Knight's Wyrd

by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald

Book Overview

Ahead of its time on its original publication, Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald's Mythopoeic Fantasy Award-winning dark medieval fantasy Knight's Wyrd is perfect for contemporary tastes. Tor... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152015205
• ISBN13: 9780152015206
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Harcourt Brace and Company
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

It's a wonderful "Wyrd"

Wizards, knights, ogres and mermaids -- a typical fantasy tale, right? Wrong! Debra Doyle and James MacDonald take a typical sword'n'sorcery tale (heavier on the swords) and spin it into a slam-bang adventure tale that will definitely cause thrills and chills for both kids and adults.In one of the dukedoms of Anglia, young William is about to be knighted, which is theoretically one of the best days of his life. But it's overshadowed when a wizard tells him his wyrd -- his future destiny -- that he won't succeed his father because he will encounter Death before a year has passed. Horrified, William sets off on a perilous journey to tell his betrothed, Isobel, that he can't marry her because he's going to die.But his preoccupation with his impending death is overshadowed when he finds out about political machinations that threaten his life. And with a dubious circle of allies around him -- from an indebted ghost to a cryptic dragon to some murky mermaids -- William must somehow defeat the deathless ogre whose fate is somehow entwined with his -- and with Lord Death's."Knight's Wyrd" is pretty standard and only somewhat engaging for the first two thirds of the book, then it rapidly respins itself into a complex and thought-provoking action-fantasy. Shapeshifting wizards, carnivore mermaids, and an ex-fiancee who is not quite what she seems add an element of mystery. To make the book even more interesting, Doyle and MacDonald subtlely include elements of medieval honor and debt.The writing is stark but very evocative, which gives an extra punch to scenes like the one where Will kneels down, only to find a ghost on either side of him. There's no swearing or smut, but there is a lot of darkness and violence, ranging from a hideous long-armed troll being dragged out of a river to the sharp-toothed mermaids trying to eat Will. Younger kids will probably find this frightening, but older kids will enjoy a fantasy story with some genuinely gruesome beasties -- not to mention the appearance of Lord Death himself, who adds the final kink to a very complicated plot."Knight's Wyrd" is a dark, fun, intense read for both kids and adults. Doyle and MacDonald should write a sequel to this gem.

Knight's Wyrd

Not heavy on reading books? Well to tell you the trueth I was never fond of reading books myself. Everytime I picked up a book and started reading, halfway through the book I would start to doze off. Till the day I picked up Knight's Wyrd. It was like pulling the sword out of the stone. When I started reading it, I was quickly hooked. And I'm just a normal 16 year old who, like any other youth, would rather play video games or watch t.v. instead of sitting down and open up a book.

Enchanting.

This book is like a surrealist's painting. Sometimes twisted, sometimes magical, and always mystical. It is such a good story, it had me pinned to the sofa for hours. This story has it all: fantastic swordfights, magical journeys, grusome monsters. WOW!

A Thrilling Adventure Story

This book had me hooked on every page. It was hard to put down, and I wanted it to keep on going. There was never a dull moment in this book. It was well told, and I recommend it to children and adults.

Recommended for children at the ages of 10 and up

Knights Wyrd is very exciting. It catches the readers attention at every moment. Your eyes will never venture away from the pages. If you have children, I reccomend this book as a gift. When I read this book, I had to read at least 3 chapters at a time, before something even slightly boring happened. The reader left out all of the boring areas, and kept the exciting parts. The only flaw is that the book is a little too short for fast readers.