King Javan's Year (Heirs of Saint Camber, Vol 2) [Mass Market Paperback]

Katherine Kurtz (Author)

Book Description

Series: Heirs of Saint Chamber, Vol 2 | Publication Date: November 1, 1993

With young young King Alroy on his deathbed, the power-hungry Regents are plotting to keep the legitimate heir from ascending the thrown. But Prince Javan is a formidable opponent. And the Regents vow to stop at nothing to wrest back control of Gwynedd. To prevail against the Regents, to rule his kingdom justly, and even to live, Javan has to be strong. He has to be clever. And he has to be very lucky indeed...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A young king seeks to save his people from powerful and corrupt nobles and prelates in this middle volume of the latest Deryni trilogy (following The Harrowing of Gwynedd ). Crippled Prince Javan gains the throne of Gwynedd after the death of his brother, King Alroy, despite machinations by the five former regents, who mean to make him a monk and crown his more biddable younger brother. With a small band of loyal knights and advisers, Javan must gain the respect of the people, guard himself against assassination and attempt to ameliorate, if not repeal, the vicious laws enacted by the Church to destroy the Deryni, a race with psychic powers that shares the land. Though a human, Javan is gifted with some of these powers, a heritage of his royal family line, but he must learn to use them surreptitiously or share the fate of the Deryni. As the subtle battle escalates, with Javan receiving aid from powerful but hidden Deryni, the prospect of losing power drives the regents to extreme measures. Kurtz, author of three previous Deryni trilogies, builds a deeper, more complex and more thoughtfully developed world with each succeeding volume.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The death of young King Alroy brings his twin brother Javan to the throne of Gwynedd, and the Council of Regents is thrown into turmoil when the new king proves less amenable to their control. Set in one of the darkest times of Gwynedd's history, this latest novel in the Deryni chronicles focuses on the grim determination of its protagonist. Familiar clashes between Deryni sorcery and Church fanaticism combine with scenes of emotionally charged drama and tragedy to create a medieval fantasy that Kurtz's many fans will welcome. A good purchase for most fantasy collections.
Copyright 1992 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: 496 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (November 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345384784
• ISBN-13: 978-0345384782
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #627,780 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 Noble King, May 8, 2000

By 

Robert Andrews (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: King Javan's Year (Heirs of Saint Camber, Vol 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

Javan held my imagination since I first saw his name on the Table of Gwynedd's Kings in the back of Katherine Kurtz' first Deryni novel. His year and his book do not disappoint. Kurtz does a tremendous job of letting the young King and his Court live. And breathe. And hope. I enjoyed this work more than any other of the Deryni line. Javan's hope surely found its way to Kelson's soul.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars my favorite of all the deryni novels, October 28, 2002

By 

Joe Sherry (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: King Javan's Year (Heirs of Saint Camber, Vol 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

I believe this was the first of the Deryni novels that i read, so perhaps my fondness for the book stems from that. I knew nothing about the Deryni, the history of the Eleven Kingdoms, or the Regency; but this world drew me in and kept me there.

If you have read any of the Deryni novels and have looked at the Haldane lineage, you know how long Javan lived and served as king. From the title "King Javan's Year", you have an idea what is going to happen.

In so many fantasy novels, the main characters are treated lightly and make it through and they save the day. In the Deryni novels, things are much darker for the protagonists and what surprised me was how vicious things were against Javan. Through all of this darkness, the light of who Javan is shines through and I really cared what happened to him and was somewhat upset at how this ended...

I suppose that is the mark of a good writer, that you can be drawn into the the world and care about the characters. The characters i care the most about, though, are those who are earliest in the timeline (Joram, Evaine, Camber, Javan, etc)...i really hope Katherine Kurtz returns to the earlier times of the Eleven Kingdoms. Until that day, i will continue to read about Camber and his children.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The eternal battle between good and evil., December 27, 2002

By 

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

This review is from: King Javan's Year (Heirs of Saint Camber, Vol 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

I am in a love/hate relationship with this book. The book was so well written you quickly become attached to the characters and fall in love with them. You find a continuation of events from previous novels accompanied by new developments. This of course leaves you wanting more. It is for all of these reasons that I loved the book.

I hate this book for only one reason, and it directly correspondes with my fast growing love for the characters and how and when King Javan's Year comes to an end. A must read, but be prepared for tears.