briefly transformed into the shape of whales in
Deep Wizardry(1985) and save another child from
the dangers of excessive imagination in High Wiz-
ardry(1990). Their subsequent adventures involve
Irish ghosts in A Wizard Abroad(1993), an attempt
to use magic to cure cancer in The Wizard’s
Dilemma(2001), communication with toys in A
Wizard Alone(2002), and a visit to another planet
in Wizard’s Holiday(2003). The thoughtful devel-
opment of the characters as they age through the
books is unusual in children’s fantasy and adeptly
handled.
Duane has also written occasional adult fan-
tasy. Book of Night with Moon(1997) chronicles the
exploits of a group of sentient cats who are actually
the secret guardians of the portals that allow travel
among various realities. They return in To Visit the
Queen(1999), which borrows heavily from science
fiction. The cats detect a malfunctioning portal
and investigate, only to discover that an evil mas-
termind has created an alternate timeline in which
Queen Victoria died and nuclear weapons were de-
veloped. The best of Duane’s fantasy novels is
Stealing the Elf King’s Roses(2003), set in the king-
dom of the elves. A murder has been committed,
and the king himself is the prime suspect. Duane
also writes occasional short fiction, of which the
most notable is “The Dovrefell Cat” (1994).
Duncan, Dave (1933– )
Although his debut fantasy novel, A Rose Red City
(1987), was a stand-alone novel, most of Dave
Duncan’s fantasy consists of series of novels, al-
though the common factor might be an imagined
world or history rather than a single set of charac-
ters. The first of these comprised The Reluctant
Swordsman(1988), The Coming of Wisdom(1988),
and The Destiny of the Sword(1988), which is a
conventional fantasy adventure involving a man
sent on a magical quest by a goddess. A rival deity
provides the major obstacle, but the hero prevails
through a series of exciting and quite intelligently
plotted trials and tribulations.
Duncan’s second trilogy consists of Magic
Casement(1990), Faery Lands Forlorn(1990), and
Emperor and Clown(1991), in which a stableboy
discovers that he has magical powers that he even-
tually uses to rescue a kidnapped princess and save
the kingdom. This sequence is notable for the way
in which Duncan consciously structures his setting,
providing a set of rules that govern the magical el-
ements, which emerge as a major part of the story
rather than functioning as simple background. He
used the same technique in his next series, The
Cutting Edge(1992), Upland Outlaws(1992), The
Stricken Field(1993), and The Living God(1994),
which continues the story of Rap, the one-time
stableboy, now king. The ruler of a rival kingdom
has become insane, and a god warns that the end
of the world may be near. A war with a virtual
army of wizards ensues before the evil dwarf is fi-
nally defeated and peace restored.
The Reaver Road(1992) and its sequel, The
Hunter’s Haunt(1995), are amusing, lighter adven-
tures, and The Cursed(1995) is a somewhat darker
fantasy in which those who survive a terrible plague
develop magical powers that make them a separate,
privileged caste. Past Imperative(1995) introduces a
battle that is being fought across multiple realities as
part of an elaborate game. That story continues with
Present Tense(1996) and Future Indefinite(1997).
Duncan resorted to a pseudonym for another trilogy,
Demon Sword(1995), Demon Rider (1997), and
Demon Knight(1998), all by Ken Hood. The series is
set during the 13th century and features a hero who
is periodically possessed by a demon, which proves
to be quite helpful during some of his battles.
Duncan’s most recent and by far most impres-
sive series is the King’s Blades, which started with
The Gilded Chain(1998). Although they have been
published in rough chronological order and there
are some common characters shared between vol-
umes, each is a separate story, and they can be read
in any order. The basic premise is that an elite corps
of warriors exists who can be bonded magically to
their masters. The link is so powerful that the
Blades die or go insane if their master is killed,
which necessarily forces them to remain loyal. The
opening volume follows the career of one of these
men from his youth to his eventual emancipation
and establishment as an adviser to the king, and it is
one of the most impressive fantasy adventures ever
written, often reminiscent of Alexander Dumas.
Lord of the Fire Lands(1999) continues at the
same high level of quality. Two young BladesDuncan, Dave 97