Duncan, Dave 1933-

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Duncan, Dave 1933-

(Sarah B. Franklin, Ken Hood)

PERSONAL:

Born June 30, 1933, in Newport-on-Tay, Scotland; immigrated to Canada, 1955; naturalized Canadian citizen, 1960; married Janet Hopwell, 1959; children: one son, two daughters. Education: University of St. Andrews, B.Sc., 1955.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Agent—Richard Curtis Associates, Inc., 171 E. 74th St., 2nd Fl., New York, NY, 10021.

CAREER:

Writer and geologist. Worked as geologist, 1955-76; manager of geological consulting business, 1976-86.

MEMBER:

Science Fiction Writers of America, Writers Guild of Alberta.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Award, Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association, 1990, for West of January.

WRITINGS:

"THE SEVENTH SWORD" FANTASY SERIES

The Reluctant Swordsman, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1988.

The Coming of Wisdom, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1988.

The Destiny of the Sword, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1988.

"A MAN OF HIS WORD" FANTASY SERIES

Magic Casement, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1990.

Faery Lands Forlorn, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1991.

Perilous Seas, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1991

Emperor and Clown, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1991.

"A HANDFUL OF MEN" FANTASY SERIES

The Cutting Edge, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1992.

Upland Outlaws, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1993.

The Stricken Field, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1993.

The Living God, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1994.

"OMAR" FANTASY SERIES

The Reaver Road, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1992.

The Hunters' Haunt, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1995.

"THE GREAT GAME" FANTASY SERIES

Past Imperative, Avon (New York, NY), 1995.

Present Tense, Avon (New York, NY), 1996.

Future Indefinite, Avon (New York, NY), 1997.

"KING'S BLADES" FANTASY SERIES

The Guilded Chain, Avon (New York, NY), 1998.

Lord of the Fire Lands, Avon (New York, NY), 1999.

Sky of Swords, Eos (New York, NY), 2000.

Paragon Lost, Eos (New York, NY), 2002.

Impossible Odds, Eos (New York, NY), 2003.

The Jaguar Knights, Eos (New York, NY), 2004.

"KING'S DAGGERS" FANTASY SERIES

Sir Stalwart, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1999.

Crooked House, Avon Books (New York, NY), 2000.

Silvercloak, Avon Books (New York, NY), 2001.

"DODEC" FANTASY SERIES

Children of Chaos, Tor (New York, NY), 2006.

The Mother of Lies, Tor (New York, NY), 2007.

OTHER FANTASY

A Rose-Red City, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1987.

The Cursed, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1995.

(First published under pseudonym Sarah B. Franklin) Daughter of Troy, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1998.

The Alchemist's Apprentice, Ace Books (New York, NY), 2007.

SCIENCE-FICTION NOVELS

Shadow, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1987.

West of January, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1989.

Strings, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1990.

Hero!, Ballantine/Del Rey (New York, NY), 1991.

Also author of "Years of Longdirk" series, writing as Ken Hood, including Demon Sword, 1995, Demon Rider, 1997, and Demon Knight, 1998.

SIDELIGHTS:

Dave Duncan is a prolific Scottish-born Canadian writer of fantasy and science fiction novels. Creator of the fantasy series "The Seventh Sword," "A Man of His Word," and "A Handful of Men," Duncan is known as a skilled world builder and often combines humor with the classic elements of fantasy fiction, an approach that has gained him a wide readership.

Duncan's fantasy novel The Cursed "partakes … of the real skill with the basics of storytelling, world building, and deployment of classic fantasy elements that distinguish Duncan's other books," commented Roland Green in Booklist. With The Cursed, found a Publishers Weekly critic, Duncan "offers an amusing and well-proportioned blend of religion, prophecy and magic, as well as a touch of intellectual good humor in a lively, earthy tale."

Most of Duncan's works, however, are parts of series, including his lauded "Seventh Sword" series and the "Great Game" trilogy. Future Indefinite is similar to the other novels in the "Great Game" trilogy, according to Roland Green in Booklist, in that it is "tightly written, intelligent, and original." Though Green argued that it may not be among Duncan's most accessible works, the critic nonetheless found that the novel "provides a decisive and satisfactory end" to the series. A Publishers Weekly contributor noted: "The trilogy as a whole isn't likely to be the most popular work of this author of numerous classic fantasy tales … but it should be ranked as one of his most demanding, original and intelligent."

Duncan's "King's Blades" series was also lauded by critics as original. The series revolves around the knights trained as one of the "King's Blades" at the sword academy Ironhall. The first in the series, The Gilded Chain, follows Durandel as he "pursues adventure and the horrifying secrets of immortality," summarized a Publishers Weekly contributor. "Duncan's people are marvelously believable, his landscapes deliciously exotic, his swordplay breathtaking." The reviewer also called the book a "handsomely crafted commentary on honor and betrayal."

Lord of the Fire Lands, published in 1999, was also lauded by critics. A Publishers Weekly contributor praised the work's "sophisticated structure and themes" and noted: "Duncan can swashbuckle with the best, but his characters feel more deeply and think more clearly than most, making his novels, especially this one, suitable for a particularly wide readership."

Sky of Swords, the third novel in the "King's Blades" series is actually a prequel to The Gilded Chain. The story revolves around Princess Malinda and her efforts to protect her brother so he can one day assume the throne. Her mission is made more difficult, however, because the King's Blades are mostly in exile or hiding. In his review in Booklist, Roland Green noted that the novel "reads well on its own—a rare virtue in these days of interwoven googolplexologies." Susan Salpini, writing in the School Library Journal, called Sky of Swords "an entertaining, swashbuckling adventure."

In the fourth "King's Blades" series novel, titled Paragon Lost, Sir Beaumont, thought to be a paragon of the King's Blades, is sent on a mission to keep Princess Isabelle away from Czar Igor and to protect the secrets of the King's Blades as well. In a review in Booklist, Roland Green called the novel "a tightly written, rather Dumas-like story, lighthearted at times but never frivolous or dumb." A Kirkus Reviews contributor deemed the novel "a rousing addition … to the series," adding that it is "inventive, labyrinthine, witty, and thoroughly engaging."

Impossible Odds continues Duncan's "King's Blades" series. Grand Duke Rubin seeks to enlist the aid of the King's Blades to battle a sorcerer intent on taking over his duchy. The Duke, however, is not really a duke at all but a duchess. Nevertheless, a group of Blades sets out to do battle with Rubin's enemies, who turn out to be more than just one sorcerer. In a review in Publishers Weekly, a contributor noted: "Canadian author Duncan explores the perils and pitfalls of dynastic politics in this swash-buckling fantasy." Roland Green, writing in Booklist, commented that the novel has "plenty of intrigue and action to draw new fantasy readers as well as established fans." A Kirkus Reviews contributor referred to Impossible Odds as "something like a fantasy whodunit—agreeably knotty and misleading."

Jaguar Knights finds Sir Wolf in the trail of his brother, Sir Lynx, who has taken possession of a magical talisman that is turning him into a jaguar as he searches for the king's ex-mistress, who was kidnapped by the half-human, half-animal creatures who own the talisman. Booklist contributor Roland Green commented that the author is "as deft as ever with the Blades' small-group politics and the convolutions of the [Blades'] world." A Publishers Weekly contributor referred to Jaguar Knights as an "energetic fantasy" and noted the author's "unadorned style."

In the first novel in the "Dodec" series, Children of Chaos, Duncan tells the story of four young siblings who are given up by the doge of Celebre while it was under siege by the Vigaelians. The four are eventually separated to live very different lives, from a super-talented stone mason to a member of a war cult. The novel follows the four siblings as they reach adulthood and eventually reunite many years later. "Duncan's storytelling has never been better in this superb fantasy," wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor. According to Regina Schroeder, writing in Booklist: "Webs of conspiracy and the complex relations of siblings re-meeting … add density to an entertaining big story." A Kirkus Reviews contributor wrote: "Duncan's mad plots, dark intrigues, vivid cast and lashings of magic leave many engrossing mysteries to be elucidated in volume two."

Duncan once told CA: "Even as a child I wanted to be a writer, but not to the exclusion of wanting to earn a decent living. In the summer of 1984 I began writing a novel, more or less on the spur of the moment, thinking it would be a fun thing to try. I rapidly became hooked to the point where I began sneaking time away from my work. I wrote a huge fantasy novel, a science fiction novel, and then a rewrite of the fantasy as a trilogy. After all that I produced A Rose-Red City. In the spring of 1986 the oil business collapsed. For the first time in thirty years I was out of work. Two weeks after I completed my last consulting project, Del Rey publishers offered to buy A Rose-Red City. I followed with Shadow and then another rewrite of the trilogy, ‘The Seventh Sword.’ It was the final version that began to attract attention from readers."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 1, 1995, Roland Green, review of The Cursed, p. 1555; August, 1997, Roland Green, review of Future Indefinite, p. 1886; October 1, 1998, Roland Green, review of The Gilded Chain, p. 313; September 15, 2000, Roland Green, review of Sky of Swords, p. 222; September 1, 2002, Roland Green, review of Paragon Lost, p. 70; November 15, 2003, Roland Green, review of Impossible Odds, p. 588; September 1, 2004, Roland Green, review of The Jaguar Knights, p. 74; May 15, 2006, Regina Schroeder, review of Children of Chaos, p. 37.

Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2002, review of Paragon Lost, p. 923; July 15, 2004, review of The Jaguar Knights, p. 665; April 15, 2006, review of Children of Chaos, p. 386.

Library Journal, October 15, 2002, Jackie Cassada, review of Paragon Lost, p. 98; October 15, 2003, Jackie Cassada, review of Impossible Odds, p. 102; October 15, 2004, Jackie Cassada, review of The Jaguar Knights, p. 58; June 15, 2006, Jackie Cassada, review of Children of Chaos, p. 62.

Publishers Weekly, April 10, 1995, review of The Cursed, p. 57; July 14, 1997, review of Future Indefinite, p. 69; October 12, 1998, review of The Gilded Chain, p. 62; September 27, 1999, review of Lord of the Fire Lands, p. 78; August 26, 2002, review of Paragon Lost, p. 48; September 1, 2003, review of Impossible Odds, p. 1105; October 6, 2003, review of Impossible Odds, p. 66; July 12, 2004, review of The Jaguar Knights, p. 48; April 17, 2006, review of Children of Chaos, p. 169.

School Library Journal, December, 2000, Susan Salpini, review of Sky of Swords, p. 168.