Synopses & Reviews
On a dodecahedral world in thrall to the tyrannical, war-obsessed Hrag dynasty, no one could stop the Bloodlord from sending troops to Florengia, invading its major cities, and offering them a choice between strict colonial rule or immediate and total destruction. When the doge of Celebre was faced with this ultimatum, he gave his children up as hostages so that the rest of Celebre might live. Thus the four young Florengians were taken back over the Edge and scattered across the Vigaelian face.
Fifteen years later, when Celebre suddenly takes on crucial political significance, one of the siblings must return home to serve as Celebre's puppet ruler and the others must be eliminated so that there are no rival claimants to the throne. It's going to be tough enough finding each other, let alone deciding whether enough kinship remains after fifteen years apart that the siblings care enough to help each other out of their respective predicaments. If they're feeling particularly altruistic, the Celebres might even take on the bonus round: trying to save Dodec from the culture of death and war imposed on it by its evil warlords.
One thing's for certain: the Celebre children are going to have a lot of adjusting to do . .
Children of Chaos is the start of a stirring, politically-charged quest duology by acclaimed fantasy author Dave Duncan.
Review
"Duncan's storytelling has never been better [than] in this superb fantasy. . . . How the children of Celebre reunite makes for a captivating, adventure-filled story."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Children of Chaos
"The estimable Duncan's mad plots, dark intrigues, vivid cast and lashings of magic leave many engrossing mysteries to be elucidated in volume two."
--Kirkus Reviews on Children of Chaos
"This odd group of siblings . . . behave nothing at all like the standard protagonists of epic fantasy but a great deal like real people thrust into Interesting Times. . . . Duncan, that wily devil, has done it again!"
--Locus on Children of Chaos
"Dave Duncan produces excellent work in book after book, yet never gains the attention he deserves. This is a fun book but with more substance than most light fantasy. . . . Another solid entry by a writer who deserves a wider audience."
--SFReview on Children of Chaos
Synopsis
Fifteen years after they are forcibly taken from their city ruler father in order to save their people from the tyrannical Bloodlord, the four separated Florengian siblings learn that one of them is to be set up as their home city's puppet ruler while the other three will be condemned to death. Reprint.
Synopsis
The start of a stirring, intrigue-filled quest duology by acclaimed fantasy author Dave Duncan
About the Author
Originally from Scotland, Dave Duncan has lived all his adult life in Western Canada, having enjoyed a long career as a petroleum geologist before taking up writing. Since discovering that inventing imaginary worlds is more satisfying than poking holes in the real one, he has published three dozen novels, mostly in the fantasy genre, but also in young adult, science fiction, and historical. He has at times been Sarah B. Franklin (but only for literary purposes) and Ken Hood (which is short for “D’ye Ken Whodunit?”). He has been married (to the same lady, Janet) since 1959. They have one son and two daughters, who in turn are responsible for a spinoff series of four grandchildren. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.