The misenchanted sword.

332 pages

English language

Published Dec. 30, 1988 by Grafton.

ISBN:: 978-0-586-20008-7

(1 review)

Ethshar and the Northern Empire have been at war for hundreds of years. Hardly anyone alive remembers why, or over what. The tempest, turmoil, and war are endless, and the killing more endless still. The war has become not just a way of life, but an institution; no one dares to dream that it could end. Not even Valder of Kardoret, Ethsharitic Scout, trapped behind enemy lines. But now everything has changed: at a moment of great need, a hermit wizard crafted Valder a magic sword called Wirikidor--a blade at once cursed and enchanted, a misenchanted blade that makes him unbeatable.

2 editions

Thom reviewed Misenchanted Sword by Lawrence Watt-Evans (Legends of Ethshar (1))

Review of 'Misenchanted Sword' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

The first book from perhaps my favorite fantasy series. The Ethshar books aren't particularly epic or heroic. Magic is another resource, available to those with coin, and society has some differences because of it. When I first read this, I imagined D&D much more like this world than Middle Earth or Narnia.

There are many books set in this world, but each stands alone nicely. This book is more episodic than epic, and the story of a common warrior and a sword enchanted in haste spans over a hundred years. The main character sometimes reacts with his gut, and other times thinks through his plans, much like any of us. In the end, he is both a common and a good man.

Already a successful writer of fantasy and science fiction, Lawrence Watt-Evans wanted to write "something lighter in tone", and I would say he succeeded. According to the author, …

The first book from perhaps my favorite fantasy series. The Ethshar books aren't particularly epic or heroic. Magic is another resource, available to those with coin, and society has some differences because of it. When I first read this, I imagined D&D much more like this world than Middle Earth or Narnia.

There are many books set in this world, but each stands alone nicely. This book is more episodic than epic, and the story of a common warrior and a sword enchanted in haste spans over a hundred years. The main character sometimes reacts with his gut, and other times thinks through his plans, much like any of us. In the end, he is both a common and a good man.

Already a successful writer of fantasy and science fiction, Lawrence Watt-Evans wanted to write "something lighter in tone", and I would say he succeeded. According to the author, this has been his most successful book to date (as of 2017). The series contains fourteen published novels and eleven stories, now collected into one volume. I've only ever read the first six, and plan to reread (and review) all of them. 4½ stars.