In the King's Service (Deryni: Childe Morgan Trilogy, Vol. I)

by Katherine Kurtz

Book Overview

In this first book of an all-new Deryni trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Kurtz takes readers back in time--before King Kelson's bride...before King Kelson's birth... when the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0441012094
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: Ace
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.0" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Practical Magic

Since the series debuted there has been magic in two worlds, Katheryn Kurtz' Deryni eleventh century and here on earth, and even though I have grown older Morgan remains young and vital. Very vital, he's just getting around to being born in this newest gift from Ms Kurtz. Some stories fade as they go along, others take a terrible turn for the worst...(Anita Blake) and some just drift off, but not with the firm hand of Ms Kurtz on the rudder. There's murder, intrigue, plots, counter plots and magic aplenty and in all of the complex story line one thing holds true, Morgan is all Morgan. I am a bit smug, I started way back when this was an L. Sprague De Camp/ Lin Carter recuritment project. Some guys just know how to pick a winner. The Deryni will delight, amaze and enthrall you and in the thirty-seven years I have been following the saga I have but one complaint...I can read'em faster than she can write them. Get this book. Of course you'll have to read all of the novels in the series so why not just buy all of them now? I know that's a lot of money but you'll think it cheap once you've read. Then you'll join the ranks of the faithful, waiting, watching and wanting until the next book comes out. But wait there is a new book, Childe Morgan and by the time you've finished it the rest will be there.

Terrific

Kurtz outshines 95% of the other published fantasy authors out there. If I compared this book to some of Kurtz's other stellar achievements, this book might be low on the list of favorites but compared to anything else available in fantasy, In the King's Service rates 5 stars. I find it tedious to try new authors only to find that they run the same scenario with different names and places. Now days that scenario goes something along these lines. 1. Write about a whole lot of gruesome deaths to a lot of people to establish that the bad people are REAL bad. (Be sure to ravage children and describe mutilation to the max.) 2. Take the hero(s) or heroine(s) and give them character flaws to work out. Be sure make some of the flaws in some of the characters deeply disturbing to titillate. 3. Throw in two or three traitors and a few unquenchable beasts and put everyone on a geographic quest with lots of hide and go seek in it. 4. Create enough pathos and convoluted (untraceable) storylines and ambiguous characters to confuse the brightest. 5. Write a end that doesn't end and call it a fantasy novel. Kurtz isn't formulaic but she came to the brink in this novel of falling into that formula. In all of her other books, she brings depth to place, character and circumstance that makes each book real. One is drawn into her story and forgets it is a story. Not all but most of this book was just as compelling. Since I finished In the Kings Service wishing the next novel was right around the corner, I think I can safely say Kurtz still has my attention. If I could ask for improvement it would be for a little more intricate plots, a little more subtle court intrigue and more adventure. I would have found a less disturbing way to do away with one of the characters and I'm disappointed that Kurtz took that direction. All in all though, the book was very much worth the read.

Outstanding character development

I have thoroughly enjoyed each of Kurtz' works. While I have not recognized recently the same compelling sense of drama that was developed in her earlier books, I believe her character development reached new levels of artistry in this work -- which is, perhaps, why reviewers seem to agree that, even if the plot is not highly developed in these pages, the book is a must-read.

A Novel of Intrigue and Minor Magic

In the King's Service is the first novel in the Childe Morgan trilogy. It takes place during the reign of Donal Blaine Haldane and fits chronologically after The Bastard Prince and before Deryni Rising.King Donal has provided his son with a guardian by getting a son on Jessamy, the wife of Sief MacAthan, one of his councilors and a member of the Camberian Council. Sief is also a very impulsive and jealous man and, when he discovers the true parentage, Donal finds himself fighting for his life as Sief unleashes the Deryni mind powers against him, but the Haldane powers prove stronger and Donal is left with the still warm body of Jessamy's husband. Donal Blames the death of an heart attack and arranges to have the baby raised in the Royal Nursery.The Camberian Council discovers most of the truth, but cannot determine the motive for the King siring a child on Jessamy. However, they continue to keep an eye on Jessamy, the daughter of Lewis ap Norfal, who had rebelled against the authority of the Camberian Council itself. Meanwhile, Keryell Earl of Lendor has taken a new wife after the passing of Stevana in childbirth and is leaving his two daughters, Alyce and Marie, with the queen until they are to depart for a convent school. Since Jessamy was especially close to Stevana, she takes the girls under her wing and even accompanies them to the convent. There she introduces the girls to her daughter Jessilde, a novice in the order. The next day, Jessamy leaves and the girls are started on their studies and on making new friends.This story is a study of character and intrigue. The action is minimal and mostly offstage, although battle, accidents and homicide seem to run rampant through the plot. Of course, an approximately equal number of births balance out the deaths, but the turnover is astonishing, although not unrealistic for medieval times.Nevertheless, this story is unusual in that no major wars, rebellions, invasions or other large-scale violence occurs during the whole tale. Moreover, the church is only modestly destructive against the Deryni. There is only one significant clash between the King and the Church and it is more personal than otherwise.Overall, this is an unusual novel, more like the shorter works in its plot and consequences. However, it does occur in a significant period in the evolution of the kingdom, less than a decade prior to the birth of Kelson Haldane. Moreover, it concludes with the birth of Alaric Morgan. Highly recommended for Kurtz fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of intrigue and minor magic in a medieval setting.

strong Deryni entry

The King of Gwynedd, Donal Haldane rules through divine right and his powers are said to come of God. The Deryni, a race of sorcerers, are said to be evil and secular. Church law doesn't grant them the same rights as humans. In actuality, the power of the Haldanes and the Deryni are much alike; Donal has no problems using the Deryni to help him maintain peace in the Eleven Kingdoms.Lady Alycee De Corwyn is the sister of the future duke and a great heiress who knows she must make a dynastic marriage. While she awaits the king's decree, she arrives at court to serve the Haldanes as only a Deryni can. After losing a father and brother to Gwynedd's enemies, Donal implements a plan that would make her child his son's protector by betraying a woman he has come to respect and a man he calls friend.This novel takes place after the massacre of the Deryni following the Haldane Restoration. The survivors are slowly coming out into the open again hoping to prove to the humans that they are not evil just because a few commit malevolent acts. Still they are feared and the church encourages mankind to hate the Deryni but through their loyal service to the crown, humanity is slowly being shown that being Deryni is not a bad thing. Katherine Kurtz still reigns as the queen of historical fantasies in a series she started almost three decades ago.Harriet Klausner