[Mithfânion]

I've basically been looking for a cool story about knights, kings, courts, royal hunting parties that is not ASOIAF or Arthurian Legend. Does anyone have any recommendations?
It needn't necessarily be Fantasy ,hist. fiction will do as well.

[Rob B]

Mithf:

Try Dave Duncan's Tales of the King's Blades starting with The Gilded Chain. The series has knights, court intrigue and kings.

A very enjoyable series.

[Mithfânion]

Thanks Fitz, someone else recommended this series in my fencing thread as well, apparently it does contain some fencing scenes as well?

I remember you mentioning him before as well. I can't quite figure out the premise. Is the blade (Durendal or something) a living thing itself? Does it transform into a warrior or is it Durendal a knight himself? What sort of magical stuff happens?

[Rob B]

Durendal is one of The King's Blades. The Blades are the men/knights that comprise the King's elite guard, they are extensions of the King and essentially, living weapons. The Blades go through an apprenticeship process before being magically bonded to the king, they are bonded by getting a sword stuck through their heart.

There are some very good sword-fighting/swashbuckling scenes.

[Alle]

Originally posted by Mithfânion

It needn't necessarily be Fantasy ,hist. fiction will do as well.

I can recommend some historical fiction for you...:-)

Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles and her House of Niccolo series deal with all that you listed.

Hella Haasse's In a Dark Wood Wandering deals with the intrigues of the French court from 1394 - 1460's or thereabouts ..although there is not much 'action'...mostly backstabbing of the verbal nature.

Sharon Kay Penman also writes excellent historical fiction...

I mentioned Rafael Sabatini in the fencing post...many of his books deal with courts and kings, others don't.

That's it for now...

[Holbrook]

Well for something a bit different, read the "The Mabinogion" Lady Charlotte Guest's 19th century translation of The Welsh bard tales originally set down in the White book Of Rhydderch (c1300-1323) and the Red book of Hegest (1375-1425)

This has recently been reprinted with illustrations by Alan Lee best known for his work on the illustrated versions of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit.....

Knights tales written in the age of Knights.........

[Jon Shannow]

Gordan Dickson's Dragon Knight seems to have all the elements you wan't.
I would also recommend When Demon's Walk by Patricia Briggs if you can find it.

Anything By Guy Gavriel Kay.

[Mithfânion]

Alle:

Lymond is still on the undecided list. I'm still not sure about that series. I didn't know Sabattini did the knights and courts as well but I'm doing a search for him as we speak.

Penman I've read or am in the process of reading, she's fantastic.

Holbrook, I've read the Mab already, but it's a good recommendation :)

Jon, do Lions of Al-rassan and the Sarantium duology have the things I mentioned above? Because those are two of his books I've been wanting to start on anyway.

[Alle]

Originally posted by Mithfânion
Alle:

Lymond is still on the undecided list. I'm still not sure about that series. I didn't know Sabattini did the knights and courts as well but I'm doing a search for him as we speak.



Hey Mith...regarding Sabatini..his books have more courts than knights. :-) But usually lots of action and fencing etc too.

[Jon Shannow]

I think Tigana is the Kay that has what you wan't as the most central theme they are present in Lions of Al-rassan and the Sarantium but are not realy what the story's are all about and have a Arabian and Roman/Bryzatan slant on them respectifly.