The great adventure had ended happily. The good folk of Krasnegar discovered that a beautiful princess could, indeed, succeed her royal father and rule in her own right, and rule very well, too. And when Queen Inos married Rap, the former stableboy, he turned out to be a very good king. He never admitted that he was a sorcerer, and everyone knew that Rap was a Man of His Word, so that was all right. The years passed. Rap and Inos raised a family, prospering in their remote little kingdom. But trouble was brewing in the great world outside. The aged Imperor grew ever more erratic, more tyrannical. His grandson Shandie, the boy Rap had befriended, was now a great soldier, struggling to suppress ever-growing upheaval in the borderlands while he waited to inherit the throne. Strange prophecies of upheaval and disaster spread. When the rumors reached even to Krasnegar, Rap scoffed at them as superstition--until one night a god appeared and confirmed that the truth was likely to be far worse. On his travels long ago, Rap himself had made a terrible blunder. Because of that, the world of Pandemia was now poised on the brink of utter disaster. The last thing Rap wanted was another adventure, and that might be the last thing he would ever get.
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Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
The world of Pandemia seethes with tension as imperial troops wage war along its borderlands and omens predict disaster. When the Protocol which restricts the use of magic begins to break down, only a few handpicked people have a chance to preserve the balance of their crumbling society. Set in the same world as the four-volume "A Man of His Word" series, Duncan's latest series opener promises an action-packed fantasy quest that should have wide appeal.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Kirkus Reviews
Book one of a projected four-part series, A Handful of Men, which itself follows Duncan's previous paperback series, A Man of His Word: lively, ingenious, disarming fantasy set in a well- realized land of sorcerers, gods, and numerous contending human varieties (``imps,'' ``fauns,'' ``elves,'' etc.). Now, at the end of the third millennium, the compact that prevented the world's four supreme warlocks from meddling in human affairs is breaking down. In the city of Hub, the old Emperor Emshandar stubbornly refuses to die, while heir prince Shandie and his rakish, self-serving assistant Ylo are preoccupied with the incessant military threats to the empire, many stirred up by sorcery. Elsewhere, King Rap of Krasnegar, once a sorcerer of godlike power, suspects his son has acquired sorcerous powers, is told by a god that one of his children will die, and realizes that the world-order is about to change for the worse. For the first time in a thousand years, the mysterious pixies intervene in human affairs. Finally, as old Emshandar dies, the sorcerers' compact dissolves: an insane dwarf sorcerer makes a bid for supreme power; Shandie--with a few loyal companions, Rap, and Raspnex the dwarf warlock--is driven forth from his palace, one step ahead of total disaster. Deftly woven and set forth with a refreshingly unpretentious clarity and directness: imagine David Eddings rewritten by Kate Wilhelm. Grab this one in the fervent hope that Duncan will maintain the same high standard throughout. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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More About the Author
Dave Duncan is a prolific writer of fantasy and science fiction, best known for his fantasy series, particularly The Seventh Sword, A Man of His Word, and The King's Blades. He and his wife Janet, his in-house editor and partner for over fifty years, live in Victoria, British Columbia. They have three children and four grandchildren.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The beginning to a classic,
By Alanna Evans (US) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cutting Edge (A Handful of Men, Part 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
There are few writers that can create such visually brilliant worlds using words and tapping into the reader's imagination, but Dave Duncan is one of them. "The Cutting Edge" marks the first book in the "A Handful of Men" series, the follow up to the previous "Man of His Word", where Krasengar's genius stableboy Rap tracks across country in search of the missing Princess who should be placed upon the throne as Queen. Along the way he manages to alienate the four Wardens and even defy the Gods themselves. "The Cutting Edge" reveals what has happened to our characters many years down the line. Rap and Inos happily married with children and rulers of their beloved tiny nation. But it seems that all is not well in the magical ambience as many things Rap had done in the previous series come back to haunt him and throw the entire continent into disarray, not excluding the Wardens! The ex-warden Zinixo who Rap had stripped of sorcery is back from his imprisonment with a legion of magically branded sorcerers as slaves to do his bidding... Most of the favorites from this first series have returned, including the little Prince Shandie who's now in the seat of power as the Emperor of the Impire! There are many surprises in store for those who have read the "A Man of His Word" series, and many things are revealed that had been left as speculation even as the previous series came to its close. The ingenious magical system is further fleshed out, and Duncan weaves an equally magical story to boot. Those that love their books very character driven with more than just the vague hint of fantasy will be delighted with this as well as the rest of the series. One word of note: The first 100 pages or so are not quite as action pack or memorable as the rest of this book, or the other three for that matter, but they are necessary in setting up the story and a major player in the series... Sit back and enjoy this one!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fulfilling,
By
This review is from: The Cutting Edge (Handful of Men) (Hardcover)
I picked up book two of this series in hardcover on the sale rack of a local bookstore. After that read I set out to find the complete series in Hardcover. This first book in the series introduces all of the characters and sets the stage for a conflict that spans another three novels. The author weaves the story line into plausible embodiments of the quotes from great literature that follow many of the chapters. Although this work is high fantasy in the tradition of Tolkien I find Duncan's work easier to read. Further, Duncan posses a unique voice and an imaginative view of magic which distinguish him from other writers who merely rehash hackneyed plots. A very enjoyable read that more than fulfills its role in inspiring the reader to find out how the whole epic ends.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite author, poorly spelled,
By Bibliovore (Englewood, CO) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Cutting Edge (Part One of A Handful of Men ) (Paperback)
I have always loved Dave Duncan, and while this is not his best series, I do still enjoy it. I first read it years ago when I borrowed them from the library. I was excited to see a reprint of the series available (Dave Duncan books are so hard to find in used book stores). Unfortunately, this edition is SO poorly edited I almost returned the books. I could not go more than 2 pages without finding a typo, some of them so jarring that I had to stop and think about what the word was supposed to be (someone must have done a Find and Replace on THE to change it to ME, because in book 3 this typo exists no fewer than 25 times).
I guess my review is more a reflection of the general failings of the publishing industry in this day of reliance on spell check. In general, an enjoyable series and a good way to spend a rainy afternoon. Just as long as you don't mind being brought back from your fantasy world to figure out what something was supposed to say.
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