Durandal – one of the greatest epics of heroic fiction ever written – has been influence upon and model for a score or more tales of swordplay and adventure. Durandal, of course, is the fabled sword of history and legend which somehow found its way into Africa, and finally into the Near-East, after the death of the warrior-hero Roland, knight of Charlemagne. Durandal is the tale of two Crusaders, Sir Hugh of Taranto and the strange Celt, Donn Dera, whose band of 800 has been betrayed by the Christian Emperor Theodore and butchered by the Seljuk Turks of Kai Kosru. In company with Arab adventurers, Sir Hugh and Donn Dera capture the near-impregnable fortress of Kai Kosru from within, while the Emperor hammers at its outer defences. Here, the fabled sword finds its way to Sir Hugh’s hand in the throne room of Kai Kosru, and the Crusader begins a quest for vengeance. This is the first of three related volumes which appeared in Adventure more than fifty years ago. They are somber and moody tales, full of incredible battles, betrayals, and treachery. The author is the same Harold Lamb whose marvelous historical biographies of Genghis Khan, Hannibal, and Tamerlane have been best sellers for decades. His fiction – masterful high adventure sometimes blended with modest elements of fantasy – is a delight for the reader, as it was in the day sof Robert E. Howard. Durandal contains 6 full-color illustrations by Alicia Austin and George Barr. Introduction by Glenn Lord.

Christmas Story