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The Seventh Sword #3
The Destiny of the Sword
The Riddle of the Goddess
Wallie Smith had been dying on another world when the Goddess transferred his mind to the body of the barbarian swordsman Shonsu. Then She gave him the great, magical Sapphire Sword of Chioxin and sent him on a mission.
All he had to do was to lead the arrogant band of swordsmen to destroy the sorcerers and their Fire God.
Now Wallie discovered that he'd already tried it -- and been hopelessly defeated.
A few complications cropped up. Wallie's reputation was in tatters. His best friend and pupil was apparently planning to betray him. And if he won, he would doom all hope of progress and learning in this World of the Goddess -- doom the Goddess Herself.
It made an interesting kind of riddle. All he had to do was find the solution -- and survive, if he could!
Wallie Smith had been dying on another world when the Goddess transferred his mind to the body of the barbarian swordsman Shonsu. Then She gave him the great, magical Sapphire Sword of Chioxin and sent him on a mission.
All he had to do was to lead the arrogant band of swordsmen to destroy the sorcerers and their Fire God.
Now Wallie discovered that he'd already tried it -- and been hopelessly defeated.
A few complications cropped up. Wallie's reputation was in tatters. His best friend and pupil was apparently planning to betray him. And if he won, he would doom all hope of progress and learning in this World of the Goddess -- doom the Goddess Herself.
It made an interesting kind of riddle. All he had to do was find the solution -- and survive, if he could!
338 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 13, 1988
69 people are currently reading
589 people want to read
About the author
Dave Duncan
140 books591 followersOriginally from Scotland, Dave Duncan lived all his adult life in Western Canada, having enjoyed a long career as a petroleum geologist before taking up writing. Since discovering that imaginary worlds were more satisfying than the real one, he published more than 60 novels, mostly in the fantasy genre, but also young adult, science fiction, and historical.
He wrote at times under the pseudonym Sarah B. Franklin (but only for literary purposes) and Ken Hood (which is short for "D'ye Ken Whodunit?")
His most successful works were fantasy series: The Seventh Sword, A Man of His Word and its sequel, A Handful of Men, and seven books about The King’s Blades. His books have been translated into 15 languages, and of late have been appearing in audiobook format as well.
He and Janet were married in 1959. He is survived by her, one son and two daughters, as well as four grandchildren.
He was both a founding and honorary lifetime member of SFCanada, and a member of the CSFFA Hall of Fame.
He wrote at times under the pseudonym Sarah B. Franklin (but only for literary purposes) and Ken Hood (which is short for "D'ye Ken Whodunit?")
His most successful works were fantasy series: The Seventh Sword, A Man of His Word and its sequel, A Handful of Men, and seven books about The King’s Blades. His books have been translated into 15 languages, and of late have been appearing in audiobook format as well.
He and Janet were married in 1959. He is survived by her, one son and two daughters, as well as four grandchildren.
He was both a founding and honorary lifetime member of SFCanada, and a member of the CSFFA Hall of Fame.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
September 19, 2013
This is the third and final book in the original storyline (there's a fourth book published recently) of Wally Smith, alias Shonshu, a chemical engineer magically teleported to a fantasy World ruled by the number seven : seven ranks of skill in any given profession, seven cities ruled by swordsmen, other seven cities ruled by sorcerers, seven companions to form a fellowship for Wally, seven legendary swords created by master artisan Ciuxin, seven top swordsmen to lead the tryst (a sort of crusade) against the sorcerers, and so on ...
In the first volume, Wally had to come to terms with living in a violent world, with its strict rules of honor and with its Goddess intervention in his life.
In the second volume, Wally had to solve the puzzle of the prophecy describing his mission and to deal with the moral dillemas raised by the conflict between free-will and divine intervention. The sorcerers are introduced as mortal adversaries of swordsmen, with a second theme dealing with the perception of technology as magic to the uninitiated.
In this third installment, Wally has only two pieces of the puzzle left to solve : how to gain control of the tryst / crusade, and what to do with the ultimate sword he received from the Goddess, the symbol of his status as Chosen Hero. For the first part, he will have to defeat in combat the champion of the seventh rank swordsmen then put in practice some of the real world strategies from his time as a petrochemical plant manager in order to control the dangerously volatile warriors:
The tryst needed not only Wallie's superior knowledge of the enemies' powers, but also some good management techniques – aim identification, cost-benefit studies, critical path analysis, command structure definitions, budgetary forecasts ...
It is the second part that gives the series its epic scope and raises it above the average sword and sorcery adventure. There is little actual fighting beyond a couple of duels and skirmishes, with the rest of the novel concentrating once again on morality and responsibility, on duty, friendship and free-will ( The gods had forced this, snapping at his heels and driving him like a sheep into this pen ). From a localized war for control of several cities in a bend of the River, the coming of the Seventh Sword may signal either the end of civilization or the dawn of a new era.
The prose serves the theme remarcably well, with a lean, focused approach favoring character development and snappy dialogue over unnecessary descriptions yet the worldbuilding feels consistent and complex. The sense of humour tempers and balances passages of emotional upheaval, and the overall theme is one of brains over brawn, of chalenging the reader to figure out the pieces of the puzzle in advance. I had some slight issues with fortuitous coincidences in the plot progression , but they are explained, like in the previous books, as 'the hand of God' - the same one that put the whole epic journey in motion.
As my first David Duncan series, this was a pleasant surprise, well written, fast and entertaining, holding its own well against the grimdark favorites of the last couple of years. I plan to return to the author, after I read The Death of Nnanji .
June 6, 2015
reviews.metaphorosis.com
2.5 stars
Wallie Smith, reincarnated as Shonsu of the Seventh Sword, and struggling to fulfill the Goddess' mandate, has gathered a small group of talented supporters, but ruined his reputation in the process. Now, he has to recruit an army composed of fellow swordsmen - who all despise him.
I don't recall why I didn't pick the Seventh Sword series up when I first saw it years ago. Possibly because of its 'sidewise' concept, but more likely due that that bane of youth - lack of funds. It's just as well, however. If I'd read it back then, I doubt I'd have become as much of a Dave Duncan fan as I did.
The series started well enough - Duncan's usual light, character-oriented fantasy a quick setup, and off we went. Duncan seemed ready to jump in feet first on addressing slavery in 'the World'. By book two, however, he seemed to forget the issue. In this third book, he finds his 'remember slavery' Post-It, but seems to have forgotten what he meant to do about it. Wallie owns Jja, a slave whom he loves and treats well - except sometimes. There's a rough attempt to blame that on his Shonsu instincts, but it never amounts to much, and certainly not enough to be credible. Duncan's wrapup at the end doesn't do much about the issue, and it just fades away.
Part of the problem is that Duncan, a character-focused writer, makes a mess of his protagonist in this book. Wallie's reactions simply cease to be credible. Despite his deep and abiding love for Jja, he suddenly focuses on a new woman with all the self-control of a twelve-year old - and an immature one at that. Even factoring in Shonsu's hormones, it's just not credible. Lightly influenced by this, Wallie's character undergoes a couple of bizarre contortions before suddenly reverting with an 'all's well that ends well'. It reads like a section from some other version of the book swapped in.
It's not just philosophy and personality that fall apart. The final resolution of the Goddess' task is vaguely signposted through the book, but important parts are not, and the ending just doesn't satisfy. There are a number of possible solutions, but Wallie appears uncharacteristically dense until late in the book. The surprise twists and turns feel more like authorial intervention than organic plot growth. Some of the technology development chains feel under-researched or under-considered. The fact that the World extends well beyond the small space we've seen also doesn't quite accord with earlier description, and suggests late-book rethink.
As has been true throughout the series, the role of the Goddess is problematic. She intervenes a lot. She needs Wallie to make his own decisions, won't promise miracles, etc, but she's there any time he screws up. There are other gods as well (Wallie's opponents have one), but there's never any real discussion of how they fit together. And when the Goddess gives him another chance at decision, but at a tragically high cost, he literally chops to pieces the men she used as her instruments, with no more than a sullen glare in her direction.
All told, a disappointing original ending to a series that was never great. Happily, there's now a fourth book, written later. I hope that one can resurrect the series, but I fear it's too late to do more than bring it back to the region of 'fair but missable'.
The book also suffers from Open Road's maddeningly inconsistent proof-reading. The first two books were okay; this one has OCR errors sprinkled throughout.
January 14, 2011
Series:
7/17/10 - 7/10
The Seventh Sword series starts off really well. The first two books are very readable, with interesting characters in an interesting world. It's actually better than the description makes it sound. It's a real page turner that keeps you guessing. Unfortunately, the third book was a big let down. I felt that the characters weren't at all true to themselves and the plotting didn't make sense in the context of the story. First 2 books were 9/10, last was 6/10 - series 7/10.
7/17/10 - 7/10
The Seventh Sword series starts off really well. The first two books are very readable, with interesting characters in an interesting world. It's actually better than the description makes it sound. It's a real page turner that keeps you guessing. Unfortunately, the third book was a big let down. I felt that the characters weren't at all true to themselves and the plotting didn't make sense in the context of the story. First 2 books were 9/10, last was 6/10 - series 7/10.
July 7, 2020
Swords versus sorcery, but what looks like magic is only technology. It's time to usher out the Age of Legend and move the World along, driven by the will of the Endless River, the goddess herself.
The original trilogy ends here. I admit, I got suds in my eye. Poignant, but happy. Suspenseful. Duncan is a masterful story teller, using no coy tricks or communications slips to create a solid plot and vivid characters.
I will go on to the additional book, Death of Nnanji, written years layer.
The original trilogy ends here. I admit, I got suds in my eye. Poignant, but happy. Suspenseful. Duncan is a masterful story teller, using no coy tricks or communications slips to create a solid plot and vivid characters.
I will go on to the additional book, Death of Nnanji, written years layer.
July 29, 2025
Heroes were allowed to be lucky. Or put it another way: Without luck, a man did not survive to be a hero. No, the first way was better.
The original end of Duncan’s borrowed-body science fiction/fantasy trilogy. Wallie/Shonsu struggles to unravel how a feudal shogunate-analog society, win a war, and make a life. Try as he does, things don’t go according to plan. Flexibility and innovation are paramount—not to mention divine intervention.
He wondered if those sutras had been changed by a miracle to fit the requirements of his mission. The demigod was quite capable of rearranging the memories of all the priests of the World.
Fun fantasy adventure. Wallie’s twentieth century American memories and experience leads him astray, of course. This brave new world forces him outside his comfort zone. Anachronism abound—some tolerable, some story stopping. Dentists? White plaster casts? Van de Graaff generators?
Barring a miracle, he would never use that arm again—but miracles were not uncommon around Shonsu.
Duncan stretches historic and literary archetypes to fit his story. Issues of caste, slavery, hierarchy, and divine intervention provide Wallie with dilemmas less clean-cut than modern morality would suggest. And he makes some egregious decisions—by any standards. A sprinkling of humor and humility softens the hard lessons.
There was still no word in the language for “despot.” But there soon would be! [Redacted] had taken less than twenty minutes to become one.
The original end of Duncan’s borrowed-body science fiction/fantasy trilogy. Wallie/Shonsu struggles to unravel how a feudal shogunate-analog society, win a war, and make a life. Try as he does, things don’t go according to plan. Flexibility and innovation are paramount—not to mention divine intervention.
He wondered if those sutras had been changed by a miracle to fit the requirements of his mission. The demigod was quite capable of rearranging the memories of all the priests of the World.
Fun fantasy adventure. Wallie’s twentieth century American memories and experience leads him astray, of course. This brave new world forces him outside his comfort zone. Anachronism abound—some tolerable, some story stopping. Dentists? White plaster casts? Van de Graaff generators?
Barring a miracle, he would never use that arm again—but miracles were not uncommon around Shonsu.
Duncan stretches historic and literary archetypes to fit his story. Issues of caste, slavery, hierarchy, and divine intervention provide Wallie with dilemmas less clean-cut than modern morality would suggest. And he makes some egregious decisions—by any standards. A sprinkling of humor and humility softens the hard lessons.
There was still no word in the language for “despot.” But there soon would be! [Redacted] had taken less than twenty minutes to become one.
July 21, 2008
The conclusion of the Seventh Sword Trilogy is both satisfying and well wrought. It is also rife with a number of twists that further elevate the tension and recast parts of the story in fresh light.
The natures of the sorcerers and the swordsmen will be further examined and their relationship will be pondered as well. As matters come to a head, Wallie recedes a bit and Shonsu returns center stage giving the reader some interesting contrasts between ideals, pragmatism, and ambition. Nnanji continues his amazing development as a swrodsman, a leader, and a person. Finally, the consequences of all decisions come home to roost leaving Wallie with some difficult decisions.
As the third book in the trilogy, Duncan leaves virtually no hanging threads so most people will find the ending fulfilling and probably more than a bit surprising. Many readers will want more of the setting but the ending, while tighty crafted and well done, leaves little room for addition. Other stories in the setting would need to be largely independent of the Trilogy storyline or take place before these events.
Dave Duncan has crafted in the Seventh Sword Trilogy, one of the finest examples of the fantasy genre ever penned. Shamefuly, it is now out of print so check Amazon.com and ebay for available copies.
The natures of the sorcerers and the swordsmen will be further examined and their relationship will be pondered as well. As matters come to a head, Wallie recedes a bit and Shonsu returns center stage giving the reader some interesting contrasts between ideals, pragmatism, and ambition. Nnanji continues his amazing development as a swrodsman, a leader, and a person. Finally, the consequences of all decisions come home to roost leaving Wallie with some difficult decisions.
As the third book in the trilogy, Duncan leaves virtually no hanging threads so most people will find the ending fulfilling and probably more than a bit surprising. Many readers will want more of the setting but the ending, while tighty crafted and well done, leaves little room for addition. Other stories in the setting would need to be largely independent of the Trilogy storyline or take place before these events.
Dave Duncan has crafted in the Seventh Sword Trilogy, one of the finest examples of the fantasy genre ever penned. Shamefuly, it is now out of print so check Amazon.com and ebay for available copies.
May 28, 2011
This is the third and final book in the Seventh Sword trilogy. I read the entire trilogy over the past couple of weeks and I take that as proof that it had gripping power and was well enough written to keep me hooked until I had finished all the books. While trying not to spoil anything, the story is about a swordsman who is given a task in the form of a riddle and who then ventures to explore the world and finds love, power and sadness on the way.
Overall, the first and second books are the strongest of the series and well worth the four stars that I gave them. The final book is the hardest to read, mainly because the character development of the main character takes a direction that I did not care for that much. However, the bittersweet ending makes up for much and the entire series deserves strong three and a half stars.
Dave Duncan may not be the most famous of fantasy authors, but he has his unique style that keeps him on my reading list. His fiction is set aside from the regular fare by the fact that he often manages to find the side of the coin that the reader didn't expect, making an otherwise heroic story suddenly bittersweet and melancholy.
Overall, the first and second books are the strongest of the series and well worth the four stars that I gave them. The final book is the hardest to read, mainly because the character development of the main character takes a direction that I did not care for that much. However, the bittersweet ending makes up for much and the entire series deserves strong three and a half stars.
Dave Duncan may not be the most famous of fantasy authors, but he has his unique style that keeps him on my reading list. His fiction is set aside from the regular fare by the fact that he often manages to find the side of the coin that the reader didn't expect, making an otherwise heroic story suddenly bittersweet and melancholy.
January 9, 2012
Re-read this 2012 after nearly 25 years and it stands up (like the rest of the series) very well. If anything, I appreciated the writing more this time around as I've since become an editor and most recently a novelist myself. I was particularly impressed by how Duncan handles the body/mind interface in this novel, and how he is able to have a character who is both completely consistent and emotionally divided. Just enough flaws for the character to be well rounded and human (rather than too obviously larger than life) while still keeping him a sympathetic hero. Very nicely done!
January 18, 2009
what an absolutely perfect end to such an enjoyable series. I will concede that at times the religion was a stretch for me, but the debate of whether or not a miracle could be expected was certainly eagerly anticipated. This really is alternate-universe fantasy of a high order, and although it's a little early in the year for such statements, this series is certainly my high point of 2009. What shall top it? Bring 'em on!
August 16, 2008
Genre: High Fantasy
Third and final book in the _Seventh Sword_ series. Wonderful!! End is somewhat bitter-sweet, as I'm starting to expect from Duncan's series ... but well worth the trip, and it has certainly been sticking with me. :-D
Third and final book in the _Seventh Sword_ series. Wonderful!! End is somewhat bitter-sweet, as I'm starting to expect from Duncan's series ... but well worth the trip, and it has certainly been sticking with me. :-D
August 8, 2008
This trilogy is the best treatment I have seen of the clash of cultures and the coming of technology.
March 16, 2020
I love what happens to his slave girlfriend....great ending...
March 28, 2019
Some 30 years ago I originally read this series. The first two books were a fun light romp... and I enjoyed them a lot.... then I got to this book.... and I hated it.
I rediscovered Mr. Duncan's work a couple years ago with his Medieval Magic and Mystery novel Ironfoot (Seriously, if you haven't read it, do so) only for him to pass away late last year. So, I decided to start re-reading his novels and I started with this series.
So, did I still hate it.... ummm, no. Not exactly.
This entire series is another one of those modern person sent to fantasy world type novels that were endemic in the 80s-90s and the series in general isn't bad at all. Mr. Duncan had some interesting ideas about history and society and this seems to be his critique of the standard fantasy tropes and what they would actually mean in historical terms. I don't even disagree with his concepts just that because of the style of fantasy that he was writing, it comes across as ham-fisted and simplistic (but then you don't get Crime and Punishment level discussion of morality in a caper movie either). What he is trying to discuss is interesting.... the world he created is interesting. Together.... it was just an uncomfortable fit.
My other major complaint about this novel in particular is that the protagonist's character is too amorphous. Mr. Duncan explains this in the context of the whole body switching mechanic but it didn't feel right... in fact, all of the characters' personalities seemed to be defined by the scene as opposed to the scene being defined by the personalities.
It was, at the time, the end of a trilogy (it was the 80's-90's, EVERY fantasy had to be a trilogy cuz Tolkien) and I left it disappointed and unimpressed. Thirty years later, I'm more impressed with what Mr. Duncan was aiming for... but I"m still left feeling disappointed.
Next: Book 4 - which he wrote several years later.
I rediscovered Mr. Duncan's work a couple years ago with his Medieval Magic and Mystery novel Ironfoot (Seriously, if you haven't read it, do so) only for him to pass away late last year. So, I decided to start re-reading his novels and I started with this series.
So, did I still hate it.... ummm, no. Not exactly.
This entire series is another one of those modern person sent to fantasy world type novels that were endemic in the 80s-90s and the series in general isn't bad at all. Mr. Duncan had some interesting ideas about history and society and this seems to be his critique of the standard fantasy tropes and what they would actually mean in historical terms. I don't even disagree with his concepts just that because of the style of fantasy that he was writing, it comes across as ham-fisted and simplistic (but then you don't get Crime and Punishment level discussion of morality in a caper movie either). What he is trying to discuss is interesting.... the world he created is interesting. Together.... it was just an uncomfortable fit.
My other major complaint about this novel in particular is that the protagonist's character is too amorphous. Mr. Duncan explains this in the context of the whole body switching mechanic but it didn't feel right... in fact, all of the characters' personalities seemed to be defined by the scene as opposed to the scene being defined by the personalities.
It was, at the time, the end of a trilogy (it was the 80's-90's, EVERY fantasy had to be a trilogy cuz Tolkien) and I left it disappointed and unimpressed. Thirty years later, I'm more impressed with what Mr. Duncan was aiming for... but I"m still left feeling disappointed.
Next: Book 4 - which he wrote several years later.
November 14, 2018
I truly wanted to like this book, as I enjoyed the first two for world-building and the general skill at writing which Duncan has. Even the unfolding of the story is pretty decent, albeit laden with miracles (despite the character repeatedly stating he doesn't expect miracles).
I try not to be overly critical of authors, having done this type of work myself.
The last book, though, shows a complete turnaround from the main character's viewpoint, with complete and utter disregard for explanation - other than the body that he inhabits completely controls him via hormones, glands and murderous rages.
Finally, the conclusion wasn't so well-written and woven throughout the story as an option, so it seems abrupt with very little direction from the author to the reader. It came across as rushed, and deadline looming as opposed to being a logical conclusion based on how and what these characters are leading up to. I'm not sure if there was some terrible editing at the end, but whole swathes of the book seemed to omit what Nnanji was doing, and might have explained why the sudden shift.
I think the attempt made was "interesting plot twist", but it came out as deux ex machina.
If you enjoyed the first two books, complete this one. But if you're looking for a satisfying series with a good conclusion, be warned: things get very abrupt and with little build up, conclude.
I try not to be overly critical of authors, having done this type of work myself.
The last book, though, shows a complete turnaround from the main character's viewpoint, with complete and utter disregard for explanation - other than the body that he inhabits completely controls him via hormones, glands and murderous rages.
Finally, the conclusion wasn't so well-written and woven throughout the story as an option, so it seems abrupt with very little direction from the author to the reader. It came across as rushed, and deadline looming as opposed to being a logical conclusion based on how and what these characters are leading up to. I'm not sure if there was some terrible editing at the end, but whole swathes of the book seemed to omit what Nnanji was doing, and might have explained why the sudden shift.
I think the attempt made was "interesting plot twist", but it came out as deux ex machina.
If you enjoyed the first two books, complete this one. But if you're looking for a satisfying series with a good conclusion, be warned: things get very abrupt and with little build up, conclude.
August 6, 2017
Dave Duncan's "The Destiny of the Sword (The Seventh Sword Book 3)" was the original end to his "The Seventh Sword" trilogy (circa 1988). In 2012, he published a 4th book, but since this book ties things up nicely, I'm not sure why he did that. Anyway, if you liked the previous two books, you'll like this one. They flow one to the next and are written in almost the exact same style. My only complaint is that the solution he has his characters come up with (which I did NOT see coming (though I should have)) is not all rainbows and unicorns. But, it does work and is quite appropriate. I'm rating the book (and pretty much the series) at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5.
The novels in Dave Duncan's "The Seventh Sword" series are:
1. The Reluctant Swordsman (The Seventh Sword Book 1)
2. The Coming of Wisdom (The Seventh Sword Book 2)
3. The Destiny of the Sword (The Seventh Sword Book 3)
4. The Death of Nnanji (The Seventh Sword Book 4)
The novels in Dave Duncan's "The Seventh Sword" series are:
1. The Reluctant Swordsman (The Seventh Sword Book 1)
2. The Coming of Wisdom (The Seventh Sword Book 2)
3. The Destiny of the Sword (The Seventh Sword Book 3)
4. The Death of Nnanji (The Seventh Sword Book 4)
September 13, 2017
This is an intelligent book that is true to its premise. The ending is not one I would have written but it matched the world of this story and that is a an impressive feat of authorship.
The main character, Wallie, must take control of a crusade, called a tryst, but doing so will not be easy. His former exploits have become known to his fellow swordsmen who will, as a result, denounce and kill him. Add to this Wallie's knowledge of Earth's history, which gives him the insight to see that, in the long run, the tryst will not succeed. Still, leading the tryst appears to have been ordained by the goddess, in spite of the difficulties Wallie faces, but, even if that wasn't the case, Wallie would have to try because he is the only swordsman who understands the enemy and is therefore the only one able to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
The main character, Wallie, must take control of a crusade, called a tryst, but doing so will not be easy. His former exploits have become known to his fellow swordsmen who will, as a result, denounce and kill him. Add to this Wallie's knowledge of Earth's history, which gives him the insight to see that, in the long run, the tryst will not succeed. Still, leading the tryst appears to have been ordained by the goddess, in spite of the difficulties Wallie faces, but, even if that wasn't the case, Wallie would have to try because he is the only swordsman who understands the enemy and is therefore the only one able to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
January 15, 2022
This is more swordsmen politics, about leading the tryst. We finally get an explanation: after
July 30, 2021
Summary: Well written, good plot, interesting characters, great premise (although a bit weird). Recommended
Plotline: Follow on from book 2, the tryst dominates this book and to good effect
Premise: A world that very different to ours, very unusual and the way mr Smith is brought into it quite unique. Weird but it sort of works, though obviously beyond logic. But the sorcerers aren't they just have a few industrial tricks. Wallie realises that the technology is here to stay
Writing: Easy read, good characterisation, the reader is there in the action
Ending: Very satisfying end. I have book 4 but I feel no incentive to read it, this is a fitting end to a great trilogy.
Pace: Never a dull moment!
Plotline: Follow on from book 2, the tryst dominates this book and to good effect
Premise: A world that very different to ours, very unusual and the way mr Smith is brought into it quite unique. Weird but it sort of works, though obviously beyond logic. But the sorcerers aren't they just have a few industrial tricks. Wallie realises that the technology is here to stay
Writing: Easy read, good characterisation, the reader is there in the action
Ending: Very satisfying end. I have book 4 but I feel no incentive to read it, this is a fitting end to a great trilogy.
Pace: Never a dull moment!
September 18, 2017
Initially intended to close out the trilogy, this book does an admirable job. Shonsu/Wallie manages to blunder into insights that help him complete the Goddess's quest, although the outcome isn't what he expected, or even thinks is good. The Godling appears to assure him that the history of this World, while slightly parallel to Wallie's , needs a different path. Everyone is rewarded appropriately. Now on to the newly added 4th in the series to see how the World's new path pans out and what happens to all the main characters.
April 23, 2019
These just keep going downhill. Characters are not particularly enthralling, the plot is painfully predictable and the world itself is grey and unimaginative. This will be the last one in the series for me. There just isn't enough here to make me interested in the outcome. This series really fell flat for me. I didn't expect high quality fantasy, but I did expect a yarn that would keep me interested. A very weak 2 stars.
November 21, 2025
This book series definitely degraded over the course of the three books. The first book, while certainly not deep, was at least an interesting and fun adventure in an unusual world. The second book got a bit annoying because the main character kept acting like a bit of of an idiot. This third books drags on and on, with the main character being a complete moron the entire time. Then it gets wrapped up with a few miracles and a, "that's what the gods intended the entire time."
May 22, 2022
Overall I liked the Seventh Sword series. I found the first and the last to be the strongest and the second and third to be a bit weaker. They're all well written and I like the concept but I thought books 2 and 3 dragged a little bit. So for this particular book in the series, I would give it a little bit more than a 3.
October 1, 2017
Shonsu the Seventh of the sword, leads in men, sailor rats, sword fighting, loving his lady, and friendship with Nnannji. Mostly he drags an ancient caste system of brute force kicking and screams towards the future.
August 1, 2021
Another solid entry in The Seventh Sword series. In this book, Shonsu the Warrior continues his quest to resolve the conflict between the Swordsmen and the Sorcerors. Dave Duncan is a very fine writer, almost poetic at times, and I'll be looking forward to starting the final book in the series.
April 8, 2018
the characters and story line grew more complex. the plot kept my interest and had some surprises. the sexism of the male characters bothered me a bit, but there are some good female characters
May 12, 2018
Book 3 of the 4 book binge. Wallie/Shonsu and his companions seek to discover what the goddess wants from them. Is it to defeat the sorcerers or is it something more.
February 5, 2019
See review of first book in the series.
October 6, 2019
An original idea for a series and I really enjoyed it. I've actually read it a couple of times.
April 26, 2020
I love a series that ends, wrapping up all the loose ends.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews