The Blue Sword
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 10–15 · 1982 · Est. 9.5 hour read

The Blue Sword

By Robin McKinley

Book #1 in the Damar series

An orphan discovers her destiny as a legendary warrior in a magical desert kingdom.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 63,447 ratings
272 pages· 101,620 words· Est. 9.5 hour read
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Bookroo's summary

Harry Crewe, an orphan in the desert land of Damar, is thrust into a world of magic and destiny when the enigmatic King Corlath recognizes her hidden potential. As she becomes Harimad-sol, the King's Rider, she must wield the legendary Blue Sword, Gonturan, a weapon untouched by women since the time of Lady Aerin. Can Harry embrace her newfound power and fulfill a destiny she never imagined? In a land where magic and reality intertwine, her journey will challenge everything she knows about herself and the world around her.

From the publisher

Read this modern classic of young adult fantasy from award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Robin McKinley Harry Crewe is an orphan girl who comes to live in Damar, the desert country shared by the Homelanders and the secretive, magical Free Hillfolk. When Corlath, the Hillfolk King, sees her for the first time, he is shaken–for he can tell that she is something more than she appears to be. He will soon realize what Harry has never guessed: She is to become Harimad-sol, King’s Rider, and carry the Blue Sword, Gonturan, which no woman has wielded since the legendary Lady Aerin, generations past. * “This is a zesty, romantic heroic fantasy with an appealingly stalwart heroine, a finely realized mythical kingdom, and a grounding in reality that enhances the tale’s verve as a fantasy.”–Booklist (starred review) “McKinley knows her geography of fantasy, the nuances of the language, the atmosphere of magic . . . .”–The Washington Post A Newbery Honor Book An ALA Notable Book An ALA Best Book for Young Adults

Awards

Newbery Honor (1983)
At a glance
Format
Paperback
Pages
272
Words
101,620
Reading age
10–15
Audience
Young Adult
Lexile
1030L
Themes & topics
Books about the desertBooks about heritageBooks about girls and women
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The author

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The fine print

Book details

Reading levels
ATOS
6.8
F&P level
~Y
AR points
17
AR interest level
MG
AR quiz
106
Publication
Published
October 1, 2000
First published
October 1, 1982
Edition
Language
English
Type
Chapter Book
Identifiers
ISBN
9780141309750

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