This book was another delight, and T. Kingfisher may be fast becoming a favourite author. Set in the same world as the Clockwork Boys but not really related, this is the story of the widow Halla whose great-uncle dies and unexpectedly leaves her everything, to the fury of the rest of his family. everything turns out to include an enchanted sword, which summons a swordsman to protect its wielder.

Sarkis, the sword/swordsman, has spent 450 years protecting the various wielders of his sword against assassins, enemies, and war. He was not quite prepared to protect his wielder against embroidery-hook wielding aunts with designs on his wielder’s inheritance, but he’s willing to give it a try.

The author’s afterword says that she was inspired to write the story after considering that the real victim in Moorcock’s Elric of Melnibone books was his sword, who had to put up with its owner no matter what. this story expresses an alternate way of looking at that relationship very well, with plenty of intrigued, doublecrossing, entertaining and obscure religions, bandits, swashbuckling, and just enough romance as well. The ending highly implies there will be two more sequels and I for one cannot wait. Could not put this book down until I finished it, which is why this review is being written well after midnight!