The Bastard King: Book One of the Sceptre Mercy (The Scepter of Mercy, Bk. 1) - Softcover

Chernenko, Dan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0451459148 ISBN 13: 9780451459145

Publisher: Roc, 2003

Synopsis

Lost for more than five hundred years, the Scepter of Mercy lies beyond the reach of the kingdom of Avornis, in the lands corrupted by the Banished One. Cast from the heavens to an earthly exile, the Banished One seeks to use the scepter to reclaim his godhood. But the intertwined destiny of two men may interfere with his ascension...

 

Lanius is the only son of King Mergus of Avornis. But he is the son of a seventh wife—and therefore illegitimate in the eyes of church and state. So after the king’s death, the nobles use young Lanius as their figurehead while they rule behind the scenes.

 

Grus is a captain in the king’s navy, a man of common origins, as well as common sense. His is charged with guarding the border from Avornis’ enemies—including those who live in thrall of the Banished One. He’s watched his homeland weaken under incompetent rulers—and fears for the future as disturbing visions torment his dreams.

 

Now, both Lanius and Grus must decide what’s best for the kingdom before the influence of the Banished One spreads to their people.

 

And so begins the quest for the Scepter of Mercy...

 

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

Set in the kingdom of Avornis, Chernenko's debut fantasy uses simple language and straightforward narrative to chronicle the rise of two extraordinary men-Lanius, the bastard son of a king, and Grus, a royal navy captain of humble origin. Due to an irregular succession and his anomalous status, the young Lanius finds his life ruled by a series of regents, including his mother and later Grus, who serves as the more powerful joint king. Meanwhile, Grus has become a general, fighting both the warlike Thervings and the Menteshe, who are vassals of the Banished One. A former God thrown out of heaven by the other Gods, the evil Banished One seeks to subject all to his will. Indirectly in his control is the talisman known as the Scepter of Mercy, once the property of the Avornis kings, which he can't wield but which others could use to defeat him. Each new king of Avornis has pledged to do all he can to get the scepter back, but its powers and appearance are uncertain and it's not until the end that both Lanius and Grus determine to follow through on the pledge, paving the way for future installments. The explicit details of Lanius's sexual coming-of-age should resonate with older young adults.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist:

With this book, Chernenko launches the Sceptre of Mercy, a series that promises to be more saga than soggy. Said ruling rod, missing for centuries, is eagerly sought by the Banished One, who was cast from heaven and wants to use the thing to reclaim his godhood. Naturally, woe betides mortals who get in his way. Lanius, only surviving son of the late King Mergus of Avornis, is, as the child of the king's seventh wife, technically a bastard, and therefore only the puppet ruler of a clique of nobles whose demeanor recalls medieval Scotland. His best, indeed sole, ally is Grus, a leader of the royal navy, which is Avornis' only line of defense against the ambitions of the Banished One. Of necessity, this alliance tries to outflank intrigues by the nobles and ends up literally and figuratively at sea, with not even survival, let alone victory, ensured at book's end. Intelligent if not original in most respects, the yarn doesn't take itself too seriously, and the seafaring portions of it are well handled. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Roc
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0451459148
• ISBN 13: 9780451459145
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 448