Inside book jacket text: Throughout his career Fred
Saberhagen has enriched almost every speculative genre: SF (the now-classic
Berserker series), Fantasy (the best selling Books of Lost Swords
series), and Horror (the mesmerizing heroic Dracula series). Stephen R.
Donaldson has called Saberhagen "one of the best writers in the
business."
Fred Saberhagen has brought together a cast of the best
fantasy writers in the field, to apply their talents to his Lost Swords
universe. All have written tales that capture the enchanting spirit of the
series, and the result is an irresistable collection that will delight both new
and old Books of Lost Swords fans alike.
Forged by Vulcan with
such magic and skill even the Gods themselves are vulnerable to them, each
weapon has its own special power, bestowed upon whoever unsheathes it. No longer
are all humans playthings in the hands of the Gods.
An Armory of
Swords features works by Walter Jon Williams, Robert E. Vardeman, and a new
tale by the master himself -- Fred Saberhagen's "Blind Man's Blade," which
reveals how the Swords of Power came to be scattered on the gameboard of life in
the first place!
Stories and their Authors in the book: Blind
Man's Blade: Fred Saberhagen Woundhealer: Walter Jon Williams Fealty: Gene
Bostwick Dragon Debt: Robert E. Vardeman The Sword of Aren-Nath: Thomas
Saberhagen Glad Yule: Pati Nagle Luck of the Draw: Michael A.
Stackpole Stealth and the Lady: Sage Walker
