Dave Duncan Books in Order

Where to Start with Dave Duncan

With over fifty novels to his name, Dave Duncan was one of the most prolific and imaginative voices in Canadian speculative fiction. He wrote across multiple subgenres, including portal fantasy, epic high fantasy, swashbuckling adventure, and historical mystery. For readers new to his bibliography, there are three primary starting points, depending on your preferred style of fantasy:

• For swashbuckling, character-driven fantasy: Start with The Gilded Chain, the first book in his highly acclaimed King's Blades series. It features elite bodyguards bound by magic, court intrigue, and excellent swordplay.
• For classic high fantasy with a unique magic system: Start with Magic Casement, the opening volume of the A Man of His Word quartet set in the world of Pandemia. It is a fantastic coming-of-age story that expands into an epic world-spanning conflict.
• For portal fantasy and barbarian adventure: Start with The Reluctant Swordsman, the beginning of The Seventh Sword series, which follows a modern man who finds himself in the body of a legendary warrior.

The King's Blades Universe Reading Order

The King's Blades series is widely considered Dave Duncan's masterpiece. The books follow the elite swordsmen trained at the Ironhall, who are bound by a magical ritual to protect their wards to the death. While some of the subseries run concurrently or jump around the timeline, reading them in publication order is the best way to watch the lore and political structures of the world evolve.

Tales of the King's Blades (The Core Trilogy)

The series begins with the original core trilogy, which introduces the Ironhall, the magical binding ritual, and the political landscape of Chivial:

1. The Gilded Chain (1998)
2. Lord of the Fire Lands (1999)
3. Sky of Swords (2000)

The King's Daggers (Young Adult Spin-off)

This companion series is aimed at younger readers but is set in the same world during the reign of King Ambrose. The events run roughly concurrent to the early parts of the main series, but they are best read after the core trilogy to fully appreciate the world-building:

1. Sir Stalwart (1999)
2. The Crooked House (2000)
3. Silvercloak (2001)
4. The Monster War (2006)

Chronicles of the King's Blades & Later Novels

Duncan returned to this universe multiple times, exploring different eras, characters, and corners of the world:

1. Paragon Lost (2002)
2. Impossible Odds (2003)
3. The Jaguar Knights (2004)
4. One Velvet Glove (2017)
5. The Ethical Swordsman (2019)

The Pandemia Universe: A Man of His Word & A Handful of Men

Pandemia is a rich fantasy world where magic is based on "Words of Power." Knowing a word makes a person a magician, and knowing multiple words increases one's power exponentially. This world is divided into two distinct, sequential quartets. Because the second series is a direct sequel that features returning characters and resolves leftover plot threads, they must be read in order.

A Man of His Word (Pandemia Series 1)

This quartet focuses on the stableboy Rap and Princess Inos as they discover the dangerous magic of their world and face powerful sorcerers:

1. Magic Casement (1990)
2. Faery Lands Forlorn (1991)
3. Perilous Seas (1991)
4. Emperor and Clown (1992)

A Handful of Men (Pandemia Series 2)

Set fifteen years after the events of the first quartet, this sequel series deals with the fulfillment of a terrifying prophecy and the return of characters you grew to love in the first four books:

1. The Cutting Edge (1992)
2. Upland Outlaws (1993)
3. The Stricken Field (1993)
4. The Living God (1994)

The Seventh Sword: Portal Fantasy Classic

One of Duncan's earliest hits, The Seventh Sword, is a portal fantasy where Wallie Smith, a modern engineer, dies and is resurrected by a goddess in a medieval fantasy world. He is given the body of a legendary swordsman and tasked with a grand quest. While it was originally a self-contained trilogy, Duncan returned to the series decades later to write a final, concluding volume.

1. The Reluctant Swordsman (1988)
2. The Coming of Wisdom (1988)
3. The Destiny of the Sword (1988)
4. The Death of Nnanji (2012)

Other Notable Series by Dave Duncan

The Venice Trilogy (Historical Fantasy)

Set in an alternate Renaissance Venice, this series features Alchemist Nostradamus and his apprentice, Alfeo Zeno, solving mysteries using a mix of logic and historical astrology:

1. The Alchemist's Apprentice (2007)
2. The Alchemist's Code (2008)
3. The Alchemist's Pursuit (2009)

The Enchanter General (Historical Fantasy)

Set in an alternate medieval England where magic is real but tightly regulated, this series follows the life of Raphe, an Anglo-Saxon scribe with a talent for magic:

1. Ironfoot (2017)
2. Trial by Treason (2018)
3. Merlin Redux (2019)

The Brothers Magnus

A dark fantasy series focusing on Norse-inspired myths, politics, and magical abilities:

1. Speak to the Devil (2010)
2. When the Saints (2011)
3. The Speaker and the Saints (2013)

The Starfolk

1. King of Swords (2013)
2. Queen of Stars (2014)

Ivor of Glenbroch

A lesser-known fantasy series exploring the adventures of a young runner and magical threats:

1. The Runner and the Wizard (2013)
2. The Runner and the Saint (2014)
3. The Runner and the Kelpie (2014)
4. The Adventures of Ivor (2015)

The Great Game

An ambitious sci-fi/fantasy blend exploring parallel dimensions, portals, and a cosmic war:

1. Past Imperative (1995)
2. Present Tense (1996)
3. Future Indefinite (1997)

Years of Longdirk

Set in historical Scotland with fantastical elements, published under the pseudonym Ken Hood:

1. Demon Sword (1995)
2. Demon Rider (1997)
3. Demon Knight (1998)

Standalone Masterpieces

If you are not ready to commit to a multi-book series, Dave Duncan wrote several highly regarded standalone novels. The most famous is West of January (1989), which won the Aurora Award. It is a planetary romance set on a world with extremely long days and nights, showcasing Duncan's background in geology. Other notable standalones include A Rose-Red City (his debut novel) and The Cursed, a dark fantasy about a plague that grants magical powers at a terrible cost.