Speculative Primitive

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Swords-and-sorcery fans aren't always proud. At times, they're left feeling a little embarrassed when they get a fix for their "pulp" addiction, maybe even sheepishly admitting that the genre isn't always that... sophisticated. Well, with Dave Duncan's The Gilded Chain, no apologies are necessary.

The author presents traditional high fantasy, with knights and magic (and even a few monsters) in a Tudoresque setting. The Gilded Chain satisfies all the usual cravings, while still managing to be both original and thought-provoking. Subtitled A Tale of the King's Blades (an indication that more excellent stand-alones should follow), Gilded Chain follows the career of Durendal, one of the King's magical and deadly swordsmen, who's compelled to serve his ward until death with single-minded purpose. Bound to a conniving, sniveling courtier and apparently doomed to a boring--or worse, compromising--existence, Durendal must find a way to fulfill both his potential and his duty. Events quickly hurl him halfway across the world to investigate the grisly secret behind a brotherhood of immortal swordmasters. This quest fuels the plot for the remainder of the book, which is nearly impossible to put down after the halfway point (just about the time a side story involving a Lord Roland cleverly dovetails with the main narrative). An inventive, intelligent exploration of duty and honor, and just a corking good adventure besides, The Gilded Chain is swords-and-sorcery at its best. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

As unwanted and rebellious boys, they find refuge in Ironhall....Years later they emerge as the finest swordsmen in the realm—A magical ritual of a sword through the heart binds each to his ward—if not the king himself, then to whomever else the monarch designates—with absolute loyalty.And the greatest Blade of them all was—and is—Sir Durendal.

But a lifelong dream of protecting his beloved liege from enemies, traitors, and monsters is dashed to bits when Durendal is bonded till death to an effete noble fop at his king's orders. Yet Destiny has many strange and inscrutable plans for the young knight—for a mission, a contest, and, perhaps, a treasure await him in a faraway land. But he soon finds himself enmeshed in treason and foul intrigues, compelled to betray the king he had hoped to serve. The Blades have ways to protect their own, but death and madness haunt the path to salvation—and few ever return unscathed. As unwanted and rebellious boys, they find refuge in Ironhall....Years later they emerge as the finest swordsmen in the realm—A magical ritual of a sword through the heart binds each to his ward—if not the king himself, then to whomever else the monarch designates—with absolute loyalty. And the greatest Blade of them all was—and is—Sir Durendal.

But a lifelong dream of protcting his beloved liege from enemies, traitors, and monsters is dashed to bits when Durendal is bonded till death to an effete noble fop at his king's orders. Yet Destiny has many strange and inscrutable plans for the young knight—for a mission, a contest, and, perhaps, a treasure await him in a faraway land. But he soon finds himself enmeshed in treasonand foul intrigues, compelled to betray the king he had hoped to serve. The Blades have ways to protect their own, but death and madness haunt the path to salvation—and few ever return unscathed.

Download Description

As unwanted and rebellious boys, they find refuge in Ironhall....Years later they emerge as the finest swordsmen in the realm -- A magical ritual of a sword through the heart binds each to his ward--if not the king himself, then to whomever else the monarch designates -- with absolute loyalty. And the greatest Blade of them all was -- and is -- Sir Durendal.

But a lifelong dream of protecting his beloved liege from enemies, traitors, and monsters is dashed to bits when Durendal is bonded till death to an effete noble fop at his king's orders. Yet Destiny has many strange and inscrutable plans for the young knight -- for a mission, a contest, and, perhaps, a treasure await him in a faraway land. But he soon finds himself enmeshed in treason and foul intrigues, compelled to betray the king he had hoped to serve. The Blades have ways to protect their own, but death and madness haunt the path to salvation -- and few ever return unscathed. As unwanted and rebellious boys, they find refuge in Ironhall....Years later they emerge as the finest swordsmen in the realm-- A magical ritual of a sword through the heart binds each to his ward--if not the king himself, then to whomever else the monarch designates--with absolute loyalty. And the greatest Blade of them all was--and is--Sir Durendal.

But a lifelong dream of protcting his beloved liege from enemies, traitors, and monsters is dashed to bits when Durendal is bonded till death to an effete noble fop at his king's orders. Yet Destiny has many strange and inscrutable plans for the young knight--for a mission, a contest, and, perhaps, a treasure await him in a faraway land. But he soon finds himself enmeshed in treasonand foul intrigues, compelled to betray the king he had hoped to serve. The Blades have ways to protect their own, but death and madness haunt the path to salvation--and few ever return unscathed.

Customer Reviews:

Witty and entertaining.......2006-12-16

The Gilded Chain is the first in a series of books from acclaimed fantasy author Dave Duncan. This book takes you through the life of Sir Durendal, a King's blade, an elite group of magically enhanced swordsman, who through a perilous enchantment are bound to protect the king and those to whom he appoints the honor of having a blade of their own. In this book an exceptionally skilled Blade named Durendal finds fate has bound him to a snobbish and distasteful, not to mention duplicitous noble.

This is basically only the very beginning of the story for Durendal. The tale follows Durendal throughout his life as he encounters treachery, danger, love and glory.

Dave's writing style is very straightforward, often leaving out the queues that normally tell a reader who is speaking to whom, but this actually serves to make the conversations flow quite naturally . He also displays a very British wit as we peer into the thoughts of Durendal, which are always in display.

The land in which this takes place is somewhat typically medieval, with a king and a parliament and small hamlets and towns. Magic is present, but it is not something that is displayed by say a powerful wizard who can mutter some words or draw some spell components. Rather, magic is achieved through a conjuring drawing on the different "elements" IE earth, fire, air, Love, Death, of which there are eight. It appears as though anyone can take part in conjuring, although it takes several participants, and their are "elementaries" that specialize in certain types of enchantments, some evil and some good. The blades themselves are not only enchanted to be singularly loyal to their ward and protect him until death, but they are also enhanced so as to need little sleep, and to be able to sustain savage damage before succumbing to injury. There are also "sniffers" who are people that can "see" enchantments and thus warn others if someone/thing is magic.

All of this sets the stage for a story of character, duty, friendship and betrayal. I found it to be very satisfying and I read through it very quickly. I would suggest this to anyone that is interested in the fantasy genre as it stands out against a crowded field.

A great fantasy book!!!.......2006-10-14

This books is one of the best I have read and Mr. Duncan's writing is simply exquisite. I think this is a modern-day masterpiece along the lines of Dumas and Sabatini blended flawlessly with fantasy.

There was nothing I found lacking in Duncan's writing or in the plot itself. Durendal is an excellent hero and he quiclky became one of my favorite. In short, I wish I could say more but this book is better experienced than talked about. Or maybe it's just me and I can't come up with enough praises for this!

This is a great example of quality fantasy as Duncan doesn't sacrifice language, characterization, or plot unlike a lot of modern day fantasy authors that write as if their readers where teenagers or pre-teens.

Great Fantasy.......2006-09-26

The blurb on the cover says it all: "Just the sort of...yarn that lured me into reading fnatasy..." And that from Anne McCaffrey!

The King's Blades are premeir swordsmen who are bound unto death to their wards. Even in the face of their ward's wrongdoing, they have no choice but to protect them, even from arresting authorities. The situations that that can cause speak to themselves.

In this volume, the hero, Durendal, is first bound to a plotter against the king. The description on the back of the book doesn't sound promising, but it only covers the first third of the plot. Soon after he is sworn to the king instead (guess why!) and finds himself crossing the world to discover a truely hideous secret ritual. This is really the stuff of great fantasy.

The only drawback I felt during the read is that sometimes the scene or time changed so fast, it left you wondering what had happened. This disconnect in the narrative poses no real problem to following and enjoyment, but it could be a bit jaring.

Overall, a good book, and one whose companions I plan to read soon.

Will Make You A Duncan Fan.......2006-06-14

This book was wonderful. I picked it up on a recommendation from a good source - and even bumped it to the top of my reading list - and by was I glad that I did. It is written more or less feeling like historical fiction of a time like The Three Musketeers. Actually a lot of how this book was done reminded me of that.

A School full of misfits and boys that would end up in a gutter long before being something special - instead are found and placed here to become The King's Blades. Men devoted to the safety of the King, and even bound to him by an invisible bond that in many ways forces the men to continue to strive for his safety more than theirs. They do not HAVE to be bound to the King, as He can see fit to bind any blade to anyone he wishes - and seems to do so a lot in this book.

This book is detailing - in many ways - the entire life of the main character - and all he endures being a blade for the King. I hate to give anything away, so I say that is all - though it was all very well written and a wonderful story.

Anyone who enjoys this type of genre should pick this up AND put it at the top of the reading list. This is the first of a series - so be ready for more when you are finished.

Simply put... Wow!.......2006-03-26

The Gilded Chain by Dave Duncan is part of a series of stand alone novels titled A Tale of the King's Blades. From what I understand they can be read in any order, but there was a certain order I was recommended reading them and this one was first. The next is Lord of the Firelands and then Sky of Swords. My first reaction after finishing this book is, I can't believe I didn't know about this sooner. This book was first published in 1998 and I had never heard about it. It's simply a fantastic story.

First and foremost, this is a plot driven book. It has a unique premise in that the king magically binds blades (young men in a specialized fighting monastery) to him or people he selects to serve as body guards. Interesting concept if you ask me. The book is about the rise of this king's empire and the things that he does along the way. It centers on one Blade in particular Durandel and the process he goes through, not only becoming a Blade, but doing the king's bidding as well. Along the way there are several secondary plot lines that tie in nicely with the over arching plot. Overall, this is a nice compact plot and one I am sure the vast majority of fantasy fans will enjoy.

The characters in this book are simply fantastic. While this is a plot driven book, the characters do their best to make this story about them. There are many memorable characters in this book they are too many to name. Suffice it to say that if you enjoy strong character development in a book you will not be disappointed. I can easily see how Mr. Duncan could have been so captivated by character development and would drag out this book to 600+ pages like some authors are doing now, et he keeps the developmental pieces nice and compact and to the point. There is not a lot of `fluff' in this book. It's a fast paced book that leaves you always wanting to turn one more page.

I do have two minor criticisms about this book though. They aren't really `spoilers' so I will share them here.

#1- Some of the names seem to be just grabbed from the air. I don't mean a string of letter to represent a name, rather the name itself. This mostly centers on the Blade's names. For instance the main character's name is Durandel, yet he knows people like Wolfbiter, Snake, Quarrel, Bowman, Dragon etc. Not a huge deal, I know, just threw me off a couple times.

#2- There are a few times in the book where the entire perspective will change with no warning what so ever. The main character will be in the present and the very next sentence we have a totally different scene from the past that leads to confusion for a paragraph or two. In most books when this happens there are symbols or something to differentiate the two ideas to allow the reader to transition more easily. Again, not a huge deal, just a minor annoyance.

Overall, I think this is a great book and I will surely seek out the rest in this series. I will be recommending this book to many people. Duncan has a way of writing a captivating story and one with believable characters. As I said before the vast majority of fantasy fans will surely enjoy this wonderful tale as much as I did. If you are considering starting to read fantasy or if you are a fantasy veteran have no fear of jumping into this one, you won't be disappointed.

The Gilded Chain: a Tale of the King's Blades

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The Gilded Chain: a Tale of the King's Blades
Dave Duncan
Manufacturer: Avon Books, New York:
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OV6JV4

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The Ecklesia Project

A hard book to put down

A new dominant "Force" in Science Fiction

The Ecklesia Project
Ray Hansen , and Ray A. Hansen
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0738804401

Book Description

In a race against time, a group of people known as the Ecklesians struggle to finish their massive, two thousand year-old starship as the forces of darkness begin to envelop their home planet. Commanded by Admiral Paul Bishop, the Ecklesians must deal with a terrorist from among their own ranks.

Customer Reviews:

The Ecklesia Project.......2000-02-10

It felt like I was there, watching it all unfold ... and being the first of a "trilogy" I'm anxious to read the sequels! I always like seeing the movie after reading a book, and this would make for a great movie. The authors very descriptive writing style allows you to follow, in your minds eye, every move of each character and know exactly the feelings of each character, what they're seeing or experiencing, ... it's definitely captivating with lots of unexpected surprises - I highly recommend this to all readers ... not just science fiction fans.

A hard book to put down.......1999-11-17

The Ecklesia Project is a book which keeps its reader in suspense from beginning to end. Ray A Hansen has done an excellent job of sequencially unfolding a plot that makes its reader beg to read more. His allegorical usage throughout the book keeps his reader on his/her toes as they are introduced to characters, names, and situations throughout the book. I highly recommend it.

A new dominant "Force" in Science Fiction.......1999-09-25

With the style of Stephen R. Lawhead, the excitment of Star Wars and the polish of Star Trek, Ray A. Hansen has written a truly compelling piece of Science Fiction. Vivid descriptions open the book and the characters, whether good or evil, are commanding. No "fluff" here, this is a piece of Science Fiction you can sink your teeth into! Share this book with friends and family - it is refreshingly free of torrid elements that embarrass, but don't add to the content. Plan on staying up late to finish this one, and be prepared for the sequels. I'd say a new dominant "Force" in Science Fiction is upon us!

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Essential for All Church Leaders

Fantastic resource for understanding biblical aspects of worship

Give Praise to God: A Vision for Reforming Worship : Celebrating the Legacy of James Montgomery Boice

Manufacturer: P & R Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Ritual | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0875525539

Book Description

James Montgomery Boice had a passion for worship. His life and ministry reflected his desire to honor God in the form and content of worship. Here 18 contributors, including Hughes Oliphant Old, Edmund P. Clowney, W. Robert Godfrey, and Michael S. Horton, advance Dr. Boice's vision for Reformed worship. They examine the biblical foundations for worship, the elements of corporate worship, worship in the home and in all of life, and worship throughout the ages.

Philip Ryken writes in the introduction, "This book is for everyone who loves to worship God. Our hope is that it will help ministers who lead their congregations in worship, musicians who seek a deeper understanding of the spiritual purpose of their work, seminary students who are clarifying their commitment to biblical worship, and everyone else who sincerely desires to give praise to God."

Customer Reviews:

Essential for All Church Leaders.......2006-06-01

Chapter 12 alone is worth the price of this book. A MUST read for all those who serve the Church of Christ.

Fantastic resource for understanding biblical aspects of worship.......2006-03-21

This book is a very well-written and thoughtful examination of the various aspects of worship, written from a Reformed perspective. Before you begin, it's important to know that this book does not define "worship" narrowly to mean "the singing time of the service," but the entire Lord's day service. Each chapter touches on a different topic, beginning with the very foundational question: Does God care how we worship? There are a couple of chapters that answer this question (which the authors answer "yes" as they outline the regulative principle of worship). Then subsequent chapters discuss expository preaching, hymnody, the Lord's supper, baptism, public prayer, etc. It is very thorough and scholarly, yet readable. If you are wanting to learn about how to design a worship service that will entertain people or draw crowds, don't bother with this one. (Actually, maybe you need to read this more than anyone else!) If you want to learn biblical principles for how to design a worship service after God's own design - one that truly honors and pleases Him, get this book. I am making it a gift to the pastoral staff of my church.

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A collection of vegetarian recipes which all have in common a reasonably brief preparation time

Disappointing

My most used cookbook

This Book is Underrated

An excellent choice for the non-extravagant vegetarian cook!

Simply Vegetarian!: Easy-To-Prepare Recipes for the Vegetarian Gourmet
Nancy Mair
Manufacturer: Crystal Clarity Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Vegetables & Vegetarian | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Natural Foods | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0916124533

Book Description

Gourmet, easy-to-prepare dishes that are actually tasty and nutritious! Reflecting many of themost current trends in gourmet cooking, Simply Vegetarian! is ideal both for those who aretransitioning into vegetarian eating and long-time vegetarians eager to discover some wonderfulnew recipes. This winning combination includes 50 main dishes as well as a complete selectionof soups, salads, and stunning deserts that make for a complete meal. Easy to follow directions,easy to find ingredients, and meals that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. SimplyVegetarian! is widely regarded as one of the classics.

Customer Reviews:

A collection of vegetarian recipes which all have in common a reasonably brief preparation time .......2006-04-03

Compiled and written by cooking instructor, professional caterer Nancy Mair, Simply Vegetarian! Easy-To-Prepare Recipes For The Vegetarian Gourmet is a collection of vegetarian recipes which all have in common a reasonably brief preparation time (15 to 50 minutes usually), except for a few cases that have a longer cooking time but that allow the chef to accomplish other tasks while the dish is in the oven. From Summer Rice Salad to Stuffed Zucchini, Maple Walnut Pie, Hungarian Noodles and so much more, the dishes offer a wide range of delights and the one-page recipes are laid out in such a manner that ingredients are not listed all at the beginning, but rather each ingredient is listed at the point in preparation in which it is added to the dish, the better to prevent mistakes. A sumptuous and enthusiastically recommended cookbook for busy vegetarians. Also highly recommended is Nancy Mair's previous cookbook, The Intimate Vegetarian.

Disappointing.......2005-03-19

I just received my book yesterday. Upon looking through it, I was quite disappointed. I expected a book "for the vegetarian gourmet" to use mostly fresh ingredients. The majority of the soup recipes (and several other recipes throughout the book) use boullion instead of vegetable stock made from fresh vegetables. In addition, while "Boboli Pizza" is quick and easy, I do not consider it to be a gourmet recipe. The recipes in this book are quick and simple, and a lot of them look fairly tasty, but I think it is a stretch for the author to call them gourmet.

My most used cookbook.......2003-12-14

We are vegetarian and this is my most used cookbook. It is simple to use and well laid out, and the recipes can be made easily for non-vegetarian guests without them feeling like you are preparing something weird or compromised for them. Some recipes are family stand-bys and we use them again and again. It's as the title says: "Easy to Prepare Recipes for the Vegerarian Gourmet".

This Book is Underrated.......2001-06-22

This is my favorite vegetarian cookbook. The recipes are incredibly easy, and they are hearty and satisfying enough for a very cold climate. Plus, you can make them in great big quantities if you like, sometimes all in one pot, so that you can spend less time cooking and more time... EATING! And the recipies are definitely worth relishing. This book has the best nut loaf recipe ever. The one drawback is that it's in the 1970s tradition of vegetarian cooking,which includes alot of dairy and eggs. Some of the recipes are vegan, and those are very tasty and hearty and warming, but in general this is probably not the best book for vegans. I'm noticing that I'm seeing it less & less in bookstores, and I hope they don't quit printing it, because it's great!

An excellent choice for the non-extravagant vegetarian cook!.......2000-05-30

This book has a variety of recipes that are easy to prepare and use relatively common ingredients. Many vegetarian recipes require exotic ingredients, but most of the recipes in this book use ordinary ingredients, herbs, and spices. Many of the recipes are unusual but all that I've tried have been declicious. The only problem with this paperback edition is that it's very difficult to keep open on the counter while preparing a meal---I have to weight down the pages to use it.

Book Description

The Book

The Book of Ty Beanie Babies is simply the best way to organize your Beanie Baby collection. This first release has a full color 8.5 x 5.5 inch page for each 1997 retired Beanie Baby and the 1998 Beanies up to the new introductions of May 30. Watch for our updater set of the fourteen new Beanies! The back of each page has the Beanie's poem and important dates as well as spaces to record important information about your own Beanie. Our system uses a three-ring binder with dividers so you can sort the Beanies any way you like; by what you have, what you want, retireds, current, type of animal, etc.

Never Buy Another Book!

Our first update release of all Beanies retired in 1996 and earlier is now available. About twice a year, as new Beanies are released, we will be offering update sets for a small charge. You can place the new pages into The Book to fit your own way of sorting.

The Book will never be outdated!

Customer Reviews:

Brings back horribly painful memories.......2002-12-21

I blew every last penny of my life-savings on this godforsaken fad. To add insult upon injury, I bought this book hoping it would rescue me from my lonely world of debt and failed marriages. Boy, was I wrong. Had I known that the Beanie Babies were destined to travel the same road as the Pet Rock and Crystal Pepsi, perhaps I would have reconsidered these careless financial decisions.

And I couldn't agree more with my fellow reviewer's ("A reader from danville ill") opinion of this book.

If Ty is really suing he should back off.......2000-06-15

This ia a great idea and I view it as a different product entirely from BBs, which are stuffed toys. If Ty is suing, I wish he would back off.

beanie loose leaf.......2000-01-06

where can i find new pages

Love "The Book". Hate not getting all the updates........1999-07-23

I bought "The Book" so I could keep track of what I have, the cost of each item, along with all the other info. Need supplements for new beanies! Was going to buy Teenie Beanies supplement, but why bother if I cannot get the others also.

I loved The Book!But when will we see a current update?.......1999-06-29

I invested alot of money in all your books and supplements, but us Beanie Collectors need to know when you will have supplements so we can bring our books up to date??

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Sew Any Patch Pocket
Claire B. Shaeffer
Manufacturer: Open Chain Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Sew Any Patch Pocket

Manufacturer: Open Chain Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0932086268

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Theological Studies, published by Theological Studies, Inc. on December 1, 2004. The length of the article is 805 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Exorcising Our Demons: Magic, Witchcraft, and Visual Culture in Early Modern Europe.(Book Review)
Author: Virginia Reinburg
Publication: Theological Studies (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2004
Publisher: Theological Studies, Inc.
Volume: 65 Issue: 4 Page: 867(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

Graphic Designer First Aid Box.......2000-11-20

Execellent Books for understanding basic of colour and other related topics.

Book Description

An autobiographical tale of forgiveness, jealousy, hatred, and doubt involved in the break-up of a marriage.

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Flight into Freedom and Beyond

Manufacturer: DEEP BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GYH8VY

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