The Blue Sword

I just finished this book. I never read it as a child. I'm a fan of robins work and when I saw this title and synopsis I had to check it out and I'm glad I did. The plot was paced nicely and character development is rich, especially Harry as she tries continuously to grasp understanding for what is happening to her. I enjoyed her tale of trying to balance her old life and the new one she is suddenly faced with. I am in love with the story and the ending is heartwarming. This is going on my re-read list for sure!

This is a great book. Though the begining is slow to start with, but after that the book hits the ground running. You become a part of the story. This has adventure, hope, and love. It is not just romantic love, but a love for the native people. This is not the sequeal to Hero and the Crown. Hero and the Crown is way before Blue Sword. Read The Blue sword first and then read Hero and the Crown. The Blue Sword is great for all ages. The king could kidnap me anytime. It is a must read....Oldie but Goodie.

At first Harry Crewe is not so different than a number of heroines you've probably met in your reading adventures. She's an orphan who must make a new life in a new place. This is difficult for a girl who has never really seemed to fit in anywhere. She longs constantly for something she can't quite name. All that sounds typical, right?Well, it's what happens next that will make this a book you won't soon forget...and it's nothing even close to typical. Almost by accident, Harry catches the eye of Corlath, King of the Hillfolk, who cannot seem to forget the woman. He returns for her and carries her off across the desert. Harry finds the culture strangely second nature and herself connecting with the King as no one else appears able to. Harry is surprised when the King begins having her trained as a warrior, and downright shocked when she becomes one of the best warriors in her new country's history. As war looms on the horizon and Harry finds herself falling in love with her King, she risks his wrath and her life on a daring mission she was forbidden to undertake. And all that is only a scratch on the surface of a truly engaging fantasy novel that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

This is, I believe, Robin McKinley's best book. I've read it several times and have enjoyed it each time. Harry is an amazing character and sometimes seems beyond belief. Although she is kidnapped for a reason unknown to her, she never questions Corlath, the king who took her from her room in the Homelander outpost, about it. Her reaction does not, however, seem out of place. The magic that made Corlath take Harry from the outpost is guiding her as well, and in about 8 months she goes from being a somewhat restless girl with nothing to do but attend parties and ride her pony to being a warrior capable of commanding the loyalty of an army. Through Harry, the author does an intensive exploration of the Free Hillfolk culture. There are details about the food, the language, the way they ride their horses, and more. It doesn't feel overdone at all. There are a few parts of the book that are from Corlath's point of view, but mos of it is from Harry's. It makes Corlath even more of an interesting character because you find out just enough about what he thinks of the situation (especially the kidnapping) that you don't end up hating him, but not enough for him to become as familiar as Harry. The magic in this book was fascinating, because it's more of a curse that anything. No one who can use it has much control over it, beyond keeping it from incinerating others on accident; it most useful in battle, but it seems to have a mind of its own. In most books that have magic in them, magic is something you work to gain control over, and it tends to be useful for a lot of things. Reading this book was very refreshing. The magic users can't use their magic to solve every problem.

I am not a fan of science fiction, but this story is completely amazing! Having first read The Hero and the Crown in 7th grade, I had already liked Robin McKinley's writing style. But I was completely unprepared for this book when I read it a year later. It's now been 12 years since then and I have never forgotten it. It tells the story of this young girl, Harry, who feels like if she is missing something in her life. Now the first 3 chapters are a little slow but then, enters Corlath, golden-eyed king of Damar. Here is where the action begins. He possesses unusual powers of the mind and one look at Harry makes him realize she is the one who can wield the Blue Sword whose power is needed to save his country. So he kidnaps her and there begins an adventurous tale across a desert and mountains containing fight scenes, comedy, a magic sword, and a dash of romance. I completely got sucked into this imaginary world. It's a page turner, you won't put down. Never have I come across a book like this one and have been hoping all these years for a third part to continue the heroine tales of Damar. Tattered and with loose pages, I still read my poor book whenever I get a chance.

"The Blue Sword" is about Angharad -- Harry -- Crewe, a recently orphaned young lady who moves to the desert area of the continent Damar. By chance she locks eyes with Corlath, the Hill-King, who had come to visit the residency. It was, perhaps, fate, but it changes their lives forever. To tell you any more might give it away, but you can always read the book jacket. This book was interesting in the beginning, and soon graduated to compelling and then impossible-to-put-down. I was reading this on a school night and used up 2 hours of precious homework time because I just HAD to know what happened. All the right details were there, but so subtle that it the end was a pleasant surprise. The writing was so vivid that you could feel your heart racing during the exciting parts. You have to read this book at least 3 times to get all the details. Then read Robin McKinley's other books to get a true appreciation for her wonderful writing talent.--Abigail Short