Prince of the Blood (novel)

1989 novel by Raymond E. Feist

Prince of the Blood

Prince of the Blood first edition cover.

Author| Raymond E. Feist
Cover artist| Kevin Johnson
Language| English
Series| Krondor's Sons
Genre| Fantasy
Publisher| Doubleday

Publication date

| July 28, 1989
Publication place| United States
Media type| Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages| 293 (first edition)
ISBN| 0-385-23624-7
OCLC| 19985687

Dewey Decimal

| 813/.54 20
LC Class| PS3556.E446 P75 1989
Followed by| The King's Buccaneer

Prince of the Blood is a fantasy novel by American writer Raymond E. Feist. It is the first book of the Krondor's Sons series and was published in 1989. It was later followed by The King's Buccaneer in 1992. A 15th anniversary "author's preferred" edition with portions of the book significantly rewritten[1] was released in 2004. The novel focuses on Borric and Erland conDoin, and their personal growth as they journey to the Empire of Great Kesh and unwittingly become involved in a plot against both their own lives and the Empress herself.

## Plot summary

[edit]

Twin sons to Prince Arutha, the Princes Borric and Erland have lived a life of relative luxury. Though well educated and talented swordsmen, they spend their time brawling, gambling, and disrupting their father's court. After the twins show no sign of maturity after a year stationed at the Kingdom's northern border, and with Borric being Heir Presumptive to the throne in Rillanon after the drowning of King Lyam's only son, Arutha decides that his two sons cannot afford the luxury of youth anymore. He sends them as ambassadors to the Empire of Kesh for the Empress' 75th birthday jubilee. Baron James ("Jimmy the Hand") and Baron Locklear accompany the twins, their presence made all the more vital after an assassination attempt on Borric before their departure is narrowly averted, and the assassin is found to be of Keshian nobility.

On the way to Kesh, the emissaries stop at Stardock. There James meets Gamina, Pug's adopted daughter, and they fall in love on first sight. James and Gamina wish to marry but James must seek Arutha's permission as a member of his court. Along with granting permission, Arutha promotes James to the rank of Earl, and the two are married. Gamina then joins the group as they continue their journey south.

Upon entering Kesh, the party is attacked during a sandstorm, and Borric is captured by slavers. His companions scout the slavers' camp, but are unable to locate the prince, and certain that he has been killed, continue onward to the capital, grief-stricken.

At the capital, the embassy is introduced to imperial customs and meet the various people who form the Empire, and begin to gather information on the plot against Borric and the political unrest within the Keshian government. Erland enjoys an affair with the Empress' granddaughter, Princess Sharana, while Locklear also pursues a relationship with the Empress' daughter, Princess Sojiana, rightful heir to the throne. Later, after expressing unease about some of the things he has learned, Locklear suddenly disappears and is accused of the murder of Sojiana.

Meanwhile, Borric manages to escape from the slavers, and with the help of a beggar boy, a mercenary named Ghuda Bule, and a trickster named Nakor, makes his way to Kesh, learning more about the plot against him and the Empress on the way. Eventually, the plot is uncovered, the Empress' life is saved, and the conspirators are revealed and punished for their treasonous acts. The brothers and their companions, happy to be reunited, but mourning the loss of Locklear, who was found murdered by the conspirators, return to Krondor.

## Publication history

[edit]

Since its release Prince of the Blood has been published in over 15 countries.[2]

Note: Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have the same release dates as the UK.

* 1989, USA, Doubleday ISBN 0-385-23624-7, Pub date August 1989, Paperback
* 1992, USA, Doubleday ISBN 0-385-23624-7, Pub date November 1992, Hardback
* 2004, USA, Spectra ISBN 0-553-80380-8, Pub date June 1, 2004, Hardback (15th anniversary)
* 1989, UK, Grafton ISBN 0-246-13077-6, Pub date 1989, Hardcover
* 1989, UK, Grafton ISBN 0-246-13078-4, Pub date November 1989, Trade paperback
* 1990, UK, Grafton ISBN 0-586-07140-7, Pub date December 1990, Paperback
* 2004, UK, Harper Collins ISBN 0-00-717616-3, Pub date September 2004, Paperback (Revised edition)
* 1995, JPN, Hayakawa ISBN 4-15-020208-7, Pub date July 31, 1995, Paperback
* 1995, DEU, Goldman Wilhelm ISBN 3-442-24650-4, Pub date September 1995, Paperback
* 1997, RUS, Azbuka ISBN 5-7684-0356-6, Pub date 1997, Hardback
* 1998, CZE, Poutnik ISBN 80-86129-00-4, Pub date 1998, Paperback
* 1998, HUN, Beholder ISBN 963-9047-24-4, Pub date 1998, Paperback
* 1998, NLD, J.M. Meulenhoff ISBN 90-290-6830-2, Pub date 1998, Hardback
* 1998, NLD, Meulenhoff M ISBN 90-290-5746-7, Pub date 1998, Trade paperback
* 1998, POL, Zysk i S-ka Wydawnictwo sc ISBN 83-7150-330-X, Pub date 1998, Paperback
* 2000, BGR, Bard ISBN 954-585-154-6, Krondors Sons omnibus
* 2001, FRA, Mister Fantasy ISBN 978-2-914370-50-9, Pub date March 15, 2001, Paperback
* 2004, CHN, ISBN 986-7531-15-9, Pub date January 7, 2004, Paperback (Part 1)
* 2004, CHN, ISBN 986-7531-14-0, Pub date January 14, 2004, Paperback (Part 2)
* 2004, TUR, Ithaki Yayinlari ISBN 975-273-059-0, Pub date 2004, Paperback
* 2005, SWE, Wahlstroms Fantasy ISBN 91-32-33190-8, Pub date October 2005, Hardback
* 2007, SWE, Wahlstroms Fantasy ISBN 91-32-43607-6, Pub date May 2007, Paperback
* 2008, ESP, La Factoría de Ideas ISBN 978-8-49800-394-9, Pub date June 2008, Trade paperback
* 2009, SRB, Laguna ISBN 978-8-65210-080-4, Pub date 2009, Paperback
* 2012, PRT, Saída de Emergência ISBN 978-9-89637-434-1, Pub date July 3, 2012, Trade Paperback

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Prince of the Blood 15th Anniversary Edition, Afterword.
2. ^ "Publication info". Crydee.com. Retrieved 2024-09-30.

* v
* t
* e

Works by Raymond E. Feist

The Riftwar Cycle|

| The Riftwar Saga|

* Magician
* Silverthorn
* A Darkness at Sethanon

|

The Empire Trilogy|

* Daughter of the Empire
* Servant of the Empire
* Mistress of the Empire

Legends of the Riftwar|

* Honoured Enemy
* Murder in LaMut
* Jimmy the Hand

The Riftwar Legacy|

* Krondor: The Betrayal
* Krondor: The Assassins
* Krondor: Tear of the Gods

Krondor's Sons|

* Prince of the Blood
* The King's Buccaneer

The Serpentwar Saga|

* Shadow of a Dark Queen
* Rise of a Merchant Prince
* Rage of a Demon King
* Shards of a Broken Crown

Conclave of Shadows|

* Talon of the Silver Hawk
* King of Foxes
* Exile's Return

The Darkwar Saga|

* Flight of the Nighthawks
* Into a Dark Realm
* Wrath of a Mad God

The Demonwar Saga|

* Rides a Dread Legion
* At the Gates of Darkness

Chaoswar Saga|

* A Kingdom Besieged
* A Crown Imperilled
* Magician's End

Other works|

* Faerie Tale

*[OCLC]: Online Computer Library Center number
*[LC Class]: Library of Congress Classification
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