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The Desert and the Blade

A Novel of the Change

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The Desert and the Blade

By: S. M. Stirling
Narrated by: Todd McLaren
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About this listen

Reiko, empress of Japan, has allied herself with Princess Órlaith, heir to the High Kingdom of Montival, to find the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, the Grass-Cutting Sword, a legendary treasure of an ancient dynasty that confers valor and victory to its bearer. Órlaith understands all too well the power it signifies. Her own inherited blade, the Sword of the Lady, was both a burden and a danger to her father, Rudi Mackenzie, as it failed to save the king from being assassinated. But the fabled sword lies deep with the Valley of Death, and the search will be far from easy. And war is building in Montival and far beyond.

As Órlaith and Reiko encounter danger and wonder, Órlaith's mother, Queen Matildha, believes her daughter's alliance and quest has endangered the entire realm. There are factions both within and without Montival whose loyalty died with the king, and whispers of treachery and war grow ever louder. And the Malevolence that underlies the enemy will bend all its forces to destroy them.

©2015 S. M. Stirling (P)2015 Recorded Books
Adventure Epic Literary Fiction Post-Apocalyptic
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The series reaches a new high point

Dispite its length this book is perfectly timed and what Stirling has improved on with here is linking character development with world development, the two don't feel separate any more and what a world it is, what was hinted before is even more a reality. This feels like the book the Emberverse has always been heading for building up on all the themes while standing on its own merits.

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another brilliant book in the series

love the characters and the ongoing story
I would heartily recommend this and his other books

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Back to form

An enjoyable story of magic swords and evil thwarted, read by Todd McLaren in his own inimitable way well worth the time to listen to. I look forward to another of this ilk

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