The Blue Sword

"The Blue Sword" is a fantasy novel written by Robin McKinley and published by the Berkley Publishing Group in 1982. This is the book for which the prequel The Hero and the Crown was written. "The Blue Sword" has received numerous awards including; Newbery Honor Award, ALA Best Book for Young Adults and the ALA Notable Children's Book.

Plot summary

The story is told in the third-person point of view of a young noblewoman named Angharad, also known as Harry. Following her father's death, Harry moves to the military outpost where her brother Richard is staying, on the border between Homeland and Damar. While she is there, Richard receives a visit from Corlath, the Damarian king. Corlath has come to warn the Homelanders of the threat of an impending invasion from the North, a land full of demonic tribes that has recently come under the leadership of Thurra, a sort of demon-wizard. Although Corlath's warning falls on deaf ears, his gift (kelar) warns him that Harry will be essential to the future of his people, so he kidnaps Harry before returning to Damar. However, he is baffled by this because he can not see how a girl from a country of cool wet forests can be important to his country of desert and sand and blazing heat.

Corlath is ashamed that he has been forced to abduct Harry, and so treats her as an honored guest. She discovers to her surprise that she has a very strong kelar herself, and that Aerin, a heroine of the Damarian people, seems to have a connection with her, as Harry sees her in visions. Harry adjusts quickly and well to Damar, assisted by her kelar and the kindness of Corlath and her teacher Mathin.

She trains with horses and swords and when she takes part in the laprun trials she does extremely well, becoming the laprun-minta or first of the laprun. She is then made a King's Rider, given the blue sword named Gonturan, and becomes known as the Damalur-sol, or lady hero.

Meanwhile, Corlath has decided to take a desperate stand against the Northerners with his small army and the nineteen King's Riders. First he chooses to visit the seer known as Luthe, who tells Harry she has a choice ahead, and he hopes she will make the right decision. As the Riders discuss their battle plan, Harry points out that Corlath, still angry about his treatment by the Homelanders, is ignoring the threat posed by a small pass near the Homelander border. Harry decides to leave him and try to defend it herself.

She is joined by some friends, Damarians and Homelanders, and together they attempt to hold the pass, but they face great difficulty because Thurra himself chose to come through the pass rather than through the main way where Corlath and the Damarians are waiting. Harry requests help from Aerin and Corlath, and with Gonturan manages to collapse a mountain on Thurra. After she regains her strength, she returns to Corlath, fearing his disapproval. She knows that Corlath would be forced to honor her as the savior of Damar, but she is afraid that he will hate her for disobeying him and proving him wrong.

It is then that she realizes that she is in love with him and would not merely want his grudging respect, but his love as well.

Instead, Corlath realized that he was in love with Harry while she was away and proposes to her when she returns to him. He honors her before all of Damar, and they hold a wedding celebration. She then bears four children with him.