The Blue Sword - Kirjakasa

Hardcover, 272 pages

English language

Published Dec. 30, 1982 by Greenwillow Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-688-00938-0
OCLC Number:: 247600081

(1 review)

When Harry Crewe's father dies, she leaves her Homeland to travel east, to Istan, the last outpost of the Homelander empire, where her elder brother is stationed. Harry is drawn to the bleak landscape of the northeast frontier, so unlike the green hills of her Homeland. The desert she stares across was once a part of the great kingdom of Damar, before the Homelanders came from over the seas. Harry wishes she might crossthe sands and climb the dark mountains where no Homelander has ever set foot, where the last of the old Damarians, the Free Hillfolk, still live. She hears stories that the Free Hillfolk possess strange powers -- that they work magic -- that it is because of this that they remain free of the Homelander sway.

When the king of the Free Hillfolk comes to Istan to ask that the Homelanders and the Hillfolk set their enmity …

When Harry Crewe's father dies, she leaves her Homeland to travel east, to Istan, the last outpost of the Homelander empire, where her elder brother is stationed. Harry is drawn to the bleak landscape of the northeast frontier, so unlike the green hills of her Homeland. The desert she stares across was once a part of the great kingdom of Damar, before the Homelanders came from over the seas. Harry wishes she might crossthe sands and climb the dark mountains where no Homelander has ever set foot, where the last of the old Damarians, the Free Hillfolk, still live. She hears stories that the Free Hillfolk possess strange powers -- that they work magic -- that it is because of this that they remain free of the Homelander sway.

When the king of the Free Hillfolk comes to Istan to ask that the Homelanders and the Hillfolk set their enmity aside to fight a common foe, the Homelanders are reluctant to trust his word, and even more reluctant to believe his tales of the Northerners: that they are demonkind, not human.

Harry's destiny lies in the far mountains that she once wished to climb, and she will ride to the battle with the North in the Hill-king's army, bearing the Blue Sword, Gonturan, the chiefest treasure of the Hill-king's house and the subject of many legends of magic and mystery. --front flap

18 editions

Thom reviewed The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley (Damar #1)

Review of 'The Blue Sword' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

A romantic fantasy that took way too long to read - partly because it just wasn't interesting to my daughter. Should have plunged ahead without her much earlier.

Reminds me in a few ways of Narnia - completely alien world, special powers, characters as heroes, and one major confrontation/battle. Two great animal characters in her hunting cat and warhorse - well written and solid contributors to the storyline.

Wasn't thrilled with how quickly the main character became proficient and then excelled at almost everything. I understand [a:Robin McKinley|5339|Robin McKinley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1314406026p2/5339.jpg] has other books in this world that are more highly praised; I plan to check at least one of them out in the future.

Subjects

Fantasy