Fencing Sword

By the Sword is an epic history of sword fighting - a science, an art, and, for many, a religion that began at the dawn of civilization in ancient Egypt and has been an obsession for mankind ever since. With wit and insight, Richard Cohen gives us an engrossing history of the world via the sword.

“A gentleman had seized the enemy’s guard while holding his own point to the man’s stomach. The enemy brought in his left hand and, grabbing the foible of the gentleman’s sword with a heavy glove, he broke the blade off and plunged the point into the one who had seized his guard, killing him.” And you thought smallswording was dainty! Not even close - this was a matter of settling scores through blood, and Master-of-Arms André Wernesson Liancour had dedicated his life to perfecting his art. While he did make use of the foil for instructional purposes, his teaching was entirely ...

When the 11 lords, preachers, and merchants of Cryssigens need wrongs righted without clues, they look for the stealthic Feldspar to solve their problems. But the legend without a face is hard to find, and when Feldspar takes a commission from the most famous, and beautiful, priestess in the city, he finds problems of his own piling up, and is forced to choose between hope and safety.

LOYALTY IS THE HEART OF HONOR Loyalty and Rebellion Three French patriots come out of retirement to stop a coup d’état and clear the King’s Musketeers when Cardinal Richelieu blames them for it. Love and Secrets Richelieu plots to expose Queen Anne’s secret relationship with his arch-rival, Tréville, captain of the Musketeers. D’Artagnan must choose between two women, who both have dark secrets. Betrayal and Honor Athos, Porthos, and Aramis discover not all their allies can be trusted. Power corrupts. Greed persuades. Loyalty is tested.