The Bastard Prince (Heirs of Saint Camber) [Mass Market Paperback]

Katherine Kurtz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 1995

THE PRINCES IN THE TOWER

The power-hungry former Regents of the three Haldane princes were pleased. They controlled Gwynedd once more, now that Rhys Michael was king--malleable, wine-loving, and soft. Or so they thought...
Unbeknownst to the Regents, Rhys Michael was coming into his birthright. With secret Deryni aid, he struggled to grasp the magic bequeathed to all anointed kings. And when Marek--heir to Gwynedd's last degenerate deposed Deryni despots--marched into Gwynedd at the head of an army, even the Regents had to admit that Rhys Michael must take to the field himself as king to repel the pretender.
Rhys Michael saw his chance at last. He swore that the power of the throne--from now on and for all time to come--was to be held by Gwynedd's rightful king. For this, for his sons, and for his country, the king would risk all...
FIRST PAPERBACK PUBLICATION

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A small band of rebels attempts to overcome a tyranny of church and corrupt nobility in the rousing and tragic conclusion to Kurtz's fourth Deryni trilogy. When Marek of Festil, the bastard son of Gwynedd's last Deryni king, makes a move to gain the throne, the ruling council reluctantly allows King Rhys Michael to meet the challenge. (Having held the young man and his wife, Michaela, in their grip since arranging the deaths of his two older brothers, the nobles and high churchmen fear an assertion of independence before the king fathers a second child to assure the succession.) As Rhys Michael travels to Culliecairn to meet with Marek, another group of the now-proscribed Deryni seek to awaken the psychic powers of the king and queen through Michaela's young maid, Liesel. With strong characterizations and sustained tension, this volume once again reflects the atmospheric gloom of a dark and secret land, full of treachery and cruelty but shot through with light and a promise of hope.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

An unexpected threat to the throne of Gwynedd affords puppet-king Rhys Michael Haldane a rare opportunity to assert his independence from the self-serving council of regents who hold him in thrall. His actions, and his growing realization of his own innate gifts, initiate a chain of circumstances that heralds the beginning of a new age for a beleaguered land. As in her other Deryni novels (Deryni Magic, Ballantine, 1991), Kurtz portrays credible characters caught in a struggle to remain true both to themselves and their faith amid a tangle of betrayal and intrigue. Fastidious attention to period detail and a knack for empathic storytelling have won the author a sizable readership, and her latest effort will not disappoint her fans. Purchase where the series is popular.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (June 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345391772
• ISBN-13: 978-0345391773
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #874,256 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of the Best of the Best, November 2, 2000

By 

"haplo2112" (Auburn, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bastard Prince (Heirs of Saint Camber) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have been a devoted fan of this series since my aunt sent me the Bishops heir as a Christams Present when I 13. I opened that book and saw that this was just the latest in a well established series. Well being just a bit Obsessive complusive about reading things inorder I went and bought the entire series leading up to it, well after a few months anyway it takes a while to get up that kinda money when you don't even have a job yet ;>. I have been hooked ever since...In fact the huges lags of time between books in this series are one of the more fustrating things in life. With each book Kurtz proves why it take so long though, and this was the greatest of them all. I was totally Obsessed with this one when a read it a few years back. When I got the end, I just about cried because the book was that good, and the story that moving, and the fact I was going to now have to wait 4 years + most likely to see its like again. Thankfully Terry Goodkind came along and helped me pass the time somewhat. So basically, if you love fantasy and you read Eddings, Goodkind, Jordan, and Martin read this read the whole thing yo will not be dissapointed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good continuation of the Deryni Saga, January 1, 1998

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[e-mail] (Pana, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bastard Prince (Heirs of Saint Camber) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book continues the fine tradition of the Deryni Saga of Katherine Kurtz. Having been hooked on Ms. Kurtz's books for some time, this one was not a disappointment. Although I do not always agree with turns of the plot, Ms. Kurtz always has a surprise waiting for the reader. It is this suspense, and bringing of the characters to life, that makes her books special and The Bastard Prince continues in this tradition. Rhys Michael has been king for eight years, under the tight control of the regents which ruled during his childhood. Faced with a challenge from Miklos, a prince of Torenth, and claimant to his crown, Rhys Michael accepts his challenge. Not only must the young king contend with his rival, but also his domineering regents, and newfound Deryni powers of the Haldane legacy, which must be kept a secret until the time is right. A very good continuation of the Deryni saga. Can't wait for the next one to be published.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Be Ready for Tears, December 27, 2002

By 

S. K. Leggate "Sunni" (Fernley, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bastard Prince (Heirs of Saint Camber) (Mass Market Paperback)

A great book, but a tear jerker. Kartherine Kurtz has always had a knack for making her characters real and loveable, and this novel is no exception. Her character development and description is simply amazing as always.

The story outlines Gwynedd's growing difficulty with their Torenthi neighbor, and the threat that an illigitimate heir to the Torenthi throne poses. The ending is a shocker, especially since Mrs. Kurtz has a goal of always keeping her readers guessing. She has reached her goal yet again. It is my hope that the story will continue even further yet.