The Lost Price - Dark Border #1. The author is Paul Edwin Zimmer.
- The Dark Border Vol. 1: The Lost Prince - Publisher: Berkley (September 15, 1983)
- The Dark Border Vol. 2: King Chondos' Ride - Publisher: Berkley (September 15, 1983)
- A Gathering of Heroes - Publisher: Ace Books (August 1987)
- Ingulf the Mad - Publisher: Ace Books (June 1989)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Edwin_Zimmer#Books_and_short_stories_of_the_Dark_Border
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1297709.The_Lost_Prince
So a teacher obsessed with reading gave me that book back in the day. Not sure I ever read all of it, but people say it's pretty good. But somehow hard to come by... no PDF version around? I still have my original.
Here's a pretty good review from PoisonedBlade on Amazon:
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2010
Story
Fragile alliances among human kingdoms deteriorate as an army of demons, goblins, vampires, and other foul creatures plan a massive invasion.
Conceptually, it is similar to a Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin. While you're waiting for GRRM to finish his series, this is a great way to pass the time!
World
The human kingdoms are similar to medieval Europe, with one exception. In the south, there's a land of shadow full of nightmarish creatures. The creatures are held at bay by a line of magical towers, an ancient race of magic users, and the bravery of the men on the borderlands. The world is complex, dark, and rich in history and tradition. Hey, in GRRM's book there's a nation of creatures held at bay in the north by a wall of ice. Go figure.
Writing Style
This is a complex book that fans of world building will enjoy. You can't really skim this book. You really need to read it and comprehend what's going on. There are many strong characters and a complicated web of alliances which change as the story progresses... kinda like GRRM's books.
Characters
There are noble monarchs, valiant heroes, despicable villains, and great evil. Overall, you'll want to root for the guys that you are supposed to root for and root against the villains. Although, the characters are very good, they seem to take a back seat to the events that are happening in the world.
Action
There's loads of graphic violence throughout the book. Men fight Men. Men fight demons. Demons fight men. Mages fight demons. Demons eat people. Demons even eat other Demons.
Maturity
This is for young adults and adults. There are complex plots and themes, graphic violence, and sex.
Kind of like GRRM's books.
Overall
This is a classic tale that spans an entire fantasy world. It's a great book.
Although, the first 30 pages may suffer from fantasy overload as many different kingdoms and rulers are mentioned, the book becomes more focused about a third of the way through and becomes easier to follow. Once the main character story arcs are revealed, this becomes a page turner.
Read it if you like dark fantasy, GRRM, Classic fantasy, and deep worlds.
Avoid it if you like simple stories, happy books, or anything related to Twilight.
Influenced GRR Martin? People on Amazon say it heavily influenced GRR Martin and Game of Thrones.
Dark Border 1 Detail: an evil enemy (including vampires which are undead) is held at bay with a magic border of towers, forming a sort of magical wall. They come from the south.
Game of Thrones: an evil undead enemy is held at bay with a magical wall. They come from the north.
Read this stuff about the Dark Border main character... sounds a LOT like Jaimie from GoT: Istvan Divega, a world-renowned swordsman who is a master of the three swords school and mercenary leader, who travels the world fighting for various kings and emperors as well as the Hasturs when required. Zimmer told his friend Bruce Byfield that Divega was based partly on watching noted science fiction and fantasy writer Fritz Leiber as an old man fencing.
Istvan is an older man who has outlived his son and wife, and who fears the onset of old age and the infirmity that it brings. Yet despite these fears his skill with the sword is undiminished. His body, although not as strong as it once was, still has its lightning quick reflexes honed through years of battle and training, while his mind is as sharp as it ever was, despite all the horrors and ruin that he has seen in his years of fighting. Istvan remains a man of principle, a man of honour, whose word once given is unbreakable. He has been summoned by his cousin Olansos the King of Tarencia to help oversee the investiture of his son prince Chondos. Olansos is aware that Chondos has personal issues that could lead to his undoing once he is gone and hopes that Istvan may aid the young prince in sorting them out before they become a danger to himself and the Kingdom at large.
Istvan bears a Hastur sword, a weapon made by the Hasturs that reacts to the presence of the dark things, and that is capable of destroying creatures of shadow and is virtually indestructible.
Despite his skill as a swordsman he is best known as Istvan the Archer - a name he hates and is ashamed of, because it refers to an incident in his youth in which he slaughtered men from afar. Ironically, it was in this incident that he first gained fame and his almost inhuman skill with the bow became known. In "A Gathering of Heroes" a famed Elven archer tells Istvan that it has been almost a century since he has seen a mortal shoot as well as Istvan.
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