Joust

Table of Contents

 

 

“In Vetch’s world, Lackey gives us a wonderfully visualized society, similar in terrain, climate, religion and differing circumstances of slave, serf, and free person to ancient Egypt. Moreover, she fills the book with welllimned characterizations and convincing, detailed dragon lore to make up a whole in which Vetch’s coming-of-age becomes an integral part. Fans of McCaffrey’s Pern will love it, but they won’t be the only ones that do.”

—
Booklist
(Starred Review)

“In this elegant, compelling fantasy, Lackey combines meticulously detailed dragon lore with emotionally intense, realistic human characters. This uplifting tale, which contains a valuable lesson or two on the virtues of hard work, is a must-read for dragons lovers in particular and for fantasy fans in general.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“It’s fun to see a different spin on dragons and the usual abused-child-makes-good story, and as usual Lackey makes it all compelling.”

—
Locus
“As always, the incomparable Mercedes Lackey offers readers memorable characters, both human and animal, in exotix settings. She’s created a new fantasy world that begs to be explored and savored.”

—
Romantic Times

“I like her (Lackey) more with evey book I read. This new book—and it needs to become a series, because even though the story ends, people will be clamoring to find out what happens next—has a dynamic setting, lush with possibility. An interesting, well conceived concept and a nice set of characters makes Joust an easy, wonderful read.”

—
SF Site

NOVELS BY
MERCEDES LACKEY
available from DAW Books:

THE HERALDS OF VALDEMAR
ARROWS OF THE QUEEN
ARROW’S FLIGHT
ARROW’S FALL

 

THE LAST HERALD-MAGE
MAGIC’S PAWN
MAGIC’S PROMISE
MAGIC’S PRICE

 

THE MAGE WINDS
WINDS OF FATE
WINDS OF CHANGE
WINDS OF FURY

 

THE MAGE STORMS
STORM WARNING
STORM RISING
STORM BREAKING

 

KEROWYN’S TALE
BY THE SWORD

 

VOWS AND HONOR
THE OATHBOUND
OATHBREAKERS
OATHBLOOD

BRIGHTLY BURNING
TAKE A THIEF
EXILE’S HONOR
EXILE’S VALOR

 

VALDEMAR ANTHOLOGIES
SWORD OF ICE
SUN IN GLORY

 

Written with
LARRY DIXON:

 

THE MAGE WARS
THE BLACK GRYPHON
THE WHITE GRYPHON
THE SILVER GRYPHON

 

DARIAN’S TALE
OWLFLIGHT
OWLSIGHT
OWLKNIGHT

 

 

OTHER NOVELS:

 

JOUST
ALTA
THE BLACK SWAN

 

THE ELEMENTAL MASTERS
THE SERPENT’S SHADOW
THE GATES OF SLEEP
PHOENIX AND ASHES*

 

DARKOVER
Written with Marion
Zimmer Bradley
REDISCOVERY

 

And don’t miss:
The VALDEMAR COMPANION
Edited by John Helfers and Denise Little
*Forthcoming in hardcover from DAW Books

Copyright © 2003 by Mercedes R. Lackey. All rights reserved.

 

 

DAW Books Collectors No. 1249

 

DAW Books are distributed by the Penguin Group (USA).

 

All characters and events in this book are fictitious.
All resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.

 

 

The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Printing, March

eISBN : 978-1-101-11836-8

DAW TRADEMARK REGISTERED
U.S. PAT. OFF AND FOREING COUNTRIES
‒MARCA REGISTRADA
HECHO EN U.S.A.

 

S.A.

Dedicated to the memory of those lost NYFD Ladder Companies: 9/11/01

 

LADDER 2
Frederick Ill, Jr.
Michael Clarke
George DiPasquale
Denis Germain
Daniel Harlin
Carl Molinaro
Dennis Mulligan

 

LADDER 3
Patrick Brown
Kevin Donnelly
James Coyle
Gerald Dewan
Jeffrey Giordano
Joseph Maloney
John McAvoy
Timothy McSweeney
Joseph Ogren
Steven Olsen

 

LADDER 4
David Wooley
Michael Brennan
Joseph Angelini, Jr.
Michael Haub
Michael Lynch
Samuel Oitice
John Tipping II

 

LADDER 5
Michael Warcholala
Vincent Giammona
Louis Arena
Andrew Brunn
Thomas Hannafin
Paul Keating
John Santore
Gregory Saucedo

 

LADDER 7
Vernon Richard
George Cain
Charles Mendez
Richard Muldowney, Jr.
Vincent Princiotta

 

LADDER 8
Vincent Halloran

 

LADDER 9
Gerald Baptiste
John Tierney
Jeffery Walz

 

LADDER 10
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LADDER 11
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Richard Kelly, Jr.
Matthew Rogan

 

LADDER 12
Angel Juarbe, Jr.
Michael Mullan

 

LADDER 13
Walter Hynes
Thomas Hetzel
Dennis McHugh
Thomas Sabella
Gregory Stajk

 

LADDER 15
Joseph Leavey
Richard Allen
Arthur Barry
Thomas Kelly
Scott Kopytko
Scott Larsen
Douglas Oelschlager
Eric Olsen

 

LADDER 16
Raymond Murphy
Robert Curatolo

 

LADDER 20
John Fischer
John Burnside
James Gray
Sean Hanley
Robert Linnane
David LaForge
Robert McMahon

 

LADDER 21
Gerald Atwood
Gerald Duffy
Keith Glascoe
Joseph Henry
William Krukowski
Benjamin Suarez

 

LADDER 24
Stephen Belson
Daniel Brethel

 

LADDER 25
Matthew Barnes
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Kenneth Kumpel
Robert Minara
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Paul Ruback
Glenn Perry

 

LADDER 27
John Marshall

 

LADDER 35
James Giberson
Vincent Morello
Michael Otten
Michael Roberts
Frank Callahan

 

LADDER 38
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LADDER 42
Peter Bielfield

 

LADDER 101
Joseph Gullickson
Patrick Byrne
Salvatore Calabro
Brian Cannizzaro
Thomas Kennedy
Joseph Maffeo
Terence McShane

 

LADDER 105
Vincent Brunton
Thomas Kelly
Henry Miller, Jr.
Denis Oberg
Frank Palombo

 

LADDER 111
Christopher Sullivan

 

LADDER 118
Joseph Agnello
Vernon Cherry
Scott Davidson
Leon Smith, Jr.
Peter Vega
Robert Regan

 

LADDER 131
Christian Regenhard

 

LADDER 132
Andrew Jordan
Michael Kiefer
Thomas Mingione
John Vigiano II
Sergio Villanueva