The first book in Daniel Abraham’s The Dagger and the Coin series introduces a series of characters that will propel the various plots. I particularly like Captain Marcus Wester, a military man whose failure to save his wife and daughter from death haunts him. Another favorite character is the orphan Cithrin Bel Sarcour, a ward of the Medean Bank. She learns banking at an early age. That knowledge becomes essential later in this 576-page novel. Sir Geder Palliako, a scholar with a passion to study ancient books, finds himself drawn into court intrigue. Finally, there’s Master Kit, manager of a travelling troupe of actors, who hides his real identity.
Abraham launches a series of plots and subplots that will develop over the next four books in The Dagger and the Coin series. War and peace, deception, valor, and love all intertwine in this first book. I flew through this tome as the story spiraled into mystery and wonder. I can’t wait to read the next book! GRADE: A-
THE DAGGER AND THE COIN SERIES:
1 The Dragon’s Path 576 April 7, 2011
2 The King’s Blood 501 May 22, 2012
3 The Tyrant’s Law 497 May 14, 2013
4 The Widow’s House 495 August 5, 2014
5 The Spider’s War 492 March 8, 2016
This isn’t the time for me to start reading a series of long books. I have a feeling the later books are even longer than the first one. That seems to be the trend. So I’ll have to pass.
Bill, I thought the same thing but Daniel Abraham has a writing style that causes the pages to fly by. This 500+ page book felt like a 300 page book!
You lost me at “576 page book.”
Jeff, THE DRAGON’S PATH was a quick read. Daniel Abraham’s style engages the reader and propels them through the various plot lines. I’m impressed by Abraham’s achievement. Too many of these fantasy series turn out to be tedious slogs.
Abraham is half of James S. A. Corey, co-authors of The Expanse series too. Clearly the man never sleeps.
Jeff, THE DAGGER AND THE COIN series is about 2,500 pages. You’re right: Daniel Abraham must not need a lot of sleep!
I haven’t even gotten to the third book in The Expanse series (meaning I’m floundering somewhere in number two), and have other fantasy series going as well, also stalled. So, like Bill, I’ll skip this, at least for now.
Rick, the big surprise in THE DRAGON’S PATH is that there are no dragons. They’re referred to (in the past) but so far, there’s little magic or traditional fantasy elements. It’s more politics and banking–which I find refreshing!
…and politics, and more politics, is what turns me off when what I want are the traditional trappings: magic, wizards, dwarves, elves, a quest and all of that. It’s the politics that lost me with GRR Martin and others of that ilk.
Rick, only one of the subplots in THE DRAGON’S PATH concerns politics. And, it’s an absorbing series of duplicities.