The Blue Sword
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Blue Sword is a fantasy novel written by Robin McKinley and published by the Berkley Publishing Group in 1982. This is the book to which the prequel The Hero and the Crown was written for. The Blue Sword has received numerous awards including; Newbery Honor Award, ALA Best Book for Young Adults and the ALA Notable Children's Book.
[edit] Plot summary
After the death of her father, Harry Crewe must leave her Homeland and travel to the farthest corner of the empire to meet her brother Richard, whom she affectionately calls "Dickie". She is being taken in by the Greenoughs, Sir Charles and Lady Amelia. They are an affectionate couple and take to Harry right away. When Harry arrives at the last outpost, called Istan, of the Homelander empire she has trouble fitting in to the new life that she has acquired and is increasingly restless. Harry is drawn to the desert landscape and is fascinated with the history of the Damarians, who once controlled all of Damar before the Homelanders came.
And then something strange happens; the king of the Free Hillfolk, Corlath comes to ask the Homelanders at the outpost to join forces to defeat the Northerners. The Northerners are said to be a magical non-human race from beyond the Damarian mountains. The Homelanders refuse to assist the Hillfolk and Corlath storms out of Istan. For reasons even he cannot understand, Corlath is compelled to kidnap Harry in the middle of the night by his strange kelar (a Hillfolk magic), and her adventure into the history of magic of the old Damarians begins.
Corlath takes Harry to his camp, and after she sees visions and uses magic, the king realizes that she is destined to a become a King's Rider, part of an elite group of warriors (currently all men) who are bound to fight for and protect the king. She is the first woman rider in a long time, the last being Aerin, who becomes her protector and guide. After Harry becomes more acquainted with the Hillfolk language and customs, Corlath sends her off with Mathin, one of his riders, to train to become a rider and to compete in the upcoming trials of various young warriors.
