Dave Duncan

  • 46

    Catalog books

  • 18

    Works

  • 1990 to 2022

    Strongest span

Who This Author Is

Dave Duncan writes adventure-driven fantasy that centers on battle, loyalty and the costs of power. His Tale of the King’s Blades entry, Impossible Odds, pairs military plotting with personal sacrifice, while Reaver Road and Cursed continue themes of hard choices, survival and the uneasy line between honor and necessity.

Across these titles Duncan favors lean pacing, gritty action and characters obliged to act under pressure. Readers encounter seasoned fighters, fraught alliances and moral compromise rather than silver‑bullet solutions, making his stories about consequence as much as spectacle.

Best Place To Start

Reaver Road

Open Road Integrated Media, Inc. • 2014 • standard commitment

It helps anchor a specific period of this author’s publishing run instead of blending into the undated shelf clutter.

Author At A Glance

Best known for: Grim, character-driven fantasy • Military and mercenary themes • Dark, pragmatic worldbuilding

Genres and themes: Epic fantasy • Military fantasy • Dark fantasy

Who this author is best for: Good if you like gritty, plot-forward fantasies with morally complex soldiers and clear stakes.

Start with Impossible Odds for a complete tale of the King's Blades, or sample his standalone novels like Reaver Road or Cursed to judge tone.

Top Books To Start With

  1. Reaver Road

    Open Road Integrated Media, Inc. • 2014 • standard commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 2014 • 236 pages.

  2. Impossible Odds: A Chronicle of the King's Blades (Tale of the King's Blades)

    Eos • 2004 • longer commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2004 • 442 pages.

  3. Cursed

    Orion Publishing Group, Limited • 2012 • commitment varies by edition

    UPB note: year signal: 2012.

  4. Destiny of the Sword

    Open Road Integrated Media, Inc. • 2014 • longer commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 2014 • 368 pages.

  5. Rose-Red City

    Open Road Integrated Media, Inc. • 2014 • standard commitment

    It stands out because it asks for less time than many of the longer volumes on this page.

  6. Upland Outlaws

    Open Road Integrated Media, Inc. • 2014 • longer commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 2014 • 356 pages.

  7. Merlin Redux

    Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated • 2019 • standard commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2019 • 288 pages.

  8. The Death of Nnanji

    Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy • 2014 • standard commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2014 • 340 pages.

  9. King of Swords (The Starfolk)

    47North • 2013 • longer commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2013 • 394 pages.

  10. The Jaguar Knights: A Chronicle of the King's Blades (Duncan, Dave) (Duncan, Dave)

    Harpercollins • 2004 • longer commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2004 • 386 pages.

How The Picks Compare

  • Reaver Road is the easier short commitment, while Impossible Odds: A Chronicle of the King's Blades (Tale of the King's Blades) asks for more reading time up front.
  • Impossible Odds: A Chronicle of the King's Blades (Tale of the King's Blades) gives you an earlier look at this author’s shelf, while Reaver Road leans later in the catalog.
  • Cursed is also useful if you want a different publishing lane from Reaver Road.

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