A fairly unusual standalone work by Cook, much better than some of his serial works, although the ending does leave room for many more tales, it doesn't feel as if this was an exploratory start to a series.

Gathrid is the unlikely name of our hero. A young boy of course, with no special destiny, imperfect in many ways especially the weaknesses that polio left him with - hence unable to train as a knight. His father is a minor baron in a minor kingdom on the edge of a decaying Empire. Gathrid's amiable existance is interrupted whent eh neighbouring Empire decides to invade. In the aftermath of the chaos he flees to a deserted cave and stumbles upon bier containing a magic sword. This turns out to be the magic sword that featured in his legends of a prior Empire, and though long lost eons ago. Like a DnD powerful item the Sword is possessed of a Will of it's own, and chooses it's own bearer and time. The Will is in part that of a goddess, who seeks to use the sword to for some purpose only time can reveal. Gathrid however has a will of his own, and despite his inital naivity, seeks to minise the harm the Sword can choose. However it is not the only posessed Item in the land, and the fates have decreed that it is time for action.

This is in many respects better writing from Cook than many of his more popular series. Mostly because here we are a lot more ersonally involved with just one hero compared to the cast of characters he overviews in the various Empires. This of coruse has it downsides int hat none of the supporting characters get any kind of detail at all. Even the Esquire Theis who is a constant companion of the sword (and Goddess) is little more than an occasional font of wisdom for Gathrid. The device of making him reticent doesn't impart any depper character, and only makes the occasionl volubleness inexplicable. Despite an attempt to involve them, like many (most?) of Cook's work, women get short shrift again, barely a look in as a failed love interest.

Fun though, fast moving with an interesting world and background. The magic system could have done with a lot more explanation (although Gathrid doesn't use it himself), and better character interactions would have helped. It isn't typical Cook, and in many ways, all the better for it. ( )

This is one of Cook’s earlier books that his fans will enjoy as insight into how he’s grown as a writer, while the casual reader may find some joy in its simplicity. As this was written by one of my favourite authors, my rating may be generous, but I enormously enjoyed contrasting this to his later works. ( )

Swordbearer: A magical soul-eating sword chooses a young cripple as its bearer.Proof positive that even for the really good writers of the world, there's a learning curve. Underwritten, "telly", cliched, disjointed to the point of incoherence. I'm convinced this would not be publishable today. When it first came out in 1982, perhaps its straightforward prose and grey morality seemed new -- but now readers can find Cook's style expressed on a much higher plane in his Black Company books.