"Williams knows exactly what to do with Quillifer, and it's hugely
entertaining." (Locus)
"Walter Jon Williams is always fun, but this may be his best yet, a
delight from start to finish, witty, colorful, exciting and amusing by
turns, exquisitely written." (George R. R. Martin)
"Chock full of derring-do, blood and thunder, swashbuckling, and other
good stuff evocative of Rafael Sabatini, Sir Walter Scott, and the
penny-bloods." (Paul Di Filippo, author of The Big Get-Even)
Quillifer - now a member of the nobility - finds himself further
immersed in court politics as the outcast princess Floria is suddenly in
a position of power with a rebellion stoked by a certain brilliant
tactician, in this thrilling sequel to Quillifer.
Rogue. Joker. Lover. Reluctant conspirator.
The ambitious young Quillifer was been knighted for services to the
crown, but was then banished from court by a queen who finds him
obnoxious. Now, after a two-year voyage to improve his fortunes,
Quillifer returns to court and is plunged immediately into a maelstrom
of intrigue that triggers duels, plots, amours, and rollicking
adventure. Bounding back and forth from the high councils of state to
the warm bed of his mistress, Quillifer must exert every ounce of
seductive charm and low cunning in order to survive.
Queen Berlauda's foreign husband brings war in his wake, along with a
clutch of officials who enforce the royal will with violence, torture,
and judicial murder. A dragon menaces the realm, and political
conspiracy threatens the life of Quillifer's young patroness, Princess
Floria. It's the traditional job of a knight to fight dragons and rescue
princesses, but Quillifer is hardly a traditional knight, and he brings
to the job an array of unorthodox skills that dazzles his swarm of
rivals, seduces their wives, and threatens the realm.
But there's a greater menace to Quillifer than deadly political
intrigue, for once again he finds himself hunted by the cruel,
beautiful, and vengeful goddess Orlanda.
